Glossary
Tracking template
A Google Ads field for your tracking URL, with the final URL inserted through the {lpurl} parameter. It records the click for your tracker without changing where the visitor lands, and accounts new to click trackers must use a certified one.
Also called: tracking URL template, click tracking template.
You can set it at account, campaign, ad group, ad, keyword or sitelink level, and the most specific one wins. A typical template calls the tracker with ValueTrack parameters such as {keyword} or {device} and includes {lpurl}. Microsoft Advertising has the same field. Google notes that template changes can take 24–48 hours to reach serving ads, so edit before a launch, not during it.
Under parallel tracking the template loads in the background, so it cannot route anyone: geo splits and offer rotation do not belong here. If the template leads to content different from the final URL, Google treats it as Destination mismatch. Since August 2023, accounts using click trackers for the first time may only use certified ones, so check that your tracker is on Google's list before building on it.
Related terms: Final URL, Destination mismatch, Tracker, Click ID, Redirectless tracking.