Software applications and browser extensions exist that offer functionality to ascertain whether an email recipient has accessed the sent message. These resources often embed a small, invisible image within the email. When the recipient opens the email and their email client downloads the image, the sender receives a notification. This mechanism provides an indication of email open status.
Determining email open status can be valuable for various purposes. For marketing professionals, it can help gauge the effectiveness of email campaigns. For sales teams, it can indicate which leads are engaging with their communications. Understanding open rates provides insights into the timeliness and relevance of the email content. Historically, this type of tracking was a premium feature, but now options with no associated cost are increasingly available.