How link clicking works
Link clicking turns a single-page visit into a multi-page session. It is on by default, clicking up to 2 internal links per visit and going 2 levels deep. Clicking only starts if the visit has at least 180 seconds left, so short stay times silently disable it.
Without link clicking, every visit is one pageview and analytics records a single-page session. Link clicking makes the browser follow links on your page, producing additional pageviews within the same session.
What happens
After the browser has been on your target page for a while, and if enough time remains in the visit, it:
- Finds the links on the page.
- Picks one and clicks it, using a real mouse movement to reach it.
- Stays on the new page for 60 to 180 seconds, scrolling and moving the mouse.
- Waits 60 to 120 seconds, then may click again.
Each clicked page is another pageview in the same session, because the cookies persist within the visit.
The defaults
| Setting | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Enable link clicks | On | Master switch |
| Click internal links | On | Same-domain links |
| Click external links | Off | Off-site links; advertisements are always excluded |
| Max Link Clicks per Visit | 2 | Clicks on the target page |
| Max Link Depth | 2 | How many levels deep it may go |
| Clicked Link Stay Duration | 60 to 180 s | Time on each clicked page |
| Delay Between Clicks | 60 to 120 s | Pause before the next click |
| Time Buffer for Clicks | 180 s | Minimum time remaining before clicking may start |
The time buffer, and why clicking may never happen
Clicking only begins if the visit has at least Time Buffer for Clicks seconds left — 180 by default. If your Max Stay Time is 120 seconds, the buffer is never satisfied and no link is ever clicked, even though the setting is on.
This is the usual reason someone reports that clicking “does not work”. The fix is to raise your stay times, or lower the buffer.
The buffer cannot go below the minimum clicked-link stay plus the minimum click delay plus 10 seconds — 130 seconds with the defaults. OverRider clamps it automatically if you try.
Navigation mode
Three options control how a clicked link opens:
- Same Page (default) — navigates in place. Most reliable for analytics, because the session continues cleanly.
- New Tab — opens in a new tab.
- Mixed — varies between the two.
Stay with Same Page unless you are specifically testing tab behaviour.
Effect on your analytics
| Metric | Without clicking | With clicking |
|---|---|---|
| Views per session | 1 | 2 to 3 |
| Session duration | Your stay time | Stay time plus clicked-page time |
| Engaged sessions | Yes, if over 10 s | Yes |
| Pages tracked | Landing page only | Landing page plus whatever was clicked |
Effect on throughput
Clicking makes visits substantially longer. Two clicks with default settings can add four minutes or more, which cuts your visits per hour by a large factor.
If you are calibrating a rate, turn clicking off while you measure, then re-enable it and re-measure. See Spread visits gradually over several hours.
When there are no links
If the page has no eligible links — a landing page with only external links while external clicking is off, for instance — the browser simply stays for the remaining time and closes. The visit still counts as a success.
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