Click Tracking
What is click tracking?
Click tracking is the process of counting the number of times a user has clicked on a link, and is usually done with click tracking software.
Click tracking software is used to create special tracking links that collect this data.
Click tracking is an important part of marketing activity, as it can highlight optimization opportunities, UX optimizations, and potential problems with user flow.
Benefits of Click Tracking
Click tracking has a number of benefits, most notably:
- Allows you to track sales, signups, or conversions
- Gives marketers the ability to optimize ad spend
- Helps you detect problems with user experience or marketing
- Helps you learn about your audience, where they’re from, and what they want
How Click Tracking Works
In order to track clicks, you need to create a tracking link.
Tracking links are special types of links that when clicked, record information about the click (such as who clicked, where they are located, and what the time is), and then redirect the user to the intended location.
The process of click tracking is invisible and instant, and tracking links are frequently used all over the web.
In order to create a tracking link, you need to use click tracking software such as Linkly.
How to Create a Tracking Link
Sign up free or log in to Linkly.
Click Create New Link.
Enter the destination URL where you want your link to redirect.
Click Save Link.
Linkly will give you a tracking link you can use in place of your original link.
You can also use your own domain by creating a vanity URL:
Email Click Tracking
Most popular email marketing software allows you to see which users open and click on your emails.
Open tracking works by embedding an invisible pixel image in the email, whereas click tracking involves redirecting the user through a special URL that the email marketing software generates.
Click Tracking FAQs
What information does click tracking collect?
Click tracking typically records when the click occurred, the user's approximate location (country/city), their device and browser type, the referring source, and any URL parameters attached to the link.
Is click tracking the same as conversion tracking?
No. Click tracking counts how many times a link was clicked, while conversion tracking measures whether users completed a desired action (like a purchase or signup) after clicking. However, click tracking is often the first step in setting up conversion tracking.
Can users tell if a link is being tracked?
Tracking links redirect through a tracking domain before reaching the destination. Users may notice this briefly in their browser's address bar. Using a custom domain makes tracking links appear more natural and trustworthy.
Does click tracking work with all types of links?
Yes. Linkly can track clicks on standard web URLs, as well as tel links, SMS links, and mailto links.