BotSense

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Filter out bot clicks with ActiveCampaign's BotSense

Introduction

ActiveCampaign's BotSense feature is an important tool that allows you to filter out bot click activity from your email analytics. Understanding what bot clicks are and having the ability to manage them effectively is critical for marketers who depend on accurate data reporting. Bot clicks, which are automated interactions from non-human sources, can distort your engagement metrics, making it challenging to gauge true customer interactions with your campaigns. By utilizing BotSense, you ensure cleaner, more reliable data that reflects genuine user interest.

How to Access This Feature

To access the BotSense feature, you must have an ActiveCampaign account with the necessary permissions. Only users in the admin group can enable or disable BotSense. Follow these steps to locate the feature: 1. Click on Settings in the left menu. 2. Navigate to Advanced. 3. Select BotSense from the options provided.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To effectively enable or disable BotSense, follow these detailed steps:

1. Click Settings > Advanced on the left menu.
2. Click BotSense.
3. In the Bot clicks and opens (non-MPP) dropdown, select one of the following options:

  ## Filtered out (enabled)
  * This will filter out bot click and open activity for your ActiveCampaign account.
  ## Not filtered (disabled)
  * Selecting this option turns BotSense off, meaning bot clicks and opens will not be filtered.

1. Click the Save Settings button located at the top right. Once saved, the BotSense setting will automatically apply across reporting, segments, and automations in your account.

Configuration Options and Settings

Understanding the configuration options within BotSense is crucial for effective utilization:

- Filtered out (enabled): This option will actively filter out bot-clicks and opens to ensure that only genuine user interactions are counted in your analytics.

- Not filtered (disabled): By selecting this, you turn off the filtering, which means your reports will include potential bot clicks and opens, leading to potentially inaccurate data.

Once the setting is modified and saved, it will apply throughout your entire ActiveCampaign account for all related features.

Best Practices and Tips

Utilizing BotSense can significantly enhance the quality of your marketing analytics. Here are some best practices to consider:

- **Regularly Review Settings**: Periodically check the BotSense settings to ensure they align with your reporting needs.

- **Combine with Other Analytics Tools**: Pairing BotSense data with other analytics tools may provide even deeper insights about traffic sources and user behavior.

- **Monitor Reports**: After enabling BotSense, keep an eye on your reports to notice any significant changes in engagement metrics. This will help you assess the impact of filtering out bot activity.

- **Educate your team**: Make sure your team understands what bot clicks are and why it's important to filter them for more accurate reporting.

Common Use Cases with Examples

Here are several scenarios where implementing BotSense would be beneficial:

- **Improving Campaign Effectiveness**: If a high percentage of clicks in your email campaigns appear to be from bots, using BotSense will give you a clearer picture of actual engagement and help refine your campaign strategies.

- **Data Cleanliness**: When preparing reports for stakeholders, filtering out bot clicks helps to present data that accurately reflects user interactions, allowing for better business decisions based on this data.

- **Adjusting Targeting**: By using the insights derived from BotSense, you can better segment your audience based on actual user behavior rather than automated interactions.

Troubleshooting Section

If you encounter issues with BotSense, consider the following troubleshooting tips:

- **Check User Permissions**: Ensure that you are logged in with an admin account; only admin users have the ability to change BotSense settings.

- **Settings Not Applying**: If your changes don't seem to take effect, try logging out and back in or clearing your browser cache.

- **Data Discrepancies**: If data still appears inaccurate after enabling BotSense, it may be beneficial to compare it with other analytical tools to verify the findings.

Related Features

Some features impacted by BotSense include:

- **Reports**: Bot clicks and opens will be filtered out of your reporting metrics.

- **Segments**: Segments that utilize has opened/has not opened or has clicked/has not clicked will be cleaned of bot interactions.

- **Automations**: Automations triggered by clicks or opens will not include data from bot activities.

- **Campaigns**: The BotSense filter ensures that bot clicks do not activate any link actions within campaigns.

FAQ Section

Q1: What are bot clicks? A1: Bot clicks refer to automated actions performed by machines or software, such as antivirus scans, rather than a human clicking on links.

Q2: Who can enable or disable BotSense? A2: Only users in the admin group of your ActiveCampaign account have the permission to enable or disable BotSense.

Q3: Will BotSense apply retroactively to past data? A3: No, once BotSense settings are saved, they only take effect moving forward and will not change past data in your analytics.

Q4: How does BotSense identify bot activity? A4: The system uses machine learning, smart checks, and pattern recognition to determine if an interaction was from a human or a bot.

Q5: What happens if I use BotSense with the beta bot click filter? A5: Using both features simultaneously is not recommended. The beta filter will be hidden once BotSense is enabled to prevent conflicts.

Q6: How does BotSense affect my reporting? A6: When enabled, BotSense ensures that bot-related clicks are filtered out, providing a clearer picture of actual user engagement metrics.

Q7: Can I toggle BotSense on and off for different reports? A7: No, the setting applies to your entire ActiveCampaign account; it cannot be adjusted on a per-report basis.

By leveraging BotSense, you can significantly improve the accuracy of your email analytics and make better-informed marketing decisions. ```