Google Ads Parallel Tracking and You
So you just received this message about your Google Ads Account…
“Dear Google Ads Advertiser,
You are receiving this message because your Google Ads account (Customer ID: xxx-xxx-xxxx) uses the tracking template field and will be impacted when we begin requiring parallel tracking in all accounts.”
Now, chances are you have no idea what this is and how it will affect how you do your business.
And even if you’re using Google Ads, it might sound hard.
Now let’s talk about it.
What is Parallel Tracking?
Ever wonder what happens when someone searches for your website? There are usually two things that can happen. And it can be explained by these two models
Linear or Sequential Redirect Mode
The current thing that is happening right now is this. When a person searches through Google, they go to a SERP (Search Engine Results Page).
Chances are, they will choose a link because of an ad. Or they might like it. So they click it and think that they go directly to the website.
But what really happens is that there is a tracking URL used. This notifies the owner of the website of the potential traffic coming in. It is then redirected to the final URL that the user intended to go to.
When this happens, it happens in a linear sequence. This means that you can’t go directly to the webpage or URL without going through the process.
Parallel Model
In Parallel Tracking, you bypass this linear sequence. You go directly to the URL or landing page. You don’t need to be redirected to another page before going to where you want to go to.
This is why this model is faster for people who have their websites. Instead of going through a sequence, it lets the user experience your website directly.
Why does it matter to me?
We want the users and people who visit our websites to experience things faster. That’s why parallel tracking is important for us.
Starting this October 30, 2018, Google Ad accounts need parallel tracking. This will now be the only click measurement method for Google ads.
This is a good thing for us when it comes to adding the best experience to our users. We get to help a lot more people more efficiently.
What do I do next?
But here’s the thing, you have to beat the deadline. According to Google,
“Please work with your click measurement provider(s) to make sure that your account is ready for parallel tracking by October 30, 2018. Should you or your provider miss this deadline, it could potentially interrupt your click measurement reporting or cause landing page errors. If you are already using parallel tracking, you won’t need to do anything; you’re all set up.”
That would be a hassle that we don’t want. We don’t want our click measurements to be faulty. We don’t want our users and page viewers to complain about the errors on the landing page.
Of course, you can do it for yourself. You can go through the Google Ads Help Center to DIY this thing.
Or you can get professionals to worry about this for you. Professionals like us.
So you can focus on the job at hand, making sure you create and focus on products or services that matter to the people that you care for.
Want to know more? We’re here to help.
References:
4 Important Things to Know About AdWords Parallel Tracking
http://insights.marinsoftware.com/analytics/4-important-things-adwords-parallel-tracking/
About Parallel Tracking
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7544674?hl=en
Implementation Checklist for Parallel Tracking setup
https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/guides/parallel-tracking-checklist
Parallel Tracking FAQ
https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/guides/parallel-tracking-faq
Google Ads Parallel Tracking: What you need to know
http://www.clixmarketing.com/blog/2018/07/25/google-ads-parallel-tracking-what-you-need-to-know/
What is Parallel Tracking in Google Ads?
https://www.callrail.com/blog/parallel-tracking-adwords/
AdWords sets parallel tracking deadline & will warn advertisers using HTTP landing pages