Terms & definitions.
A comprehensive reference for server-side tracking, conversion attribution, and digital advertising terminology.
Tracking Fundamentals
Server-Side Tracking
A method of collecting and sending conversion data directly from your server to ad platforms (like Facebook or Google), rather than relying on browser-based JavaScript pixels. Server-side tracking bypasses ad blockers, cookie restrictions, and iOS tracking limitations, resulting in significantly higher data accuracy.
Browser-Side Tracking
Traditional conversion tracking using JavaScript pixels that run in the user's web browser. While easy to implement, browser-side tracking is increasingly unreliable due to ad blockers, cookie restrictions, and privacy features like iOS App Tracking Transparency. Typically achieves only 45-60% match rates.
Signal Loss
The reduction in conversion tracking accuracy caused by iOS 14+ restrictions, ad blockers, browser cookie limitations, and privacy regulations. Browser-based pixels experience an average of 42% signal loss, meaning nearly half of your conversions go untracked. Server-side tracking recovers most of this lost data.
Match Quality
A metric (typically shown as a percentage or score) that indicates how well your conversion events are matched to the users who triggered them. Higher match quality means better ad optimization and more accurate reporting. DealOracle achieves 90-98% match quality compared to 45-60% for browser pixels.
Event Deduplication
The process of preventing the same conversion event from being counted multiple times when sent from both browser-side and server-side sources. Deduplication uses unique identifiers (event_id) to ensure accurate conversion counting. Without proper deduplication, you'll see inflated conversion numbers.
Platform APIs
CAPI (Conversions API)
Meta's server-side tracking solution that sends conversion events directly from your backend server to Facebook, bypassing browser restrictions. CAPI is essential for maintaining conversion data accuracy after iOS 14. It works alongside the Facebook Pixel for redundancy and deduplication.
Enhanced Conversions
Google's server-side tracking feature that uses hashed first-party data (email, phone number, name, address) to improve conversion measurement accuracy in Google Ads. Enhanced Conversions supplement the data collected by Google's tags, recovering conversions that would otherwise be lost.
TikTok Events API
TikTok's server-side tracking solution for sending conversion events directly from your server to TikTok Ads Manager. Similar to Facebook's CAPI, it provides more reliable conversion data than browser-based pixel tracking, especially for iOS users.
Click Identifiers
Click Identifier
A unique tracking parameter added to URLs when users click on ads. Each ad platform has its own click identifier: Facebook (fbc), Google (gclid), TikTok (ttclid). These IDs are crucial for matching conversions back to the original ad click for accurate attribution.
FBC (Facebook Click ID)
Facebook's click identifier stored as a first-party cookie (_fbc) when a user clicks a Facebook ad. The fbc parameter contains the click timestamp and click ID, enabling Facebook to match conversions to specific ad clicks. Format: fb.1.{timestamp}.{click_id}
FBP (Facebook Browser ID)
A Facebook browser identifier stored as a first-party cookie (_fbp) that helps Facebook identify users across sessions. Unlike fbc which requires an ad click, fbp is set for all visitors and provides additional matching data when fbc isn't available.
GCLID (Google Click ID)
Google's click identifier parameter added to destination URLs when users click Google Ads. The gclid is used to attribute conversions to specific ad clicks and is essential for Google Enhanced Conversions. It's typically captured from the URL and stored with the lead record.
TTCLID (TikTok Click ID)
TikTok's click identifier parameter passed in the URL when users click TikTok ads. The ttclid is used by TikTok Events API to match conversions to specific ad clicks for proper attribution and optimization.
Privacy & Security
SHA-256 Hashing
A one-way cryptographic hashing algorithm used to convert personally identifiable information (PII) into a fixed-length string of characters. Ad platforms require PII to be SHA-256 hashed before transmission for privacy compliance. DealOracle automatically hashes all sensitive data.
PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
Any data that can identify a specific individual, including email addresses, phone numbers, names, and addresses. When sending conversion data to ad platforms, PII must be properly formatted and SHA-256 hashed to protect user privacy while enabling conversion matching.
iOS 14 / ATT
Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework introduced in iOS 14.5, which requires apps to get explicit user permission before tracking activity across other companies' apps and websites. With only ~25% opt-in rates, ATT has caused significant signal loss for digital advertisers.
ITP (Intelligent Tracking Prevention)
Apple Safari's privacy feature that limits the lifespan of cookies and restricts cross-site tracking. ITP caps first-party cookies to 7 days and blocks third-party cookies entirely, significantly impacting browser-based conversion tracking.
GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation is an EU privacy law that governs how personal data can be collected, processed, and stored. GDPR requires explicit consent for tracking and mandates proper data handling. Server-side tracking with hashed data helps maintain GDPR compliance.
Attribution & Analytics
Offline Attribution
The process of matching offline conversions (closed deals, phone sales, in-store purchases) back to the original online ad click that generated the lead. DealOracle enables offline attribution by storing click IDs with leads and sending conversion events when deals close.
Conversion Event
A specific action taken by a user that you want to track and optimize for, such as form submission (Lead), purchase (Purchase), signup (CompleteRegistration), or appointment booking (Schedule). Each event is sent to ad platforms for attribution and optimization.
Attribution Window
The time period during which a conversion can be attributed to an ad click. For example, a 7-day click attribution window means conversions occurring within 7 days of an ad click will be attributed to that click. iOS 14 has reduced attribution windows for many advertisers.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
A key marketing metric calculated by dividing revenue generated by advertising cost. Better conversion tracking through server-side tracking leads to more accurate ROAS calculations and improved campaign optimization signals.
Technical
Webhook
An automated HTTP callback that sends data from one system to another when an event occurs. In DealOracle, webhooks are used to receive lead data from CRMs and landing page platforms in real-time. When a new lead is captured, your CRM sends the lead data to DealOracle's webhook URL.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of protocols and tools that allows different software systems to communicate with each other. DealOracle's REST API enables programmatic sending of conversion events, retrieval of analytics data, and management of integrations.
Event ID
A unique identifier assigned to each conversion event, used for deduplication between browser-side and server-side events. When the same event_id is received from both sources, ad platforms count it as a single conversion rather than two.
First-Party Data
Data collected directly from your customers and website visitors, including email addresses, phone numbers, and form submissions. First-party data is more reliable and privacy-compliant than third-party data, and is essential for server-side tracking.
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