You can use third-party click trackers with Google Ads tracking templates to measure valuable in-app customer activity driven by Web to App Connect campaigns, such as purchases, sign-ups and subscriptions. Third-party click trackers can also be used as a supplemental measurement option to Google Analytics 4 and third-party app analytics.
How do click trackers work?
When a user clicks on an ad with an App Link or Universal Link, they're redirected into the app. At the same time, the click tracker fires a postback to the third party. This postback provides a Google Ads conversion source signal for third-party attribution to the corresponding app open and downstream app events.
Google Ads implementation restrictions
Third-party click trackers, or other redirects, aren’t permitted for final URL use per Google’s destination mismatch policies. Instead, click trackers should be implemented on Google Ads for Web to App Connect campaigns using the following advanced features:
- Android and iOS tracking templates across most campaign types, excluding App campaigns
- iOS app assets across Search, Performance Max, Local and Smart campaigns
Users must always be redirected to the matching Google Ads final URL, as parallel tracking isn’t supported in some circumstances.
Enable auto-tagging
Auto-tagging is a required feature used with Google Ads conversion tracking that allows you to check how effectively your ad clicks lead to conversions, including app conversions. Auto-tagging enables Google click identifiers, such as GCLID, to be appended to click trackers. These identifiers can then be used when passing conversions to Google via the App conversion tracking and remarketing API or offline conversion imports.
Add ValueTrack parameters
In addition to auto-tagging, advertisers may also use ValueTrack parameters to pass important campaign information with click trackers. ValueTrack parameters enable third parties to identify Google campaign properties, like campaign ID, ad group ID, keywords and more.
Use an App Attribution Partner
Google’s App Attribution Partners offer third-party click trackers, many of which already include ValueTrack parameters. Select your measurement provider below:
- Adjust: App assets, Tracking templates
- Airbridge: About tracking links
- AppsFlyer: Attribution links
- Branch: SAN Web Tracking
- Kochava: Google Ads Web Tracking
- Singular: Singular tracking links
- Tenjin: Campaign setup
Only use Google-specific tracking links from App Attribution Partners, which are compliant with Destination mismatch policies. For additional configuration guidance, you can directly reach out to your attribution partner.
