Google Ads provide valuable insights into campaign performance such as ad impressions, clicks, clickthrough rates, etc. However, Google Ads tracking can help advertisers achieve a lot more. From information about what devices are best working for you to traffic segregation of different Google advertising networks, advertisers can access this information by including tracking settings under URL options.

Tracking each click, and it’s whereabouts, and following it up is an excellent way of running successful campaigns.

Let’s dig in further to understand what AdWords tracking is all about and more about URL options.

Best Shopify App for tracking code among must-try Shopify apps in 2018

How does Google Ads tracking work?

The final URL (of ads) is the base of Google Ads tracking. Customizing your tracking setting is vital because, without tracking, ads direct users to your landing page URL, i.e. your final URL. With tracking, you can send users who are potential customers to specific landing pages which are rich with information like targeted keywords.

Parallel tracking! What’s that? Find out more about it here itself.

What are URL options?

URL options are made of two principal parts, tracking template and custom parameter.

Tracking template: The tracking template is where you have to fill in your tracking information. Each time a user clicks on an advertiser’s ad, Google Ads adds tracking information to the final URL. And thus, you generate your landing page URL.

Custom parameter: A custom parameter is a type of URL parameter. Advertisers can create it themselves and add it to tracking templates and final URLs.

Important notes:

Advertisers can create and edit URL options at different levels (account, campaign, ad group, keyword, and sitelink). However, advertisers can update tracking information for URL options at the ad group, campaign, or account level without having to resubmit ads for approval. URL options at the ad, keyword, or sitelink level will need to go through review whenever the advertiser makes a change.

Advertisers can create tracking templates at the ad group level, campaign, or account level. Google applies this template to all of the ads in that corresponding ad group, campaign, or account. If advertisers define various tracking templates at different levels, Google Ads uses the most specific tracking template. The keyword tracking template is the most precise followed by the ad, ad group, campaign, then account.

Advertisers can also use the Test button to validate the tracking.

Author

CEO and co founder of AdNabu. Exploring the intersection of data and marketing