Open rates are one of the most talked-about metrics in email marketing.
They’re also one of the most misleading.
We hear it all the time:
“Great open rate, but nothing happened.”
“Loads of opens, no enquiries.”
And that’s the issue.
Open rates don’t pay the bills.
Responses do.
Why Open Rates Can’t Be Trusted Anymore
Open rates were always easy to measure, which is why they became the default.
But in 2026, they tell you very little.
Between privacy changes, image pre-loading and automated security scans, an “open” often just means an email client checked the message – not that a person read it, understood it, or took action.
Optimising campaigns around open rates alone usually means optimising for the wrong outcome.
What Actually Matters in Email Marketing
If an email doesn’t create action, it hasn’t done its job.
The metrics that matter are:
- Replies
- Enquiries
- Booked calls
- Form submissions
- Sales conversations
Those are the points where email turns into revenue. Everything else is background noise.
Why High Open Rates Still Produce No Responses
We regularly see emails with strong opens, good copy and clean design that still generate nothing.
Common reasons:
- The call-to-action isn’t clear
- There are too many options
- The next step takes too much effort
- Traffic is sent to a generic page
- No one is ready to handle the response
The email didn’t fail.
The journey after it did.
Targeting and Compliance Matter More Than Ever
No email strategy works without the right audience.
Using GDPR-compliant, targeted email data is critical – not just for compliance, but for performance. Sending relevant messages to the right people will always outperform high-volume, poorly targeted sends.
With the Selectabase email list builder, businesses can:
- Build highly targeted B2B or consumer email lists
- Refine by sector, size, location and other key criteria
- Ensure emails are sourced and supplied compliantly
Give it a go for yourself https://www.selectabase.co.uk/prospectdownload/onlineb2b/select.aspx?ind=
Better targeting leads to better engagement – and far better response rates.
Final Thought
Open rates are interesting.
They’re a rough indicator at best.
They are not a commercial outcome.
If your email campaign doesn’t generate conversations, enquiries or sales, the open rate doesn’t matter.
Open rates don’t pay the bills.
Responses do.
Want help building a targeted, GDPR-compliant email list that actually generates responses?
Email [email protected] or call 01304 383838 to discuss your campaign.
