Bot opens and clicks: how are you managing it?

[APT773]

Hello All

At my firm we're unsure what sort of methodology to apply to the numerous bot clicks and opens which seem to be appearing in our reports these days. We are using the IAB filter and considering adding the proximity pattern feature for 0 seconds but there doesn't appear to be an absolute way to identify and remove all bot activity. 

We're curious to know what other businesses are doing for their reporting as we seek to agree internally on a methodology to apply and follow. Thanks in advance to anyone who inputs. 

[NicoleMarcoe1]

Hello, 

Here are some Recommendations for solving for bot click activity. You can use a combination of the below. 

Option 1: Honeypot link 

Update email template(s) to include a honeypot link. A honeypot link is a small link in an email’s HTML code that only bots can see. The links are not visible to humans because they match the background color. The only clicks on the honeypot link would come from bots, who read the email code. 

Implementation: Identify templates and programs that are affected by bot activity. choose a link to use ex. old content pieces or deactivated webinar landing pages. Add honeypot link and code to the email template(s). Depending on how links are tracked exclude honeypot link clicks

Reporting: To find the total clicks on the honeypot link, use the Clicked Link in Email filter with a constraint for the honeypot link in a smart list. Alternatively, you can run a triggered smart campaign to add the bot leads to a static list. When reporting on email clicks or overall performance, you can suppress members of that smart or static list to ensure you’re only reporting on human email engagement activity.  

Considerations: editing the email template(s) will push all emails into draft. Adding a honeypot link does not stop bot clicks in real-time. instead it allows you to more accurately report on email clicks by filtering out clicks from bots.  

Option 2: Update success smart campaigns in each program to assess different success criteria based on email scanner detection. 

Implementation:

Identify programs most affected by bot clicks.

Create a static list in each program of records that are impacted by the scanners.

Create a smart campaign to evaluate scanner activity. 

• Smart list filters for each email. Grouped in advanced filters such as (1 and 2 and 3) or (4 and 5 and 6) or Etc. 
• Was sent email
• Clicked link in email
• Not opened email
• Flow steps are to add records to the static list [99. Email Scanner Impacted]

Update Engaged-Success smart campaign to: 

• Smart list filters. Grouped in advanced filters such as ((1 and 2) or (3 and 4)) and 5. 
• Clicked Link in email
• Email Starts with: XXX
• Link Contains: XXX
• In past 24 hours
• Member of List
• Not in [99. Email Scanner Impacted]
• Clicked Link in email
• Email Starts with: XXX
• Link Contains: XXX
• In past 24 hours
• Min. Number of Times: 2
• Member of List
• In [99. Email Scanner Impacted]
• Member of program

Considerations: will need to implement for each email. records on the email scanner list will need to be reviewed on a per program basis 

Option 2B - consider using smart lists instead of static list the the same idea as option 2. 

Option 3: Adjust the Proximity Pattern settings in the Bot Activity section of Marketo Admin to a more conservative timeframe of 1-3 seconds. 3 seconds is the maximum setting to match identification methods.

Option 4: Ensure the Bot Activity setting within Bot Activity identification is set to Filter Bot Activity rather than Log Bot Activity. This may cause a drop in email opens and clicks as false activities are weeded out.

[APT773]

Thank you for sharing the practices you follow, Nicole.

[SanfordWhiteman]

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When reporting on email clicks or overall performance, you can suppress members of that smart or static list to ensure you’re only reporting on human email engagement activity.  

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That’ll mean you’re suppressing people whose organization uses a mail scanner and who also clicked the link themselves. Not recommended.

Overall, the honeypot concept is outdated and should not be used. Marketo’s own bot activity filter already uses a much more intelligent form of honeypot link.