Link tracking: see who clicks your links

When a text has a link in it, Dial Raven can tell you how many people clicked it, and who.

How it works

• Every link that starts with http:// or https:// is swapped for a short link like https://sms.dialraven.com/l/Ab3dE9xQ.
• Each person gets their own short link. When they tap it, we count the click and send them straight to your page. They end up at exactly the same place as your original link.
• The short link uses Dial Raven’s own web address. Carriers often block texts with public link shorteners (like bit.ly), so we don’t use those.

Short links are usually shorter than the original, so your text often uses fewer message credits. A very short link (like http://acme.co) can get a little longer. The counts on the screen always use the final text, so what you see is what you’re charged.

Turn it on or off

Link tracking is on by default.

• Blasts: under Message, check or uncheck Track links.
• Automations: under Texts, check or uncheck Track links. It applies to every text in that automation.

When it’s off, your links are sent exactly as you typed them and clicks aren’t counted.

See the clicks

• A blast: open Blasts, click the blast. Under Link clicks you see each link, how many people clicked it, the click rate (people who clicked out of people who got the text) and total clicks (one person clicking 3 times counts as 3).
• A person: open Contacts and click their name. Links they clicked shows each link, how many times and when.
• An automation: open Automations and click its name. Link clicks by text shows the clicks for each text.
• Every month: Reports shows Link clicks for the month, and the Blasts table has a Clicks column.
• Download: a blast’s Download results file has a Link clicks column for each person.

Good to know

• Link previews don’t count. iPhones, WhatsApp, Facebook, Slack and similar apps open links by themselves to draw a little preview picture. We spot those and don’t count them as clicks.
• Forwarded texts: if someone forwards your text and their friend taps the link, it counts as a click for the person it was sent to.
• Links keep working. Short links in texts you already sent keep working, even if you later delete the automation.
• No personal data in the link. The short code doesn’t contain the person’s name or number, and we don’t keep their internet address.
• Health information: texts aren’t HIPAA compliant, so never put patient details in a link or a text.