The Google Marketing Platform intends to use Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox to support key advertising use cases such as interest-based advertising, remarketing, and conversion measurement. For conversion measurement in particular, the platform will be using the Attribution Reporting API in combination with advertiser-provided first-party data to measure conversions without third-party cookies.
Next steps for publishers, AdTech, and search engines
Google Marketing Platform ecosystem partners should take the following steps to verify ad event registration with the Attribution Reporting API, enabling marketers to gain valuable conversion measurement insights:
Include the attributionsrc parameter in impression and click trackers
Publishers, ad techs, and search engines should ensure that the Attribution Reporting API’s attributionsrc HTML parameter is maintained within impression and click trackers. This will support the use of Floodlight conversion tags for measurement and bidding across the Google Marketing Platform. Current testing of the Attribution Reporting API shows the attributionsrc parameter is frequently missing before Google Marketing Platform impression or click tags fires. Ecosystem partners should confirm that provided attributionsrc attributes are included in ad tags so marketers can receive attribution for these ad events via the Attribution Reporting API.
Add the attributionsrc parameter to impression & click events in VAST
For publishers and SSPs that are integrated with Google’s Interactive Media Ads SDK, support for the attribute is automatically included. For publishers and SSPs that are integrated with other SDKs, work with your SDK to adopt the VAST addendum published by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) that enables support for the Attribution Reporting API. Regardless of how the VAST protocol is being used, it is important to note that registration must occur in order for impression and click events to be eligible for attribution.
Call ads and conversions from HTTPS
Ads and conversion tags should be rendered on or called from HTTPS pages or iframes. If these tags are called via a URL redirect, then the URL sending the redirect should also be using HTTPS.
Next steps for Marketers
Use the Google tag as the format for your Floodlight activities
Google Tag or Google Tag Manager allows you to fortify click-through conversion attribution measurement capabilities in an environment with fewer deterministic signals. This tagging infrastructure makes it possible to gather a click ID for deterministic linking of a click event with a conversion event. If a Google Tag solution is already deployed for other Ads products, you can add the Campaign Manager 360 or Display and Video 360 snippet to your existing tags to measure ad events for the Google Marketing Platform.
Disable attribution for Floodlight tags where they aren't needed for bidding or optimization, or turn Standard tags driving many repeat conversions per user (e.g. pageview tags) to Unique tags
The Attribution Reporting API has limits to how many conversion events can be reported after a click or impression takes place. This privacy constraint imposed by the API, otherwise known as the Conversion Contribution Limit, specifically limits the advertiser to measure 20 conversion events after an ad interaction. In order to make the most of the limit, it is recommended that you deactivate any Floodlight tags that are not essential for your measurement needs. Additionally, consider converting Standard tags that experience high volumes of traffic on specific pages of your website to Unique tag types. This approach will allow you to preserve full funnel conversion attribution measurement capabilities. Please note that this limitation is the number of conversions per user and not the number of conversion tags that are triggered. You should choicefully select which conversion tags are enabled to preserve conversion measurement throughout your site funnel.
Create a strong framework to collect and maintain users’ consent with Consent Mode
If a user from the European Economic Area is using your website or app and you measure user behavior with Google tags, you need to collect and pass end-user consent choices to Google. Consent mode allows you to adjust how your Google tags behave based on the visitor's interaction with the consent banner on your website.
Turn on YouTube auto-tagging in Display & Video 360 and enhanced attribution in Campaign Manager 360
YouTube auto-tagging in Display & Video 360 and enhanced attribution in Campaign Manager 360 make it possible to append a click ID to the landing page URL when a user clicks on an ad. Click IDs are a critical signal to preserve deterministic measurement signals as they make it possible to deterministically link a click event with a conversion event. Leverage these durable strategies in Display & Video 360 and Campaign Manager 360 to bolster click-through conversion attribution capabilities. Please note that you must use the Google tag as the format for your floodlight tag in order to make use of click IDs for attribution.
Confirm your conversion domains are set up properly for each placement in Campaign Manager 360
The Attribution Reporting API supports conversion attribution on three domains, or otherwise known as conversion destinations, after an impression or click event. While Campaign Manager 360 will infer the top three domains on your website, you can update those domains at the placement level to instruct the API where to report on conversions when an ad event takes place. Conversion attribution will not be possible using the Attribution Reporting API if the appropriate conversion domains are not specified at the time of the ad event.
Set up new tracking ads for a more accurate conversion attribution in Campaign Manager 360
Record impressions & clicks on ads that are not served by Campaign Manager 360 with the Attribution Reporting API by using tracking ads that have the attributionsrc parameter in the ad tag. If you are using static tracking ads, you need to generate new tracking ads with the new parameter included. If you are using hosted creatives, Campaign Manager 360 will automatically include the parameter for you. Please note that Campaign Manager 360 launched support for tracking ads with the attributionsrc parameter in May 2023, so if you created a tracking placement after that date, then your tracking ad will have this parameter included.
Identify any HTTP pages on your site and convert them to secure HTTPS pages to meet website security standards
The Attribution Reporting API does not register events without HTTPS support at the time of the ad or conversion event. Scan your website to locate any pages still using HTTP and transition them to HTTPS protocol to ensure events can be measured with the API.