Google Ads tracking documentation

Everything needed to set up and check Trackscales tracking in Google Ads.

Overview

Trackscales records Google Ads clicks on one host and one path: https://go.trackscales.com/gclick. The next destination is always visible in the redirect_url parameter, and the tracker always answers with a single HTTP 302 redirect to that exact URL.

Transparency parameter: redirect_url

Tracking template

https://go.trackscales.com/gclick?offer_id=OFFER_ID&redirect_url={lpurl}

Set the template at account, campaign or ad group level. Replace OFFER_ID with the offer ID from the Trackscales dashboard. Keep {lpurl} exactly as written: Google replaces it with the ad's final URL.

Live example

A real, active offer. The final landing page is the advertiser's own website, with no other tracker in between.

https://go.trackscales.com/gclick?offer_id=6adc5641487e4da859c3b8da&redirect_url=https://krisp.ai/

Request	Response
The link above	302, `Location: https://krisp.ai/`
Same link with `redirect_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkrisp.ai%2F` (encoded)	302, `Location: https://krisp.ai/`
Same offer with `redirect_url` on a domain not allowed for it	400, no redirect

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
`offer_id`	Yes	The Trackscales offer the click belongs to.
`redirect_url`	Yes	The next destination. Its domain must be allowed for the offer. Filled by Google through `{lpurl}`.

Setup in Google Ads

Get the offer ID

Open the offer in the Trackscales dashboard and copy its ID.

Set the final URL

Use the advertiser's landing page as the ad's final URL.

Add the tracking template

Paste the template with your offer ID in the Tracking template field.

Keep parallel tracking on

With parallel tracking, Google sends the visitor straight to the final URL and calls the template in the background.

Test

Use the Test button next to the template in Google Ads. It should reach the final URL with no errors.

Responses

Request	Response
Valid `offer_id` and allowed `redirect_url`	302, `Location` = exact `redirect_url`
Missing `redirect_url`	400, no redirect
`redirect_url` domain not allowed for the offer	400, no redirect
Unknown `offer_id`	Error, no redirect
`/` or `/?redirect_url=...`	404, no redirect
Any other path on go.trackscales.com	404, no redirect
`http://` request	301 to the same URL on `https://` (same host)

URL encoding

Google encodes {lpurl} automatically. When you build a link by hand, encode the destination so its own ? and & stay inside redirect_url:

# Destination
https://shop.example/page?gclid=abc123

# Encoded inside the tracking URL
https://go.trackscales.com/gclick?offer_id=OFFER_ID&redirect_url=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.example%2Fpage%3Fgclid%3Dabc123

# Response
HTTP/1.1 302 Found
Location: https://shop.example/page?gclid=abc123

Parameters already in the destination, such as Google's gclid, are kept exactly as they are. Trackscales does not add parameters of its own.

Other trackers in the flow

If the destination is another tracker's link, that tracker must also be certified by Google and use its own visible transparency parameter. Each step only redirects to the URL shown in its own parameter, and the final page always matches the ad's final URL domain:

go.trackscales.com/gclick?offer_id=ID&redirect_url=<certified tracker URL>
  -> <certified tracker, with its own transparency parameter>
  -> <advertiser landing page>

Links through trackers that are not certified are not used with Google Ads.

Conversions

Results come back by server-to-server postback from the advertiser or network, carrying the click ID, the event, a transaction ID and the value. Trackscales matches the click ID and counts each transaction once. Postback setup details are shared with each advertiser privately.

Testing checklist

Root https://go.trackscales.com/ returns 404 with no Location header
A valid /gclick request returns 302 to the exact redirect_url
A redirect_url on a domain not allowed for the offer returns 400
The click appears in the dashboard click log
The Google Ads template test reaches the final URL

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause
400 error	`redirect_url` missing, or its domain is not allowed for this offer.
Click not in reports	Wrong `offer_id` in the template.
Conversion missing	The postback did not include the click ID, or the same transaction ID was already counted.

Still stuck? Email ajay@launchigo.ae.