Gmail email clipping, which occurs when emails exceed 102 KB, negatively impacts deliverability, open rates, and user experience. Clipping can hide critical elements such as unsubscribe links and calls to action, leading to increased spam complaints and reduced engagement (lower click-through rates). It also affects the accuracy of open rate tracking because tracking pixels may be clipped. Clipping is more prevalent on mobile devices, exacerbating user experience issues. Preventing clipping involves optimizing images, reducing HTML, using external CSS, ensuring visible unsubscribe links, and testing email rendering in Gmail.
15 marketer opinions
Gmail email clipping, which occurs when emails exceed 102KB, negatively impacts deliverability and open rates. The primary issues stem from user experience degradation, inaccurate open tracking, and increased spam complaints. Clipping can hide crucial elements like unsubscribe links and calls-to-action, leading to recipient frustration and potential spam reports. Additionally, if the tracking pixel is clipped, open rates become unreliable. To mitigate these issues, optimizing email size through image compression, streamlined HTML, and visible unsubscribe options is crucial. Mobile users are especially affected.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that email clipping doesn't seem like a good practice in bulk campaigns. It could affect the spam rate if recipients are unable to unsubscribe and mark the email as spam.
29 Apr 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit shares that email clipping can hide the unsubscribe link, which can lead to recipients marking the email as spam. Keeping the unsubscribe link visible in the upper part of the email is crucial.
5 Oct 2024 - Reddit
2 expert opinions
Gmail email clipping, caused by emails exceeding size limits, negatively impacts engagement. Hiding key content like CTAs and unsubscribe links can lead to lower click-through rates and increased spam complaints. Reducing HTML, optimizing images, using inline CSS and reducing overall email weight can help prevent clipping.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Gmail clipping can affect engagement if key content, such as calls to action or unsubscribe links, are hidden, leading to lower click-through rates and higher spam complaints.
30 Oct 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains reducing HTML, and optimising images can prevent Gmail clipping. This involves using inline CSS and reducing overall email weight.
1 Dec 2022 - Spam Resource
4 technical articles
Gmail clips HTML emails exceeding 102 KB, displaying only the initial portion and adding a 'view entire message' link. This impacts the end-user experience, potentially breaking the message's layout, preventing image display, and hiding the unsubscribe link. Plain text emails are less susceptible. Solutions involve optimizing images, reducing HTML, and employing external CSS to maintain emails below the size threshold and ensure proper display and tracking.
Technical article
Documentation from Postmark explains if an email is clipped, it impacts the end user experience. This means the message is broken, the images may not display and the unsubscribe link can be hidden. To avoid clipping, they recommend using external CSS, plain text fallbacks and reducing image sizes.
29 Oct 2022 - Postmark
Technical article
Documentation from Google Support explains that Gmail clips messages larger than 102 KB. When a message is clipped, only the first 102 KB of HTML is displayed, and a link is added to view the entire message.
12 Oct 2023 - Google Support
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