Constant Contact, MailChimp and other email service providers (ESPs) embed a pixel (small piece of code) in your email when they send it. The code feeds information back to them: when the email was opened, what device it was opened on, etc. That information populates the traffic reports we send you after every email.
Apple is rolling out a new privacy option beginning in the fall of 2021. iPhone users can choose not to send email data back to the ESPs. Most people when given a choice will block sharing data.
Apple will pre-load images, content and the pixel regardless of if the recipient actually opened the email or not. Roughly 50% of your readers read email on an Apple device. They are all going to show as Opened emails. Therefore the pixel metrics will be unreliable.
Your Open Rate for emails is going to jump and look very good! But the numbers will be false.
Your Click Rate as a percent of the Opens will be false.
The actual Clicks will still be accurate! So Clicks become an extremely important measure for email success. We need to link all images in an email. We need multiple Call-To-Action links to gauge which articles are drawing attention. We need links to your website and social media platforms in every email.
Your Computer Lady is following this change closely. We’ll keep you informed as we get new information. We’re telling you before the change happens so you have time to adjust your marketing plans.
Email marketing still has a $42 ROI according to Litmus. Even with an unreliable Open Rate, emails are a great marketing tool.
- Low cost
- Re-useable content
- Content that can be used in multiple ways