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(even the Unsubscribe link – what’s going on?!?!?!?!?)
You send a lovely email. Your campaign report comes back, and… hang on a minute – every single link has been clicked. Even the unsubscribe link. And yet, no one has downloaded your freebie, booked a call, registered for your webinar, bought one of your products or even unsubscribed. 🙁
If you’re wondering ‘why are all the links in my emails being clicked?‘ you’re not alone, and you’re not going mad.
If all the links in your emails are being clicked (especially within seconds of delivery) it’s likley due to automated security bots. These bots scan emails to check for malicious links before showing them to the recipient. It’s not real engagement, and your subscribers aren’t actually clicking.
Now that we’ve cleared up the mystery bit, let’s dive into why this happens and what you can do to work around it.
Bot clicks happen when automated systems (not real humans) click links in our emails. They’re usually part of security scans happening behind the scenes. But to you, it looks like your email is getting a lot of love, only to be completely ignored.
They can show up in your reports as someone who
These systems are usually trying to protect the recipient, not mess with your reporting. But it does mean that your stats can get a bit… suspicious🤨
There are a few common reasons bots click links in your emails:
1. Email providers scanning for safety
Some inbox providers (like Google, Yahoo and Apple) scan the content of emails before delivering them to check for dodginess. This includes testing each link to make sure it’s not phishing or malware.
This can include
Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) is a big player here. It blocks open tracking, pre-loads images, and can auto click links – all in the name of user privacy. If your subscribers are using Apple Mail with MPP turned on, you might see a spike in opens and clicks that aren’t really coming from them.
2. Security software and Spam filters
Many people use antivirus software like Norton, AVG or McAfee.
Others are in workplaces with corporate spam filters on their email servers.
These tools automatically check all links before allowing the email through. It’s their way of asking, “Is this email safe for Susan in Accounts to open?”
It’s especially common with .gov, .edu, .nhs or large company domains. They’re just trying to keep things safe – but your click data pays the price.
Good intentions, bad for us marketers.
3. Email clients preloading content
Some email apps (like Outlook or Apple Mail) pre-fetch email content, including images and links, so the email loads quickly when opened.
In doing that, they unintentionally ‘click’ all the links, which shows up in your report. So you’ll see clicks before your reader even actually opens the email.
Great question! And the answer is: bots don’t unsubscribe people – they just look like they do.
Most email platforms require users to click an unsubscribe confirmation button on a web page. Bots don’t do that part.
So while it might look as though someone tried to unsubscribe, they actually didn’t.
They’re still subscribed, because only a real person can complete the process.
No need to panic (or take it personally 
).
Another great question. These fake clicks can:
(eg ‘send to people who clicked link X in email y’ – you might include people who never actually did click the link!)
If you’ve been basing your follow-up actions on click behaviour, this can cause chaos.
Sadly… no.
You can’t control what security software or email clients your subsribers use.
BUT, you can work around them in a few clever ways.
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Use a combination of open, click and form activity instead.
Some platforms allow you to remove automated opens and clicks from your reports.
If your platform allows, delay triggers by a minute or two to avoid catching pre-fetch activity.
If you’re reporting for someone else, flag suspicious patterns early so they understand.
It is difficult, but look out for these red flags 🚩
Absolutely not!
If someone’s not really engaging, but not hurting your list either, leave them be.
However you might want to:
It’s better to be cautious than to accidently cut someone from your list who just has strict email security settings
You’re not imagining things, and you’re not doing email ‘wrong’.
Bot clicks are a digital nuisance, but they’re manageable once you know what to look for.
As always, the key is not to overreact, and not to jump to conclusions, and maybe to throw a fake cheese link into your next email 😜
