Summary
ISPs are increasingly sophisticated in their methods for tracking email engagement, extending beyond simple click-through rates. They leverage various techniques, including JavaScript, web beacons, and pixel tracking, to monitor user behavior within the email itself, particularly in webmail and tightly bundled mobile apps. This can include tracking mouse movements, time spent reading, scrolling, interactions with interactive elements, forwarding, saving, printing, adding the sender to the address book, moving messages from junk to inbox, opening, reading, or deleting an email. Engagement metrics, combined with authentication information from email headers (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and analysis of sender reputation, enable ISPs to gauge user interest, filter spam effectively, and influence deliverability based on the perceived value of the email. DMARC reporting provides senders with insights into how their emails are being handled, further reducing reliance on click data alone.
Key findings
- Advanced Tracking: ISPs employ sophisticated tracking methods, including JavaScript, web beacons, and pixel tracking, to monitor user behavior within emails.
- Engagement Signals: Engagement metrics beyond clicks, such as reading time, scrolling, interactions, forwarding, printing, and folder actions, are significant indicators of user interest.
- Webmail Focus: Tracking capabilities are often more pronounced in webmail and tightly bundled mobile apps.
- Authentication Importance: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and a positive sender reputation are crucial for deliverability, even without high click-through rates.
- Deliverability Impact: User engagement and authentication factors directly influence deliverability and inbox placement.
- Reporting Insights: DMARC reporting provides senders with valuable insights into email handling and authentication results.
Key considerations
- Optimize for Engagement: Optimize emails for user engagement by creating interactive and valuable content that encourages actions beyond simple clicks.
- Holistic Performance View: Consider a holistic view of email performance, moving beyond click-centric metrics to encompass a broader range of engagement signals.
- Authentication Implementation: Implement and maintain proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to establish sender legitimacy and improve deliverability.
- Reputation Management: Monitor and manage sender reputation by keeping spam complaints low and adhering to best practices for email sending.
- Analyze DMARC Reports: Regularly analyze DMARC reports to identify and address deliverability issues and improve email authentication practices.
- Privacy Awareness: Be mindful of privacy considerations related to advanced tracking methods and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
ISPs are increasingly sophisticated in tracking user engagement with emails, extending beyond simple click-through rates. They utilize various techniques like Javascript, web beacons, and pixel tracking to monitor user behavior within the email itself. Engagement metrics such as time spent reading, scrolling, interactions with interactive elements, forwarding, saving, printing, adding the sender to the address book, moving messages from junk to inbox, opening, reading or deleting an email are all considered. Analyzing these signals allows ISPs to gauge user interest, filter spam effectively, and influence deliverability based on the perceived value of the email.
Key opinions
- Engagement Tracking: ISPs track user engagement within emails through methods like Javascript, web beacons, and pixel tracking.
- Beyond Clicks: Engagement metrics beyond click-through rates (e.g., reading time, scrolling, interactions, forwarding, printing, address book additions) are now significant.
- Impact on Deliverability: User engagement influences deliverability and inbox placement, independent of traditional click-through rates.
- Data Analysis: ISPs analyze various engagement signals to gauge user interest, filter spam, and determine the perceived value of an email.
Key considerations
- Optimize for Engagement: Email marketers should optimize emails for user engagement to improve deliverability, focusing on creating interactive and valuable content.
- Beyond Click Metrics: Marketers should move beyond click-centric metrics and consider a holistic view of engagement when evaluating email performance.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Monitor sender reputation by keeping spam complaints low and ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
- Email Design: Consider designing emails with interactivity to invite the readers to engage with the content.
Marketer view
Email marketer from HubSpot Blog shares that email clients and ISPs can track engagement through open rates, read time, and interactions within the email itself (e.g., expanding sections, watching videos) to determine if an email is valuable to the recipient, even if they don't click on a link.
25 Dec 2021 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that ISPs can track user behavior within emails using techniques like pixel tracking and engagement metrics (time spent reading, scrolling, etc.) even without explicit link clicks. This data helps ISPs gauge user interest and filter spam more effectively.
5 Jan 2025 - Neil Patel's Blog
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
ISPs and mailbox providers track user engagement beyond clicks to determine sender reputation and deliverability. This tracking is most prevalent in webmail and tightly bundled mobile apps, where providers may have access to user activity, including mouse movements (as potentially implemented by Google). Engagement metrics such as time spent reading, marking emails as important, and moving emails into folders are also considered.
Key opinions
- Engagement Tracking: ISPs use various metrics beyond clicks to track user engagement.
- Webmail and Mobile Apps: Tracking is primarily applicable to webmail and tightly bundled mobile apps.
- Advanced Tracking: Providers may utilize advanced tracking methods such as tracing mouse movements.
- Reputation and Deliverability: Engagement metrics influence sender reputation and deliverability.
Key considerations
- Optimize for Webmail: Focus optimization efforts on webmail and mobile app experiences.
- Privacy Implications: Be aware of privacy implications related to advanced tracking methods.
- Engagement Metrics: Consider the impact of time spent reading and user actions (marking as important, moving to folders) on deliverability.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares that Google has a patent on tracing mouse movements and assumes some of that tech is used in the Gmail interface.
5 Feb 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that ISPs and mailbox providers consider many engagement metrics beyond clicks, including time spent reading the email, whether it's marked as important, or if it's moved into a folder. These signals contribute to a sender's reputation and deliverability.
3 Apr 2024 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
ISPs and email clients analyze email headers for authentication information (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and sender reputation to determine the legitimacy and trustworthiness of an email. Google and Microsoft specifically track spam complaints, sender reputation, authentication status, and user engagement (e.g., marking as 'not junk'). Positive sender reputation and proper authentication practices can improve deliverability and inbox placement, even without high click-through rates. DMARC reporting gives senders insights into how their emails are being handled, without relying solely on click data.
Key findings
- Email Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) improves deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: Positive sender reputation, based on factors like low spam complaints and user engagement, is crucial.
- User Engagement: User engagement metrics, such as marking emails as 'not junk', impact deliverability.
- DMARC Reporting: DMARC reporting provides insights into email handling without relying on click data.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails.
- Monitor Reputation: Monitor sender reputation through Google Postmaster Tools, Microsoft Sender Support, and other tools.
- Reduce Spam Complaints: Take steps to reduce spam complaints by sending relevant and valuable emails.
- Analyse DMARC Reports: Regularly analyse DMARC reports to identify and address deliverability issues.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC 6541 explains that ISPs and email clients analyze email headers for authentication information (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and sender reputation to determine the legitimacy and trustworthiness of an email. Positive reputation and proper authentication can improve deliverability, even without high click-through rates.
18 Dec 2024 - RFC 6541
Technical article
Documentation from IETF explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) reporting gives senders insights into how their emails are being handled. ISPs provide aggregate reports on authentication results and disposition (delivered, junked, etc.), helping senders understand deliverability without relying solely on click data.
6 Oct 2024 - IETF RFC 6376
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