✓ Transparent Tracking Documentation

Transparent Click Tracker

Documentation for the Gift Card click tracking system used to measure authorized promotional campaign clicks and provide transparent redirection to the destination specified in the tracking URL.

About the Click Tracker

Gift Card operates a transparent-only click tracking endpoint for campaign measurement, attribution and performance reporting on giftcard.org.in.

Every tracking request must include a visible redirection_url (or alias url) query parameter. The tracker never redirects to a hidden database destination when that parameter is omitted.

Transparency principle: When a valid redirection_url parameter is supplied to the transparent tracking endpoint, that parameter identifies the destination used for the redirect. The transparent flow does not silently replace the supplied destination with a separate backend destination.

Live Verification

Use these links to verify that the transparent tracker redirects to the destination specified in redirection_url. The live test uses example.com as the sample destination.

Test redirect → example.com Test with offer_id → example.com
Template placeholders such as {lpurl} are for Google Ads only. They are substituted at click time and should not be opened directly in a browser for manual testing.
https://giftcard.org.in/tracker?redirection_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.example.com%2F

Transparency Parameter

The transparency parameter used by the tracking system is:

redirection_url

The parameter contains the URL representing the next destination in the redirect chain.

The alias parameter url is also accepted with the same meaning as redirection_url.

Tracking URL Example

Manual verification example using a real destination URL:

https://giftcard.org.in/tracker?redirection_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.example.com%2F

Google Ads tracking template example using the Final URL placeholder:

https://giftcard.org.in/tracker?offer_id=3&publisher_id=003&redirection_url={lpurl}

Google Ads substitutes {lpurl} with the Final URL at click time. For manual testing, use a real URL such as https://www.example.com/ instead of {lpurl}.

Tracking Flow

The transparent tracking flow is designed to make the next destination identifiable from the tracking URL.

User / Ad Click
→
GiftCard.org.in Tracker
→
redirection_url
→
Destination

Google Ads Compatibility

The transparent tracking endpoint is designed around a visible next-hop parameter so that the destination can be identified directly from the tracking URL.

The intended tracking template format is:

https://giftcard.org.in/tracker?offer_id=3&publisher_id=003&redirection_url={lpurl}

In Google Ads, set the Final URL to the merchant landing page and use the transparent endpoint above in the Tracking Template. Google replaces {lpurl} with the Final URL when the ad is clicked.

Parallel Tracking

Where a background tracking request is required, the system supports the gb=1 request indicator.

gb=1

A background request with gb=1 is processed for measurement purposes and returns HTTP 204 No Content. It does not replace the transparent destination shown to the user in the main click flow.

https://giftcard.org.in/tracker?offer_id=3&publisher_id=003&redirection_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.example.com%2F&gb=1

Parallel requests return HTTP 204 and do not perform a visible browser redirect.

Campaign Parameters

The tracker can receive campaign attribution parameters such as:

  • offer_id
  • publisher_id
  • sub_id
  • utm_source
  • utm_medium
  • utm_campaign
  • utm_term
  • utm_content

Service Click ID

The tracking system may generate a service-specific click identifier for measurement and attribution.

This identifier is used for tracking purposes and does not define or replace the destination specified through the transparency parameter.

click_id

Destination Validation

Tracking requests are subject to server-side validation before a transparent redirect is performed.

  • The destination must be a valid URL, or a supported Google ValueTrack placeholder such as {lpurl}.
  • Hostnames supplied without a scheme are normalized to https:// before redirect.
  • The transparent tracking flow uses HTTPS destinations.
  • Invalid or malformed destinations are rejected with HTTP 400 rather than silently redirected elsewhere.
  • Unsubstituted template placeholders such as {lpurl} return HTTP 204 during validation or probe requests.
  • Localhost and obvious local development destinations are not accepted.
  • Requests without redirection_url or url are rejected with HTTP 400.
  • Optional offer_id is used only for validation and logging; it does not override the supplied transparency destination.
  • Legacy paths ending in .php redirect permanently to the clean endpoint at /tracker.

Tracking Data

For campaign measurement and reporting, the tracking system may process information associated with a click request, including:

  • Click timestamp
  • Campaign and publisher identifiers
  • UTM attribution parameters
  • Referrer information
  • Request destination
  • IP address
  • User-agent information
  • Device category
  • Browser
  • Operating system

Privacy & Data Handling

Information collected through click tracking is used for campaign measurement, attribution, security and reporting purposes.

For additional information about data handling, please review the Privacy Policy .

Tracking Domain

The public transparent tracking endpoint is:

https://giftcard.org.in/tracker

This documentation page is hosted at:

https://giftcard.org.in/click-tracker

The service-specific non-foreign click identifier appended to outbound redirects is:

click_id

The tracking functionality is operated as part of the Gift Card website infrastructure at giftcard.org.in.

Third-Party Destinations

A campaign may redirect users to an external merchant or promotional destination specified by the campaign configuration or transparent tracking parameter.

External destinations remain subject to their own terms, privacy practices and applicable platform requirements.

Purpose of the Service

The click tracking functionality is intended to provide measurable campaign attribution while keeping the destination visible in the tracking request through the redirection_url parameter.

Gift Card also uses tracked links on its coupons and deals website to measure outbound offer interactions and improve campaign reporting.

Contact

Questions regarding the click tracking implementation, campaign tracking or this documentation can be directed to:

admin@giftcard.org.in

Website: giftcard.org.in