Why do some email templates show inflated Gmail open rates with low clicks?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 20 May 2025
Updated 18 Aug 2025
9 min read
It can be incredibly frustrating to see excellent email open rates, especially in Gmail, only to find that your click-through rates are drastically low. This scenario often leaves email marketers scratching their heads, wondering if their content is engaging or if their metrics are simply misleading. High open rates usually signal a healthy subscriber base and good subject line performance, but when clicks don't follow, it points to a deeper issue in your email deliverability or content strategy.
I've encountered this paradox many times, where a seemingly successful open rate masks underlying problems that prevent subscribers from engaging with your content. It's a common trap to fall into, especially with the complexities of how different mailbox providers, particularly Gmail, handle email opens. Understanding the mechanics behind these inflated numbers is crucial for accurate performance analysis and maintaining a strong sender reputation.
Understanding the mechanics of inflated opens
The primary reason for inflated Gmail open rates with low clicks often boils down to Gmail's image proxy caching. Gmail, like other major mailbox providers, caches images by proxying them through their own servers. This means that when an email arrives in a Gmail inbox, the images, including the tracking pixel that registers an open, are often loaded automatically by Gmail's servers, not by the recipient opening the email. This automatic loading can occur even if the email lands in the spam folder.
If your emails are being classified as spam or promotion, but Gmail's internal systems still pre-fetch the content for security scanning or preview purposes, an open will be registered. However, since the email is not reaching the primary inbox, or is being placed in a folder users rarely check, the actual human interaction leading to a click will be minimal or non-existent. This creates a deceptive high open rate that doesn't reflect true engagement.
Sometimes, the email template itself can inadvertently trigger this behavior. Certain coding practices or elements within the HTML of the template can be flagged by Gmail's spam filters, leading to the email being diverted. Even if the content isn't overtly malicious, the structure or embedded elements could mimic patterns associated with unwanted mail, causing the system to automatically process it, thereby triggering the open pixel, but then placing it in spam where clicks are unlikely.
This phenomenon isn't new, as studies have shown that email opens are sometimes recorded when a pixel is triggered by various automated processes, not just human interaction. This makes the open rate a less reliable indicator of true engagement than it once was, especially for Gmail's image proxy. It's important to look beyond just open rates.
Decoding the low click phenomenon
The inverse relationship between high opens and low clicks directly points to emails not reaching the intended recipient's primary inbox. When emails consistently land in spam, even with pre-fetched opens, recipients simply don't see them. This leads to virtually no clicks, as the email content is never truly consumed by a human reader. Your reported high open rate becomes a false positive, masking a severe deliverability problem.
Content relevance and engagement are still key factors in driving clicks, but they become moot if the email isn't seen. A common issue is when a template or sending pattern changes, and the mailbox provider detects something unusual. This can lead to a rapid decline in domain reputation, resulting in emails being shunted to the spam folder. When this happens, complaint rates might even appear to drop, not because recipients are happy, but because they're not even seeing the email to mark it as spam.
If a template introduces elements that trigger spam filters, such as unusual HTML structures, excessive hidden text, or broken tracking pixels, Gmail may decide to pre-fetch the email and then route it to spam. Your ESP will record an open, but the user never actually sees the email in their main inbox. This is a classic example of a caveat to open rates.
The problem
Inflated open rates coupled with extremely low click rates, leading to a deceptive view of email campaign performance and a decline in domain reputation over time.
Deceptive metrics: Open rates appear high, but actual human engagement is minimal. This masks deliverability issues and leads to poor decision-making.
Reputation decline: Mailbox providers, like Gmail, detect lack of clicks as low engagement, leading to lower inbox placement over time.
The lesson here is that a high open rate, particularly in Gmail, is not always a positive indicator of deliverability or engagement. It can, in fact, be a red flag that your emails are being pre-scanned and then junked, resulting in a perceived open but no actual interaction.
Template impact on deliverability and reputation
Email templates play a significant role in how mailbox providers perceive your mail. A sudden change in template, especially if it introduces unusual HTML, embedded tracking pixels that conflict with your ESP's (Email Service Provider) own, or suspect domains, can negatively affect your sender reputation. While an AI-generated template might seem efficient, it could inadvertently include elements that trigger spam filters.
Example of an inadvertently embedded tracking pixelhtml
For instance, if an AI generates a template with a redundant or broken tracking pixel, Gmail might interpret this as a suspicious attempt to bypass filters. In some cases, intentionally broken image links have been used as an old attack vector to smuggle spamvertising or phishing content. Even if unintended, such anomalies can lead your emails to spam.
The real danger is when these template-related issues contribute to a decline in domain reputation. A high Google Postmaster Tools score turning from high to low is a clear sign that emails are not being delivered to the inbox, regardless of what the open rates suggest. Mailbox providers fingerprint templates and sender behavior. If a new template or sending pattern is introduced, and it leads to low engagement (clicks) or implicit negative signals (like not being marked as spam because it's not seen), it can quickly harm your standing. This directly impacts how new email templates affect deliverability with Gmail.
This highlights the importance of not just checking if emails are opened, but also if they are actually being interacted with. Relying solely on open rates can lead to a false sense of security while your domain reputation silently deteriorates.
Remediation and best practices
To address inflated Gmail open rates with low clicks, a multi-faceted approach is necessary. First, prioritize click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates over open rates as primary success metrics. These provide a more accurate picture of actual engagement. Second, closely monitor your Google Postmaster Tools data, particularly the spam rate dashboard and domain reputation. A low spam rate combined with a declining reputation signals that emails are likely being filtered to spam.
Thoroughly inspect your email templates for any unusual HTML, embedded, or redundant tracking pixels, or suspect URLs that might be triggering filters. Ensure your email authentication, including DMARC, SPF, and DKIM, is correctly configured. These foundational elements are critical for establishing trust with mailbox providers and ensuring inbox deliverability. Consider using a reliable email testing tool to check your deliverability before sending to a large audience.
Also, review your sending frequency and list hygiene. Over-sending, especially to a new or less engaged list, can quickly lead to increased complaints and lower deliverability. Regularly cleaning your list by removing inactive subscribers can help maintain a healthy sender reputation and improve overall engagement metrics, including email click-through rates. If you suspect your email template might be contributing to low click rates, it's time for an audit.
Best practices for template integrity
Simplification: Keep HTML clean and avoid overly complex or convoluted coding structures.
Image Hosting: Use reputable image hosting services and ensure image links are valid.
Tracking Pixels: Rely on your ESP's built-in tracking and avoid adding redundant or suspicious pixels. If your ESP automatically embeds a pixel, ensure no other pixels are manually inserted.
Remember, the goal is to get your emails into the primary inbox and then ensure users engage with them. Focusing on these comprehensive deliverability strategies will provide a much clearer and actionable understanding of your email campaign performance than relying on inflated open rates alone.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Actively monitor your domain reputation with tools like Google Postmaster Tools. This provides a clear picture of actual deliverability and spam placement.
Prioritize engagement metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates over raw open rates to gauge true audience interest.
Routinely audit your email templates for hidden or redundant tracking pixels that might be triggering spam filters.
Segment your audience and tailor content to improve relevance and increase the likelihood of clicks, not just opens.
Common pitfalls
Misinterpreting high open rates as successful deliverability, especially when clicks are low. This can hide serious inbox placement issues.
Over-relying on automated template builders without manually inspecting the generated HTML for problematic elements or extraneous tracking pixels.
Ignoring low click-through rates, assuming a good open rate means success. This overlooks the critical step of driving actual user interaction.
Failing to adapt sending strategies after seeing a drop in domain reputation, leading to further decline and persistent spam folder placement.
Expert tips
Check the IP addresses from where your image loads are originating. Suspicious IPs could indicate that mailbox providers are pre-fetching or scanning.
If your complaint rates drop to zero while open rates soar and clicks plummet, it's a strong indicator your emails are going to spam without being seen.
Mailbox providers fingerprint templates. A new template, even if superficially benign, might trigger filters if it deviates significantly from past patterns.
Focus on the long-term health of your sender reputation. A short-term spike in opens from a 'tricky' template is not worth the damage to your domain's trust.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says they saw a drastic drop in domain reputation, from high to medium to low, over 20 days, despite 85%+ open rates. They realized that Gmail was being tricked, not the other way around, indicating significant bulking to spam.
2024-05-28 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that Claude's generated mail might look suspicious enough for mailbox providers to pre-fetch images and then dump the mail into the spam folder, leading to many 'opens' (image loads) but no actual reader engagement or clicks.
2024-05-28 - Email Geeks
Key takeaways
The phenomenon of inflated Gmail open rates with low clicks is a critical indicator of underlying deliverability problems. While open rates can be an initial signal, they are no longer the definitive metric they once were, especially with the sophisticated filtering mechanisms employed by mailbox providers. This issue isn't always about a bad email template or image use, but rather how the template's characteristics interact with mailbox provider filters.
Ultimately, accurate assessment of your email program requires moving beyond a singular focus on open rates. Instead, concentrate on a holistic view that includes clicks, conversions, spam complaint rates, bounce rates, and domain reputation metrics. By understanding why these discrepancies occur and implementing proactive measures, you can ensure your emails not only reach the inbox but also drive meaningful engagement and results.
Gmail, handle email opens. Understanding the mechanics behind these inflated numbers is crucial for accurate performance analysis and maintaining a strong sender reputation.
Gmail's internal systems still pre-fetch the content for security scanning or preview purposes, an open will be registered. However, since the email is not reaching the primary inbox, or is being placed in a folder users rarely check, the actual human interaction leading to a click will be minimal or non-existent. This creates a deceptive high open rate that doesn't reflect true engagement.
Gmail, detect lack of clicks as low engagement, leading to lower inbox placement over time.
Google Postmaster Tools score turning from high to low is a clear sign that emails are not being delivered to the inbox, regardless of what the open rates suggest. Mailbox providers fingerprint templates and sender behavior. If a new template or sending pattern is introduced, and it leads to low engagement (clicks) or implicit negative signals (like not being marked as spam because it's not seen), it can quickly harm your standing. This directly impacts how new email templates affect deliverability with Gmail.
