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Let's dive into the world of email open rates and the changes that have recently taken place. Understanding these shifts is crucial for adapting your KPIs and maximizing email deliverability. So, let's get started!
To begin, let's clarify what an open rate actually is.
It is calculated by dividing the number of emails opened by the total number of emails sent, as a percentage. For instance, if you send out 200 emails and 100 recipients open them, your open rate would be 50%.
An open rate of over 50% has been recommended. But significant changes have occurred in email tracking and cold-emailing practices, making it necessary to shift our approach and KPIs.
A lower open rate doesn't necessarily imply that something is wrong.
Open rates for cold email tracking are not as reliable as they used to be. Instead, it's becoming increasingly important to focus on metrics such as reply rate and interested rate. These KPIs provide a more accurate reflection of recipient engagement over time.
If you're interested in learning more about effectively marking a lead as interested (or not), we've prepared a helpful resource that you can find here.
Now, let's explore the changes and the reasons behind them.
Concerns regarding privacy in email settings have directly impacted the accuracy and availability of open rates. Some email clients, such as Gmail, now have mechanisms in place that can hinder tracking pixels from accurately registering email opens.
Certain tracking tools offer features like read receipts. It's important to note that the effectiveness of read receipts is often dependent on the recipient's email client settings and may not be universally supported.
You may have also noticed instances of multiple opens for the same email.
This can be due to safety and privacy measures implemented by some inboxes, which have spam filters and bots. These filters and bots automatically open emails and click on links as a precautionary measure. Consequently, this false interaction is counted as an open or click, even though the prospect may never have actually opened the email.
Adapting to these changes in email tracking and adjusting our KPIs accordingly is essential for staying ahead in the email deliverability game. While open rates still hold some significance, it's time to embrace metrics like reply rate and interested rate as reliable indicators of recipient engagement.
Thank you for your attention, and please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or require additional assistance. We're here to help! 😊