GBRAID and WBRAID

Quick answer: GBRAID and WBRAID are URL parameters that Google Ads adds to landing page URLs for some iOS traffic, where the usual GCLID may not be available. WBRAID helps measure web conversions and GBRAID helps measure app conversions driven by ad campaigns on iOS. They work like the GCLID, but are designed to follow Apple’s privacy rules.

Most Google Ads clicks carry a gclid parameter, which identifies the click so a later conversion can be matched to it. On some iPhone and iPad traffic, Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy limits what can be passed along. Google’s answer was to introduce two additional parameters, wbraid and gbraid, so that conversions on iOS can still be attributed to ad campaigns.

Google introduced the wbraid parameter in March 2021 to help attribute conversions back to ad campaigns and to work with conversion modelling for more accurate iOS measurement. It describes gbraid as the parameter that can help measure app conversions driven by ad campaigns on iOS (Google Ads Help). Google also notes that most advertisers will not be affected by the iOS 14 changes, so how much this matters depends on how much of your traffic comes from iOS.

Why GBRAID and WBRAID matter

If you run lead generation, offline conversion import or app campaigns, the click ID is the thread that ties a sale back to an ad. If a lead arrives from an iPhone with a WBRAID, and your form only stores the GCLID field, that lead has nothing saved. The sale can never be matched back to the click. Capturing only the GCLID quietly drops every iOS click that carries a different ID.

Here is an illustrative example. A Hyderabad real estate developer closes 20 sales from Google Ads leads:

With only GCLID captured, 30% of the sales never return to Google Ads, so campaigns that attract iOS users look weaker than they are. The split above is only an illustration, and your own mix will depend on your audience and devices.

GCLID vs WBRAID vs GBRAID

The three parameters have the same job, which is to identify the ad click, but they serve different situations. You cannot know in advance which one a given click will carry, so a robust setup captures all three.

How to capture GBRAID and WBRAID

1. Make sure auto-tagging is on. The click IDs are added to your landing page URLs through Google Ads, so check the setting as described in our auto-tagging entry.
2. Check that your landing pages accept the parameters. Google notes that arbitrary URL parameters must be allowed and that your tracking template should be compatible with URL parameters. Some security plugins, CDN rules and redirects strip unknown parameters before the page loads.
3. Read all three parameters on landing. Use a small script or your tag manager to read gclid, gbraid and wbraid from the URL.
4. Store them in a first-party cookie or browser storage. People often browse several pages before filling in a form, so the value must survive navigation.
5. Add a hidden field for each ID in your forms. Use separate fields for GCLID, GBRAID and WBRAID instead of one shared field.
6. Save each ID in your CRM, exactly as received. Do not change the case, trim characters or merge the values.
7. Upload with the matching ID type. When you send a conversion back, use the field or column for the ID type the lead actually carries. The Google Ads API has separate fields for GCLID, GBRAID and WBRAID.
8. Test on a real iPhone. Click a live ad on an iOS device and check that the right parameter reaches the final page and your CRM record.

Common problems and fixes

1. Only the GCLID is captured. Add fields and logic for GBRAID and WBRAID as well.
2. A redirect or plugin strips the parameter. Test the full click path and configure redirects to pass the query string through.
3. The ID is lost between pages. Store the value in a first-party cookie or browser storage on the first page, not only in the URL.
4. The ID is altered. These values are case-sensitive in practice, so store them exactly as received. A modified ID will fail to match.
5. The wrong field is used on upload. A WBRAID uploaded in the GCLID column will be rejected. Match each ID to its own field.
6. Conversion action settings block the upload. Third-party guides report that conversion actions used with GBRAID and WBRAID imports may need their counting set to “Every”. Check Google’s current import guidance for your account.
7. Mixing IDs on a single conversion. Google’s rules on combining IDs in one upload have changed over time, so check the current documentation before sending more than one ID for the same conversion.

Common mistakes

1. Treating a missing GCLID as a tracking bug. On some iOS clicks, a different ID is used by design.
2. Building the CRM around one field. A single “GCLID” column cannot hold all three IDs, so plan the fields before you collect leads.
3. Assuming iOS does not matter. Share of iOS traffic varies by audience, and higher-value buyers in some categories skew towards iPhone. Check your own device split in analytics.
4. Forgetting app flows. If your ads send people to an iOS app, GBRAID needs to be passed through deep links or your app attribution partner as well.
5. Ignoring consent and privacy. Even though these IDs are designed to be privacy-safe, you still need a clear privacy notice and valid consent practices for the data you store.

Frequently asked questions

What are GBRAID and WBRAID?

GBRAID and WBRAID are URL parameters that Google Ads uses to measure conversions from iOS traffic in a way that follows Apple’s App Tracking Transparency rules. WBRAID helps attribute web conversions on iOS, and GBRAID helps measure app conversions driven by ad campaigns on iOS.

What is the difference between GBRAID and WBRAID?

WBRAID is used for web conversions from iOS traffic, where the customer clicks an ad and converts on a website. GBRAID is used for app conversions from iOS traffic, such as when the customer clicks an ad and the journey continues in your iOS app. Neither contains personal information about the user.

Do I still need GCLID if I capture GBRAID and WBRAID?

Yes. GCLID is still the standard click ID for most web clicks. GBRAID and WBRAID cover the iOS cases where a GCLID is not available. Capture all three, because you cannot know in advance which one a given click will carry.

Why is the GCLID missing on some iPhone clicks?

Apple’s App Tracking Transparency policy limits the identifiers that can be passed on some iOS traffic. For those clicks, Google adds WBRAID or GBRAID instead of a GCLID, so a form that only captures GCLID will miss them.

Can I use GBRAID and WBRAID for offline conversion import?

Yes. Google Ads supports uploading offline conversions with GBRAID and WBRAID, and the Google Ads API has separate fields for GCLID, GBRAID and WBRAID. Store each ID exactly as received, and check Google’s current import guidance for conversion count settings and whether IDs can be combined in one upload.

How Uginix helps

Uginix audits how your landing pages, forms and CRM capture click IDs, then fixes the gaps so iOS leads are no longer lost. We set up GCLID, GBRAID and WBRAID capture, test it on real devices and connect it to offline conversion import and enhanced conversions. See our analytics and attribution work, or request a free growth audit if your CRM sales do not match what Google Ads reports.

Related terms

• Auto-tagging: the Google Ads setting that adds click IDs to your landing page URLs.
• Offline conversion import: sending CRM sales back to Google Ads, matched to the original click.
• Enhanced conversions: matching conversions with hashed first-party customer data.
• Attribution window: the time limit within which a click or view can earn credit for a conversion.
• Lookback window: how far back a tool searches for touchpoints before a conversion.

Sources: Google Ads Help, Updates to iOS 14 campaign measurement, Google Ads Help, Offline conversion imports FAQs, CustomerLabs, What are GCLID, GBRAID and WBRAID parameters.