Will Gmail junk folder affect machine generated opens?

Key findings

• Pre-delivery scanning: Many machines involved in the email delivery path, such as anti-spam filters and security scanners, may download email assets like images before the message is even delivered to the recipient's inbox or junk folder.
• Folder irrelevance: The ultimate folder placement (inbox versus junk) does not necessarily prevent these pre-delivery scans from triggering an open. The act of downloading assets can register as an open, irrespective of the final destination.
• Varied sources: Various 'machines' can trigger opens, including mail transfer agents (MTAs), antivirus software, and other security systems. These are distinct from user-initiated opens.
• Temporary deferrals: In some rare instances, a mail exchange (MX) server might temporarily defer mail while still checking links or images. This can result in opens being recorded before the email is fully accepted for delivery.

Key considerations

• Accuracy of open rates: Relying solely on reported open rates can be misleading, as they may include these machine-generated interactions. It is crucial to understand how to identify artificial email opens.
• Deliverability metrics: While machine opens might occur, the primary goal remains inbox placement. If emails are consistently landing in the Gmail spam folder, it indicates a deliverability issue that needs addressing, regardless of recorded 'opens'.
• Focus on engagement: For genuine campaign effectiveness, focus more on clicks and conversions, which are stronger indicators of actual user engagement than opens alone. Mailmodo discusses precautions to minimize spam filtering

Key opinions

• Minimal bot opens: Some marketers operate under the assumption that bot opens are significantly reduced, or non-existent, for emails that land directly in the Gmail junk folder.
• Pre-filtering scans: Other marketers acknowledge that numerous machines scan emails for security or content before they are sorted, regardless of the final folder placement.
• Inbox proxy for opens: There's a strong sentiment that if a machine open is detected, it's more likely that the email successfully reached the inbox rather than being junked, especially for consumer Gmail accounts with simpler delivery paths.
• Open rate legitimacy: A satirical perspective suggests that if emails land in spam, any recorded opens are by definition 'legitimate' as they bypass typical inbox filters, highlighting the frustration with artificial opens.

Key considerations

• Data interpretation: Marketers must carefully interpret open rate data, knowing that a portion of opens could be machine-generated, even for emails ending up in the junk folder. This is part of how Gmail "accurately tracks email opens", or not, depending on your perspective.
• Focus on deliverability: Regardless of machine opens, the primary concern should be improving inbox placement. Yamm's blog details common indicators that emails are going to spam.
• Engagement signals: True engagement is better measured by clicks, replies, and conversions, rather than relying on potentially inflated open rates that include artificial interactions. Understanding machine opens for emails delivered to spam is key.

Key opinions

• Many intermediaries: Experts confirm that numerous machines exist between the sender and recipient, all of which can download email assets for various reasons, making folder placement irrelevant to this initial interaction.
• Security scanning: Email security systems often scan messages for malware or malicious links by downloading images and other content, which can trigger an 'open' before a human recipient ever sees it.
• Engagement versus scanning: An open recorded due to machine scanning is distinct from a user actively engaging with the email. This distinction is crucial for accurate deliverability analysis, especially concerning spam traps generating random opens.
• Impact on metrics: While machine opens happen, their presence can inflate perceived open rates, making it harder to gauge actual recipient engagement and understand spam rate dashboards.

Key considerations

• Holistic view: Deliverability experts recommend a holistic view of email performance, integrating data from clicks, conversions, and abuse reports, rather than focusing solely on open rates.
• Inbox placement focus: The priority should always be on optimizing strategies to ensure emails reach the primary inbox, as machine opens in the junk folder do not contribute to positive sender reputation or user engagement.
• Understanding infrastructure: Familiarity with how different ISPs and email clients process emails, including their pre-delivery scanning mechanisms, helps in interpreting deliverability data accurately. SpamResource provides insights on how email systems work.

Key findings

• Gmail's control: Gmail has extensive internal processes for handling incoming mail, including determining if a message is spam. This process occurs before final folder placement and involves content analysis.
• User action triggers: In many email clients, messages are moved to junk folders based on user instructions, such as adding a sender or domain to a blocklist or blocklist rule.
• Hidden junk folders: Some documentation indicates that the junk or spam folder might be hidden by default in certain email services, requiring specific steps to view its contents.
• Automated filtering: Email services use complex spam filtering algorithms that assess emails based on a score. If the score exceeds a threshold, the email is flagged as spam and routed to the junk folder.

Key considerations

• Spam filter mechanisms: Understanding how various spam filters function, and the criteria they use to flag emails, is crucial for senders. Quora discussions suggest senders cannot tell if spam is opened.
• Impact of blocklists: Being listed on an email blocklist or blacklist can significantly affect deliverability. Documentation often explains how your email address gets blacklisted.
• Consequences of junking: If emails consistently land in the junk folder, it impacts user engagement and sender reputation. Understanding what happens when your domain is blacklisted is important.