Hey there,

Div here. I hope this email finds you well and all set for the weekend. Today, I want to talk about a major shift in the world of cold emailing that's going to affect all of us in the lead generation game. Google has effectively killed open rates as a reliable metric. But don't panic! I've got the inside scoop on what's happening and how we can adapt.

What's Going On?

Google is now hiding images in emails by default, including the tiny 1x1 pixel used for tracking opens. They're even displaying a warning banner about hidden images, along with a prominent "Report Spam" button. This means:

1. Open rates are no longer accurate
2. Your emails might look more suspicious to recipients
3. There's an increased risk of being marked as spam

Why This Matters:

Open rates have been a go-to metric for gauging inbox placement and campaign effectiveness. Without them, we need to rethink our approach to measuring success and optimizing our outreach.

What Can We Do?

1. Focus on Reply Rates: This is now your most reliable engagement metric.
2. Improve Your Content: With open rates gone, the quality of your message is more crucial than ever.
3. Personalization is Key: Generic campaigns will struggle even more now.
4. Disable Open Rate Tracking Completely: Send emails without the tracking pixel to avoid being marked as spam.
5. Use Engagement Sequences: Set up follow-up sequences based on replies, not opens.
6. Send Your First Email as Text Only: Avoid HTML in your initial outreach to improve deliverability.

Remember, change breeds innovation. This is our chance to level up our cold email game and provide even more value to our clients.

Want to dive deeper into adapting your strategy? Book a call with me.

Book your call HERE

Stay ahead of the curve,

Div

P.S. In my next email, I'll share some killer cold email templates designed for this new, open-rate-free world. Make sure you've marked me as a priority sender!