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Does this mean I’ll be automatically unsubscribed from a mailing list if my mail client doesn’t load the tracking pixel? How long does this take to happen?
by panic 6y ago
Does this mean I’ll be automatically unsubscribed from a mailing list if my mail client doesn’t load the tracking pixel? How long does this take to happen?
- relix 6y agoYes, if that newsletter is using best practices. The recommended period is 90 days I believe, but you can get send an email asking if you're still interested (and in that email, there will be a link you should click if you want to stay subscribed). You may have had this happen before and probably thought that was just a scammy way to get you to click a link, but in fact it's completely legit.
- jjav 6y ago> Yes, if that newsletter is using best practices. Clearly that would be worst possible practices.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- puszczyk 6y agoDon’t understand the downvotes. I block all the images by default so I assume I’ve been a victim of such a “best practice”. Also with hey.com auto blocking spy pixels I just don’t see how this is still a best practice
- Tepix 6y agoI don't load tracking pixels and I've never had it happen to me that I got unsubscribed because of that. I would be quite upset and would not consider it "best practise" - quite the contrary!
- mcv 6y agoI would not consider it "best practices" to automatically unsubscribe someone who legitimately subscribed. Have a double opt-in, and then assume they're interested until they explicitly unsubscribe. I'm subscribed to some mailinglist that I don't actually read but would be upset if they auto-unsubscribed me, because if I'm ever interested, I want it to be there.
- relix 6y agoWhat I described is literally listed under "best practices for bulk senders" by Gmail. These are hoops I'm not fond of jumping through either, obviously, but if Gmail marks all my email as spam I lose 4000 subscribers overnight so I do what big G asks me to do.
- mcv 6y agoI checked and found this: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/81126?hl=en https://support.google.com/mail/answer/81126?hl=en It doesn't mention pixels anywhere, though. It does contain the line: > "Consider unsubscribing users who don’t read your messages." But that's only after lots of mention of opt-in and unsubscribe options. And ultimately, you can't really know whether users read your messages or not.
- relix 6y agoI'm glad you agree that it is indeed considered a best practice to automatically unsubscribe someone who legitimately subscribed, when they don't read your emails.
- mcv 6y agoI guess blindly assuming that I agree fits the pattern here. I was actually pointing out that you cannot know whether they read your emails or not. Unsubscribing them before they don't load remote images is not the same thing, and is making a lot of assumptions that will be false for a lot of people.
- relix 6y agoWhat else do you think Gmail means, when they give those recommendations? Using a tracking pixel isn't perfect, but like what peter said in another comment somewhere here, it's the best we've got. If you want to implement Gmail's (and other ISPs) best practices, then you need to do tracking of engagement. Just because you don't like it, does not mean that is not considered best practice. Just because it won't be 100% perfect, does not mean it's not considered best practice. You may disagree that it should happen, but you cannot factually say it is not a best practice.
- mint2 6y agoBut email clients let you set “do not load remote images”. I set it for the Mac app. How can a best practice be one that conflicts with easily toggled options and not weird settings.
- relix 6y agoFeel free to complain to Google, Yahoo et al about this. I'm just the messenger and engineer who needs to cater to their rules or risk getting kicked out.