Summary
When a user opens an email in a reading pane and clicks on a link, the action generally counts as a click with ESP tracking. This is because email service providers (ESPs) typically wrap all links within an email with their own tracking URLs. When a user clicks one of these wrapped links, it generates an HTTP(S) request to the ESP's server before redirecting to the final destination. This request is what the ESP records as a click, regardless of whether the email was opened in a full browser window or a preview/reading pane. The key factor is the initiation of an HTTP request, not the display environment. However, distinguishing between human clicks and automated clicks from bots or security scanners remains a significant challenge, often leading to inflated click metrics.
Key findings
- Universal Tracking: Most ESPs track clicks regardless of the email's display environment, including reading panes, by wrapping links.
- HTTP Request: A click consistently triggers an HTTP or HTTPS request to the ESP's tracking server, which is then recorded.
- Bot Activity: Abnormally high click rates (e.g., "57 clicks per person") are strong indicators of bot clicks or automated scanning by spam filters, not genuine human engagement.
- ISP Independence: Mailbox providers like Google or Yahoo do not artificially inflate click counts; these are primarily influenced by user (or bot) interaction with the links themselves.
Key considerations
- Data Accuracy: Marketers must understand that ESP click reports may include automated interactions, impacting the perceived engagement.
- Deliverability Impact: While human clicks improve engagement signals, excessive bot clicks can skew metrics and potentially mislead sender reputation assessments.
- Reporting Differences: ESPs employ different methods to filter non-human interaction, leading to variations in reported click rates.
- External Validation: Always cross-reference ESP click data with website analytics for a more accurate view of actual user behavior. For more on this, Email on Acid offers insights into why opens differ between EOA and your ESP.
What email marketers say
Email marketers often express confusion and concern over unexpected click rates, especially when they appear disproportionately high. They frequently question whether preview pane interactions or specific email client behaviors might artificially inflate click metrics. The consensus among marketers is that while the mechanics of tracking are largely ESP-dependent, an unusually high volume of clicks per recipient strongly suggests non-human interaction, such as bot activity or aggressive spam filtering.
Key opinions
- ESP Dependency: Whether a reading pane click counts can vary between different email service providers.
- Bot Suspicion: Marketers frequently suspect bot clicks when their reports show an abnormal number of clicks per person, for example, 57 clicks per person.
- External Clicks: Clicks can also originate from outside the email if content is shared on social networks.
- Vendor Clarification: Some marketers find their ESP representatives provide confusing or incorrect information about how clicks are tracked versus where they are recorded.
Key considerations
- Data Interpretation: Marketers must scrutinize click data to distinguish genuine user engagement from automated interactions.
- Addressing Anomalies: Investigate unusually high click rates to protect the integrity of email metrics and deliverability rates. For more on improving your click-through rate, see our guide on how to increase email click through rate.
- ESP Capabilities: Understand the specific click tracking features and limitations of your chosen ESP.
- Comprehensive View: Consider all potential sources of clicks, including social shares and spam filter activity, to avoid misinterpretations of engagement. Mailgun also provides a reporting metrics deep-dive for understanding click data.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks notes that whether a click in a reading pane counts as a click depends on the specific ESP's tracking mechanisms. Some ESPs might track it, while others might not.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks states that unusually high click rates, such as 57 clicks per person, strongly suggest non-human (bot) clicks rather than genuine human engagement.
What the experts say
Email deliverability experts assert that the manner in which an email is displayed, including within a reading pane, does not alter the fundamental mechanism of click tracking. Any click that executes a link and generates an HTTP(S) request will be recorded. Experts clarify that while ESPs wrap links for tracking, the eventual recording of that click happens when the browser makes a request. They also confirm that major mailbox providers like Google or Yahoo do not artificially inflate click counts, attributing high click volumes primarily to bot activity and security scanners, especially within enterprise environments.
Key opinions
- Display Irrelevance: How an email is displayed or where the link is exposed is irrelevant; a click initiates an HTTP(S) request that gets recorded.
- Browser Execution: Any link clicked is executed in a browser, leading to a traceable HTTP(S) request to the server hosting the link.
- ISP Neutrality: Mailbox providers like Yahoo or Google have nothing to do with generating artificial clicks; inflated counts are usually bot-related.
- Automated Clicks: Clicks can originate from spam filters and automated scanners, particularly from enterprise email providers and Microsoft consumer mail.
Key considerations
- True Engagement: Focus on understanding human engagement beyond raw click numbers by analyzing corresponding website analytics.
- Filtering Mechanisms: Recognize that ESPs apply different logic to filter non-human interactions from their reports. This is critical for assessing true deliverability and reputation, as spam filter clicks can impact email metrics.
- Source Attribution: Understand that the ESP records the click, not the domain or mailbox provider (like Google or Yahoo), unless specific analytics are implemented on the landing page itself. More on what data supports filtering tools clicking on links can be found here.
- Comprehensive Understanding: It's crucial to consider all aspects of click behavior, including bot activity and shared links, to understand reporting accurately. Word to the Wise offers insights on deliveries, opens, and clicks.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks states that how an email is displayed, including in a reading pane, is irrelevant to click tracking. Opening an email in a reading pane is no different from opening it elsewhere, as any clicked link will cause an HTTP(S) request to the server.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks clarifies that Yahoo or Google have no direct role in generating or inflating click counts. Clicks are executed by users (or bots) in their browsers, leading to recorded HTTPS requests regardless of the email's display location.
What the documentation says
Technical documentation from email service providers confirms that click tracking relies on the redirection of URLs. When a link is clicked, the ESP's tracking domain receives the initial request, records the event, and then redirects the user to the intended destination. This process ensures that clicks are registered regardless of how the email client displays the message. Documentation also highlights the importance of enabling click tracking and properly configuring DNS records (like CNAMEs) for the system to function correctly and provide accurate analytics.
Key findings
- Redirected Links: ESPs employ redirected URLs to track clicks, ensuring that each interaction is logged before the user reaches the final destination.
- Analytics Capture: The tracking process captures data such as the recipient who clicked, the timestamp, and the specific link engaged with.
- Tracking Enablement: Click tracking functionalities within ESP platforms must be explicitly enabled for data collection to occur.
- Query Parameters: Some systems, like Google Analytics, include query parameters in URLs to track email clicks, linking them to website activity.
Key considerations
- Configuration: Accurate click tracking may require specific configurations, such as pointing CNAME records to the ESP's tracking domain.
- Distinguishing Clicks: Some ESPs distinguish human opens by observing link clicks, making click metrics a more reliable indicator of engagement when images are blocked. For more, learn if HTTP tracking links affect email deliverability.
- Impact of Privacy Features: Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) and Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) may affect open tracking more than click tracking, making clicks a more consistent metric for some users. For details, read about how MPP and ITP affect click tracking.
- Comprehensive Tracking: To capture all user interactions, enable both open and click tracking features within your ESP, as outlined in Mailchimp's guide on enabling and viewing click tracking.
Technical article
Documentation from Email on Acid states that some ESPs only count emails with images downloaded as 'opened,' but others will also mark an email as opened if any links are clicked, indicating diverse tracking methods.
Technical article
Documentation from Customer.io identifies human opens by whether someone clicks a link in the email. This method makes the 'Human opened' metric more accurate, although it might still undercount total engagement.
Related resources
13 resources
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