Context

Gmail has made updates to how it handles tracking pixels in emails, leading to questions about email open tracking reliability and potential impacts on email deliverability.

Answer

Here's what you need to know about email open tracking in light of Gmail's updates:

How Gmail Handles Tracking Pixels

• Gmail does not flag every email containing a tracking pixel

• Only emails that Gmail has already identified as potentially suspicious will display a warning about hidden images/tracking pixels

• The warning message typically states "This email has hidden images. It may be suspicious or spam"

Impact on Open Tracking

• Email open tracking is not always precise due to how email clients handle tracking pixels

• Multiple opens may be recorded for a single email due to auto-opens or email client behavior

• High open rates (such as 80%+ rates) can occur due to automated opens by email clients, which may not reflect actual user engagement

• For more reliable engagement measurement, focus on reply rates and click rates rather than open rates alone

• Click tracking remains unaffected by these Gmail changes

Understanding Click Tracking Independence from Open Tracking

When reviewing email analytics, you may notice clicks being recorded without corresponding opens showing in your reports. This is normal behavior and not a tracking error.

Why Clicks Can Occur Without Recorded Opens

Clicks can be recorded even when opens are not tracked, as click tracking operates independently of open tracking and is not affected by email client blocking of tracking pixels.

• Open tracking relies on image loading (tracking pixels) which can be blocked

• Click tracking works through URL redirects which cannot be blocked by email clients

• Recipients can click links directly from email previews without fully "opening" the email

• Email security scanners used by organizations may automatically click all links to check for malicious content, resulting in multiple clicks without genuine user engagement

Practical Implications

• Your tracking is working correctly

• The recipient engaged with your content despite the open not being recorded

• Unusually high click counts (such as 12+ clicks on a single email) without opens may indicate automated security scanning rather than actual user engagement

• This reinforces why click rates are more reliable engagement metrics than open rates

Managing Open Tracking Settings

If you wish to disable open tracking for your sequences:

1. Navigate to Settings > Organization > Sequences

2. Find the Rulesets tab

3. Toggle off open tracking