Unsubscribes not tracked in the Email Performance Report

[Anonymous]

We have a custom unsubscribe method where people get unsubscribed when they click on a link in the footer. This link takes them to a confirmation landing page ("You have been successfully unsubscribed"), but there is no form on it. I have a Smart Campaign that changes "Unsubscribe" to TRUE when they click on this link. However, i noticed that this unsubscribe method doesn't result in the "Unsubscribe from email" activity and those unsubscribes are not reflected in the Email Performance report.

How can I make sure that these unsubscribes are being tracked in the report and result in "Unsubscribed from email" activity. Would adding ?mkt_unsubscribe=1&mkt_tok=##MKT_TOK## at the end of the link solve this issue?

Thanks!

[Jim_Thao7]

Instead of building a custom link and smart campaigns to execute against the custom link, use and customize the unsubscribe token "{{system.unsubscribeLink}}" in your email.

Marketo doesn't automatically attribute a custom link as an unsubscribe in email link.  You'll need to specifically use the token or allow the global unsubscribe to be automatically appended.  Otherwise, you'll need to stick to your method and not have an Unsubscribe Email activity.

[Anonymous]

Hi Jim,

How exactly would I use the unsubscribe token. My insubscribe link has to point to a confirmation landing page that says "You have been successfully unsubscribed. Would that work with this token? Where would I put the URL of the page?

[Josh_Hill13]

Yes, the way you setup the system does not enable the built in unsub tracker for Reports or Unsubscribed from Email.

You can certainly test the MKT TOK suggestion. I'm not 100% sure that will work.

The other concern I have is that your method may not be 100% reliable using Visits Web Site or Clicks Link in Email. I'd do a smart list to compare people who Clicked OR Visited that page and Unsubscribed=F or had no DVC. I have done this even with our regular process and automated potential holes where someone believes they unsubscribed visually, but for some reason it doesn't register.

[Anonymous]

Hi Josh, i tried adding ?mkt_unsubscribe=1&mkt_tok=##MKT_TOK## at the end of the link solve this issue? at the end of the link and it didn't help. The method is reliable so far. I created a Smart List like you suggested and everyone who clicked teh link was unsubscribed.

[SanfordWhiteman · Accepted solution]

I have a Smart Campaign that changes "Unsubscribe" to TRUE when they click on this link. However, i noticed that this unsubscribe method doesn't result in the "Unsubscribe from email" activity and those unsubscribes are not reflected in the Email Performance report.

This is documented to not work.

For an unsubscribe to be accounted for as a special event, a form post needs to set the value, not a Flow step.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Sanford!

[MERGE4CHIEF]

What about certain laws that require single click unsubscribe methods? What is the work around for capturing this activity via unsubscribe in a program level email performance report? 

[SanfordWhiteman]

There aren’t any laws that require you to treat an email click (and only an email click) as meaningful in any way.