Tracking Links

Capture click IDs from ad campaigns, detect the ad network, and route users to the right store experience.

What Tracking Links Do#

Capture click IDs -- extract fbclid, gclid, ttclid, or oppref from the URL query string
Detect the ad network -- identify the source based on click ID presence, utm_source, or link defaults
Record the click -- store the click for later attribution matching
Route to app store -- send Meta and TikTok traffic directly to the store, while Google and ChatGPT Ads use crawlable landing pages with store buttons

Link URL Format#

Default Tracking Link Format

https://your-domain.com/api/c/{linkId}

Google Ads Landing Page Format

https://your-domain.com/g/{linkId}

ChatGPT Ads Landing Page Format

https://your-domain.com/o/{linkId}

Create tracking links in the AppRefer dashboard under the Links page for your app. Google and ChatGPT Ads links are displayed with /g/ and /o/ paths respectively; direct-redirect networks continue using /api/c/.

Custom Store Product Pages#

A tracking link can override the default store destination for each platform. Use an App Store Custom Product Page URL for iOS and a Google Play Custom Store Listing URL for Android. If a per-link destination is blank, AppRefer falls back to the app's default store URL from Settings.

Per-link store page destinations

{
  "storeVariantKey": "creator_a",
  "iosStoreUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/example/id1234567890?ppid=abc123",
  "androidStoreUrl": "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.example.app&listing=creator_a"
}

Android Install Referrer Is Preserved

AppRefer still appends its Play Install Referrer payload for Android attribution. When opening the Play Store app, it also preserves the listing parameter so Google Play can show the custom store listing.

Query Parameters#

Parameter	Source	Description
fbclid	Meta (Facebook)	Facebook click identifier
gclid	Google Ads	Google click identifier
ttclid	TikTok	TikTok click identifier
oppref	ChatGPT Ads	Opaque OpenAI click reference
campaign_id	All networks	Campaign identifier
campaign_name	All networks	Campaign name (shown in dashboard)
adset_id / adgroup_id	All networks	Ad set / ad group identifier
adset_name / adgroup_name	Meta / TikTok	Ad set / ad group name
ad_id	Meta	Individual ad identifier
ad_name	Meta	Individual ad name
utm_source	Any	Traffic source name
utm_medium	Any	Traffic medium (cpc, cpm, etc.)
utm_campaign	Any	Campaign name (fallback if campaign_name missing)

Network Detection Priority#

Click ID presence -- fbclid = Meta, gclid = Google, ttclid = TikTok, oppref = ChatGPT Ads
utm_source -- fallback if no click ID is present
Link default -- the network configured on the link itself

Ad Campaign Setup#

All ad platforms require the base URL and tracking parameters in separate fields. Copy each from the Links page in your dashboard.

Meta — paste in Website URL

https://apprefer.com/api/c/your_meta_link

Meta — paste in URL Parameters

fbclid={{fbclid}}&campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&campaign_name={{campaign.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}

Google — paste in Final URL

https://apprefer.com/g/your_google_link

Google — paste in Final URL Suffix

campaign_id={campaignid}&campaign_name={campaignname}&adgroup_id={adgroupid}&keyword={keyword}

ChatGPT Ads — paste in Destination URL

https://apprefer.com/o/your_openai_link

ChatGPT Ads appends oppref

Do not create or transform oppref yourself. OpenAI adds it to a real ad click. Because ChatGPT Ads does not currently offer dynamic campaign URL macros, configure the external campaign/ad group/ad IDs on the AppRefer link itself.

Google Uses a Landing Page

Google Ads can block uncertified third-party click trackers in the final URL. AppRefer Google links therefore use a real landing page at /g/{linkId} with App Store and Google Play buttons. Meta and TikTok links are unchanged and continue using the direct /api/c/{linkId} flow.

Google Landing Page Content#

Google links automatically pull public App Store and Google Play metadata from your app's configured store URLs. The page can populate with app name, description, screenshots, rating/proof, and store buttons with no extra setup. Add a headline, short description, screenshots, feature bullets, rating/proof, and an optional review quote only when you want to override the store content.

Optional landingPage payload

{
  "headline": "Track better workouts on your phone",
  "subheadline": "Plan sessions, compare progress, and stay consistent.",
  "features": [
    "Build workouts around your goals",
    "See progress after every session",
    "Install from the official app stores"
  ],
  "imageUrls": [
    "https://example.com/screenshot-1.png",
    "https://example.com/screenshot-2.png"
  ],
  "rating": "4.8 stars",
  "proof": "Trusted by 10k+ lifters",
  "testimonial": "Makes tracking my gym routine simple.",
  "testimonialAuthor": "App Store review"
}

TikTok — paste in Destination URL

https://apprefer.com/api/c/your_tiktok_link

TikTok — add as Custom Parameters

campaign_id=__CAMPAIGN_ID__&campaign_name=__CAMPAIGN_NAME__&adgroup_id=__AID__&adgroup_name=__AID_NAME__

Macro Syntax Varies by Network

Each ad network uses a different syntax for dynamic macros. Meta uses {{fbclid}}, Google uses {gclid}, and TikTok uses __CLICKID__. These are replaced with actual values by the ad platform at serve time.

Default Links#

AppRefer can auto-create default tracking links for Meta, Google, and TikTok with your configured App Store and Play Store URLs. Enable this in the Links page to get started quickly without manual link creation.