GCLID

What is GCLID?

GCLID – Stands for Google Click Identifier. This is a small string of numbers and letters that serves as a unique ID badge for visitors to a website. Typically, this is used to keep track of individual users as they click on a PPC ad, so that their interaction with the website (whether they converted, on which page, and using which method) can be tracked and attributed properly using Google Analytics. (See also: Google Analytics, PPC)

Gclid, short for Google Click Identifier, is a unique tracking parameter that Google uses to transfer information between your Google Ads account and your Google Analytics account.

A default feature of any Google Ads (formerly known as Google Ads) account is URL auto-tagging. When this is turned on, Google automatically appends a unique? gclid tracking parameter to your destination URL whenever someone clicks on one of your ads. Essentially, this is a way for Google Ads to tell Analytics about all the minute details of a particular user session.

What kind of details in GCLID?

All the post-click information you need to calculate your return on ad spend (ROAS): time spent on site, pages per visit, any actions taken, etc.

Auto-tagging with? gclid tracking parameters is advantageous because it saves you time and minimizes the risk of making mistakes.

Why is tracking so important for paid search campaigns?

Let’s talk a little more about a term we mentioned earlier: ROAS.

The whole idea behind advertising—print, digital, online, offline, you name it—is that you get more out of it than you put into it. In other words, effective advertising offers a return on investment, and ideally a sizeable one.

There’s no way to know if you’re getting a return on your marketing investment without data. And the neat thing about paid search marketing, on platforms such as Google Ads, is that technology allows advertisers to collect tons of data.

As a result, you can interpret all kinds of important trends—this call to action (CTA) drove x leads, whereas this alternative CTA drove 3x leads, for example. As you can imagine, these kinds of tracking capabilities are immensely powerful. They allow paid search marketers to constantly test, tweak, and optimize their campaigns such that their ROAS is maximized.

Without tracking parameters, that’s not possible. And, as we said—auto-tagging is an especially awesome tool for anyone who’s prone to make mistakes (i.e., every human being). When a single mistake could potentially derail an entire paid search campaign, it’s unwise to let human error be a factor.

Conclusion

Is your company in need of help? MV3 Marketing Agency has numerous Marketing experts ready to assist you. Contact MV3 Marketing to jump-start your business.

 

 

 

 

 

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