Open Rate
Open rate is the percentage of delivered emails that were opened, a directional metric made less reliable by inbox privacy features.
What open rate is
Open rate is the share of delivered emails that were opened: opens divided by delivered, times 100.
It’s tracked through a tiny invisible image that loads when the email is viewed, which is also why the number has gotten less reliable.
Why open rate matters, with limits
Opens gauge whether the sender name and subject line earned attention, and sudden drops can flag deliverability trouble.
The limits are real: privacy features in major inboxes preload those tracking images, inflating opens whether or not a human looked. Treat the number as directional.
What moves open rate
- A sender name people recognize and want
- Subject lines that promise something specific
- List health: engaged subscribers, pruned dead weight
- Send timing matched to when the list reads
Frequently asked questions
Why did open rates jump without changes?
Usually privacy prefetching, not sudden fame. Inbox providers loading tracking pixels automatically register as opens no one made.
What should replace open rate as the main email metric?
Clicks and revenue per email. They measure action instead of rendering, and privacy features distort them far less.