Can spam filters or security scanners trigger SendGrid unsubscribes?

Yes, spam filters and security scanners often click all links in an email, including unsubscribe links, to analyze content. This can inadvertently trigger an unsubscribe even if the recipient didn't manually click it. While this might lead to some phantom unsubscribes, it's generally harmless to your deliverability as the recipient's intent was to opt out or the system was simply scanning.

Why are my SendGrid click rates unusually high, and what causes this?

Inflated click rates are often caused by email security systems pre-fetching or scanning links in your emails. These automated actions register as clicks, even if a human recipient hasn't opened or interacted with the email. Focusing on unique click metrics in your SendGrid analytics can help distinguish between bot activity and genuine user engagement.

My SendGrid unsubscribe links aren't working. What should I check?

If your unsubscribe links aren't working, first check that SendGrid's Subscription Tracking is enabled in your account settings. Also, verify your link branding (if used) is correctly configured with valid DNS records. Sometimes, conflicts with custom HTML or embedded unsubscribe methods can also cause issues. Ensure your List-Unsubscribe header is present and valid.

What is SendGrid link branding, and what are common issues with it?

Link branding (or custom tracking domains) allows your tracking links to appear with your own domain, improving trust and deliverability. Issues often arise from incorrect CNAME DNS records or missing SSL certificates for the branded domain. Always ensure these are correctly configured in your SendGrid settings and with your DNS provider.

What are common SendGrid unsubscribe and tracking issues and how are they resolved? - Troubleshooting - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

Managing email deliverability can be complex, and a key aspect of it is handling unsubscribes and tracking email engagement accurately. SendGrid is a widely used email service provider, but even with its robust features, users can encounter issues. These problems often stem from misconfigurations, evolving spam filter behaviors, or unforeseen platform bugs. When unsubscribe and tracking mechanisms don't function as expected, it can lead to compliance problems, reduced sender reputation, and skewed data analysis, all of which directly impact your email program's effectiveness.

I've seen many instances where businesses struggle to pinpoint the exact cause of these issues, often leading to frustration and wasted effort. Understanding the common pitfalls and how to approach them is crucial for maintaining healthy email sending practices and ensuring your messages reach the intended recipients.

This guide will walk you through the most frequent unsubscribe and tracking issues users experience with SendGrid and provide practical, actionable steps to resolve them. My goal is to equip you with the knowledge needed to maintain a clean mailing list, comply with regulations, and accurately measure your email campaign performance.

Common SendGrid unsubscribe issues

SendGrid offers several methods for managing unsubscribes, primarily through its subscription tracking feature and the List-Unsubscribe header. When properly implemented, these features help ensure recipients can easily opt out of your communications, which is vital for compliance with regulations like CAN-SPAM and GDPR, and for maintaining a positive sender reputation. Issues arise when these mechanisms fail or are misinterpreted.

One common problem involves unusual clicks and unsubscribes, particularly when recipients report being unsubscribed without clicking the link themselves. This can sometimes be attributed to spam filters or security scanners automatically interacting with links within emails. These automated systems click on all links, including unsubscribe links, to scan for malicious content or verify their legitimacy. While beneficial for security, this behavior can inadvertently trigger unsubscribes or inflate click rates, leading to inaccurate data.

Another issue relates to spam filters triggering unsubscribes. If an unsubscribe link isn't easily visible or functional, recipients might resort to marking an email as spam, which can impact your sender reputation. SendGrid's native unsubscribe modules or manually implementing the List-Unsubscribe header are designed to provide clear opt-out options, reducing the likelihood of spam complaints.

Common SendGrid tracking issues

SendGrid's tracking features provide valuable insights into email engagement, including opens, clicks, and unsubscribes. These features rely on SendGrid modifying links and embedding tracking pixels in your emails. While generally reliable, there are several scenarios where tracking data can become inaccurate or fail to report correctly.

One common tracking issue is SendGrid modifying links in unexpected ways, leading to redirection problems or broken URLs. This often happens when SendGrid's click tracking feature conflicts with custom link formatting or certain characters in the URL. If the tracking domain isn't properly set up or if there are SSL certificate issues with your link branding, it can also prevent accurate click tracking and even cause emails to be flagged as suspicious.

Another significant concern is inflated click and open rates, often referred to as bot clicks. Email security scanners and bots pre-fetch links to analyze content, which can artificially boost your engagement metrics. While this doesn't directly harm deliverability, it distorts your analytics, making it difficult to assess true subscriber engagement and campaign effectiveness.

Finally, the reliability of SendGrid's tracking data itself can sometimes be questioned, particularly when platform bugs occur. Instances have been reported where subscription tracking data for unsubscribe activity wasn't updating properly for a period, leading to non-compliant sending to opted-out subscribers. This highlights the importance of regular monitoring and cross-referencing data points.

Resolving SendGrid unsubscribe and tracking issues

Resolving SendGrid unsubscribe and tracking issues requires a systematic approach, starting with verifying your configuration and moving to deeper diagnostic steps.

Unsubscribe resolution steps

Verify Subscription Tracking: Ensure that Subscription Tracking is enabled in your SendGrid account under Settings > Tracking > Subscription Tracking. This automatically inserts an unsubscribe link and maintains the list.
Implement List-Unsubscribe Header: For better compliance and user experience, ensure the List-Unsubscribe header is present. SendGrid automatically adds this if subscription tracking is enabled. This enables one-click unsubscribe functionality in supported email clients (like GmailOutlook).
Monitor Suppressions: Regularly check your Global Unsubscribes and Group Unsubscribes lists within SendGrid to ensure opted-out users are correctly suppressed.
Address Bot-Triggered Unsubscribes: While difficult to prevent entirely, focusing on unique unsubscribes in your analytics can help distinguish real user actions from automated scans.

Tracking resolution steps

Verify Link Branding: Ensure your SendGrid link branding is correctly configured with valid DNS records (CNAME) and SSL enabled. Inaccurate branding can lead to broken links and tracking issues. If using click tracking bots, consider disabling it for specific sensitive links if needed using the clicktracking=false parameter.

Disabling SendGrid Click Tracking for a specific URLHTML

<a href="https://example.com/page?clicktracking=false">Link Text</a>

Analyze Unique vs. Total Metrics: When reviewing SendGrid's analytics, focus on unique clicks and unique opens to get a more accurate picture of human engagement, as these metrics filter out multiple interactions from the same recipient, often including bot activity.
Cross-Reference Data: Compare your SendGrid metrics with Google Postmaster Tools or your website analytics to identify discrepancies. For example, a sudden spike in SendGrid clicks without a corresponding increase in website traffic could indicate bot activity rather than genuine user interest.

Proactive monitoring of your email program is always the best defense against these issues. Regularly check your SendGrid dashboard, review your metrics, and ensure your authentication records are correctly set up. Staying informed about changes in email client behavior and spam filter technologies can also help you adapt your strategies and maintain optimal deliverability.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Actively monitor SendGrid's suppression lists to ensure all unsubscribe requests are processed promptly and accurately.

Always include a clear and functional unsubscribe link in all marketing emails, making it easily discoverable for recipients.

Implement a double opt-in process for new subscribers to ensure genuine interest and reduce the likelihood of spam complaints.

Regularly clean your email lists by removing inactive subscribers and bouncing addresses to improve overall deliverability and sender reputation.

Common pitfalls

Relying solely on total click and open rates without analyzing unique interactions, leading to misinterpretations of engagement.

Ignoring the impact of spam filters and security scanners on tracking metrics and unsubscribe events, resulting in skewed data.

Not configuring link branding and SSL properly in SendGrid, which can cause broken links and impact trust.

Sending emails to subscribers who have previously opted out, risking compliance penalties and damage to sender reputation.

Expert tips

If you suspect bot activity is inflating your metrics, consider segmenting your data to exclude known bot IPs or looking only at unique metrics.

When troubleshooting, verify your domain's authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to ensure emails are correctly authenticated.

Keep an eye on SendGrid's status page for any platform-wide issues that might be affecting tracking or unsubscribes.

Always test your unsubscribe links and tracking before sending large campaigns to catch any issues early.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says they had a bug that impacted unsubscribes and tracking for accounts with custom link tracking and branded links, leading to sending emails to opted-out subscribers. It was fixed after about a week.

2020-07-24 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says they experienced strange increases in overall clicks that were far beyond their normal rates, suspecting it was a tracking error due to no corresponding increase in website traffic or decrease in bounce rate.

2020-07-24 - Email Geeks

Maintaining healthy email lists

Effectively managing unsubscribes and ensuring accurate tracking are fundamental to a successful email program on SendGrid. While challenges like bot-triggered unsubscribes or inflated click rates can arise, many common issues can be resolved through careful configuration, consistent monitoring, and adherence to email best practices.

Prioritize proper setup of SendGrid's subscription and click tracking features, ensure your link branding is valid, and regularly review your suppression lists. Focusing on unique metrics rather than total counts will provide a clearer picture of actual subscriber engagement. By proactively addressing these potential issues, you can improve your deliverability, maintain a healthy sender reputation, and gain more reliable insights from your email campaigns.