GBRAID / WBRAID

GBRAID and WBRAID are URL parameters that Google uses for privacy-compliant conversion tracking on iOS devices.

If you buy iOS traffic through Google Ads, you see some conversions only through these two parameters. If they are missing, the link to the campaign is missing, and your reports look worse than the campaign actually performs. The good news: usually you only have to make sure nothing blocks the parameter.

Where the term comes from

The trigger was Apple’s privacy rule App Tracking Transparency, or ATT. According to Google, since April 26, 2021 it no longer sends the Google Click Identifier (GCLID) for iOS 14 traffic coming from ads in some Google apps. Traffic from other Google sources still carries the GCLID.

In March 2021, Google introduced the WBRAID parameter. GBRAID followed to measure conversions from app deep links on iOS. Both are meant to help attribute iOS conversions to the campaign without breaking Apple’s rules.

How the parameters work

The Google Ads API describes the direction like this: “A gbraid is a URL parameter that is present when a user clicks on an ad on the web and is directed to your iOS app.”

The counterpart is the WBRAID. It appears when someone clicks an ad inside an iOS app and lands on your web page. This is how web conversions from the affected Google apps can be attributed.

The parameters are coarser than a GCLID. They do not lead to a single person but allow attribution at campaign level. For offline conversion imports, custom conversion variables cannot be used together with WBRAID or GBRAID. According to Google, GBRAID is available there only for Search, Shopping, Display and Performance Max.

How it differs from GCLID and modeling

The GCLID remains the standard click ID. Auto-tagging appends it, and it identifies the click uniquely. GBRAID and WBRAID replace it only where ATT prevents it. Both kinds can show up in the same report.

Conversion modeling is a different building block. It estimates conversions statistically when no direct match is possible. GBRAID and WBRAID, by contrast, provide an observed, if coarse, match. The two complement each other but do not replace each other.

Enhanced conversions are a separate thing too. There you add customer data that you collected yourself to conversions. GBRAID and WBRAID come from the click and need no customer data. Depending on your account, you use both paths in parallel.

What this means for your account

First check whether the Google tag on your website is installed correctly. Google states that its own tags pass the appropriate parameter automatically when they detect iOS traffic. Google describes a test itself: click your ad in a Google app and see whether “?wbraid=” appears in the landing page URL.

For app deep links, turn on auto-tagging in your account settings. Do not strip URL parameters in analytics tools or redirects in a way that could affect the parameter. Check for filter rules that cut off unknown parameters.

Keep an eye on iOS campaigns that use Smart Bidding. Google advises adjusting CPA or ROAS targets if the reported iOS numbers shift. For manual CPC, Google advises avoiding bid adjustments until reported iOS conversions normalize.

If you import offline conversions, store the parameters too. For that, they have to be read from the URL when the landing page loads and saved in your CRM or form.

Talk to whoever maintains your tracking about exactly these points. Ask whether parameters get filtered in the analytics tool and whether redirects keep them. A short test with a real iOS device settles this in a few minutes and saves trouble in your reporting later.

Limits and typical mistakes

A common mix-up is the two names. The direction is easy to swap: GBRAID leads from the web into the app, WBRAID from the app to the web. If you reverse them, you look for the parameter in the wrong place.

A second mistake is redirects that lose parameters. If the click first lands on a redirect and then on the target page, the URL has to keep the parameter. A test click checks this.

Third, the parameters are no cure-all. They deliver coarse data, and some iOS conversions remain hard to measure. This applies especially to small accounts, where few conversions fluctuate strongly anyway. Plan for swings in your reports and do not compare iOS blindly with other devices.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to add GBRAID and WBRAID to my links myself?

As a rule, no. Google states that its tags pass the appropriate parameter automatically when they detect iOS traffic. You only need to make sure the Google tag is installed correctly and that no filter strips the parameter.

Are GBRAID and WBRAID the same as the GCLID?

No. The GCLID is the classic click ID from auto-tagging. GBRAID and WBRAID take its place for certain iOS traffic, because Apple's privacy rules prevent the GCLID there. They are coarser and do not allow matching to individual people.

Can I import offline conversions with GBRAID and WBRAID?

Yes, the Google Ads API accepts both parameters for imports. Google recommends sending them along when they are present on the landing page. You cannot combine them with custom conversion variables, though.