The consensus from marketers, experts, and email platform documentation is that email tracking, specifically open rates, is becoming less reliable due to privacy changes (e.g., Apple's Mail Privacy Protection) and inherent flaws. While not entirely dead, open rates should be used cautiously and not as the primary metric. A shift towards a holistic view of engagement is recommended, focusing on metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, website traffic, subscriber behavior, and specific goal tracking. Creating valuable content, building stronger relationships with subscribers, and adapting marketing strategies to a privacy-conscious environment are also crucial.