CRMx Heatmaps: Finding What SFMC Subscribers Actually Click
In Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC), click reports tell you which links received how many clicks — but they rarely show the full story of what subscribers are actually trying to interact with.
What if subscribers are clicking on non-linked images, underlined text that isn’t a link, decorative buttons, or sections that look interactive but aren’t? Those attempts never appear in standard SFMC reports — yet they reveal critical insights about confusion, design mismatches, and missed opportunities.
CRMx.uk’s Email Heatmaps Suite Unlimited changes this completely. By visually capturing all attempted click activity (not just successful tracked clicks), CRMx shows you exactly what subscribers are clicking — and what they’re trying to click — giving you the real picture of engagement in your SFMC emails.
Here’s how CRMx heatmaps help you discover what your subscribers are actually interacting with.
Step 1: See Beyond Tracked Links with Emails Clicks Heatmaps Intelligence
Traditional SFMC click tracking only records clicks on properly wrapped <a> tags with tracking parameters. CRMx’s Emails Clicks Heatmaps Intelligence goes further — it visualizes all click attempts on the rendered email, including non-linked elements.
What you’ll discover:
Bright red hotspots over product images that aren’t linked → subscribers expect them to be shoppable
Clusters on non-hyperlinked headlines or underlined text → design mimics a link
Heat on decorative “button-style” graphics with no functionality → false affordance
These are real subscriber behaviors that standard reports completely miss. CRMx makes them visible in seconds.
Step 2: Identify Frustration and Confusion Zones
When subscribers click something expecting an action and nothing happens, it’s a form of micro-frustration — similar to rage clicks on websites.
CRMx heatmaps expose these zones instantly:
Repeated clicks (dense red spots) on the same non-linked area
Unexpected hotspots around CTAs that don’t behave as expected
Clicks on images or icons that look interactive but aren’t
These patterns often explain why your CTR is lower than expected — even when opens are strong. Fixing these hidden interaction failures can deliver quick CTR lifts without major redesigns.
Step 3: Compare Real vs Expected Behavior with A/B Test Heatmaps
CRMx’s Emails Heatmaps A/B Test Intelligence lets you compare attempted click patterns side-by-side between test variants.
Powerful use cases:
Variant A has heavy clicks on non-linked hero images → bad news
Variant B redirects those clicks to actual linked CTAs → clear winner
One version shows scattered false clicks, the other focused engagement
This visual truth helps you choose winners based on real subscriber intent, not just tracked click volume.
Step 4: Prioritize Fixes Using CTA Ranking + Heatmap Context
CRMx’s CTA Ranking Intelligence ranks actual tracked CTAs — but when combined with heatmap visuals, it becomes even more powerful.
Example insights:
A low-ranked CTA still shows red hotspots → subscribers want to click it, just can’t
Top-ranked CTA has no surrounding false clicks → clean, intuitive design
Zero-performance element has significant attempted clicks → high-priority fix candidate
This combination lets you focus on the CTAs and elements that matter most to your audience.
Step 5: Document Discoveries with Visual Reports
Use CSV/PDF Reports Export to capture annotated heatmaps showing both successful and attempted clicks.
These visual reports make it easy to:
Show designers exactly where confusion occurs
Prove to stakeholders why certain changes are needed
Build a knowledge base of subscriber behavior patterns
Step 6: Unlimited Discovery Across Every Campaign
The Email Heatmaps Suite Unlimited gives you no limits on campaigns, sends, or exports — so you can continuously monitor what subscribers are actually trying to click across your entire SFMC program.
Step 7: Expert-Led Implementation
To start seeing the full picture of subscriber clicks (tracked + attempted), implementation must be done by the CRMx team — only our specialists can securely deploy Email Heatmaps on your Salesforce Marketing Cloud instance.
Simple next steps:
Contact us via crmx.uk
Quick consultation to understand your needs
Our team handles secure implementation
Start discovering what your subscribers really click — today
Final Thoughts
CRMx Email Heatmaps don’t just show you what subscribers clicked — they reveal what they wanted to click, tried to click, and got frustrated trying to click.
This deeper layer of truth is invisible in standard SFMC reports — but once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
Ready to discover the real click behavior hiding in your emails? Contact the CRMx team today to implement Email Heatmaps and finally understand what your SFMC subscribers are actually clicking.
What unexpected click patterns have you seen (or suspected) in your campaigns? Share below or subscribe for more SFMC insights!
