GCLID
A GCLID (Google Click Identifier) is a code that Google Ads automatically adds to a link when someone clicks your ad. You use it to link that click later to an enquiry or signed job.
- 3 min read
What is a GCLID?
GCLID stands for Google Click Identifier. It is a long code that Google Ads adds to your website address when someone clicks an ad, for example yourcompany.nl/dakisolatie/?gclid=Cj0KCQ… Every click gets its own code, even if the same person clicks an ad again later.
This happens automatically if auto-tagging is switched on in your Google Ads account, and it is on by default. Through the GCLID, Google knows which campaign, ad and which keyword the click belongs to.
Besides the GCLID there are two variants: gbraid and wbraid. Google uses these for clicks from iPhones and iPads, where Apple applies stricter privacy rules. Together they are called click IDs.
Why it matters for your business
At a trade business there is often time between click and job. Someone clicks your ad, requests a quote, you visit to measure up, you send a quote and a few weeks later it is signed. By default, Google Ads only sees the first part: the enquiry on the website.
Not every enquiry is equally valuable. Some enquiries lead to a job worth tens of thousands of euros, others are hopeless. If Google Ads only counts enquiries, the system steers on quantity instead of quality.
With the GCLID you can change that. If you store the click ID with the enquiry, you can later tell Google Ads which enquiries led to an appointment or signed job. That is called Offline conversions importing. The system then learns which clicks really deliver something and puts your budget there.
How it works
On your website you read the GCLID from the address and store it, usually in a cookie, so the code survives even if the visitor first views other pages. Your enquiry form gets a hidden field that sends the GCLID along. That way the code arrives together with the enquiry in your CRM .
When the status of an enquiry changes, for example to quote sent or job signed, you send that status back to Google Ads with the GCLID. That can be done manually with a file, or automatically through a link between your CRM and Google Ads. Google accepts offline conversions up to 90 days after the click.
An example. Say a roofer gets lots of enquiries via Google Ads, but a large share are about small repairs and requests for a price indication. The big jobs, complete roof renovations, only turn up occasionally. In Google Ads everything looks the same: an enquiry is an enquiry.
After that, the GCLID is stored with every enquiry in the CRM. As soon as a renovation is signed, that Conversion goes back to Google Ads with the job value. After a few months the system has enough data to see which keywords and ads lead to renovations, and sends more traffic there.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is not storing the GCLID. The form passes on name, phone number and question, but the click ID is lost. Then you can never feed back afterwards.
A second mistake is capturing only the GCLID and forgetting gbraid and wbraid. That way you miss some of the clicks from iPhones.
Also often seen: a redirect or plugin that strips parameters from the address, so the GCLID is already gone before your site can read it.
A fourth mistake is trying to feed everything back at once, including enquiries that drop out or arrive twice. Agree in advance which statuses count, so the data Google Ads receives is correct and the system learns from the right examples.
Finally, many businesses forget the feedback itself. The GCLID sits neatly in the CRM, but nobody sends the signed jobs back to Google Ads.
How to approach it
Check whether auto-tagging is switched on in Google Ads. Click on your own ad in a preview or test whether the GCLID appears in the address.
Make sure your website reads the GCLID, gbraid and wbraid, stores them in a cookie and sends them along with every form in a hidden field. Test that with a trial enquiry and check whether the code arrives in your CRM.
Agree which steps you feed back, for example appointment booked and job signed, and set up conversion actions in Google Ads for those steps. Send the data back regularly, preferably automatically.
We set this up as part of conversion tracking and dashboards, so you Google Ads steer by signed jobs instead of clicks.
Frequently asked questions
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What is the difference between a GCLID and UTM parameters?
A GCLID is added automatically by Google Ads and contains all the information about the click, such as campaign and keyword. You add UTM parameters yourself and use them mainly for other channels, such as newsletters and social media. For Google Ads, auto-tagging with the GCLID is the standard.
How long does a GCLID stay usable?
Google Ads accepts offline conversions up to 90 days after the click. If your sales process takes longer, some of the signed jobs fall outside that period. So also feed back earlier steps, such as a booked appointment.
What are gbraid and wbraid?
Gbraid and wbraid are click IDs that Google uses for clicks from Apple devices, where stricter privacy rules apply. They work in a similar way to the GCLID. So capture them in your forms too, otherwise you miss some of the clicks.
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