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Why GetReplies optimizes for replies, not opens or clicks

Open rates are not just misleading — they can actively harm your deliverability. Here is why GetReplies does not measure them.

If you have used tools like Instantly, Apollo, HubSpot, or Zoho for email outreach before, you are used to seeing open rates in your campaign analytics. GetReplies does not show open rates. This is a deliberate product decision — not a missing feature.

How open tracking works — and why it backfires

Open tracking works by embedding a tiny invisible image — called a tracking pixel — into every email you send. When the recipient opens the email, their email client loads the image from a remote server, and that request is logged as an open.

The problem is that inbox providers know this. And they have two responses to it:

  • Spam classification. Emails containing tracking pixels are more likely to be classified as promotional or spam, because tracking pixels are a hallmark of mass marketing email — not personal correspondence.

  • Bot loading. Some email providers pre-load all images in an email through their own servers before delivering it to the recipient. This means your pixel fires — registering an 'open' — even if the recipient never actually opened the email, and never will.

❌ Open-tracked emails

✓ GetReplies approach

Tracking pixel embedded in email

No tracking pixel — plain text email

Email providers flags as marketing-style email

Google treats it as personal correspondence

Email lands in promotions or spam

Email lands in primary inbox

Some email providers pre-loads pixel — registers as 'open'

No pixel to pre-load — no fake opens

You see 40–60% open rate

You see 0% open rate (we don't show it)

Reply rate is 0–1%

Reply rate is 3–20%

You think the campaign is working

You know the campaign is working

What GetReplies measures instead

GetReplies focuses on two engagement signals that are both real and meaningful:

  • Reply rate. A prospect replied to your email. This is an unambiguous signal of genuine engagement. No bot generates a reply.

  • Engagement rate. For LinkedIn campaigns, this captures connection acceptances and message opens. For email, this reflects actual interaction — not pixel loads.

⚙ Campaign analytics — what you will see in GetReplies

Contacts reached

Total contacts who received at least one step of the sequence

Completed

Contacts who finished all steps without replying

Reply rate

Percentage who replied — across all channels in the sequence

Engagement rate

Connection acceptances

Sentiment

Positive / Neutral / Negative — classified automatically on replies

Step analytics

Per-step reply and engagement breakdown

Open rate

Not shown — intentionally

What about link tracking?

It is recommended to not add links in your first email. GetReplies has an in-built link tracking mechanism that filters out bot clicks.

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