Do email providers track clicks on verification links versus other links for deliverability?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Neil Patel shares that click-through rate (CTR) is a key metric in email marketing, indirectly implying tracking of clicks, but doesn't specify differentiation between link types. They emphasize analyzing CTR to understand audience engagement.
Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that monitoring email engagement, including clicks, is essential for understanding audience behavior and improving campaign performance. Doesn't specify the email type of click.
Email marketer from HubSpot emphasizes engagement metrics like clicks as crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation and improving deliverability, suggesting that email providers track these engagements. It doesn't specify verification links.
Email marketer from Litmus highlights that engagement metrics such as clicks and opens are important to monitor, but does not specify if verification link clicks are tracked any differently from other links within an email.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that double opt-in isn't for the mailbox providers' benefit, it's for the sender's benefit.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor notes that mailbox providers consider user engagement, including clicks, as a factor in filtering. They don't specify tracking different types of links, but recommend best practices for ensuring a positive sender reputation and deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks notes that most mailbox providers don't track what their users click on. In most cases, B2B filters are more reputation-based and don't measure engagement to the degree of B2C.
Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that while engagement is important, no specific information is provided that email verification links are tracked differently.
Email marketer from Reddit user claims that some email providers track clicks as a general engagement signal but doesn't differentiate between types of links. They stress the importance of maintaining high engagement rates to avoid spam filters.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource details how mailbox providers utilise engagement metrics such as clicks, to inform spam filtering decisions but doesn't state whether they specifically track verification links.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that mailbox providers absolutely use engagement data, which includes clicks, to filter email. Although they do not explicitly say if they track verification link clicks any differently.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that email providers don't classify emails to the point of differentiating verification link clicks from other link clicks, because they prioritize whether users want the mail. Bad permission practices correlate with poor recipient perception, which ISPs measure.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft states that Outlook.com uses user feedback and engagement metrics to filter email, suggesting they monitor clicks, though it does not explicitly say they track verification links differently. They focus on overall sender reputation.
Documentation from RFC describes the technical standards for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to verify sender identity. These standards do not directly address tracking clicks or the distinction between verification and other links but ensure authenticity and prevent spoofing.
Documentation from Gmail Help highlights the importance of user engagement in their sender guidelines, implying that Gmail tracks user interactions, including clicks, to assess the quality and relevance of emails. It does not specify tracking for different types of links.