Why is there a sudden click increase from Gmail addresses in SES campaigns, and could Google security checks be the cause?

Key findings

• Increased activity: A reported 70% increase in clicks on SES campaigns, specifically from Gmail addresses, indicates an unusual pattern that diverges from typical engagement trends.
• Google's security influence: The increase is strongly suspected to be related to Google's evolving security measures, which pre-scan links in emails to protect users from malicious content. These are often referred to as bot clicks or non-human interaction.
• IP sources: Some observed clicks originate from Google Cloud IPs (e.g., resolving to cache.google.com), reinforcing the hypothesis of automated system scans.
• Impact on metrics: While appearing as clicks, these interactions may not represent genuine user engagement, leading to inflated click-through rates that can mislead campaign analysis.
• Potential for false positives: Automated security checks can trigger actions like one-click unsubscribes if implemented directly in the email body, leading to unintended subscription cancellations. For more on this, consider why List-Unsubscribe requests from Gmail are increasing.

Key considerations

• Data accuracy: Marketers should be aware that a sudden rise in clicks, especially from Gmail or generic Google IPs, might not signify genuine user interest. This requires careful segmentation and analysis of click data.
• Authentication standards: Google's ongoing efforts to enhance security mean strict adherence to email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is paramount. This is detailed in Google's new requirements for bulk senders.
• Monitoring deliverability: Regularly monitoring Google Postmaster Tools can provide insights into your domain's reputation, spam rates, and potential issues, which can indirectly relate to security scanning behavior.
• Distinguishing bot vs. human clicks: Implement strategies to filter out or identify bot-generated clicks in your analytics to gain a more accurate view of campaign performance. Look for unusual click patterns or IP addresses.

Key opinions

• Unexpected increases: Marketers frequently report sudden, unexplained increases in click rates, sometimes by as much as 70% or more, particularly when sending through platforms like SES to Gmail recipients.
• Bot activity suspicion: Many immediately suspect bot or non-human interaction (NHI) clicks as the cause, attributing them to ISP security scans or other automated processes.
• Gmail's role: The consistency of these clicks originating from Gmail addresses specifically points towards Gmail's own scanning mechanisms as a primary culprit.
• Impact on metrics: Concerns are raised about how these artificial clicks inflate reported click-through rates, making it difficult to assess true engagement and campaign success.

Key considerations

• Monitoring sources: Careful examination of click sources by ISP and IP address is necessary to identify patterns indicative of automated scanning. This is part of a broader need to troubleshoot click-through rate issues.
• Adjusting reporting: Marketers may need to adjust their reporting methodologies to account for bot clicks, perhaps by filtering specific IP ranges or looking at unique human clicks where possible.
• Unsubscribe method: The use of one-click unsubscribe links directly in the email body might be problematic, as automated clicks could trigger unintended unsubscribes, affecting list hygiene. Consider alternative unsubscribe methods or monitoring the Gmail manage subscriptions feature.
• Spamhaus impact: Previous or concurrent issues like being listed on a Spamhaus blocklist can sometimes lead to changes in IP pools, which might indirectly influence how mail is processed by ISPs, potentially contributing to varied deliverability outcomes.

Key opinions

• Pre-scanning prevalence: Experts confirm that major ISPs like Gmail and Yahoo routinely pre-scan emails for malicious content, leading to automated clicks on links before the email is even seen by the recipient.
• Security measure: These automated clicks are a security feature designed to protect users from phishing, malware, and other threats by checking linked URLs.
• Impact on metrics: Such interactions can significantly inflate click rates, requiring marketers to refine their data analysis to differentiate between human and non-human engagement.
• Authentication importance: Robust email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for senders to signal legitimacy to these scanning systems and improve overall inbox placement, as outlined in guides like a simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.

Key considerations

• Identify bot clicks: Examine click logs for IP ranges known to be associated with security scanners (e.g., Google Cloud IPs, Amazon EC2 IPs) to filter out non-human clicks. For more on this, see unusual click activity from Amazon EC2 IPs.
• Monitor deliverability tools: Utilize Google Postmaster Tools to track domain and IP reputation, spam rates, and other metrics that can provide context for click behavior. Check out the ultimate guide to Google Postmaster Tools.
• Maintain high quality lists: Clean subscriber lists regularly to reduce bounces and spam complaints, as high complaint rates can trigger more aggressive scanning and filtering.
• Sender reputation: Focus on maintaining a strong sender reputation, as this influences how readily your emails are accepted and how they are treated by security systems.

Key findings

• Bulk sender requirements: Gmail and Yahoo Mail have implemented new requirements for bulk senders, effective February 2024, focusing on authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), spam rate thresholds, and one-click unsubscribe. These changes are detailed in the AWS overview of bulk sender changes.
• Proactive security: Google states its new protections aim for a safer, less spammy inbox, which inherently involves automated systems checking for malicious content by following links.
• Spam filtering: Emails not meeting new standards may be sent directly to spam folders, implying that security checks are a key part of deliverability decisions.
• Greylisting: Some ISPs, including Gmail, use greylisting, a spam prevention technique that can cause temporary delivery delays, which might also involve preliminary link analysis.

Key considerations

• Compliance: Adherence to Google's and Yahoo's latest sender requirements is critical to ensure email deliverability and avoid increased filtering or blocking.
• Authentication configuration: Proper configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is non-negotiable for senders using platforms like SES to achieve optimal inbox placement and avoid sudden drops in Gmail deliverability.
• Reputation management: Maintaining a low spam complaint rate and avoiding spam traps is vital for sender reputation, which directly influences how security systems evaluate incoming mail. For example, spikes in Google Postmaster Tools spam rates are a clear red flag.
• Monitoring tools: Utilize tools like Google Postmaster Tools to gain insights into how Google perceives your sending practices and identify any issues triggering increased security checks.