How to Set Up ClickMagick Tracking Links: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you need clean, trustworthy data fast, this guide is for you. You’ll learn how to set up ClickMagick tracking links the right way—from custom domains and UTM parameters to conversion tracking and A/B testing—so you can measure what matters and scale with confidence.

Accurate attribution shouldn’t take days. With the workflow below, you can deploy a fully functional tracking stack in under an hour, validate events in real time, and protect your budget from bots and bad traffic.

We’ll keep it practical and platform-agnostic, with examples for Google Ads, Facebook, and affiliate offers. By the end, you’ll have production-ready links, validated conversions, and a repeatable process for every campaign you launch.

What you’ll set up:

• A workspace with clean defaults (timezone, currency, attribution windows).
• A branded custom tracking domain via CNAME for trustworthy, uncloaked links.
• Your first tracking link pointing to a landing page or offer.
• UTM parameters and dynamic tokens for source/ad-level clarity.
• Conversion tracking with pixel or postback (S2S), depending on your stack.
• Real-time testing with logs and test clicks to validate attribution.
• A/B split tests or rotators to optimize landing pages and offers.
• Bot filtering, link alerts, and basic rules to protect ad spend.

Expected outcomes:

• Clean, consistent attribution from click to conversion.
• Reliable insights to increase CTR, EPC, and ROAS.
• Faster iteration cycles with confident testing and scaling.

• Account access: Ensure you can log in to your tracking tool and, if applicable, your affiliate network dashboard.
• Primary URL: The landing page or offer link you want to promote.
• Traffic source: Decide where clicks will originate (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, email, organic, etc.).
• Optional custom domain: A branded subdomain (e.g., go.yourbrand.com) you can map via CNAME.
• Access to DNS: Your registrar or DNS host (e.g., Cloudflare, GoDaddy) to add a CNAME record. See overview of CNAME records on Wikipedia: CNAME record.

Have your UTM strategy ready, too. If you’re new to UTMs, start here: UTM parameters and this practical guide from HubSpot: UTM Parameters: How to Build and Use Them.

Start by confirming defaults that affect every report. Consistent settings minimize discrepancies across channels and teams.

• Timezone: Match your primary ad account or client reporting standard to align daily totals.
• Currency: Set the currency you invoice in or the ad platform uses by default.
• Attribution windows: Pick sensible click and view windows (e.g., 7-day click, 1-day view) based on your product cycle. Shorter windows reduce noise; longer windows can capture delayed conversions.
• Default link options: Consider enabling HTTPS redirects, first-party cookies where supported, and link health checks.

If you use multiple ad platforms, standardize these across tools. For reference on attribution model concepts, see HubSpot’s overview: Marketing Attribution Models.

Branded links improve trust, CTR, and deliverability. Map a subdomain like go.yourbrand.com to your tracking provider via CNAME.

1. Create a CNAME record at your DNS host (e.g., Cloudflare or GoDaddy). Here’s a general guide: Create DNS records.
2. Point the CNAME target to the provider’s host (your tracking dashboard will show the exact target).
3. Enable SSL/HTTPS if offered automatically; wait for DNS propagation.
4. Verify the domain in your tracking tool and set it as default for new links.

Why it matters: Branded links reduce spam filters in email, increase user trust on social, and avoid generic tracking domains that ad platforms may scrutinize.

With your domain ready, build a clean, human-readable link.

• Primary URL: Paste your landing page or offer URL (ensure HTTPS and that the page loads quickly).
• Link name & slug: Use a consistent naming convention such as source-campaign-offer for clarity (e.g., fb-leadgen-webinar).
• Routing options: Start with direct routing to your main page. You can layer split tests or rules later.
• Link mode: Choose standard redirect for most campaigns. Consider open-graph customization for social sharing.

After saving, copy the short link from your custom domain. You’ll add parameters next for precise attribution.

UTMs make reporting consistent across analytics and BI tools. Combine static values with dynamic tokens from each ad platform.

• Core UTMs: utm_source (platform), utm_medium (ad type), utm_campaign (initiative), utm_content (creative), utm_term (keyword).
• Google Ads tokens: Use ValueTrack parameters to auto-insert data: ValueTrack parameters (e.g., {campaignid}, {adgroupid}, {keyword}, {creative}).
• Facebook parameters: Append dynamic placeholders like {{campaign.name}}, {{adset.name}}, {{ad.name}}. See Meta guide: URL Parameters.

Example pattern: ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}&utm_term={keyword}

For background on UTMs, see Wikipedia: Urchin Tracking Module. Using consistent casing and separators (e.g., lowercase-hyphens) keeps your reports clean.

Choose a conversion method that fits your stack and privacy constraints.

• Pixel-based tracking: Add a JavaScript pixel or image beacon to your thank-you page. It’s quick to implement but can be affected by ad blockers and cookie restrictions. Learn about cookies here: HTTP cookies.
• Postback (S2S): Your server or affiliate network pings the tracker with a transaction ID (subid). It’s more resilient to browser limitations and ideal for affiliate offers or cross-domain flows.

When to use:

• Use pixel for owned funnels with direct access to the thank-you page and minimal cross-domain redirects.
• Use postback when an affiliate network fires conversions (pass a unique click ID in the offer URL, then configure the network to send a postback with that ID).
• Hybrid setups are common: pixel for micro-events (views, leads), postback for final revenue confirmations.

Never launch blind. Validate the full path: click → land → convert.

1. Send a test click: Open your tracking link in an incognito window. Confirm the landing page loads and UTM parameters are present.
2. Trigger a test conversion: Complete the form or purchase flow using test credentials where possible.
3. Check logs: Use your tool’s real-time logs to confirm the click and conversion are linked by the same click ID or session.
4. Validate revenue: If you’re passing payout/amount, ensure totals match your CRM or affiliate dashboard.

If something breaks, see the troubleshooting section below and verify redirects: URL redirection and MDN’s HTTP 301 basics.

Testing is the fastest way to increase profits. Use split links or rotators to distribute traffic and identify winners.

• Weighted splits: Send 50/50 traffic to two pages, or bias new challengers with 20/80 until they prove themselves.
• Rules-based routing: Segment by device, GEO, language, or referrer for hyper-relevant experiences.
• Offer rotation: Rotate multiple affiliate offers and automatically pause low performers.
• Lift measurement: Track CTR, CVR, EPC, and AOV per variant to make data-driven decisions.

For background, see A/B testing fundamentals: A/B testing.

Not all traffic is equal. Filter bots and set alerts so anomalies don’t drain your spend.

• Bot filtering: Block known bot user agents and suspicious IP ranges. More on bots: Internet bot.
• Velocity alerts: Get notified if clicks spike unexpectedly or conversion rate crashes.
• Link health: Enable 404/timeout checks and receive alerts if your destination goes down.
• Basic rules: Auto-redirect flagged traffic to a safe page or captcha to preserve offer integrity.

• Broken links: Check for stray characters, unescaped ampersands, or double question marks (use & and append params correctly). Validate with a header checker.
• Double counting: Ensure the pixel doesn’t fire twice (once on load and again on SPA route change). Debounce or fire on confirmed state change only.
• Cross-domain issues: If the funnel hops across domains, prefer postback for final conversion or implement first-party storage and signed IDs.
• Redirect loops: Avoid chaining multiple trackers that each try to redirect; test step-by-step and confirm final destination returns 200 OK. See HTTP 301 guidance.
• Mismatch IDs: When using S2S, confirm the click ID in the offer URL matches the one returned in the postback.

• Templates: Save UTM patterns and default routing as templates for faster campaign launches and fewer mistakes.
• Revenue tracking: Pass order value and currency with your conversions to measure EPC, CPA, and ROAS per link.
• Parallel tracking: For Google Ads, ensure compatibility with parallel tracking to improve page load time: Parallel tracking.
• Team permissions: Use roles for read-only, editor, and admin access to protect critical settings while enabling collaboration.
• Naming conventions: Standardize slugs, campaigns, and creative labels so you can filter and segment at scale.

New to this platform? You can get started with a free trial and follow the exact steps in this guide. Create your workspace, connect a custom domain, and launch your first links—all in under an hour.

ClickMagick Free Trial – set up branded links, UTMs, conversion tracking, and split tests without guesswork.

This approach works whether you’re running paid ads, email, social, or affiliate offers. The sooner you launch, the sooner your data compounds.

You now have a full, end-to-end setup: branded tracking links, standardized UTMs, robust conversion tracking, and a testing framework. With reliable data in place, you can confidently optimize creatives, landing pages, and offers.

Revisit your settings quarterly, refine naming standards, and keep testing. Small, consistent wins add up to big gains in ROAS and revenue.

You can use the default domain, but a branded custom subdomain is strongly recommended. It increases trust and CTR, reduces email spam flags, and gives you more control over link reputation.

Setup is straightforward with a CNAME record, and most providers offer automatic SSL. If you run paid traffic at scale, treat a custom domain as a must-have.

Postback (S2S) is generally more resilient because it avoids browser blockers and cookie limits. If your conversions are confirmed server-side or by an affiliate network, S2S tends to be the most accurate.

Pixels are quick to implement for owned funnels and micro-events. Many stacks use a hybrid: pixel for interim events, postback for final revenue.

Simple redirects and branded short links are fine. Deceptive cloaking that shows different content to users and crawlers violates most ad policies and can harm SEO.

Use transparent 301/302 redirects, keep destination content consistent, and avoid masking content for bots. When in doubt, follow platform policies and use branded, policy-compliant links.

Create separate tracking links per offer or funnel and group them by workspace, project, or naming convention. Use rotators for parallel testing and rules for GEO/device segmentation.

Standardize UTMs across all links so you can roll up performance in BI tools. Pass revenue values on conversions to compare EPC and CPA across offers.

Use shareable dashboards or read-only roles to give clients and teammates access without risking edits. Export CSVs for ad-hoc analysis and schedule email summaries for weekly syncs.

Keep report views clean by standardizing filters (date range, source, campaign) so everyone sees the same truth at a glance.

• Timezone: UTC or your client’s local time (match ad accounts).
• Currency: USD (or your billing currency).
• Attribution window: 7-day click, 1-day view for most direct-response offers.
• Defaults: Force HTTPS redirects, enable bot filtering, and auto-tag with UTMs when possible.

Use predictable, parseable names so anyone can understand a link at a glance.

• Schema: source-objective-week-offer (e.g., fb-prospecting-w1-webinar).
• Slugs: hyphen-case, lowercase, no spaces (e.g., ga-search-shoes-broad).
• UTM casing: lowercase for consistency; avoid special characters.

• Only one ? in the URL; subsequent parameters separated by &.
• No trailing slashes that strip parameters after redirects.
• Dynamic tokens resolve correctly in ad previews.
• Destination analytics (e.g., GA4) receives UTMs as expected.