Understanding Email Bot Clicks

From April through the end of June 2024, there has been a sudden increase in bot open-and-click activity from Microsoft-managed inboxes such as Hotmail and Outlook. As a result, if you have many Microsoft subscribers on your sending list, you may have noticed artificially inflated click and open rates.

In this article, you’ll get answers to some frequently asked questions about email bot clicks.

What are email bot clicks?

In email marketing, bot clicks refer to automated actions performed by bots, and not actual human interactions. These clicks are usually generated by security filters and anti-spam software that scan email links before they reach the recipient's inbox. While these actions aim to protect recipients, they can distort your email engagement metrics, leading to inaccurate or inflated data.

How is Yotpo addressing bot activity?

To ensure you have accurate data, Yotpo has retroactively adjusted the open and click analytics affected by the bot activity from April through June, 2024. This fix targets just the Microsoft bot activity during that period. The data now reflects the true engagement on your emails and no further action is required.

What will I see in my Yotpo account?

If you sent email campaigns during that period, you’ll see a banner in your campaign analytics informing you that the stats have been fixed to show accurate data. The banner is visible on the My Campaigns page and on each email campaign's dedicated Analytics page.

How can I identify email bot click activity?

If you see an unusually high spike in click rates for specific emails, especially with one domain, this is likely bot activity. Similarly, if you notice a recipient who has clicked every link in an email within a short time period, this is likely bot activity. If you observe this and need help understanding the issue, please contact our support team.