Summary
A drop in Google Analytics clicks after migrating email platforms is a multifaceted issue stemming from tracking differences, spam filtering, deliverability problems, technical configurations, and list quality. Different tracking methodologies, stricter bot filtering by the new platform, and improved spam filtering can reduce reported clicks. Deliverability issues due to new IPs or sending practices, URL structure changes, and CDN/caching problems hinder traffic. Incorrect GA settings, email rendering issues, and JavaScript problems impede tracking. Email list decay reduces engagement, while proper IP warmup and suppression list management affect email placement and clickthroughs.
Key findings
- Tracking Discrepancies: Platforms use different methods to define and record clicks.
- Enhanced Filtering: Stricter bot and spam filtering reduces inflated click counts.
- Deliverability Hurdles: New IPs and sending practices impact email placement and open rates.
- Configuration Issues: Improper GA settings, rendering problems, and JS errors affect tracking.
- List Degradation: Outdated and unengaged email addresses lower overall engagement.
- IP Warmup Impact: Insufficient IP warmup diminishes sender reputation and increases spam placement.
- Suppression List Management: Stricter suppression reduces clicks from invalid addresses.
Key considerations
- Harmonize Tracking: Understand and reconcile click tracking discrepancies across platforms.
- Investigate Bot Handling: Ask the new platform about their methods for filtering bot traffic.
- Monitor Deliverability: Closely track IP reputation and email placement.
- Verify GA Setup: Ensure correct GA settings and tracking code implementation.
- Update Email List: Regularly clean the email list to remove invalid and unengaged addresses.
- Plan IP Warmup: Execute a gradual IP warmup strategy for new IPs.
- Optimize CDN/Caching: Check CDN settings to serve fresh content and ensure accurate tracking.
- Ensure Email Rendering: Test how emails render in different clients to ensure proper display and engagement.
- Review URL Structure: Confirm that URL structures are still valid and setup redirects if needed.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
A drop in Google Analytics clicks after migrating email platforms can stem from various factors. These include stricter bot filtering by the new platform, deliverability issues due to new IPs or changes in sending practices, modifications in link tracking parameters, and potential misconfigurations in Google Analytics settings. Degradation of email list quality and changes in URL structure can also contribute. Investigating how the new platform handles bot traffic and ensuring proper IP warmup are essential.
Key opinions
- Bot Filtering: New platforms may have more aggressive bot filtering, leading to fewer bot clicks in Google Analytics.
- Deliverability: Platform migration can impact deliverability due to new IPs or changes in sending practices, causing emails to land in spam folders.
- Tracking Parameters: Changes in link tracking parameters can affect how clicks are recorded and reported in Google Analytics.
- GA Configuration: Incorrect Google Analytics settings or missing tracking code can result in lost click data.
- List Quality: Email list decay and outdated addresses can reduce overall click rates.
Key considerations
- Investigate Bot Handling: Inquire with the new platform about their methods for filtering bot traffic and how it may differ from the previous platform.
- Monitor Deliverability: Closely monitor deliverability metrics, particularly IP reputation, to ensure emails are reaching intended recipients.
- Verify Tracking: Double-check Google Analytics settings and ensure tracking code is correctly implemented on all landing pages.
- Clean Email List: Regularly clean and update the email list to remove outdated or inactive addresses.
- Review URL Structure: Check for any changes in URL structure and implement redirects as needed to avoid broken links.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests asking the new platform 'how' they are blocking bot clicks. Are they outright returning 403 forbidden errors to bots not allowing them to follow the links? Are they redirecting them?
11 Apr 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email on Acid suggests that migration related deliverability issues could have a part to play. Poor deliverability directly equates to less people clicking links in emails.
5 May 2022 - Email on Acid
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
A decrease in Google Analytics clicks after moving email platforms may be attributed to factors related to IP warmup, stricter suppression lists, and enhanced spam filtering/validation on the new platform. Insufficient IP warmup can lead to poor sender reputation and emails landing in spam folders, reducing engagement. Stricter suppression list management and removal of invalid addresses, while beneficial for deliverability, can also decrease the overall click volume.
Key opinions
- IP Warmup: Lack of proper IP warmup can negatively impact email deliverability and reduce clicks.
- Suppression Lists: Stricter suppression list management removes non-engaging or invalid addresses, potentially lowering click numbers.
- Spam Filtering: Improved spam filtering and validation may remove invalid emails, reducing click volume.
Key considerations
- IP Warmup Strategy: Ensure a well-planned IP warmup strategy when transitioning to a new email platform with new IPs.
- List Hygiene: Regularly maintain and clean email lists to remove invalid and non-responsive addresses.
- Monitor Engagement: Closely monitor email engagement metrics and identify any potential deliverability issues.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains a potential reason for lower Google Analytics clicks could be that the new platform is more strict with suppression lists and bounces, which is a good thing for your deliverability. Actively removing bad email addresses from your marketing list can have a positive impact on the number of visitors that make their way to your website from email marketing campaigns.
12 Mar 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource shares that the new platform has better spam filtering and validation. They may be removing invalid email addresses from email sends. While a good thing for deliverability it may cause reported click numbers to be lower than before.
5 Jul 2021 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
6 technical articles
A drop in Google Analytics clicks post-email platform migration can be attributed to a few technical factors. Differing click tracking methodologies across platforms, particularly concerning bot and invalid traffic, mean Google Analytics may show lower numbers due to more rigorous filtering. Changes to URL structures without proper redirects, CDN/caching issues, rendering problems in email clients, and JavaScript/browser compatibility issues impacting GA's tracking script can also contribute to this decrease.
Key findings
- Tracking Differences: Platforms define and record clicks differently, affecting reported numbers in Google Analytics.
- Invalid Traffic Filtering: Improved filtering of bot traffic by new platforms results in lower click counts in Google Analytics.
- URL Structure: Altered URL structures without redirects lead to broken links and lost traffic.
- CDN/Caching Issues: CDN and caching issues can cause outdated content and impact accurate tracking.
- Email Rendering: Changes to rendering in email clients can affect email engagement and trackable clicks.
- JavaScript Issues: JavaScript and browser compatibility issues impacting GA's tracking script can cause a drop in traffic.
Key considerations
- Tracking Alignment: Investigate and understand how click definitions differ between platforms to better reconcile discrepancies.
- URL Redirects: Implement proper redirects for all URL structure changes to maintain traffic flow.
- CDN Configuration: Optimize CDN and caching configurations to ensure fresh content is served and accurate tracking is maintained.
- Email Rendering Tests: Test email rendering across different clients to ensure proper display and engagement.
- JS Compatibility: Ensure JavaScript is compatible with all browsers and Google Analytics can run without issues.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Analytics Help explains that differences in click tracking across platforms are common due to variations in how clicks are defined and recorded. Some platforms might include bot traffic or pre-fetching clicks, while Google Analytics aims to filter out such invalid interactions for a more accurate representation of user engagement.
15 Aug 2021 - Google Analytics Help
Technical article
Documentation from Google Search Central explains a change in URL structure without proper redirects during the platform move might lead to lost traffic. If the URLs in the emails are outdated or broken, users won't be able to access the landing pages, resulting in a decrease in clicks registered by Google Analytics.
26 Jan 2025 - Google
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