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Not all clicks are human. Security scanners, link previewers, and bots can inflate your click metrics. Trackly helps you filter these out.

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The Problem

When you send an SMS with a link, various automated systems may click it:
SourceWhy They Click
Carrier scannersCheck for malware
Security toolsVerify link safety
Link previewersGenerate previews
CrawlersIndex content
These automated clicks can:
  • Inflate click rates
  • Skew analytics
  • Misattribute conversions

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How Bot Detection Works

Trackly analyzes clicks for bot signatures:
  1. IP analysis: Known bot IP ranges
  2. User agent: Bot-like user agent strings
  3. Behavior patterns: Timing, frequency
  4. Geographic: Unlikely locations

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Bot Filter Modes

Configure how to handle suspected bots:

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No Filter (Recording Only)

Mode: no_filter
  • Record the click but flag it as potential bot
  • Include in raw data, exclude from primary reports
  • Redirect to destination immediately

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Preview Page Filter

Mode: filter (with preview page)
  • Show a preview/confirmation page
  • Human clicks “Continue” to proceed
  • Bots typically don’t interact
  • Only confirmed clicks are counted

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Configuring Bot Filtering

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Account Level

Set the default for your account:
  1. Go to Account Settings > Messaging
  2. Select Bot Filter Mode
  3. Save

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Offer Level

Override for specific offers:
  1. Edit the offer
  2. Set Bot Filter Mode
  3. Save
Offer-level settings override account defaults.

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Preview Page

When using preview page filtering: 
Message link → trk.ly/abc123
                    ↓
            Preview page loads
            "Click to continue to [brand]"
                    ↓
            Human clicks continue
                    ↓
            Click recorded as confirmed
                    ↓
            Redirect to destination

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Preview Page Customization

The preview page shows:
  • A brief message
  • “Continue” button
  • Optional branding
Preview pages add friction. Use them for high-value offers where accuracy matters most.

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Viewing Bot Data

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In Reports

Reports show:
  • Total clicks: All clicks including bots
  • Confirmed clicks: Human-verified clicks
  • Bot clicks: Filtered bot clicks

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In Exports

Export data includes a is_bot flag for each click.

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When to Use Each Mode

Best for:
  • Low-stakes tracking
  • When speed matters most
  • Testing and development
  • High-volume, low-value offers

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Bot Detection Signals

We look for:
SignalIndicates
Known bot user agentsCrawlers, scanners
Datacenter IPsAutomated systems
Rapid sequential clicksScripts
Impossible geographyVPNs, proxies
Missing JavaScriptHeadless browsers

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Impact on Metrics

With bot filtering: 
Without filtering: 20% click rate (inflated)
With filtering: 12% click rate (accurate)
Your true engagement is likely lower than raw numbers suggest.

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Best Practices

Collect data first to understand your bot rate before adding friction.
If bot clicks exceed 30-40% of total, consider preview page filtering.
Ensure the preview page works on various devices before broad deployment.
High-payout offers benefit most from accurate tracking. Low-value may not need it.

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Troubleshooting

Enable bot filtering. Compare filtered vs unfiltered rates.
Check that bot filter mode is set correctly for the offer.
Some VPN users may be flagged. Monitor for patterns and adjust if needed.

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Next Steps

Revenue Attribution

How conversions are tracked

Offers

Manage your offers