Do you run a marketing funnel that does not involve an email opt-in step?

Most Google advertisers understand that Google click IDs (known as GCLIDs) can help power Google Ad smart bidding campaigns when they are captured and uploaded back to Google.

However, GCLIDs have recently started “disappearing” in some cases, and/or being replaced by GBRAIDs and WBRAIDs in certain instances. Why is this happening?

It all comes down to changes Google has made in the wake of Apple’s iOS14.5 software update.

**iOS 17 Update: Link Tracking Protection**
Apple has continued its privacy push with iOS 17's Link Tracking Protection (LTP) feature. When a user engages with a link in Mail or Messages, or browses in Private Mode in Safari, LTP is designed to strip tracking parameters like GBRAIDs and potentially GCLIDs from the URL, causing them to "disappear" or be modified before the user lands on your site. This reinforces the need for robust, server-side tracking solutions to ensure consistent and accurate conversion attribution. For a detailed breakdown on managing these latest changes, see our dedicated post: https://www.wickedreports.com/blog/ios-17-link-tracking-protection

In summary, if a click is coming from an iOS device, and the user has opted out of tracking, you will see either a GBRAID or WBRAID, depending on criteria you can read about below.

If your Google Ad click is coming from a NON-iOS device, you will still see GCLIDs and be able to optimize them as normal.

Here are all of Google’s resources on this change: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10417364

Bidding considerations for impacted campaigns
Campaigns using Smart Bidding will continue to set bids based on the most accurate measurement available. However, we recommend that you prepare for the above changes by closely monitoring the performance and delivery of all campaigns serving on iOS traffic and, if necessary, make adjustments to budgets and Smart Bidding CPA or ROAS targets to help you achieve your goals. For example: If you would like to increase spend, you can raise CPA targets or lower ROAS targets as needed.

Overview
When Apple’s ATT policies take effect, we will no longer send the Google click identifier (GCLID) for ads on iOS 14 traffic coming from impacted Google apps. This new ATT compliant parameter, known as “wbraid”,replaces gclid on most iOS surfaces. Advertisers should ensure that the destination websites in their advertising campaigns can receive an additional passed URL parameter and that any web attribution systems they may have can support this parameter, when needed. On non-iOS surfaces, “gclid” will continue to serve as the primary mechanism by which we attribute conversions. Please note that search is not affected by this change, and will continue to use gclid.

Q: What should my advertiser do to ensure they are prepared?
A: As a best practice, we recommend the advertiser implement One Google Tag (OGT) (gTag.js and/or Google Tag Manager).
In addition, a small percentage of advertisers may need to ensure their site is able to accept arbitrary URL parameters by following the directions here -> https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1033981

Q: How does this new parameter work?
A: Similar to GCLID, this new parameter is dropped in a 1st party cookie set by A Google Tag (including gTag.js, gtm.js, and analytics.js linked to an ads account) when a user lands on a page after clicking on an ad. This parameter helps attribute conversions back to ad campaigns but does not uniquely identify the user.

Q: Why is this new parameter ATT compliant but gclid is not?
A: This new parameter uses techniques that ensure it cannot be tied back to any one individual user. wbraid uses aggregation techniques to ensure ATT compliance. We are exploring additional techniques like deidentification, in line with Apple’s ATT policies.

Q: What is the visible impact of this change?
A: This is a backend change that advertisers will not see in the Google Ads UI (front-end). The new parameter will be dropped in a 1st party cookie by default and this parameter will be used to pass conversions to your Google measurement solutions in an ATT compliant manner. As always, advertisers can opt out of 1st party measurement all together which will disable use of GCLID as well as this new parameter. Advertisers may see this new parameter present in some URLs that originate on iOS traffic

Q: What is the difference between the “gbraid” and “wbraid” parameters?
A: Both parameters function similarly, in that they are added to the URL (in place of historical identifiers) to measure when the ATT prompt is not accepted. Both parameters also use aggregation techniques to attribute conversions. However, notable differences exist as well:

Wicked Reports is designed to follow users across devices by tracking clicks, leads, email opens, purchases, and other user action.

Wicked Reports Automation: Get Critical Multi-Touch ROI Data Delivered Automatically

Daily, weekly, or monthly delivery of your true ROI, Customer Lifetime Value (LTV), and multi-touch attribution reports is now an essential part of an efficient marketing stack. Automate delivery of reports customized for your most important campaigns directly to your inbox.

A quick, one-time setup is all it takes. Check the video below for step-by-step instructions on setting up report delivery. Look for the "Email Me This Report" button at the top of any major report in your Wicked Dashboard (ROI Reports, First Click, LTV Cohorts, etc.) to start your automated delivery.

Wicked Reports is growing! We are working our tails off to provide the best possible marketing attribution data and ROI for our customers. Watch the video below to find out how we're doing it!

Wicked Reports is excited to announce a change to Google Ads tracking inside our dashboard!

One of the features that our clients have been asking for is the ability to export data for additional analysis in Google Data Studios, spreadsheets, or other BI tools.

You asked, and we listened.

Announcing the newest feature of Wicked Reports - complete data flexibility using an outbound API for easy export of clicks, leads and orders..
Want to see how Wicked attributed all your orders? Done!
Want to see all of the clicks for your leads? Piece of cake!
Want to see all of your leads and how they are attributed? No problem!

If you are a data nerd or you just like to see your data in a certain way... you can now export all the data from your marketing channels that Wicked Reports makes available in one place... to wherever you want.

Your data. Accessible. Useable. Practical.

If you're already a Wicked Reports client, you can check out the Outbound API endpoints at https://docs.wickedreports.com/.

Wicked Reports Voted a HubSpot Top 30 App for 2024

Wicked Reports was honored to be voted a HubSpot Top 30 App by their customers! This achievement continues to affirm our commitment to accurate attribution and the vital role our integration plays in the HubSpot ecosystem.

Wicked Reports and HubSpot partner together to provide all your marketing on one platform and a practical metrics dashboard to track your sales and marketing effectiveness.

This means you can stop wasting money on ads, focus your advertising spend on channels that actually work, and not miss any data or revenue that you might otherwise overlook.  

The HubSpot App Marketplace features third-party tools from all around the world that HubSpot customers can integrate into their business to help them succeed and grow.

The Wicked Reports App brings clients ultimate clarity and detailed customer journey data, ensuring that you have accurate marketing data to make the best decisions possible. 

With the rapidly growing number of integrations (now often exceeding 1,500 apps) on the HubSpot Marketplace, this recognition remains a huge milestone for Wicked Reports as it shows HubSpot clients recognize our passion for tracking sales with precision, and the value of our service.

We continue to give you accurate attribution, so you can optimize your spending accordingly and get full access to your customers’ journey from their first click to their last. 

This award has given us confidence that we are providing what is needed for businesses advertising online to not only succeed, but thrive!

Marketing attribution is the art of identifying those channels, campaigns, and individual ads that contributed to a single conversion.

Today Wicked Reports announced the beta release of an entirely re-imagined Mission Control report suite to help ecommerce, subscription, and info course marketers optimize ad spend and increase ROI more easily.