Google analytics email open tracking with measurement protocol

Question

we tried to track email opens with google analytics and measurement protocol. We exactly followed instructions given in http://www.lunametrics.com/blog/2013/06/17/email-tracking-google-analytics/ and http://dyn.com/blog/tracking-email-opens-via-google-analytics/

The problem is that every email open is counted also as a session which is not correct. Can you give me any advice how we can track opens without recording sessions? Thank you

Answer 1

Every hit in GA always starts a session, so this is not possible. If you don't want it to appear in your normal profile, try setting a pageview with prefix so you can filter them out into a seperate View.

eg

/virtual/email-open

Then set up your filters.

Answer 2

Session begins with any interaction. Don't be sad, it is correct.

You can extend your data with some identifier like virtualpagname or whatever and than make segment or filter.

dp=mypage.com
dh=/emailing
dt=Email Gate

You can either use datasource parameter:

ds=email

https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/analyticsjs/field-reference#dataSource