In bulk email sending reports, it might seem unusual for the number of clicks to exceed the number of opens, as one would typically expect that an email needs to be opened before it can be clicked. However, several reasons can explain this discrepancy:
1. Image Blocking: Many email clients block images by default. Open metrics often rely on an invisible tracking pixel embedded in the email. If the images are blocked, the tracking pixel won’t load, and the open won’t be recorded, even if the recipient reads the email and clicks a link.
2. Forwarding: If an email recipient forwards the email to someone else, the forwarded recipient might click a link. The click would be recorded, but if the forwarded recipient didn’t download the tracking pixel, the open wouldn’t be recorded.
3. Link Previews: Some email clients or security software scan emails for malicious links by preloading them. This preloading can register as a click even though the email wasn’t actually opened by the recipient.
4. Bot Activity: Anti-spam bots and security software sometimes click links in emails to check for malicious content. These clicks can be recorded even if the email was never opened by a human.
5. Email Client Restrictions: Certain email clients, especially those used in enterprise environments, may block tracking pixels but not the ability to click on links, resulting in clicks being recorded without corresponding opens.
6. User Interaction Variability: Sometimes users interact with their emails in ways that bypass open tracking but still lead to clicks, such as preview panes that don’t load images but allow link interaction.
