October has been an important month for Trackier, with two important product updates to improve tracking precision and enhance redirect reliability.
These updates make it easier for you to attribute conversions to clicks from Google Ads and improve the way our platform handles non-standard redirect responses from partners.
Here is a detailed explanation of what is new and how it will enhance your performance marketing workflow.
1. Google ClickID-Based Attribution
We have made enhancements to our tracking system to capture the full lifecycle of GCLID (Google Click Identifier) and parallel tracking configurations with Google Ads. Key elements include:
- Click record storage – Any ad click that has a GCLID attached is stored in our system (MongoDB, ClickHouse), allowing you to always have a record of each click.
- GCLID storage and retrieval – On a user’s first visit from a Google Ad click, we capture the GCLID and put it into first-party storage. On a user’s next visit, once they have converted, we are able to retrieve the stored GCLID with which to pass back as an attribution.
- Parallel-redirect conditions – On the Thank You / Confirmation page, we are able to pass the GCLID back to Trackier (optionally back into Google Ads). This allows you to track conversions as usual, even when using redirect chains or parallel tracking.
- UTM and coupon – It is still very important to ensure that UTM parameters (especially utm_source) are set in your ad URLs to allow fallback context. Also, coupon-reported attribution is not available to those who are GCLID tracked.
Why Does It Matter?
- Improved precision in identifying which ad click produced the conversion, not just “Google Ads” in general.
- Ensures you don’t lose tracking to redirect chains, parallel tracking flows, or delayed conversions.
- Allows for smarter budget allocation because you will know which specific clicks are converting.
- Aligned with best practices, the GCLID is a parameter automatically generated by Google Ads to assist in identifying campaign, keyword, ad information, and link clicks to conversions.
How to Use It?
- In your Google Ads account, ensure auto-tagging is enabled so GCLID values are appended.
- In Trackier, you must enable the GCLID-based attribution feature.
- In your landing page parameters, you must save the GCLID value; Trackier will handle persistence.
- When your conversion event is triggered, make sure to pass the GCLID value back to the GA event, so the event links the conversion back to the click.
- Lastly, make sure your UTM_source (and UTM tags in general) is correct in your ad URLs; this provides fallback and reporting consistency.
2. Fallback Mechanism for Handling Irregular Meta Redirect URLs
During the debugging, we noted that some of the partner systems respond with <meta http-equiv=”refresh”> tags where the redirect URL is enclosed within single quotes (e.g., <meta http-equiv=”refresh” content=”0;url=’https://example.com/…'”>).
While this is not a bug, it is a non-standard behavior from partners. To improve resilience, we have introduced a fallback mechanism that detects when a URL inside a meta refresh is surrounded by single quotes and automatically strips the quotes before processing the redirect.
This improvement ensures that even when a partner response does not strictly conform to expected formatting, the redirect still works smoothly and the click-to-landing tracking remains uninterrupted.
Why Does This Matter?
- Redirect failures (or delays) can break the tracking chain: click → redirect → landing → conversion. This fallback reduces that risk.
- Ensures your users do not land on broken pages or get stuck in redirect loops due to simple formatting quirks.
- Because the tracking solution handles the irregularity automatically, you are less dependent on partner systems being perfectly configured.
- Enhanced overall system stability and reduced tracking issues caused by technical issues.
How to Use It?
No direct change is required on your end; this mechanism works in the backend part. But, if you have partner redirect chains using meta-refresh, you might want to test and confirm behaviors, but the system now handles the most common aberration (single-quoted URL) automatically.
So, monitor your redirect stats and landing page reach to confirm improved consistency for partners previously causing redirect errors.
Impact and Benefits
| Update | Value / Problem Solved |
| GCLID-Based Attribution | Allows precise click-to-conversion mapping for Google Ads traffic. You get comprehensive insights about which specific ad clicks drive conversions, improving optimization and ROI. |
| Redirect Fallback Mechanism | Addresses redirect mistakes or formatting quirks automatically, reducing lost traffic and improving tracking integrity without needing partner intervention. |
