Email opens
Recorded events that indicate an email’s tracking image loaded, rather than a verified count of people who read the message.
An email open is commonly recorded when a small tracking image loads. Unique opens usually count recipients with at least one recorded open, while total opens count repeated events as well. The sending provider’s definitions determine the exact calculation.
If one recipient loads the tracking image three times, a report may show one unique opener and three total opens. An email delivered to 1,000 recipients with 200 unique tracked opens has a delivered-based open rate of 20%.
Privacy systems can load images automatically, and image blocking can prevent tracking when a person actually reads the message. An open is therefore a measurement signal rather than proof of attention. Evaluate it alongside clicks, replies, and other relevant activity.
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