Gclid, Fbclid, and Redirects
You might see "gclid" and "fbclid" in your Northbeam dashboard in the Campaign Level of the Sales Page. This article will answer the following questions:
- What are they?
- What do they represent in Northbeam?
- Are they an issue?
| Query Parameter | What is it? | Where is it inserted? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| fbclid | Facebook's Click Identifier | Facebook's Organic and Ad URLs | https://example.com?fbclid=IwAR3GH5ksVhoRLwxyz… |
| gclid | Google's Click Identifier | Google's Ad URLs | https://example.com?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3 |
fbclid (Facebook’s Click Identifier)
What is “fbclid”?
The "fbclid" parameter is added to the URL whenever a user clicks on a link from a paid ad or organic post from Facebook. This parameter allows Facebook to track ad performance and user behavior after they leave the platform.
Example: https://example.com?fbclid=IwAR3GH5ksVhoRLwxyz…
Why do I see “fbclid” in my Northbeam dashboard?
In Northbeam, "fbclid" represents users who visited your site with only the "fbclid" parameter and no additional UTM parameters. By default, this traffic is classified as "Facebook Organic" in your Sales Page. It typically includes visits from organic sources such as links shared in posts by users, pages, groups, or reposted ads. It could also represent visits from ads missing tracking parameters.
fbclid from Ad Comments and Profile Clicks
fbclid traffic can also appear due to direct links shared in ad comments or users navigating through your brand’s Facebook profile. Here’s how:
- Ad Comments with Store Links: If your social media team replies to ad comments with direct links to your store, anyone clicking these links will be attributed to fbclid. Since UTMs aren’t applied to links in comments, these clicks appear as organic traffic.
- Profile-to-Store Clicks: If someone clicks on your brand profile from a comment, then navigates to your store link on the profile, this action also leads to fbclid traffic in Northbeam.
If you notice a high volume of fbclid traffic and your team frequently shares links in comments, this activity is likely a significant contributor.
Troubleshooting “fbclid”
Most dashboards will have some visits, transactions, or revenue attributed to “fbclid.” However, a high amount could indicate an issue with your ad tracking setup. For instance, if your dashboard shows fbclid revenue comparable to a Facebook campaign, this could mean UTMs are dropping, leaving fbclid as the only tracked parameter.
Diagnosing fbclid issues can be challenging, especially for brands with a strong organic presence (e.g., a popular Facebook page or active group), as it’s often hard to pinpoint the exact source.
Tips to minimize "fbclid" in Northbeam
- Check UTMs: Ensure that all your Facebook Ads include the correct Northbeam UTM parameters. For proper setup, refer to our Facebook Ads Tracking Guide.
- Check Northbeam Pixel: Ensure that our Northbeam Pixel is firing on your ad landing pages.
- Minimize Comments with Links: When including store links in comments, use distinct UTM parameters to differentiate organic clicks from paid clicks. This way, not all traffic is grouped under fbclid, giving you clearer visibility into traffic sources. Using a link shortener (e.g., Bitly or TinyURL) can help make UTM-tagged links look clean and avoid displaying long URLs in comments.
- Check for Redirects: Check your destination URLs for any instances of URL redirects. Any redirects oftentimes strip UTMs - unless custom code is implemented for UTM preservation.
gclid (Google Click Identifier)
What is “gclid”?
The "gclid" parameter is added to the URL whenever a user clicks on a link from a Google Ad. This parameter allows Google to track ad performance and user behavior after they leave the platform.
Example: https://example.com?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3...
Why do I see “gclid” in my Northbeam dashboard?
In Northbeam, "gclid" represents users who visited your site with only the "gclid" parameter and no additional UTM parameters. By default, this traffic is classified under “Google Ads” in your Sales Page.
Troubleshooting “gclid”
Most dashboards have some visits, transactions, or revenue attributed to “gclid.” However, a high amount might indicate a potential issue with your ad tracking. For example, if your dashboard has as much revenue attributed to "gclid" as a normal Google campaign, this could indicate UTM parameters are being dropped, leaving "gclid" as the only recognized parameter.
Diagnosing "gclid" issues can be tricky since it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact source.
Tips to minimize "gclid" in Northbeam
- Check UTMs: Ensure that all your Google Ads include the correct Northbeam UTM parameters. For proper setup, refer to our Google Ads Tracking Guide.
- Check Northbeam Pixel: Ensure that our Northbeam Pixel is firing on your ad landing pages.
- Check for redirects: Check your destination URLs for any instances of URL redirects. Any redirects oftentimes strip UTMs - unless custom code is implemented for UTM preservation.
Common URL Redirects That Strip UTM Parameters
1. Regional Domain Redirects
What Happens: Some websites redirect users to regional versions of the domain based on their location (e.g., from example.com to example.co.uk for UK users).
Impact: If the redirection doesn't preserve UTM parameters, they can be stripped during the transition. This is often seen with brands that automatically send users to country-specific domains without preserving query parameters.
Example:
- Original URL: https://example.com?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=spring_sale
- Redirected URL: https://example.co.uk (UTM parameters are lost)
How to Mitigate
- Minimize Redirects: Where possible, send country-specific traffic directly to the relevant regional domains. For example, ensure UK traffic is directed to your UK-specific domain to reduce unnecessary redirection. This is most applicable to paid traffic.
- Implement UTM Preservation on Redirects: This may require assistance from your development team, as custom JavaScript is often needed to retain UTM parameters during URL updates or redirects.
2. URLs to Shopify Product Pages
What happens: Shopify product pages with variants often append a query string for the selected variant to the URL.
Impact: If you direct traffic to a URL without the variant query string, Shopify may update the URL to include the variant query. This process can result in UTM parameters being removed, causing a loss of tracking and attribution.
Example:
- Original URL: https://example.com/products/product?nbt=test
- Redirected URL: https://example.com/products/product?variant=123456789 (UTM parameters are lost)
How to Mitigate
- Minimize Redirects: Ensure that your ad links include the variant query string to avoid unnecessary redirects. For example, use “https://example.com/products/product?variant=123456789” instead of “https://example.com/products/product”.
- Implement UTM Preservation: In rare cases, even with the variant query string included, redirects may still occur. If this happens, engage your development team to troubleshoot. Custom JavaScript or third-party Shopify apps can help ensure UTM parameters are preserved during redirects.
3. HTTP to HTTPS
What happens: When a site redirects from an unsecured http:// to a secured https:// URL.
Impact: The redirect will result in UTMs being removed, causing a loss of tracking and attribution.
Example:
- Original URL: http://example.com/products/product?nbt=test
- Redirected URL: https://example.com/products/product (utms are lost)
How to Mitigate
- Minimize Redirects: Send traffic to “https” instead of “http”.
- Implement UTM Preservation: If using HTTP is unavoidable and a redirect must occur, ensure that your site is properly set up to preserve query strings during HTTP to HTTPS transitions.
Tips to identify Google or Facebook Ad URLs That May Be Resulting in gclid or fbclid:
Google Ads:
- Redirect Links: Use the Expanded Landing Page report to identify potential redirects. Test ad links in your browser to check if UTMs are being stripped on page load.
Facebook Ads:
- Redirect Links: Create a custom report to pull full destination URLs (including UTMs) for testing. Open these links in your browser to verify that UTMs remain intact on page load.
- Facebook Organic Links: If your team frequently replies to comments with links, check if these links include specific UTMs. Without UTMs, "fbclid" will likely be the only parameter, meaning all visits and purchases from those links will be attributed solely to "fbclid" in Northbeam (and Google Analytics).
Updated 13 days ago