What is an Email Tracker?

Email Tracking
Juliette Belfiore
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30 May 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Email tracking needs to be demystified. This is not a bad spy who will monitor all your conversations and sell them for evil purposes! πŸ˜ˆπŸ˜‚
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It is a handy tool that will save you a lot of marketing time and effort. It is also helpful for your recipient because they will receive more relevant emails.β‡’ An email tracking tool is beneficial for everyone.
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Email tracking enables you to gather data on the performance of your email campaigns, allowing you to identify successful strategies and areas that need improvement. By analyzing this data, you can make informed decisions, rather than relying on subjective opinions.➑️ This allows you to optimize your email campaigns and increase their effectiveness. πŸ’ͺ🏻πŸ’ͺ🏻
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Email Tracker. What is "it" anyway? Technically speaking, how does it work? What is it for and what are the benefits of an Email Tracker?We'll break it all down here.
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So, little spy, who are you?

What is an email tracker?

An email tracker is a tool that allows the email’ sender to track whether the recipient has opened and read the email.
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Email trackers can be used in different types of emails, such as marketing emails, newsletters, and even personal emails. This information can be useful for marketers, salespeople, and anyone who wants to know whether their emails are being read and how often.
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Knowing deeply influences the way you will react. Your email has not been opened?➑️ Here is an article on How to follow up on an email with no response?


How does an email tracker technically work?

The technical implementation of an email tracker can vary depending on the specific tool/service being used.
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The most common method is to embed an image in the email. Not about attaching an image as an attachment, but embedding an image in the body of the email. This image can be a classic image with a logo or any photo. This image is usually only 1x1 pixel in size and is often invisible to the recipient.
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We'll call it the β€œTiny pixel”.

What are the steps in chronological order?

  • The sender of the email includes the Tiny pixel in the body of the email.
  • When the email is sent, the email tracker generates a unique URL for the Tiny pixel and associates it with the recipient's email address.
  • When the recipient opens the email, their email client sends a request to the email tracker's server to download the Tiny pixel.
  • The email tracker's server logs the request and records information such as the time of the request, the IP address of the device used to open the email, and the type of device and email client used.
  • The email tracker can then use this information to create reports for the sender, showing details such as the number of times the email was opened, and how long it was viewed.
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♾️In addition to tracking when an email is opened, some email trackers can also track when links within the email are clicked, how long the email was open, and whether the email was forwarded to other recipients.
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Why does email tracking not work sometimes?

⚠️ Sometimes, you know that your email has been received and read by your interlocutor. But the tracker doesn't seem to have done its job... the Tiny pixel didn't turn on. He was blinded or disoriented, why?

#BadTinyPixel :)
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There are two common reasons why an email may not track an open:

  • Some email clients may block images from being downloaded or displayed in emails. Since tracking works by adding an invisible image to emails, it disables tracking. Most email clients allow users to set this behavior in their settings, but it's usually not set by default.
  • Some additional browser extensions or software products can also block the loading of the tracking pixel.
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What information is tracked by an email tracker?

Tiny pixel not only tracks whether someone has opened an email but also collects other user data, including:

  • the date and time the email was viewed;
  • how many times the e-mail has been opened;
  • the type or types of device used by the person;
  • the person's IP address(es), and therefore their location.

#GoFindTinyPixel !

All of this is communicated to the author of the email, simply by opening the email, without you even clicking anywhere in the email.
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What art the benefits of email tracking?

No one wants to get multiple follow-up emails when they haven’t even opened the first one.

Email tracking offers various benefits that can improve the effectiveness of email communication:
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For the sender:

  • Save time and resources
  • Provide valuable insight
  • Let to focus on what is working
  • Get self-confidence from your work
  • Know well your prospects
  • Improve your follow-ups
  • Boosts engagement rates
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For the recipient:

  • They receive fewer inappropriate emails
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For both:

  • Strengthen relationships
  • Smoother communication
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I hope you are no longer afraid of the Tiny little pixel which will help you a lot in your daily work! It's like your assistant that helps you communicate better with your collaborators.
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So we say: Thank you little one!

πŸ™πŸ»πŸ™πŸ»πŸ™πŸ»

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Email tracking for Gmail

Track every emails and documents that you’ll be send. Know exactly who and when your PDF are opened and never miss an opportunity to follow up again.

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