#03 – Website Customer Attribution: A Guide to Setting Up Advanced URL Tracking Parameters

This article will guide you on how to set up Custom Tracking Parameters for your website to automatically collect more user data while running Digital Advertisements. With more data at your disposal, you can analyze and optimize costs and performance. For example, you can accurately identify which users come from which Paid Keywords are more likely to make purchases.

In the previous article, Nemo Marketing introduced this concept. I highly recommend reading that article to understand the context. Because, the upcoming article will focus purely on technical configuration.

Article Structure

Part 1: Configure Tracking Parameters

In this section, we will define a list of essential tracking parameters for data collection. You will then be guided on how to brief your developer and, finally, test the results.

Part 2: Create Dynamic Tracking Links for Automatic Attribution Data Collection from Ad Networks

You will be introduced to what dynamic tracking links are and how they operate. Following that, Nemo Marketing will compile dynamic tracking links from major Ad Networks, allowing you to easily copy and paste them.

Configure Tracking Parameters

List of Tracking Parameters

Just a quick reminder that tracking parameters are similar to:

https://yourdomain.com?utm_source=…..…&utm_medium=…..…&utm_campaign=…..…&utm_content=…..…&utm_term=…..…

Here, we will collectively establish a list of such parameters and understand the purpose of collecting data for each parameter.

The parameters suggested by Nemo Marketing below are based on practical work experience. From Nemo’s perspective, these parameters are sufficient for gathering insights for the marketing analysis team, as well as for building an automated reporting system.

Parameter	Data Type
utm_source	Distinguish the advertising channel and the type of campaign you are running, for example, “Google_Search.”
utm_medium	Distinguish the advertising channel and the type of campaign you are running, for example, “Google_Search.”
utm_content	Name of the content
utm_term	Terms or keywords (but we have ga_keyword as another parameter below)
utm_campaign	Name of the ad campaign
ga_campaign_id	Unique ID of the ad campaign
ga_adgroup_name	Name of the ad group
ga_adgroup_id	Unique ID of the ad group / ad set
ga_ad_name	Name of the ad (or creative)
ga_ad_id	ID the Ad (or Creative)
ga_extension_id	ID of the extension in Google Ads (Search Ads)
ga_keyword	Paid Keyword of the extension in Google Ads (Search Ads) (this is the exact keywords which customers found you)
ga_match_type	Match type of the keyword (broad, phrase, exact) in Google Ads (Search Ads)
ga_position	The position that the ads appeared in the SERPs, in Google Ads (Search Ads)
ga_device	Device of the users
ga_device_model	Detailed device model of the users
ga_placement	The placement where the ads displayed
ga_network	The network where the ads distributed
ga_site	The site where the ads placed

If you include all the parameters mentioned above in the URL, you will have the following result:

FAQ before we proceed

Question 1: Why do we name the parameters as shown in the table? Can we name them differently?

In essence, the parameters listed above are predefined by me, and you are entirely free to name them differently. For example, instead of “ga_campaign_id,” you can name it as “c_id” or “campaign_id” or “utm_campaign_id,” and so on. As long as the parameter’s name accurately reflects the type of data it collects, it’s acceptable.

Question 2: Can I set up more parameters than the ones listed above?

Absolutely, you can set up additional parameters based on your data usage needs. For instance, if you are running campaigns on Taboola, they allow you to collect data down to the level of {thumbnail} or {title} for each creative (which means you can identify which thumbnail or title generates the most conversions).

In this case, if you want to collect this additional data, I recommend adding two new parameters to the list, such as &ga_image={thumbnail}&ga_headline={title}.

Just make sure to keep in mind these two points:

1. Name the parameters appropriately to reflect the type of data they are collecting, making them universally applicable to multiple ad networks.
2. Do not mix parameters. For example, using ga_keyword to collect {title} or {thumbnail} data could lead to messy data later on.

Send Request to Developer

If you are a marketer, you’ll likely need the assistance of a developer in your company.

Simply reach out to your Web Owner, Web Product Manager, or Web Developer to send them a request.

It’s quite straightforward. You just need to send them the list of parameters mentioned above and explain to them that:

• You need the developer to configure these parameters in the URL to collect the values entered.
• These values need to be stored in the company’s database, attributed to customer_id, purchase_id, and with timestamps (Note: customer_id and purchase_id will vary between companies).

Below is a raw data table of what we accomplish with this task. Each customer_id or purchase_id is attributed to specific tracking values.

Test the Tracking Parameters

After the developer has completed their work, it’s important to test whether the system is collecting the correct and sufficient data.

Here’s how:

If there are any issues, simply request the developer to make the necessary fixes. If it’s successful, then congratulations!

Create a Dynamic Tracking Link to Automatically Collect Attribution Data from the Ad Network

As previously mentioned, this will be a URL where you fill in all the parameters listed above:

So, as a marketer running paid media, what do you need to fill in the ‘……..’ placeholders to track the source of use?

The answer is that you hardly need to fill in much manually because right below, I will introduce you to a method called Dynamic Tracking or Macros.

What is Dynamic Tracking (Macro) and How Does It Work?

A Macro is a variable that you insert into your URL alongside the relevant Tracking Parameter. The ad network can then automatically insert the appropriate value to replace that Macro. Because this process is entirely automated and flexible, we refer to it as Dynamic Tracking.

Let’s review the example in the image:

EXPLANATION: Here is your tracking link (with just a few parameters for your understanding):

https://yourdomain.com/?utm_source=Google_Search&ga_keyword={keyword}&ga_device_model={devicemodel}

We have incorporated 2 macros into the tracking link:

1. {keyword} is associated with the parameter ‘ga_keyword.’
2. {devicemodel} is linked to the parameter ‘ga_device_model.’

Now, when a customer using an iPhone performs a search for “Conversers Shoes” in the SERPs and subsequently clicks on your paid ads in the SERPs, Google Ads will automatically substitute:

• {keyword} with “Converse All Stars Sales”
• {devicemodel} with “Apple-iPhone”

As a result, you can dynamically and accurately capture this information, which can be extremely valuable for later analytics.

Lists of Macros in Popular Ad Networks

Please note that Macros are defined differently across various Ad Networks. For instance, {keyword} and {devicemodel} can only be used in Google Ads.

In this section of the article, Nemo Marketing is furnishing you with a list of Macros in the most widely used Ad Networks (based on my work experience). All you have to do is apply them to your tracking link to gather data:

Parameter	Google Ads	Facebook Ads	Adroll	Taboola	MGID
URL	{lpurl}? *required by Google Ads	real url	real url	real url	real url
utm_source	*manually fill	*manually fill	*manually fill	*manually fill	*manually fill
utm_medium	*manually fill	*manually fill	*manually fill	*manually fill	*manually fill
utm_content	*/	*/	*/	*/	*/
utm_term	*/	*/	*/	*/	*/
utm_campaign	*optional	{{campaign.name}}	[ADROLL:CAMPAIGN_NAME]	{campaign_name}	*optional
ga_campaign_id	{campaignid}	{{campaign.id}}	[ADROLL:CAMPAIGN_EID]	{campaign_id}	{campaign_id}
ga_adgroup_name	*/	{{adset.name}}	*/	*/	*/
ga_adgroup_id	{adgroupid}	{{adset.id}}	[ADROLL:AD_GROUP_EID]	*/	*/
ga_ad_name	*/	{{ad.name}}	*/	*/	*/
ga_ad_id	{creative}	{{ad.id}}	[ADROLL:AD_EID]	{campaign_item_id}	*empty
ga_extension_id	{extensionid}	*/	*/	*/	*/
ga_keyword	{keyword}	*/	*/	*/	*/
ga_match_type	{matchtype}	*/	*/	*/	*/
ga_position	{adposition}	*/	*/	*/	*/
ga_device	{device}	*/	[ADROLL:DEVICE_TYPE]	{platform}	*/
ga_device_model	{devicemodel}	*/	*/	*/	*/
ga_placement	{placement}	{{placement}}	[PLACEMENT]	{site_domain}	{category_id}
ga_network	{network}	*/	[ADROLL:NETWORK]	*/	*/
ga_site	{target}	{{site_source_name}}	*/	{site}	*/

Combine the parameters and macros, and you’ll have dynamic tracking link strings:

Eg. Google Ads

Table Explanation:

• *required by Google Ads:

{lpurl} is used to replace your actual landing page URL. Therefore, you don’t need to insert the root Landing Page URL into the tracking field. Instead, just insert it like {lpurl}?utm_source=…….&utm_medium=………

• *manually fill:

The utm_source & utm_medium should be manually filled in a consistent way. For example, in my company, we consistently use “Google_Search”, “Google_Display”, “Facebook_Conversion” …. to fill both parameters. The formula is “NetworkName_CampaignType”.

• */:

Let’s leave them empty. You are not encouraged to fill these parameters as they are not necessary.

• *optional:

You can fill these parameters manually, but it’s just optional. For example, you can fill the campaign_name of Google Ads because they don’t offer a Macro to collect campaign name automatically.

• *Other note:

The names of Macros don’t always refer to the actual meaning. Such as in Taboola, {platform} means the device type (not the ad platform type). Thus, I put {platform} of Taboola under the ga_device parameter.

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To help you understand better and feel confident when using Macros, I’ve attached Macro documentation for the mentioned Ad Networks. Please refer to them:

Ad network	Link to documents
Google Ads	https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6305348?sjid=8971917998998103838-AP
Facebook Ads	https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2360940870872492
Adroll	https://help.adroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002424872-Add-UTMs-to-your-AdRoll-Campaigns
Taboola	https://help.taboola.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006030688-Creating-and-Adding-URL-Parameters-for-Tracking
MGID	https://www.mgid.com/blog/mgid-macros-made-simple

If you are working with any other ad networks, please research if they support Macros. If they do, take advantage of the parameters mentioned above for tracking.

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Guide: How to Insert Tracking Links in Ad Networks

In this final section, I will guide you on how to properly apply tracking links to advertising campaigns on three major ad platforms: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Adroll.

Closing:

After implementing the steps outlined in this article, you’ll have access to a wealth of user data for in-depth analysis and optimization of your paid advertising campaigns.

Is your company also focusing on SEO activities?

If so, I encourage you to continue reading our next article. It will guide you on accurately attributing customers coming from SEO and DIRECT sources. It’s a valuable resource, and I believe it’s a rare document that instructs you on measuring customers from SEO and DIRECT sources!