How to Track Links Without Hurting Email Deliverability

Summary

In this video, Kseniia from Snovio dives into the importance of link tracking for campaign analytics and its potential impact on email deliverability. She explains how link wrapping and redirection can trigger spam filters, often resulting in emails being marked as spam. To mitigate this, she suggests using anchored links with clear descriptions and adopting a custom tracking domain to enhance branding and sender reputation, ensuring emails reach the recipient's inbox effectively.

Takeaways

• 🔗 Link tracking is crucial for campaign analytics but can affect email deliverability.
• 🔄 The process of link tracking involves a redirect through a web gateway before reaching the final destination.
• 👀 Recipients can see the tracking domain when they hover over a tracked link, indicating a redirect.
• 🚫 Redirects are often associated with spam tactics, leading to increased scrutiny by spam filters.
• 📧 Emails with tracked links may be marked as spam or rejected due to their association with spammer tactics.
• 🔑 To improve deliverability, use anchored links that clearly explain where they lead within the anchor text.
• 🛠️ Snovio and other major sending tools allow easy creation of anchored links through their email editing features.
• 🌐 A custom tracking domain enhances branding, preserves sender reputation, and eases the spam filter process.
• 📚 Snovio provides a guide on setting up a custom tracking domain, accessible in the top right corner and video description.
• 💡 Employing anchored links and custom tracking domains are two effective strategies to avoid deliverability issues caused by link tracking.
• 📈 Stay informed about spam filters and email deliverability with Snovio's series of guides and marketing tips.

Q & A

What is link tracking and why is it important for campaign analytics?

Link tracking is the process of monitoring when and how often a link in an email is clicked. It is important for campaign analytics because it helps measure the effectiveness of an email campaign and understand user engagement.

How does link tracking potentially cause deliverability issues?

Link tracking can cause deliverability issues because it often involves redirecting users through a web gateway before they reach the intended destination. This redirection can be flagged by spam filters as a common tactic used by spammers and scammers, leading to emails being marked as spam or even rejected.

How does a tracking service wrap links for tracking purposes?

A tracking service wraps links by embedding the original link within their own, acting like a wrapper around a candy. When a recipient clicks the link, they are first redirected to the tracking service's web gateway before being directed to the original link.

Can recipients tell if a link in an email is being tracked?

Yes, recipients can see that links are tracked if they hover their cursor over the links, revealing the tracking domain.

Why are redirects often associated with spammer tactics?

Redirects are associated with spammer tactics because they can be used to deceive people into clicking on links that do not lead to the expected destination, such as a seemingly legitimate link that actually takes the user to a phishing site.

How can anchored links help with email deliverability?

Anchored links, where the link is attached to descriptive text, are believed to undergo less strict filtering by spam filters compared to direct links. This method can help improve email deliverability by appearing more transparent and less suspicious.

What is the recommended way to create an anchored link in an email?

To create an anchored link, attach the link to relevant text in the email. Make sure the anchor text clearly explains where the link leads, which can help avoid triggering spam filters.

What is a custom tracking domain and how does it help with email deliverability?

A custom tracking domain is a domain that you own and use for tracking links in your emails. It improves branding, preserves sender reputation, and can make the spam filter check-up process easier, as it appears more legitimate and less like typical spam.

Where can I find a guide to setting up a custom tracking domain according to the video?

The guide to setting up a custom tracking domain can be found in the top right corner of the video and in the video description.

What are the two main hacks mentioned in the video to avoid email deliverability issues caused by link tracking?

The two main hacks mentioned are using anchored links with clear anchor text and using a custom tracking domain to improve branding and sender reputation.

How can viewers stay updated with more sales and marketing growth hacks from Snovio?

Viewers can stay updated by liking, subscribing, and hitting the notification button to receive alerts for more of Snovio's sales and marketing growth hacks.

Outlines

00:00

🔗 Understanding Link Tracking and Deliverability

This paragraph introduces the concept of link tracking within email campaigns and its impact on deliverability. It explains how link tracking works by using a redirect mechanism that is nearly imperceptible to the recipient, which allows the tracking service to monitor link clicks. The paragraph also discusses the visibility of the tracking domain to recipients and the potential for this to be flagged by spam filters due to its association with common spammer tactics. The summary emphasizes the importance of understanding how link tracking can inadvertently affect the deliverability of legitimate emails and the need for strategies to mitigate these issues.

📧 Strategies for Link Tracking without Harming Deliverability

This section offers practical advice on how to implement link tracking in a way that minimizes the risk of emails being marked as spam. It suggests two primary methods: using anchored links, which involve attaching a URL to a piece of text that clearly indicates where the link leads, and using a custom tracking domain to enhance branding and sender reputation. The paragraph explains that anchored links are less likely to be scrutinized by spam filters and provides a brief guide on how to create them in Snovio Email Drip Campaigns and other major email sending tools. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of using a custom tracking domain and points viewers towards a guide for setting one up.

Keywords

💡Link tracking

Link tracking is a method used to monitor the effectiveness of email campaigns by tracking when and how recipients interact with links within the emails. In the video, it is explained as a crucial part of campaign analytics but also a potential cause of deliverability issues. The script describes how a tracking service wraps links with a redirect to a web gateway, which helps in tracking clicks without the recipient noticing.

💡Deliverability

Deliverability refers to the ability of an email to reach the recipient's inbox rather than being filtered out as spam. The video script discusses how link tracking can impact deliverability, as spam filters may flag emails with redirecting links as suspicious, potentially leading to them being sent to the spam folder or being rejected.

💡Spam filters

Spam filters are mechanisms employed by email service providers to identify and block unwanted or malicious emails. The script mentions that these filters pay close attention to links in emails, and they may mark tracked links from legitimate outreach as suspicious, thus affecting the email's deliverability.

💡Redirect

A redirect in the context of link tracking is when a user is first taken to an intermediate page before being directed to the final destination. The video explains that this technique is used to track link clicks, but it can also be a tactic used by spammers to deceive users, which is why it may trigger spam filters.

💡Anchored link

An anchored link is a hyperlink attached to a piece of text, which when clicked, directs the user to a specific webpage. The script suggests that using anchored links, where the destination is clearly stated in the anchor text, can help avoid strict filtering by spam filters and is a preferable method for inserting links in emails.

💡Custom tracking domain

A custom tracking domain is a unique domain used for tracking purposes that is branded to the company or individual sending the email. The video script highlights that using a custom tracking domain can improve the branding of links, preserve sender reputation, and make it easier to pass spam filter checks.

💡Branding

Branding in the context of the video refers to the practice of creating a unique name, symbol, or design that identifies and differentiates a product or service from others. The script mentions that a custom tracking domain helps in branding the links, which can positively influence the perception of the email by recipients and spam filters.

💡Sender reputation

Sender reputation is the trustworthiness and reliability of an email sender as perceived by email service providers and their spam filters. The video script explains that using a custom tracking domain can help preserve a sender's reputation, which in turn can improve email deliverability.

💡Email outreach

Email outreach is the process of sending targeted emails to potential customers or leads to promote a product, service, or content. The script discusses how tracked links from legitimate email outreach can sometimes be marked as suspicious by spam filters, which can hinder the effectiveness of the outreach.

💡Inbox

The inbox is the section of an email account where incoming messages are received and stored. The video's main theme revolves around ensuring that emails, despite using link tracking, land in the recipient's inbox rather than being filtered out as spam.

💡Sales and marketing growth hacks

Growth hacks refer to creative and innovative marketing strategies aimed at increasing sales or visibility with low budgets and fast results. The video script ends with a call to action to check out a series of guides on spam filters and growth hacks, indicating a broader context of optimizing sales and marketing efforts.

Highlights

Welcome to Snovio!, I am Kseniia and in this video we`ll take an in-depth look at link tracking.

Link tracking is an important part of your campaign analytics, but it may also cause some deliverability issues.

Every detail of your email plays a role in its deliverability and is examined by the spam filters, especially links.

To track link clicks, a tracking service wraps your links into their own link just like a wrapping machine wraps candies.

When a recipient clicks the link in an email, they are redirected to a web gateway, and only then to the link you were directing them to originally.

The redirect happens in the blink of an eye so they can hardly notice anything.

This quick redirect technique helps the system track when the link is opened.

Recipients can see whether the links are tracked if they hover their cursor over the tracked links.

Redirects are part of a common spammer and scammer tactic, where links do not lead where you might think they will.

Spam filters pay close attention to links in emails, and emails with redirecting links are often sent to the Spam folders or even rejected altogether.

Tracked links from legitimate outreachers may be marked as suspicious by spam filters.

You can insert a link in an email in two ways: as a direct link and as an anchored link.

Anchored links are much more preferable.

To create an anchored link, attach your link to the text and clearly explain where the link leads.

Using a custom tracking domain improves the branding of your links, helps preserve your sender reputation, and makes spam filters' check-up easier.

Transcripts

Hi! Welcome to Snovio!

I am Kseniia and in this video we`ll take an in-depth look at link tracking.

Link tracking is an important part of your campaign analytics,

but it may also cause some deliverability issues.

Why? And how do you avoid them? Let’s find out.

Every detail of your email

plays a role in its deliverability and is examined by the spam filters.

Especially links.

To understand how link tracking plays into this,

we first need to have a look at how link tracking works.

To track link clicks, a tracking service

wraps your links into their own link just like a wrapping machine wraps candies.

When a recipient clicks the link in an email, they are redirected to a web gateway

and only then to the link you were directing them to originally.

The redirect happens in the blink of an eye so they can hardly notice anything.

This quick redirect technique helps the system track when the link is opened.

You may be wondering -

is there any way the recipients can see whether the links are tracked?

Yes, the tracking domain can be seen by the people receiving your email

if they hover their cursor over the tracked links.

Unfortunately, redirects are the part of a common spammer and scammer tactic:

to fool people into clicking on certain links,

spammers add links that do not lead where you might think they will.

For example, you may receive an email with the link https://snov.io

But when you click on it,

it takes you to a completely different website asking for donations.

To prevent scammers from tricking people this way,

many ESP spam filters pay close attention to links in emails,

and emails with redirecting links are often sent to the Spam folders

or even rejected altogether.

Unfortunately, that means

spam filters may mark the tracked links from legitimate outreachers as suspicious

and take away the opportunity to bring valuable offers to the prospects` Inboxes.

Here’s how you can track links and not hurt your email deliverability.

You can insert a link in an email in two ways:

As a direct link,

and as an anchored link.

Both ways are common but anchored links are much more preferrable.

To create an anchored link, simply attach your link to the text.

In the description, or anchor text, clearly explain where the link leads.

It is believed that links attached this way do not undergo strict filtering.

You can easily create an anchored link in Snovio Email Drip Campaigns

as well as all major sending tools.

Just go to the email editing page and find Insert/Edit link option,

add the URL and fill the text to display.

The second, and the best trick to avoiding deliverability issues

is using a custom tracking domain.

A custom tracking domain improves the branding of your links,

helps preserve your sender reputation

and makes your spam filters check-up a walk in the park.

Check out our guide to setting up a custom tracking domain in top right corner

and in our video description.

These two small hacks

will help you avoid email deliverability issues caused by link tracking

so you can always land in your recipients` Inbox.

Check out our series of guides to spam filters and how to deal with them

to find out more about all the obstacles in the way of your emails.

As always, like, subscribe and hit that notification button

to stay tuned for more of our sales and marketing growth hacks.

See you!