Email Clicks with no Opens
Why an Email Can Have Clicks Without Opens
When reviewing your email campaign analytics, you may sometimes notice a scenario where a message shows no opens but at least one click. While this may seem confusing, it’s actually a common occurrence and relates to how open and click tracking work differently.
How Clicks Are Tracked
Click tracking works differently. Each link in your email is rewritten to pass through a tracking link server before redirecting to the final destination. When a recipient clicks the link, the tracking server records the click event—no images required.
This means clicks can be measured even if images are disabled or the tracking pixel isn’t triggered.
Why Clicks Without Opens Happen
You may see clicks without opens in your reports due to:
Images turned off: The recipient didn’t load images, so no open was recorded, but they still clicked a link.
Privacy protections: Some email clients mask or block open tracking while still allowing links to be clicked.
Plain text emails: Opens can’t be tracked in plain text, but clicks still can.
Forwards: If someone forwards your email, the recipient of the forward can click links, but the original open may never be logged.
Key Takeaway
Clicks are always a stronger signal of engagement than opens. While open tracking can sometimes fail due to technical limitations, a click confirms that the recipient actively interacted with your message.Tip: For the most accurate measure of engagement, rely on click rates rather than open rates, especially as privacy protections continue to limit the reliability of open tracking.
