There's often confusion about the disparity between the number of clicks in email campaign statistics and the number of readers reflected in the Analytics. This article aims to clarify why these numbers might not align.
The number of clicks in the email campaign should not correspond to the number of readers in analytics. This fundamental principle is crucial in understanding analytics data. For instance, if “Mail Campaign #1” is opened by 150 people and 50 of them click on the publication link, it does not necessarily mean all 50 will appear as readers in the Analytics.
Reasons for Discrepancy
1. Email Providers and Programmatically Opened Links
Some email services automatically open links to check for safety. These programmatic actions are registered as clicks, even though they do not represent actual human engagement. This action will not affect the reader number in the Analytics.
2. Disabled Cookies and Local Storage
Users who open the link in environments where cookies and local storage are disabled will not be tracked. These settings prevent the Analytics system from recording their engagement.
3. Incognito Mode
When a link is opened in incognito or private browsing mode of some browsers, Analytics do not track the activity. This mode is designed to not record browsing history or trackable data.
4. Immediate Closure or Unopened Tabs
- A significant factor is user behavior, such as clicking a link but immediately closing it, or opening it in a new tab without viewing. Analytics are collected through a JavaScript environment, which requires the content to be actually viewed. Users who do not engage with the content (by immediately closing the tab or not returning to an opened tab) will not be reflected in the Analytics.
- Additionally, there is often a delay before Analytics begin recording data. This delay means that quick exits or unengaged tab openings will not be captured.