Summary
The iOS 15 announcement, particularly the introduction of Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), significantly impacts email marketing. Experts and marketers agree that MPP inflates open rates by preloading images, making this traditional metric unreliable for gauging engagement. This shift necessitates a move towards alternative metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and website traffic. Mailbox providers do not rely on image loads for spam filtering, focusing instead on user behavior and engagement. Domain warmup strategies should prioritize users who actively engage with email content. Furthermore, maintaining good list hygiene is crucial for improving deliverability and overall engagement. GDPR and ePrivacy compliance may become more challenging, requiring innovative methods for demonstrating active consent. Overall, the emphasis is on providing value, fostering genuine connections with subscribers, and adapting long-term email strategies.
Key findings
- Unreliable Open Rates: iOS 15's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) makes open rates an unreliable metric due to image preloading.
- Alternative Metrics Needed: Marketers should shift focus to click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, website traffic, and other engagement indicators.
- Filtering Not Affected by Image Loads: Mailbox providers do not rely on image loads for filtering decisions; they use other data.
- Importance of List Hygiene: Maintaining good list hygiene is crucial for improving deliverability and overall engagement.
- Value-Driven Content: Creating high-quality content and personalizing email experiences are essential for engagement.
Key considerations
- Prioritize Engagement-Based Segmentation: Focus on identifying and targeting the most engaged subscribers using metrics beyond open rates.
- Adapt Data Lifecycle Management: Modify data lifecycle management processes to comply with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations without relying solely on open tracking.
- Refine Warmup Strategies: Adjust domain warmup strategies to prioritize active engagers and not rely on pixel loads.
- Reassess Marketing Funnels: Reevaluate traditional email marketing funnels to emphasize engagement and valuable offers that drive actions.
- Enhance List Hygiene Practices: Implement robust list hygiene practices to improve engagement rates and overall deliverability.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
The iOS 15 announcement and its Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) feature have significantly impacted email marketing by making open rates unreliable. This is because Apple devices may automatically mark emails as opened, regardless of actual user engagement. Consequently, marketers are encouraged to shift their focus from open rates to alternative metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and website traffic to gauge campaign success. Furthermore, list hygiene is becoming increasingly important, as well as focusing on providing value to subscribers, segmenting audiences based on engagement, and adapting long-term email marketing strategies to maintain deliverability and foster genuine connections.
Key opinions
- Unreliable Open Rates: iOS 15's MPP inflates open rates, making them an unreliable metric for measuring user engagement.
- Shift to Other Metrics: Marketers should prioritize click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and website traffic to assess campaign success.
- Value-Driven Content: Providing valuable content and fostering a genuine connection with subscribers is crucial for sustained engagement.
- Importance of Segmentation: Segmenting audiences based on engagement metrics like website visits and purchase history allows for more targeted and relevant email campaigns.
- A/B Testing: A/B testing is key to navigating the changes by testing different subject lines, email content, and calls-to-action to see what resonates best with the audience
Key considerations
- Engagement-Based Segmentation: Focus on identifying and targeting the most engaged subscribers using metrics beyond open rates.
- Data Lifecycle Management: Adapt data lifecycle management processes to comply with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations without relying solely on open tracking.
- Alternative Metrics: Implement methods for accurately tracking and analyzing alternative engagement metrics like clicks, conversions, and website visits.
- Long-Term Strategy: Develop a robust, long-term email marketing strategy that emphasizes high-quality content and personalized experiences.
- List Hygiene: Ensure you have proper list hygiene practices to maximise deliverability.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the iOS 15 announcement will not affect spam filters, inbox placement, and reputation because Google and others already proxy and cache images. He adds that various caches, prefetching of images, and other optimizations already mess with image open rate tracking.
4 Jun 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks answers that measuring machines loading images was already flawed and suggests measuring clicks instead to inform the removal process. He adds that emails are either transactional and triggered by some activity you can prove, or they want the user to do something.
5 Jun 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
Experts agree that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) in iOS 15 significantly impacts email marketing. MPP inflates open rates by preloading images, making traditional open-rate metrics unreliable. Mailbox providers don't rely on image loads for filtering decisions; they utilize other data. Warming up sending domains should focus on segments actively engaging with mail, such as clicks and replies, rather than pixel loads. Effective warmup strategies target users who will miss the mail if it goes to the bulk folder, like those actively interacting with the brand via website visits and app usage. List hygiene becomes more critical due to inaccurate open rates, enhancing engagement and deliverability.
Key opinions
- MPP Inflates Open Rates: Apple's Mail Privacy Protection inflates open rates due to image preloading, rendering them unreliable.
- Filtering Unaffected by Image Loads: Mailbox providers do not rely on image loads for filtering; their systems use different data.
- Engagement-Based Warmup: Domain warmup should target segments that actively engage with emails, such as through clicks and replies.
- List Hygiene Importance: List hygiene becomes more crucial due to the inaccuracy of open rates, leading to better engagement and deliverability.
Key considerations
- Prioritize Alternative Metrics: Focus on alternative engagement metrics like clicks, conversions, and website interaction to measure email effectiveness.
- Target Active Engagers: Direct warmup strategies toward identifying and engaging users who actively interact with the brand and its content.
- Enhance List Hygiene Practices: Implement robust list hygiene practices to improve engagement rates and overall deliverability by removing inactive subscribers.
- Rethink Segmentation Strategies: Reevaluate segmentation strategies to focus on users who have demonstrated a history of positive engagement.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) will significantly impact email marketing. MPP inflates open rates because Apple preloads images. This change complicates traditional engagement metrics and requires a shift towards alternative metrics like click-through rates and conversions.
5 Jul 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks responds that during warmup we’re looking to ensure that the segments we’re sending to are people who are going to interact with the mail in a way that signal to the machine learning filters that the mail is wanted and good mail. She doesn’t believe a pixel load is a data point to identify the population and has generally looked for folks who click and reply and actively and positively interact with mail. Opens can come in later in the process, but to her, an open isn’t actually a sign of engagement.
26 Apr 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Documentation from various sources indicates that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) in iOS 15 significantly skews open rates by preloading email content, including tracking pixels. This results in inflated open metrics, making it difficult to identify truly engaged recipients and leading to less accurate open rate data. Consequently, it is more important than ever to measure email marketing success based on other metrics, such as click-through rates, website traffic, conversions, and return on investment (ROI). These metrics provide a more accurate reflection of user interest and behavior.
Key findings
- Inflated Open Rates: MPP causes inflated open rates due to preloading email content.
- Inaccurate Engagement Identification: It is harder to identify truly engaged recipients based on open rates alone.
- Less Accurate Data: Results in less accurate open rate data.
- Shift to Alternative Metrics: Measurement of email marketing success must shift to other metrics.
Key considerations
- Use Alternative Metrics: Prioritize tracking and analysis of click-through rates (CTR).
- Website Traffic: Monitor changes in website traffic generated from email campaigns.
- Conversion Rates: Focus on conversion rates resulting from email marketing efforts.
- ROI: Calculate and assess return on investment to evaluate overall campaign effectiveness.
Technical article
Documentation from Campaign Monitor shares that with open rates being less reliable due to Mail Privacy Protection, it's more important than ever to measure email marketing success based on other metrics. These include click-through rates, website traffic, conversions, and return on investment (ROI).
3 Jan 2023 - Campaign Monitor
Technical article
Documentation from Mailchimp shares that Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) affects how email opens are tracked. With MPP enabled, Apple Mail preloads email content, which can cause all emails sent to Apple Mail users to appear as if they've been opened, even if the recipient hasn't actually opened the message. This can result in less accurate open rate data.
16 Oct 2022 - Mailchimp
Does Apple Mail Privacy Protection pre-fetch images from spam folders or only the inbox?
Does Constant Contact separate Apple MPP 'machine' opens?
How accurate is email client market share data when Apple Mail intentionally opens messages?
How do AI assistants and MPP impact email open rates, and what are better metrics to measure outbound campaign effectiveness?
How do Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) and Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) affect click tracking in email marketing?
How does Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) affect the tracking of email opens and clicks, and how are machine opens categorized?
