How do I create an image pixel for tracking email opens and clicks?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that embedding a 1x1 transparent pixel within an email allows tracking of email opens. When the email is opened, the image is loaded, triggering a server request that logs the open event.
Email marketer from HubSpot explains that Tracking URLs allow you to attribute traffic to the right source in HubSpot. These URLs are automatically generated when you create a link, and they'll help you understand which marketing efforts are driving the most traffic.
Email marketer from Quora recommends using a combination of tracking pixels for opens and UTM parameters for clicks. Tracking pixels capture opens while UTM parameters give better data on website behavior following the click.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that if the sending platform doesn't have built-in open and click tracking, Google Tag Manager might work, though he hasn't used it for that specific purpose.
Email marketer from DigitalGaurav shares that UTM parameters should be added to links within the email. These parameters pass data to analytics platforms like Google Analytics, allowing you to track which links were clicked and attribute website traffic and conversions to specific email campaigns.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that tracking pixels have limitations, such as not tracking opens if images are blocked by the email client or if the email is viewed in plain text. Therefore, open rates are not always 100% accurate.
Email marketer from SuperOffice shares that click tracking typically involves rewriting links to redirect through a tracking server before the user reaches the destination URL. This allows capturing click data without disrupting the user experience.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that using a simple HTML image tag pointing to a unique URL on your server can track email opens. The server logs the request when the image is loaded.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign details the process for enabling and understanding email tracking features, including the limitations of tracking in certain email clients that block images.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains that tracking pixels are created using an HTML img tag with a source pointing to a server-side script. This script logs the request and returns a transparent GIF, effectively tracking email opens.
Email marketer from Email on Acid recommends ensuring tracking pixels are lightweight (1x1 pixel), transparent, and placed strategically within the email body to maximize accurate open tracking. Consider rendering variations between email clients.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks shares demo code for click tracking, noting that pixel tracking is very similar, and provides a link to the code.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that click tracking methods, particularly URL rewriting, should be implemented transparently and ethically. Abusing click tracking, such as redirecting users to unexpected destinations, can damage sender reputation and lead to blacklisting.
Expert from Spamresource.com warns that using tracking pixels can increase the likelihood of emails being flagged as spam if not implemented carefully. They recommend ensuring proper sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and maintaining a good sender reputation to mitigate this risk.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Google explains how to create custom campaigns using UTM parameters to track clicks from emails. By adding parameters such as `utm_source`, `utm_medium`, and `utm_campaign` to URLs, you can accurately measure the performance of your email campaigns in Google Analytics.
Documentation from SendGrid explains that their platform automatically adds open and click tracking to emails. Open tracking works by embedding a pixel, while click tracking rewrites links to route them through SendGrid's servers for tracking purposes.
Documentation from Klaviyo outlines how they automatically track email opens via an embedded pixel and clicks by rewriting URLs. They provide detailed analytics dashboards to analyze campaign performance.
Documentation from Oracle explains that web beacons (tracking pixels) are 1x1 pixel images embedded in HTML emails. When a recipient opens the email, the image is downloaded from a server, logging the email open and providing information about the recipient's email client and IP address.