Glossary
Email Open Rate: The percentage of delivered emails that were opened by recipients.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of recipients who clicked on a link within your email.
Revenue per Email (RPE): Total revenue generated divided by the number of emails sent.
Conversion Rate: The percentage of users who completed a desired action (like a purchase) after clicking on a link in your email.
Vanity Metric: A metric that looks good on paper but doesn’t necessarily correlate with meaningful business results.
Apple iOS 15 Update: A privacy update that prevents accurate tracking of email opens.
Tracking Pixel: A tiny, invisible image used to track when an email is opened.
Table of contents
What Is Email Open Rate?

Your email open rate is the percentage of subscribers who open your email. It’s a classic benchmark in email marketing, historically used to assess the strength of your subject lines, sender name, and timing.
How Do You Calculate Email Open Rate?
Use this simple formula:
Open Rate = (Emails Opened / Emails Sent) x 100
Example: If you sent 1,000 emails and 200 were opened, your open rate is 20%.
Pro Tip: Always subtract bounced emails to get a more accurate open rate. That’s known as a corrected open rate.
Are Email Opens Dead? Does Email Open Rate Still Matter?
Since Apple’s iOS 15 update, open rates have become unreliable—especially for iOS users. Apple Mail now preloads all images, including the tracking pixel, whether or not a user opens the email.
What Changed:
- Before iOS 15: Opens were tracked with a 1×1 pixel that loaded only when a user opened the email.
- After iOS 15: Apple preloads email content, tricking email software into logging an open whether or not it actually occurred.
This results in inflated open rates, especially for Apple users, skewing your performance analysis.
Should You Still Track Open Rates?
Short answer: yes—but with a grain of salt.
Open Rates Still Offer:
- Directional data
- Subject line testing insights
- Send time experiments
Open Rates Can’t Offer:
- Real engagement metrics
- Accurate read-time data
- Purchase or click intent
If your list is mostly Android or desktop users, open rate may still offer some value. But if your list skews iOS, deprioritize opens in favor of better metrics.
Why Click-Through Rate (CTR) Matters More
The ultimate question isn’t “Did they open?”—it’s “Did they take action?”
CTR Gives You:
- Accurate engagement data
- A true sense of content performance
- Insight into user interest
What to Track Instead:
Metric | What It Measures | Why It Matters |
---|---|---|
Click-Through Rate | % who clicked a link in the email | Core engagement metric |
Revenue per Email | Revenue / Emails Sent | Profitability of your email marketing |
Conversion Rate | % who purchased after clicking | Measures your email funnel effectiveness |
Click-to-Open Rate | Clicks / Opens | Indicates how compelling your content is |
Bonus: How to Improve CTR
- Stronger CTAs: Use direct, benefit-driven language.
- Test Layouts: A/B test designs, buttons, and link placements.
- Segmentation: Send more relevant content based on behavior.
- Personalization: Address recipients by name and use dynamic content.
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure your emails look great on all devices.
Final Thoughts: Grieve Opens, Focus on Clicks
Email opens were once the go-to metric—but with privacy updates, they no longer hold the weight they used to.
Instead of obsessing over opens, focus on clicks, conversions, and revenue.
If your emails are driving action, you’re winning.
Suggestions for Enhancing the Post
Add Visuals:
- Bar graph comparing pre-iOS 15 vs. post-iOS 15 open rates
- Flow chart of email engagement funnel (Open → Click → Convert)
- Heatmap example showing click distribution within an email
Add Downloadable Content:
- “Email Metrics Cheat Sheet” PDF
- A/B Testing Checklist Template
Add an Embedded Table:
Metric | Good Benchmark (Retail) |
---|---|
Open Rate | 18% – 25% |
CTR | 2% – 5% |
Conversion | 1% – 3% |
Bounce Rate | <2% |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Should I stop tracking email open rates entirely? No, but treat them as secondary to CTR and conversions. They can still offer value for subject line testing.
Q2: How can I test subject lines now that opens are unreliable? Segment by device (iOS vs. Android) and isolate non-iOS opens for cleaner tests.
Q3: What’s a good CTR for eCommerce emails? 2-5% is solid, though some high-performing campaigns can hit 7-10%.
Q4: Can I improve CTR without redesigning my entire email? Yes. Tweak headlines, CTA button color and text, or test different images.
Q5: Is click-to-open rate better than open rate? Yes. It shows how many people clicked relative to how many opened—indicating content relevance.
Q6: How do I optimize for revenue per email? Send more targeted content, increase AOV with bundles, and test discount thresholds.
Need help implementing this?
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Tactic | Strategy |
✅ Front-load urgency | Use action words like “Today only,” “Limited,” “Your order is waiting” |
✅ Subject line clarity | Be specific. Skip vague copy like “Here’s something for you…” |
✅ Content relevance | Only send what the subscriber actually cares about. Personalize. |
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