Unique clicks is the core metric for measuring how many distinct contacts actually clicked a link in your broadcast message. Starting June 2026, unique clicks in the MAAC broadcast report are calculated directly by MAAC from click events, instead of being estimated through Google Analytics (GA). This article explains the new calculation method, why your numbers may change as a result, and which metrics are not affected. It applies to brands using Broadcast, OpenAPI Multicast, and Omnichannel Broadcast (LINE / SMS / WhatsApp / Email).
The old and new methods measure different things, so after the switch your numbers may go up, go down, or appear where they were previously 0. The reasons for each case are explained below.
What's new
This release unifies broadcast performance metrics so that they are calculated from MAAC's own click and open records. The main changes are:
- Unique clicks are now calculated by MAAC: counted directly from the contacts who actually clicked a link in the message, with no GA or UTM setup required.
- Broadcasts without GA now show numbers too: unique clicks were always 0 without a GA connection; they now show the real number of contacts who clicked.
- New metrics in the OpenAPI Multicast report: in addition to the existing sent count and clicks, the report now includes "Open count" and "Unique clicks".
- More timely report updates: the OpenAPI broadcast report now updates hourly instead of once a day.
- E-commerce metrics still come from GA: add-to-cart, orders, and revenue are still provided by GA (see "Which metrics are not affected" below).
This calculation also applies to broadcasts sent before this update, so unique clicks for your past broadcasts will be shown using the new method as well.
How unique clicks are calculated
The old and new versions measure different things, which is the root reason the numbers change.
| Old (estimated via GA) | New (MAAC click records) | |
|---|---|---|
| Data source | GA on your website | MAAC's own click records |
| What is measured | Visits estimated via UTM attribution | Contacts who actually clicked a link in the message |
| Deduplication | Daily estimated click counts added together | The same contact is counted only once, no matter how many times or on how many days they click |
| Prerequisite | Requires a GA connection and UTM setup | No setup required |
In short: the old number was estimated through GA, while the new number is the count of contacts who actually clicked this message.
Why your unique clicks changed
Depending on whether you previously connected GA and on the direction of the difference, there are three common cases. Use the table below for a quick reference, then see the explanation of declines further down.
| What you see | Main reason | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Number decreased | The old GA number was inflated (see the table below) | The new number only counts contacts who actually clicked this message, so it better reflects real performance |
| Number increased | GA originally missed some clicks: ad blockers, cookie consent not granted, the LINE in-app browser, redirects to an app, or the page being closed before it finished loading | MAAC now counts click events directly and recovers what GA missed |
| From 0 to a real number | GA was never connected, so the old version always showed 0 | MAAC now uses its own records, so the real number of clicks appears without GA |
A decline: why the old GA number was inflated
GA attributes traffic by UTM string, so it counts a broader range than "the clicks on this message." There are three common sources:
| Pattern | Why it inflated the old number |
|---|---|
| The same tracking link shared across multiple broadcasts | The same GA traffic is counted once for every broadcast |
| The same UTM appearing outside the message | If the same link is also published on other channels, forwarded, or placed in later messages, all of that traffic is attributed by GA to this broadcast |
| Cross-day double counting | The old version added up daily estimated click counts, so the same person visiting on different days was counted repeatedly; the new version counts the same contact only once |
A higher old number does not mean your past performance was better; the new number is the real count of contacts who clicked this message.
Which metrics are not affected
This release primarily changes the data source for "unique clicks." The metrics below are not affected by this update:
- Add to cart, orders, revenue: still provided by GA.
- Clicks (total click count, Repeat clicks): counts every click (multiple clicks by the same person all count); the number is unchanged.
- Conversion-related metrics: calculated the same way as before; the numbers are not affected by this update.
Open count measures the number of distinct contacts who opened this message (multiple opens by the same contact count once). This calculation is unchanged; what this update changes is its data source—open count is now calculated by the MAAC performance report, which covers open events more completely. As a result, for some past broadcasts (especially those with large send volumes or opens concentrated in a specific time window), the open count and open rate may be slightly higher than before when you look back. This reflects more complete data coverage, not a change in the broadcast's actual performance.
👉 For how to interpret differences between MAAC and GA numbers, see: What should I do when MAAC data is different from GA, or when MAAC has no data?
FAQs
Q: Why did my unique clicks suddenly decrease?
This is an expected change. The old unique clicks were estimated through GA and were often inflated because the same tracking link was shared across multiple broadcasts, the same UTM also appeared on other channels, or visits were double-counted across days. The new version only counts the contacts who actually clicked this message, so it better reflects real performance.
Q: The numbers changed — is this a system error?
No. This is the expected result of switching the calculation from "estimated via GA" to "MAAC's actual click records." The two methods measure different things, so the numbers will differ.
Q: Unique clicks were always 0 before and now show a number — is that normal?
Yes. Unique clicks previously relied entirely on GA, so if you had not connected GA, the number was always 0. The new version is calculated from MAAC's own click records, so the real number of clicks appears without GA — an upgrade for you.
Q: Does this change affect historical data?
Yes. The new calculation also applies to broadcasts sent before this update, so unique clicks for your past broadcasts will be shown using the new method as well.
Q: I haven't connected GA — will I still have unique clicks?
Yes. Unique clicks are now calculated from MAAC's own click records and do not require a GA connection or UTM setup. As long as a contact clicks a link in the message, it is counted.
Q: Will add-to-cart, orders, and revenue change too?
These e-commerce metrics are still provided by GA, and their data source is unchanged. This release only makes the system count events that occur after the broadcast is created more accurately, so the numbers may differ slightly from before.
Q: Can I now see unique clicks in the OpenAPI Multicast report?
Yes. The OpenAPI Multicast report now includes "Open count" and "Unique clicks," giving you a more complete view of the reach and engagement of each push. The OpenAPI interface and integration are unchanged.
Q: Can I still compare the numbers against GA myself?
Unique clicks in the broadcast report are now based on MAAC's click records. If you still want to compare against GA, you can query GA4 using the same UTM conditions for reference. For details, see What should I do when MAAC data is different from GA, or when MAAC has no data?
Q: How were unique clicks calculated before this update?
Before this update, unique clicks were estimated from GA sessions attributed via UTM — an estimate rather than true click tracking. After the update, MAAC computes them directly from records of friends who actually clicked the links in your message, which reflects real performance more closely.
Q: Will this update affect my audience segments or automation conditions?
No. This change only adjusts how metrics are calculated in the Broadcast Performance Report. It does not affect your existing audience segmentation or automation logic — including segment expansion based on "broadcast URL clicks," Engagement Level, Segment PPI, and DPM, which all continue to work as before. Other features will gradually migrate to the same calculation architecture, and we will provide separate guidance when they do.
Q: What is the difference between "repeat clicks" and "unique clicks"? Are clicks counted when a message uses an action area?
- Unique clicks: the number of distinct friends who clicked a URL in the message; the same friend is counted only once no matter how many times they click.
- Repeat clicks: every click is counted. In LINE broadcasts, besides URL clicks this also includes message interactions such as "send message"; for SMS and Omnichannel broadcasts it is based on URL clicks.
Q: Open count and open rate went up — does that mean performance improved?
Open count measures the number of distinct contacts who opened this message, and this calculation is unchanged; what this update changes is its data source, now calculated by the MAAC performance report from more complete open records. As a result, the open count / open rate of some past broadcasts may be slightly higher than before. This reflects more complete data coverage, not a change in broadcast performance. We recommend using the new figures for ongoing performance evaluation.