What exactly is a view?

In simplest terms, a view is recorded when a recipient opens an email. But more specifically, a view is triggered and tracked when a tiny image in the HTML version of the email campaign is downloaded from our servers.

This means that in order for a view to be recorded, recipients must either have images enabled or displayed within their email client and/or they must interact with the campaign in some way (e.g. click a link, download a file, etc.). Also see "inferred view" below.

For recipients viewing emails using a preview pane with images enabled or displayed, is not possible to determine between a single click vs. a full "double click" from within any email application - both actions are counted as a view. This means that if recipients are scrolling through emails while using a preview pane, or deleting emails while using a preview pane, views will be recorded every time they click or cursor through or over the campaign. Each time the campaign's images are shown in their preview pane (even if they aren't actually double clicking to open the email in its own window), an additional view is recorded.

For recipients who are viewing emails with images disabled or blocked, a view will not be recorded. Also if recipients view the campaign on a mobile device that does not display the full HTML content, a view may not be recorded.

View Terminology

• A unique view is recorded the first time a recipient opens or views a campaign (also see "inferred view" below).
• An inferred view (indicated by a red asterisk in Reports) is a special type of unique view that is recorded when a recipient has images disabled or blocked (meaning a unique view was not initially recorded when they opened the email) but the recipient takes an action with the campaign such as clicks a link, downloads a file or opts out. In these cases, the system inferred that in order to click, download or opt out, the recipient had to view the campaign - so in addition to recording the specific action(s) taken by the recipient, a unique view is also recorded.
• The number of total views includes the original unique view, plus any additional views - which could be additional views by the original recipient or possibly via a preview pane as outlined above, or if the recipient forwarded the email to additional recipients who then viewed the campaign. The tracking image used to record activity for campaigns is uniquely tied to the original recipient, so any views by additional people the original recipient forwarded the campaign to will be recorded as additional views by the original recipient. 

• A referred view is recorded when the campaign is viewed after it has been shared by the original recipient - either by posting on Twitter or Facebook, or by sharing the campaign using a "Forward to Friend" link from within the email content. Referred views are not included in the total views statistic because they are attributed to actions outside the original sending of the campaign and are counted separately. They are recorded in the Stream tab in reports.