Understanding 'Opened' and 'Clicked' in Email Notifications
Emails often include statuses such as 'opened' and 'clicked' to help track recipient interactions. This article explains the meaning of these statuses, the differences between them, and common scenarios where discrepancies might occur.
What Do 'Sending','Opened' and 'Clicked' Mean?
Sending - this status shows when Pinpoint is actively in the process of ending the email to the candidate - we receive a webhook from our mail server when we receive a delivery receipt from the candidates inbox, which automatically changes the status to "sent".
Opened: This status indicates that the recipient's email client has opened the message. It is typically recorded when the email client loads tracking elements, such as images or a tracking pixel.
Clicked: This status means the recipient interacted with the email by clicking a link or actionable element within it. Clicking a link confirms that the recipient accessed the email content.
Key Differences Between 'Opened' and 'Clicked'
The primary difference lies in the type of interaction:
'Opened' reflects that the email was viewed, while 'clicked' indicates active engagement through link interaction. For example, an email might be opened at one time and the link clicked at a later time.
Why Might Discrepancies Occur?
'Clicked' Without 'Opened'
In some cases, a notification may show 'clicked' without 'opened'. This can happen under conditions where the system cannot track the 'opened' event, such as:
The recipient uses an incognito browser tab.
The recipient accesses the email through a VPN.
Even if the 'opened' status is not recorded, the 'clicked' status confirms that the recipient interacted with the email.
'Opened' Without Recipient Interaction
An email might show as 'opened' even if the recipient claims not to have viewed it. This can occur due to automated scans by email systems to check for malicious links before the email appears in the recipient's inbox.
My email status shows "bounced" - what does this mean?
If the email status shows as "bounced" this means that the candidates email inbox has rejected the email (for example, for being full) or that the inbox cannot be found.
Check the candidates email address is correct with no spelling mistakes, or reach out to the support team, who can provide more insight into the reason for the bounce.