An ad click ID is a small code that an advertising platform attaches to your link when someone clicks one of your ads. It travels with that visitor to your site and acts like a receipt, so a conversion that happens later can be matched back to the exact ad click that started it.
What is an ad click ID?
You've probably seen long web addresses with extra bits tacked on the end, things like ?gclid= or ?fbclid=. Those are ad click IDs.
Each ad platform has its own. Google uses gclid (plus gbraid and wbraid), Meta uses fbclid, Microsoft uses msclkid, TikTok uses ttclid, and so on. When a visitor clicks your ad, the platform generates a unique ID for that click and adds it to the link. Your site can then read and store it.
Click IDs by Ad Platform
Every platform names its click ID differently. These are the ones you will see most often in your URLs:
| Parameter | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|
gclid |
Google Ads | The original and most common one. Also used by YouTube ads. |
gbraid / wbraid |
Google Ads | Used instead of gclid for clicks from iOS devices, where Apple's privacy rules limit what Google can pass along. Treat them the same way you treat gclid. |
fbclid |
Meta Ads | Added to clicks from Facebook and Instagram ads. |
msclkid |
Microsoft Ads | Bing search ads and the Microsoft Audience Network. |
ttclid |
TikTok Ads | |
li_fat_id |
LinkedIn Ads | |
twclid |
X Ads | |
epik |
Pinterest Ads | |
rdt_cid |
Reddit Ads | |
ScCid |
Snapchat Ads | |
awc |
Awin | An affiliate click ID rather than an ad click ID, but it works the same way. |
Google's gclid is the one most people search for, and the one most offline conversion imports are built around.
Ad Click IDs vs UTM Parameters
Both arrive on the same URL, and both tell you something about where a visitor came from. They do different jobs.
A UTM parameter is something you write yourself. utm_source=google&utm_campaign=spring_sale is readable, it means the same thing in every tool, and it is what you use for your own reports and your CRM.
A click ID is something the ad platform writes. It is a long random string that means nothing to you, but it is the key the platform uses to find that exact click again. When you send a click ID back to Google Ads or Meta with a conversion, the platform can credit the right campaign, ad group, ad and keyword without you telling it any of that.
So you want both. UTMs for your reporting, click IDs for the ad platform's reporting. A form entry or order that has both saved on it can answer "which campaign brought this lead?" for you and for the platform.
Why It Matters
Ad click IDs are the key to tracking conversions that don't happen right away.
Plenty of sales don't close on the website. A visitor fills out a form, then the deal closes on a phone call, in person, or a few days later over email. By the time it closes, the connection to the original ad is usually long gone.
If you stored the ad click ID when that visitor first arrived, you can send it back to the ad platform when the sale finally closes. The platform matches the ID to the original click and credits the conversion to the right ad. This is called offline conversion import, and the click ID is what makes it possible.
Ad Click IDs and Consent
Because an ad click ID can be tied to a specific person's activity, it's treated as marketing data. That means it should only be captured and used when a visitor has given marketing consent. Regular campaign details like UTM parameters are less sensitive and are handled separately.
How Conversion Bridge Helps
Conversion Bridge captures ad click IDs from the major platforms, alongside UTM parameters, and puts them to work for you. It can:
- Save the click ID to each order or transaction automatically, so you can export it for offline conversion import
- Pull the click ID into a hidden form field, so it flows into your CRM, Zapier, and webhook feeds
- Include it with server-side conversions to improve matching
Conversion Bridge only captures and passes along ad click IDs when the visitor has granted marketing consent, so you stay privacy-friendly by default. It works across 71 WordPress plugins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between an ad click ID and a UTMUTM parameters are tags added to a link that show where traffic comes from and which campaigns lead to real conversions. parameter? A UTM parameter describes the campaign in plain terms, like the source and campaign name. An ad click ID is a unique code for one specific click, which is what lets an ad platform match a later conversion back to that exact click.
Do I need an ad click ID for offline conversions? Yes. Offline conversion import relies on sending the original click ID back to the ad platform, so it can match the sale to the click that earned it.
Are ad click IDs captured for every visitor? No. Conversion Bridge only captures them when the visitor has given marketing consent.