How to track email opens and clicks in Overloop for better campaign optimization

If you’re running email outreach or campaigns, you have to know what’s working—and what’s flopping. Open and click tracking are the basics, but getting reliable data (and then actually using it) isn’t always as simple as it sounds. This guide is for anyone using Overloop to send campaigns, whether you’re a solo founder or wrangling a small sales team.

We’ll walk through setting up tracking in Overloop, reading your reports, and sniffing out the data that’s worth your time. I’ll call out the gotchas, the stuff you can ignore, and a few ways to get more signal from your numbers.

Why bother tracking opens and clicks?

Let’s be blunt: Most email outreach gets ignored. Tracking opens and clicks helps you spot what’s being read, what’s being clicked, and what’s being sent straight to the spam folder. If you’re optimizing your subject lines, testing calls to action, or just want to know if anyone’s out there, these metrics are your best starting point.

But—tracking isn’t perfect. Some people block images or use privacy tools that mess with open rates. Clicks are more reliable, but don’t tell you why someone clicked. So, take every number with a small grain of salt.

Step 1: Make sure Overloop tracking is turned on

Overloop does most of the heavy lifting, but you have to make sure tracking is actually enabled. Here’s how:

  1. Check your account settings
  2. Go to your Overloop dashboard.
  3. Click on your profile icon (usually top right), then go to Settings.
  4. Look for the Email Tracking or Campaigns section.
  5. Make sure both Open Tracking and Click Tracking are toggled ON.

Pro tip: Overloop tracks opens by embedding a tiny image in each email. If recipients block images, opens might not register. Click tracking uses redirect links, which are much more reliable.

  1. Test it yourself
  2. Send a test email to your own inbox.
  3. Open the email and click any link (if you included one).
  4. Check Overloop’s reporting to confirm both actions were tracked.

If nothing shows up, double-check your settings or contact support. Don’t assume it’s working just because it’s “on by default.”

Step 2: Understand the data—and its limits

Before you start tweaking your campaigns, know what these stats actually mean:

  • Opens
    This shows how many times your email has been opened (or at least, when the tracking pixel loaded). The number can be a little fuzzy—Apple Mail Privacy Protection, for example, can inflate opens.

  • Clicks
    This is how many times someone clicked a link in your email. Clicks are less prone to false positives.

  • Unique vs. Total
    “Unique” means distinct recipients; “Total” is every instance (so one person opening the email five times counts as five total opens, but one unique open).

What’s reliable? - If you’re comparing subject lines, open rates can point you in the right direction—but don’t obsess over small changes. - For calls to action, click rates are your gold standard.

What’s noise? - “Open time” and “location” data are often inaccurate. Ignore them. - If your list is tiny (under 100 contacts), don’t overanalyze. Small sample sizes = noisy data.

Step 3: Set up your campaign for tracking

Building a campaign in Overloop? Here’s how to make sure tracking is baked in:

  1. Create a new campaign
  2. Go to the Campaigns tab and hit New Campaign.

  3. Add your sequence steps (emails, calls, tasks).

  4. Add links the right way

  5. Always use the built-in Overloop email editor.
  6. Insert links using the editor tools—not by pasting raw URLs. This ensures click tracking wraps the links correctly.

Pro tip: Avoid using too many links or “click here” buttons—spam filters hate them, and so do readers.

  1. Review tracking settings for each step
  2. For each email step, look for tracking toggles—make sure both Track Opens and Track Clicks are on.

  3. Save your campaign.

  4. Schedule or launch

  5. Start with a small test batch if you’re nervous. See what happens before blasting your whole list.

Step 4: Read your Overloop reports

Here’s where most people get overwhelmed. Overloop’s reporting dashboard shows a lot of numbers—here’s what matters:

  • Open Rate: Number of recipients who opened ÷ total delivered. Decent open rates are 20–40%. Lower? Try new subject lines or check if you’re hitting spam.
  • Click Rate: Number of recipients who clicked ÷ total delivered. Anything above 2–3% is solid for cold outreach; higher is great.
  • Replies: Don’t forget this! Replies matter more than opens or clicks for most campaigns.

How to read the dashboard: - Go to your campaign’s Reports tab. - Look for Open, Click, and Reply rates by sequence step. - Drill down by recipient if you need details (helpful for high-value leads).

Pro tip: Don’t get hung up on “industry benchmarks.” Your list and offer are unique. Focus on improving your own numbers over time.

Step 5: Actually use the data—don’t just stare at it

Tracking is pointless if you don’t act on it. Here’s what to do:

  • Test subject lines based on opens
    If your open rate is low, try bolder, shorter, or more specific subject lines. One change at a time.

  • Test call-to-action links based on clicks
    If people open but don’t click, your CTA isn’t tempting enough—or your offer needs work.

  • Follow up with engaged contacts
    Overloop lets you filter for “opened but didn’t reply” or “clicked but didn’t book.” Send a quick, personal follow-up to these folks.

  • Ignore the noise
    Don’t waste time on recipients who never open. Purge them from future campaigns to protect your sender reputation.

Step 6: Avoid common tracking mistakes

A few things to watch out for:

  • Overcounting
    Opens can be inflated by email previews, bots, or Apple’s privacy features. Look for patterns, not single events.

  • Link formatting
    If you paste links as plain text, Overloop won’t track them. Always use the link tool.

  • Spam triggers
    Too many links, aggressive language, or fancy formatting can get your emails flagged. Keep it simple.

  • GDPR and privacy
    If you’re emailing in Europe, you need to be upfront about tracking. Overloop provides tools for compliance, but check your local laws.

Step 7: Iterate, don’t overthink

The best campaigns are built through trial, error, and small tweaks. Here’s how to keep your process sane:

  • Change one variable at a time (subject, CTA, send time, etc.).
  • Give each test enough time and volume to get real data.
  • Don’t chase perfection—just aim for clear improvement each round.

Wrapping up

Tracking opens and clicks in Overloop isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. Focus on the basics: Is your message getting through? Are people taking action? Use the data to answer those questions—then tweak, test, and repeat.

Don’t let dashboards distract you from the real work: sending clear, honest emails to the right people. Start simple, learn as you go, and let the numbers nudge you in the right direction.