How Parameters & Macros works Last update : May 21, 2020

Introduction

In some article we speak about parameters and some details about tracking pixel/postback.
This is basics but AmaretAds allow you to do more.

URL Parameters

In "Tracking Basics" article, we introduced tracking concepts on our platform.
Parameters are usefull to add details to a tracked link or on general link.
All website use them to pass dynamic data and improve their system.

Take a look at this tracked link example :

On link, parameters always work as a pair of a parameter and value (Example source=MYSOURCE).
To inform website there is some parameters in a link, you need to add "?" character at the end of your basics link and separate all pair by "&" value.

Macros for dynamic value

You can't always know value to put in parameter because it's depend on Publisher or other details. So you can't fix a value in link.
That's why AmaretAds implement macro concept to bypass this.
For example, you want to put transaction id in your advertiser link, but you can know in advance which value to put.

Take a look at this example link :

 http://example.com/tracking?tid={transaction_id}&source={support_source}

As you can see, we enclosed macro name by brackets "{" & "}".
AmaretAds detect he needs to take dynamical value and put it in links.
In this links, we use 2 macros (transaction_id to put in tid parameter and support_source to put in source parameter).
When a user clicks on your tracked link redirect to this link, system replace all macro by value he founds.
So the user will be redirect to somethings like that :

http://example.com/tracking?tid=XXXXXXXXXXXXX&source=XXXXXXXXX

When use Parameters & Macros ?

This question don't have a unique answer and depend on your Advertiser and your Publisher. All of them can work with different method and/or tracking system.
That's imply your contact can have different parameters or macro than AmaretAds.
Don't forget to ask you, who needs the data and who provides it. The one who provides the data have to put it into the link of the one need it.

With Advertiser

An Advertiser can ask you to give it some data like source or others. The only way to send the data is to use parameter in his link and macro if needed dynamical values.

Advertiser need data : The link contains data from his own system. To give them data he needs, use AmaretAds's macro or manually put data in his link.
Advertiser provides data : Here the the situation is reversed. Probably for your conversion pixel or postback. In this case, you need to use AmaretAds parameters and your advertiser has to give it to them in link.

With Publisher

As for Advertiser, you can have to request data. You can receive or send it with parameters' link.

Publisher need data : The link contains data from his own system.Probably for his conversion pixel or postback. To give them data he needs, use AmaretAds's macro or manually put data in his link.
Publisher provides data : Here the the situation is reversed. In this case, you need to use AmaretAds parameters and your advertiser has to give it to them in link.