Gmail’s new changes to email tracking are causing a huge stir in the email marketing italy business email list world. The platform has taken steps to limit the effectiveness of tracking pixels used by marketers to track when users open emails.
A tracking pixel, also known as a Gmail tracking pixel or email tracking pixel, is a small, invisible image that is inserted into emails. When an email is opened, the pixel is loaded from the server and triggers an update to the sender, indicating that the email has been opened. This allows marketers to measure email open rates, gain insights into user behavior, and understand engagement levels.
However, Gmail has rolled out a new update to protect user privacy and combat potential tracking abuse. These updates impact the reliability of Gmail email analytics, as the platform has begun preloading images and blocking certain tracking mechanisms, particularly when tracking emails opened in Gmail.

Why are email open rates unreliable?
With the changes to Gmail's pixel tracking, marketers may notice that open rates become less reliable. Instead of relying on tracking pixels embedded in emails, Gmail now loads all images, including tracking pixels, as part of its prefetching process. This means that an email can be marked as opened even before the user actually opens the email themselves.