Email Tracking Opens with CCed Contacts

[Max2]

Hi community,

I'm just trying to understand the tracking system better. My case is the following:

I sent an email to a potential client, CCing two other members of my organisation. Now I see that there has been one open of the email. However it is not clear, whether the open was performed by the original recipient of the email or by my colleagues, which I CCed. Do you have a better understanding about this?

Thanks a lot for your help,

Max

[MFrankJohnson · Accepted solution]

This should help clear things up @Max2 ...

- see How HubSpot email open tracking works

- see 'Someone' notification in HubSpot Sales email extension

Help answer your question? If so, remember to accept this solution now.

Best,
Frank

Chief HubSpot Consultant

---

MFrankJohnson.com | Perfect HubSpot Series | Connect on LinkedIn

Help find posts quickly ... accept this solution now.

[KevinFMTV]

Thanks for replying to his request... I also have this older related idea opened a while back that I could use your help on spreading the word about so it gets some momentum and some UpVotes

https://community.hubspot.com/t5/HubSpot-Ideas/For-tracked-email-opens-show-the-Location-and-person-...

I think this could be really helpful to many people since unfortunately sometimes the tracking can track opens from a lot of different people and even internal employees working remotely or on the road where maybe their IPs aren't on a blocked list. 

[MFrankJohnson]

We upvoted your idea to one (1) vote. (if that says anything)

However, IP location tracking is almost as notoriously unreliable as an indicator of location as tracking pixel firings are as indicators of email opens. Some think worse.

So while location tracking, in theory, works well in an ideal 'honest' internet, it falls miserably short. AND, that doesn't even take into account the various different devices with different IPs a visitor may use at any given point in time.

While IPs and tracking pixels are the best tech currently available, as outsiders, we can only presume that HubSpot has opted not to further compound dissemination of questionable tracking information by increasing reliance on quicksand tech.

Again, CTR rules. CTR that leads to trackable pages is better. AND CTR that leads to meetings/calls is best. IOHO

HTH

[Max2]

Thanks a lot - accepted! (no more cced emails then)

[MFrankJohnson]

>>"no more cced emails then"

Well, kinda ... sorta. The pendulum swings both ways on that.

We usually NEED to know a specific contact takes action (e.g., usually a click 'cause opens are so unreliable across all platforms), so we craft one-to-one emails to compel the click. Click-through-rate (CTR) rules. In those cases, we don't cc anyone, but, instead, send a completely separate message (NOT A FORWARDED EMAIL) with the same content to any additional parties. This is because if we forward the original email, it will still include the original HubSpot tracking pixel and trigger the same 'Someone opened' issue.

Kinda clunky, but workable when you just GOTTA KNOW.

In cases were we KNOW that the cc'ed recipients are in totally different regions of the country/world (and expect immediate action), we'll cc and just view the crazy unreliable 'Someone opened' open/click details. (head shaking) We say, "crazy unreliable" because 'Someone opened' open/click details are just that -- in other words, only the actual recipient(s) really know(s) how much of what's reported is accurate. (head shaking off)
- see image

HubSpot 'Someone opened' email results showing 3 states and 4 cities!

Hope that helps.