How link click tracking works

What link click tracking does

ZayDM tracks eligible clicks on supported Final Response CTA buttons in automated Instagram DMs.

Click tracking works independently of Smart Follow-Ups. When an eligible CTA is sent with tracking, ZayDM records click activity for that Final Response delivery. Smart Follow-Ups can then use the same click state when you configure a Remind if they don't click step.

Tracked clicks power:

• Link clicks on Dashboard and Automations
• % CTR based on tracked Final Response deliveries
• No-Click Reminder eligibility when Smart Follow-Ups uses click activity

ZayDM does not track purchases, revenue, message opens, time on the destination page, or actions that happen after the person reaches your destination.

Learn more about Link Click Analytics.

Before you start

You need:

1. A connected Instagram account ready for automations
2. An automation with a Final Response
3. A supported CTA button with an HTTPS destination
4. A plan that includes Link Click Analytics

Eligible destinations include:

• Paste URL with an HTTPS link
• Upload file for a PDF, DOC, or DOCX when the uploaded file is delivered through an HTTPS destination

There is no separate Track clicks toggle in the editor.

When Link Click Analytics is available for the account, eligible Final Response CTA buttons are prepared for tracking when they are sent.

You do not need to configure Smart Follow-Ups or a No-Click Reminder to track eligible CTA clicks.

Create a tracked CTA

1. Open Automations and edit the automation.
2. In Response Flow, configure Final Response.
3. Add a Text Message or Card Message.
4. Add a button and set the button text.
5. Choose a supported Destination:
   • Paste URL for an HTTPS link, or
   • Upload file for a PDF, DOC, or DOCX up to 10 MB
6. Select Save changes.
7. Set the automation to Active when you are ready for it to run.

No Smart Follow-Up step is required for standalone click tracking.

What can be tracked

Tracked:

• Final Response text-button destinations that use HTTPS
• Final Response card link buttons that use HTTPS
• Uploaded file destinations when the delivered file URL is an eligible HTTPS destination

Not tracked:

• URLs typed only in message body text
• Opening Message buttons
• Follow Gate buttons
• CTA buttons on follow-up steps themselves
• Non-HTTPS destinations

A Remind if they don't click step does not turn tracking on. Instead, that Smart Follow-Up step uses the click activity already associated with the tracked Final Response.

What happens when someone clicks

When an eligible Final Response CTA is sent, ZayDM prepares a tracked destination for that specific delivery.

Then:

1. The person receives the Final Response.
2. They tap the CTA button.
3. The CTA opens through the ZayDM tracking link.
4. ZayDM records the eligible click.
5. The browser continues to the original destination.

There is no branded interstitial page. The person is redirected to the destination after the click is recorded.

Understand Link clicks and CTR

Link clicks

Link clicks is the total number of eligible taps recorded on tracked Final Response CTA links.

Repeated taps on the same tracked CTA can increase the Link clicks total.

You can see Link clicks on:

• Dashboard
• individual automation rows under Automations

CTR

% CTR measures how many tracked Final Response deliveries recorded at least one eligible click.

In simple terms:

CTR = clicked tracked deliveries ÷ tracked deliveries × 100

A tracked delivery counts once in the CTR denominator when ZayDM created tracked CTA links for that Final Response delivery.

A tracked delivery counts as clicked when at least one eligible tracked CTA from that delivery was clicked.

If the same person taps the same tracked CTA multiple times:

• Link clicks can increase with each eligible tap
• that tracked delivery still counts only once as clicked for CTR

This is why Link clicks and CTR do not always move together.

CTR is based on tracked CTA deliveries, not every DM your account sends, and it does not represent purchases or revenue.

How tracking works with Smart Follow-Ups

Link Click Analytics and Smart Follow-Ups are separate capabilities that can work together.

Click tracking records activity from eligible Final Response CTA buttons whether or not you configure a No-Click Reminder.

When you do use Remind if they don't click, Smart Follow-Ups checks the tracked click state before deciding whether that reminder is still eligible to send.

• Tracked CTA clicked: the No-Click Reminder is suppressed when the recorded click makes the reminder ineligible.
• No tracked click: the No-Click Reminder can continue according to the follow-up schedule.
• Send a follow-up: a normal scheduled follow-up is not click-gated and can still send unless the sequence is cancelled for another reason.
• Human reply: a genuine Instagram DM or story reply stops pending Smart Follow-Ups according to the Smart Follow-Ups cancellation rules.

A click and a human reply therefore have different effects. A click affects No-Click eligibility. A genuine reply can cancel the pending follow-up sequence.

For full scheduling and cancellation behavior, read How Smart Follow-Ups work.

Test standalone click tracking

1. Configure an eligible HTTPS CTA button in Final Response.
2. Save the automation and set it to Active.
3. Trigger the automation from another Instagram account.
4. Confirm that the Final Response arrives.
5. Tap the CTA button.
6. Confirm that the destination opens.
7. Check Dashboard or Automations for the Link clicks and CTR metrics.

You do not need a Smart Follow-Up to perform this test.

Analytics can take a short time to appear after the click is recorded.

Test a No-Click Reminder

If you also want to test Smart Follow-Ups:

1. Configure an eligible Final Response CTA.
2. Add a Remind if they don't click step under Smart Follow-Ups.
3. Trigger the automation from another Instagram account.
4. Tap the tracked Final Response CTA before the reminder becomes eligible.
5. Confirm the destination opens.
6. Wait through the configured reminder delay.
7. Confirm that the No-Click Reminder does not send after the qualifying click was recorded.

A normal Send a follow-up step is different. It is not suppressed merely because the CTA was clicked.

Common issues

Click is not recorded

Check whether:

• the person clicked an eligible Final Response CTA button
• the destination uses HTTPS
• the person clicked the CTA button rather than a plain URL typed into message body text
• the CTA was part of Final Response rather than Opening Message, Follow Gate, or a follow-up step
• you are viewing the correct Instagram account and automation
• Link Click Analytics is available for the account
• tracking was available when the Final Response was sent

Clicks on unsupported or untracked destinations cannot appear in Link Click Analytics.

CTR looks lower than expected

Remember that CTR uses tracked Final Response deliveries.

A recipient who receives a tracked CTA but does not click it lowers CTR.

Repeated taps can increase Link clicks, but the same tracked delivery still counts only once as clicked for CTR.

Also remember that CTR does not use every DM sent as its denominator.

No-Click Reminder still sends

Possible reasons include:

• the person clicked a plain or unsupported URL instead of the tracked Final Response CTA
• the eligible click was recorded after the reminder had already been evaluated
• the Final Response did not contain an eligible tracked CTA
• the configured step was Send a follow-up, which is not click-gated

Tracked link cannot be created

Check whether:

• Final Response contains a supported CTA button
• the destination uses HTTPS
• the button is in a supported Final Response position
• Link Click Analytics is available for the account
• the ZayDM tracking service is available when the Final Response is prepared