Tracking Domains, Links, and UTMs
Open tracking, click tracking, tracking domains, and UTM fields affect reporting. They can also affect whether subscribers trust your email.
Overview
Email tracking usually has two parts. Open tracking uses a tiny image that loads only when the email client allows images. Click tracking rewrites each link to use a tracking URL, so Mailrith can record the click before redirecting the subscriber to the final page.
Open tracking is useful, but it is not exact. Some email clients block images. Some privacy features load images in ways that can make open counts look higher or less connected to real reading. Use opens as a general signal, not as a perfect count.
Click tracking is usually a stronger signal because the subscriber chose to click. However, security scanners and link checkers can sometimes visit links before a person does. Compare click metrics with the campaign goal before you decide what the clicks mean.
A tracking domain is the domain used in tracked links. A branded tracking domain can look more familiar than a generic email delivery service domain. Configure your tracking domain correctly and keep it trustworthy.
UTM fields are tags added to links so website analytics can identify email traffic. UTM fields do not improve email delivery by themselves. They help website reports identify source, medium, campaign, and related campaign fields.
Use links that are clear, honest, and stable. Email with many unrelated links, hidden destinations, public shorteners, or suspicious redirects can reduce trust with both subscribers and filters.
What to Do
- Decide whether the campaign needs open tracking, click tracking, or both before you send.
- Add UTM fields when your website analytics need to identify traffic from this campaign.
- Use link and button text that clearly tells the reader where the link will take them.
- Avoid public URL shorteners and redirect chains that are not needed.
- Send a test email, then click every important link and confirm each link opens the expected page.
- If you use a custom tracking domain, configure its DNS exactly as the email delivery service or Mailrith setup instructions require.
- Review campaign metrics with privacy limits in mind: opens are directional, clicks are stronger, and conversions may require website analytics.
- If you see link-related delivery problems, check Blocklists and Link Reputation.
What to Check
- Image blocking and privacy features can affect open tracking.
- Click tracking is usually more useful than open tracking, but automated scanners can still affect click metrics.
- UTMs help analytics tools identify traffic; they do not authenticate email.
- Tracked links should still lead to trustworthy pages that subscribers expect.
- Use branded or stable domains for important campaign links when possible.
- Do not use friendly button text to hide a risky destination.
Fix Common Issues
Public URL Shortener
The Email Links Checker found a public shortener, such as bit.ly, tinyurl.com, or a similar shared redirect domain.
- Replace the shortened URL with the final destination URL or with a URL on a branded tracking domain.
- Make sure the visible button text or link text matches the destination page.
- Click the link in a test email and confirm the link opens the expected page without extra warning screens.
- Remove redirect chains when one clear link can take the subscriber to the destination page.
- Before you send, open the final landing page and check that the browser does not show safety warnings.
Note
Good tracking helps you learn from campaign behavior. Poor tracking choices can make a trustworthy email look suspicious.