Using CRMx to Detect Dead Clicks in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Emails
In email marketing, dead clicks occur when subscribers click on elements that appear interactive (like underlined text, images, or buttons) but aren't actually linked or don't respond as expected. These frustrating interactions signal confusion, poor design affordances, or mismatched user expectations—often leading to lower engagement, higher bounce rates from landing pages, and missed conversions.
While traditional SFMC click reports only track successful clicks on real links, they completely miss dead clicks. CRMx.uk's Email Heatmaps Suite Unlimited fills this critical gap by providing visual intelligence that reveals these hidden frustration points directly on your email templates. Here's how CRMx helps SFMC teams detect and eliminate dead clicks step by step.
Step 1: Understanding Dead Clicks and Why They Matter in SFMC
Dead clicks are a form of user frustration similar to "rage clicks" (rapid repeated clicks) seen in web analytics tools like Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar. In emails, they typically happen when:
Non-linked text is underlined or styled like a hyperlink
Images or graphics look clickable but have no link
Decorative elements mimic buttons without functionality
Layouts create false expectations of interactivity
These clicks don't register in standard SFMC reports because no tracking link exists. The result? Your CTR looks artificially low, and you miss opportunities to fix UX issues that hurt performance. CRMx changes this by visualizing all attempted interactions, including those on non-linked areas.
Step 2: Visualizing Attempted Clicks with Emails Clicks Heatmaps Intelligence
CRMx's Emails Clicks Heatmaps Intelligence generates color-coded overlays on your exact email template—red/orange for high-activity zones and blue for low/no activity.
Key benefit for dead click detection: Hotspots appear in places where no real link exists, clearly indicating subscribers are trying (and failing) to interact. For example:
A bright red cluster over non-linked product images shows users expect them to be clickable
Unexpected hotspots on decorative dividers or headings reveal confusing design cues
This visual evidence lets SFMC teams spot dead clicks instantly—something impossible with traditional aggregate reports.
Step 3: Confirming Patterns Across Variants with Emails Heatmaps A/B Test Intelligence
Dead clicks often stem from subtle design choices. CRMx's Emails Heatmaps A/B Test Intelligence shows side-by-side heatmaps for test versions, making it easy to compare where frustration occurs.
How it helps: If one variant shows intense hotspots on non-linked elements while the other doesn't, you've identified a design flaw causing dead clicks. Use this to decide which version to scale or how to refine the losing variant—without guessing.
Step 4: Prioritizing Fixes with CTA Ranking Intelligence (and Spotting Near-Misses)
While primarily for real CTAs, CTA Ranking Intelligence indirectly highlights dead click issues by showing low-ranked or zero-performance elements that still attract clicks in heatmaps.
Actionable insight: If a low-ranked "button-like" graphic shows red hotspots in the heatmap but no clicks register in SFMC data, it's a classic dead click zone. Fix by adding a link or removing the misleading styling.
Step 5: Documenting and Sharing Discoveries with CSV/PDF Reports Export
Once dead clicks are identified, CRMx's CSV/PDF Reports Export captures the heatmaps and rankings in visual, professional reports.
Why this matters: Share annotated heatmaps with designers or stakeholders to demonstrate exactly where subscribers are confused. This speeds up fixes and builds consensus—no more debating "I think this might be confusing."
Step 6: Scaling Detection Across All Campaigns with Unlimited Suite
The Email Heatmaps Suite Unlimited lets you analyze every SFMC send without limits. Regular monitoring becomes routine, helping you catch dead clicks early and prevent them in future templates.
Step 7: Expert Implementation to Start Detecting Dead Clicks Today
Implementation is handled exclusively by the CRMx team—only our specialists can deploy Email Heatmaps on your Salesforce Marketing Cloud instance for secure, accurate tracking.
Quick steps:
Contact us via the crmx.uk website or email
Discuss your SFMC campaigns in a brief consultation
Our team implements the suite efficiently
Begin reviewing heatmaps and eliminating dead clicks immediately
Final Thoughts
CRMx Email Heatmaps give SFMC teams the power to detect dead clicks that traditional reports completely ignore—turning invisible frustration into visible opportunities for improvement. By revealing where subscribers attempt (but fail) to interact, you can eliminate confusion, boost real engagement, and lift overall performance.
Stop missing these critical UX signals. Contact the CRMx team today to implement Email Heatmaps and start detecting dead clicks in your SFMC emails.
Have you noticed unexpected behavior in your email engagement data? Share your experience in the comments or subscribe for more SFMC optimization tips!
