Enhancing Data Accuracy: Bot Filtering & Apple Mail Privacy Protection Compliance

Enhancing Data Accuracy: Bot Filtering & Apple Mail Privacy Protection Compliance

Dear Marketers,

 

The wait is over! We’re thrilled to share that the enhanced bot filtering feature is now live in Zoho Marketing Automation. Thank you for your patience as we refined this tool to deliver deeper insights into your campaign performance.

 

Here's a quick overview of what bot filtering means:

 

What are bot opens/clicks? 

Bot opens/clicks are actions performed by automated software, not humans. These programs often scan emails for security threats like viruses or malicious links. As a result, they can inflate your engagement metrics by showing multiple opens/clicks from a single contact, even if no one actually interacted with the email.

 

Why bot filtering matters 

Bot-generated activity can distort your campaign performance metrics. Our bot filtering feature helps you eliminate this noise, providing a more accurate picture of your audience's engagement.

 

Key features of bot filtering

Based on your feedback and our technical improvements, here’s how the feature has evolved:

  • Easy toggle: Enable or disable bot filtering with a simple switch in Settings > Marketing Channels> Email. Bot filtering will be enabled by default to ensure your reports prioritize reliable, human-generated engagement from the start.

  • Transparency: A visual indicator in your reports shows whether bot filtering is active, ensuring full transparency in your data analysis.

  • Reporting: Whether you enable or disable the filter, your dashboard will display two distinct metrics:

    • Reliable opens/clicks (verified engagement by individuals)

    • Bot opens/clicks (automated activity)
      This dual view offers a clearer picture of your campaign’s true performance and highlights potential discrepancies.

    • Apple MPP tracking: We’ve added visibility into Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) activity. Reports now include a dedicated metric for Apple MPP opens, allowing you to analyze how privacy-focused auto-opens impact your data.

  

Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP)

Apple Mail offers users the option to enable Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), a feature designed to enhance privacy by preventing email senders from accurately tracking email opens. This feature is not enabled by default, but once activated, Apple Mail pre-loads tracking pixels—regardless of whether the recipient actually opens the email.

As a result, all emails received in Apple Mail appear as opened, leading to inflated and unreliable open rates. Since tracking pixels are triggered automatically, distinguishing between genuine user engagement and automated activity becomes challenging.

How Does Zoho Marketing Automation Address This?  

To counteract the impact of MPP, Zoho Marketing Automation provides dedicated metrics (MPP Opens) to show open rate. Using intelligent data modeling, our system delivers reliable engagement metrics, helping you assess the effectiveness of your campaigns despite Apple’s privacy changes.

Here's how to enable the bot filtering option in Zoho Marketing Automation.

Step 1: Bot filtering option

Locate the Bot Filter link under Settings > Marketing Channels.




Step 2: Toggle the bot filtering option

In the Bot Filter setting, you can see that bot filtering capability has been enabled for you by default.
 


Step 3: Enable/disable the option

  • Filter enabled: Your primary reports will focus on human engagement, while bot activity is shown separately along with primary reports.

  • Filter disabled: Similar to the option above, all opens/clicks (human + bot) will be shown in main reports, with bot metrics still visible for comparison.

Here's how you can see it in the campaign reports:
When the bot filter setting is disabled



When the bot filter setting is enabled



Step 4: Pop-up confirmation to disable bot filtering

You'll see a pop-up while disabling bot filtering.



 

Info
Notes:

  • While disabling bot filter, users will be prompted whether to allow bots to enter segments or workflows based on which follow-up actions will be triggered.

 

  1. The Apple MPP opens will be part of segments and workflows by default.

  2. Campaigns executed from 6th Feb 2025 will be shown the new reports along with reliable opens, Unreliable opens, and bot opens. Existing campaign reports won't be impacted by this change.

  3. We have introduced new filters within the contacts section in the campaigns report to analyze both reliable opens and bot opens.

  4. Bot engagement metrics will be available now while exporting campaign reports.

  5. Users can track when the bot filter was enabled or disabled by accessing Audit Logs.



We're here to help

We’re confident this balanced approach will help you optimize campaigns with greater precision. Give it a try, and let us know how it works for you!

 

Happy marketing!

Best regards,
Zoho Marketing Automation

    Access your files securely from anywhere









                          Zoho Developer Community




                                                • Desk Community Learning Series


                                                • Digest


                                                • Functions


                                                • Meetups


                                                • Kbase


                                                • Resources


                                                • Glossary


                                                • Desk Marketplace


                                                • MVP Corner


                                                • Word of the Day


                                                • Ask the Experts



                                                          • Sticky Posts

                                                          • Marketer’s Space - Automating CRM Actions with Journeys – Part 2

                                                            Hello marketers! Welcome back to another post in Marketer’s Space. In our previous post, we explored how CRM actions in Journeys help marketing and sales teams work together by nurturing CRM leads and pushing only engaged prospects back to sales. If you
                                                          • Introducing automation and utility conversations in WhatsApp marketing

                                                            We’re excited to announce the addition of two new features to our WhatsApp integration: Automation and Utility conversations. These enhancements will allow you to streamline your marketing efforts and engage with your customers more effectively by automating
                                                          • Tip of the week 02 - The art of 'seeing' your leads

                                                            What's the last page that your lead visited before signing up for your brand? What was the page that first convinced your lead to explore more about you? Where are your leads coming in from? Well, these are some perennial questions today's marketers live upon. And, knowing the answers to these questions is crucial, considering the vitality of leads in every business. In the journey of finding lead opportunities, it's important to understand that every detail about a lead is useful. While the channels
                                                          • Zoho Marketing Automation Update: Topics, Contacts, and List Management

                                                            At Zoho Marketing Automation, our highest priority is making it easier for you to use our product to accomplish your business goals. With that in mind, we are updating three of our pivotal features: Topic, Contacts, and List Management.   These existing
                                                          • Important: Zoho MarketingHub is now Zoho Marketing Automation

                                                            Hello Everyone,   We hope you all are doing well. We'd like to notify you that we have rebranded Zoho MarketingHub to Zoho Marketing Automation. We'll discontinue using the term "MarketingHub" from May 26, 2021. However, there will be no changes in the


                                                          Manage your brands on social media



                                                                Zoho TeamInbox Resources



                                                                    Zoho CRM Plus Resources

                                                                      Zoho Books Resources


                                                                        Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                                                                          Zoho Projects Resources


                                                                            Zoho Sprints Resources


                                                                              Qntrl Resources


                                                                                Zoho Creator Resources



                                                                                    Zoho CRM Resources

                                                                                    • CRM Community Learning Series

                                                                                      CRM Community Learning Series


                                                                                    • Kaizen

                                                                                      Kaizen

                                                                                    • Functions

                                                                                      Functions

                                                                                    • Meetups

                                                                                      Meetups

                                                                                    • Kbase

                                                                                      Kbase

                                                                                    • Resources

                                                                                      Resources

                                                                                    • Digest

                                                                                      Digest

                                                                                    • CRM Marketplace

                                                                                      CRM Marketplace

                                                                                    • MVP Corner

                                                                                      MVP Corner







                                                                                        Design. Discuss. Deliver.

                                                                                        Create visually engaging stories with Zoho Show.

                                                                                        Get Started Now


                                                                                          Zoho Show Resources

                                                                                            Zoho Writer

                                                                                            Get Started. Write Away!

                                                                                            Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.

                                                                                              Zoho CRM コンテンツ






                                                                                                Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


                                                                                                    ご検討中の方




                                                                                                          • Recent Topics

                                                                                                          • Zoho Desk integration with Power BI

                                                                                                            Hi, I want to be able to create a Power BI report which has live updates of ticket data from zoho desk, is this possile at all? Thanks Jack
                                                                                                          • Can we do Image swatches for color variants?

                                                                                                            We want to do something like the attached screenshot on our new zoho store. We need image swatches instead of normal text selection. We want to user to select an image as color option. Is this doable? I don't see any option on zoho backend. Please h
                                                                                                          • Ability to Link Reported Issues from Zoho Desk to Specific Tasks or Subtasks in Zoho Projects

                                                                                                            Hi Zoho Desk Team, Hope you're doing well. When reporting a bug from Zoho Desk to Zoho Projects, we’ve noticed that it’s currently not possible to select an existing task or subtask to associate the issue with. However, when working directly inside Zoho
                                                                                                          • Ability to Attach Images When Reporting Issues to Zoho Projects from Zoho Desk

                                                                                                            Hi Zoho Desk Team, Hope you’re doing well. We’re using the Zoho Desk–Zoho Projects integration to report bugs directly from support tickets into the Zoho Projects issue tracker. This integration is extremely useful and helps us maintain smooth coordination
                                                                                                          • Automatically Update Ticket Status in Zoho Desk Based on Actions in Zoho Projects

                                                                                                            Hi Zoho Desk Team, Hope you’re doing well. We’re using the Zoho Desk–Zoho Projects integration to manage tasks related to customer tickets, and it works well for linking and tracking progress. However, there are a few important automation capabilities
                                                                                                          • Ability to Choose Task List and Add Subtasks When Creating Tasks from Zoho Desk

                                                                                                            Hi Zoho Desk Team, Hope you’re doing well. We’re using the Zoho Desk–Zoho Projects integration to seamlessly connect customer tickets with project tasks. While the integration works great overall, we noticed two important limitations that affect our workflow
                                                                                                          • Sync Task Status from Zoho Projects to Zoho Desk

                                                                                                            Hi Zoho Desk Team, Hope you’re doing well. We’re actively using the Zoho Desk–Zoho Projects integration, which helps our support and project teams stay aligned. However, we noticed that when we change a task’s status in Zoho Projects, the change is not
                                                                                                          • When moments in customer support get "spooky"

                                                                                                            It’s Halloween again! Halloween is celebrated with spooky symbols and meanings based on history and traditions, with each region adding its own special touch. While we were kids, we would dress up in costumes along with friends, attend parties, and enjoy
                                                                                                          • How to use Rollup Summary in a Formula Field?

                                                                                                            I created a Rollup Summary (Decimal) field in my module, and it shows values correctly. When I try to reference it in a Formula Field (e.g. ${Deals.Partners_Requested} - ${Deals.Partners_Paid}), I get the error that the field can’t be found. Is it possible
                                                                                                          • Zoho Mail Android app update - View emails shared via Permalink on the app.

                                                                                                            Hello everyone! In the latest version(v2.8.2) of the Zoho Mail Android app update, we have brought in support to access the emails shared via permalink within the app. Earlier, when you click the permalink of an email, you'll be redirected to a mobile
                                                                                                          • Let us view and export the full price books data from CRM

                                                                                                            I quote out of CRM, some of my clients have specialised pricing for specific products - therefore we use Price Books to manage these special prices. I can only see the breakdown of the products listed in the price book and the specialised pricing for
                                                                                                          • Weekly Tips: Manage External Images in Zoho Mail

                                                                                                            When you receive emails every day, whether from clients, newsletters, or services, many of them contain external images that automatically load when you open the message. While this can make emails look more engaging, it can also impact your privacy and
                                                                                                          • Empowered Custom Views: Cross-Module Criteria Now Supported in Zoho CRM

                                                                                                            Hello everyone, We’re excited to introduce cross-module criteria support in custom views! Custom views provide personalized perspectives on your data and that you can save for future use. You can share these views with all users or specific individuals
                                                                                                          • How to display Motivator components in Zoho CRM home page ?

                                                                                                            Hello, I created KPI's, games and so but I want to be able to see my KPI's and my tasks at the same time. Is this possible to display Motivator components in Zoho CRM home page ? Has someone any idea ? Thanks for your help.
                                                                                                          • Introducing Record Summary: smarter insights at your fingertips

                                                                                                            Hello everyone, We’re excited to introduce the Record Summary feature. This powerful addition makes use of Zia to simplify how you interact with your CRM data, providing a seamless, consolidated view of critical record information. Scrolling through the
                                                                                                          • Account in Quick View Filter

                                                                                                            I have a report that I often run against a specific Account. Every time, I have to go into the edit menu and change the Advanced Filter. I would prefer to use the Quick View Filter, but it does not allow me to use the one and only field that makes any
                                                                                                          • Insert Cookie Policy in Zoho Sites

                                                                                                            Hello, i need to insert a banner on my site because i'm in Italy so i have to respect EU laws for Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy. I see that i need to insert a code in <head> section of my site to show a banner/popup with cookie info. How i can do this? Thank you Luca
                                                                                                          • Cliq iOS can't see shared screen

                                                                                                            Hello, I had this morning a video call with a colleague. She is using Cliq Desktop MacOS and wanted to share her screen with me. I'm on iPad. I noticed, while she shared her screen, I could only see her video, but not the shared screen... Does Cliq iOS is able to display shared screen, or is it somewhere else to be found ? Regards
                                                                                                          • Unable to confirm Super Admin assignment — confirmation button not working

                                                                                                            I’m trying to change the roles within my organization. I am currently a super admin and would like to add another user as a super admin. When I attempt to confirm the action, a screen appears asking for my password to verify my identity. However, when
                                                                                                          • Delegates should be able to delete expenses

                                                                                                            I understand the data integrity of this request. It would be nice if there was a toggle switch in the Policy setting that would allow a delegate to delete expenses from their managers account. Some managers here never touch their expense reports, and
                                                                                                          • Let's Talk Recruit: Meet Zia, your all-in-one AI assistant (Part-2)

                                                                                                            Welcome back to Let’s Talk Recruit series. In Part 1, we introduced Zia and how AI is reshaping the way recruiters work. This time, we’re taking a closer look at how far Zia has come and how each update continues to simplify your everyday tasks. When
                                                                                                          • Function #9: Copy attachments of Sales Order to Purchase Order on conversion

                                                                                                            This week, we have written a custom function that automatically copies the attachments uploaded for a sales order to the corresponding purchase order after you convert it. Here's how to configure it in your Zoho Books organization. Custom Function: Hit
                                                                                                          • stock

                                                                                                            bom/bse : stock details or price =STOCK(C14;"price") not showing issue is #N/A! kindly resolve this problem
                                                                                                          • Kaizen #8 - Handling Recurrence and Participants in the Events Module via API

                                                                                                            Hello everyone! We are back this week with an exciting post—Handling recurrence and participants in the Events module through API. First things first—What is the Events module? "Events" is a part of the Activities module in Zoho CRM.  An event is an activity that happens at a given place and time. You can find Events on the user's Zoho CRM's home page, Activities home page, Calendar, and in other related records. What are the types of Events? Events are of two types—Recurring and non-recurring events.
                                                                                                          • Marketer’s Space - Get Holiday-Ready with Zoho Campaigns

                                                                                                            Hello marketers, Welcome back to another post in Marketer’s Space! Q4 is packed with opportunities to connect with your audience - from Halloween, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. In this post, we’ll look at how
                                                                                                          • Personalized demo

                                                                                                            can I know more about the personalized demo we are construction company and
                                                                                                          • User Filter not selecting All Items

                                                                                                            We are encountering 2 issues when using the user filter. When users are trying to search using the filter option, the OK button is grayed out. Users have to unselect or make a change before it filters properly. 2. When filtering and the OK button works,
                                                                                                          • Can I collect email addresses in a form??

                                                                                                            Can I add new subscribers to my email list (hosted in FloDesk) when they check a box and add their email address on a Zoho form?
                                                                                                          • Zoho CRM Android app updates: Kiosk and multiple file upload support for subforms

                                                                                                            Hello everyone, We've rolled out new enhancements to the Zoho CRM Android app to bring better mobile CRM experience and efficiency. Let's take a quick look at what's new: Kiosk Multiple file uploads for subforms Kiosk Kiosk is a no-code tool in Zoho CRM
                                                                                                          • Alerts for mentions in comments

                                                                                                            We are testing the use of Writer internally and found that when a user is mentioned in a comment, there is no email alert for the mention. Is this something that's configurable, and if so, where can we enable this option?
                                                                                                          • Subform Disabled Fields Should Remain Disabled on Edit/View

                                                                                                            Currently, when we disable a subform field using on user input or on add new row, it works perfectly during the initial data entry. However, when the record is saved and reopened for viewing or editing, these disabled fields become editable again. This
                                                                                                          • Is it really true that I can't set the default 'deposit to' account in 2025?

                                                                                                            I've been using Books for 7 years and the default account has never been a problem. I usually manually reconcile invoices and have never had a thought about which account. It has always been my account. However, I recently noticed that for the past 4
                                                                                                          • Standard Payment Term is not pulled from account to quotation

                                                                                                            Hey Team There seems to be something off. I do have "Net 30" as my default payment term in Zoho Books for my customers. If, from the customer overview or quote section, I create a new Quotation, the payment terms field stays blank and doesn't get the
                                                                                                          • OAuth integration issues

                                                                                                            I'm experiencing persistent OAuth errors when trying to connect Make with Zoho API. I've tried multiple approaches but keep encountering the following issues: First error: 'Invalid Redirect Uri - Redirect URI passed does not match with the one configured'
                                                                                                          • Zoho Mail Android app update: Manage folders

                                                                                                            Hello everyone! In the latest version(v2.9) of the Zoho Mail Android app update, we have brought in support for an option to manage folders. You can now create, edit, and delete folders from within the mobile app. You can also manage folders for the POP
                                                                                                          • Shortcut to fill a range of cells

                                                                                                            Good evening: I'm writing because I haven't been able to find a feature that allows you to select a range of cells, type in one of them, and then use a key combination to type in all of them. In Excel, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Enter. I haven't found
                                                                                                          • Get Zoho Mail API working (including DRE Connector, Oauth Token, ZUID, ZOID & ACCOUNT_ID)

                                                                                                            Disclaimer: I’m not a professional coder! Do you need to use Zoho Mail API? Me too. It lets you do all sorts of things — like reading the complete header of an email, or forwarding an email with its attachments — which is what I wanted to do. But setting
                                                                                                          • Revenue Deferrals

                                                                                                            Does ZOHO books and subscriptions handle Revenue Deferrals?   
                                                                                                          • Can I make a website open inside Zoho whenever I log in?

                                                                                                            Hi Zoho Team, Every day, I check a few websites for updates, for example, Rojgar--result, where I see the latest government job results and notifications. I was wondering if there’s any option in Zoho to make a website like that open inside Zoho whenever
                                                                                                          • Zoho Analytics & SQL Server - Live connect

                                                                                                            Below are the steps I did Created a fresh database and table in my own virtual server Created a new data source connection with live connect I was able to select the tables and created the data source successfully I am getting the error when I try to
                                                                                                          • Next Page