Overview
Bot traffic is automated activity on your emails: opens and clicks triggered by scripts, security scanners, or mail systems rather than by a real shopper. Left unchecked, it inflates open and click counts and makes campaigns look more (or differently) engaging than they really are.
Audience Activation automatically checks every email open and click for signs of automation. Activity that looks non-human is either never recorded or is flagged as automated, so your engagement data reflects real shopper interest and supports better marketing decisions.
How It Works
Audience Activation applies two layers of protection: it ignores opens from known non-shopper sources, and it reviews the timing and pattern of every open and click to catch automated behavior.
Opens That Are Never Counted
Some opens come from sources that are never a shopper. Audience Activation does not record these at all:
- Automated mail-system activity originating from mail.google.com.
- Internal previews of emails viewed inside the Fullpath dashboard, Audience Activation, and Curator.
- Previews in connected dealer platforms that display Fullpath emails.
- Test sends, so checking an email before launch never adds to its results.
Opens Flagged by Timing
Many bots open an email the instant it arrives, often to scan it. Audience Activation flags an open as automated when it:
- Is recorded before the email was sent, or
- Happens within one second of the email being sent.
Clicks Flagged as Automated
Audience Activation reviews all clicks on each email together and flags any click that matches one of these signals:
| Signal | What Audience Activation Looks For |
|---|---|
| Hidden link (honeypot) | Audience Activation emails can carry an invisible link that a person never sees, so only automated tools click it. When it is clicked, Audience Activation flags that click and every other click on the same email from the same device or network. |
| Too many clicks at once | Three or more clicks on the same email within two seconds. A link scanner that opens every link in a message produces exactly this pattern. |
| Too close to send | A click within one second of the email being sent. |
| Before send | A click recorded before the email was sent. |
Where Bot Protection Applies
These protections run automatically on Audience Activation campaign emails and on Lead Handling emails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why might Audience Activation's open count differ from other email tools?
Audience Activation does not record opens from internal previews, test sends, or known automated sources, and it flags opens that happen too close to the send. Tools that count every pixel load will usually show a higher number.
Can one bot click affect other clicks on the same email?
Yes. If the hidden honeypot link is clicked, Audience Activation treats the device and network behind that click as automated and flags their other clicks on that email as well.
Is flagged activity removed permanently?
No. Flagged opens and clicks remain on record with the reason they were flagged, so automated activity stays identifiable without being mixed into genuine engagement.