Hugo Carvalho

<p>Attribution usually breaks somewhere between the ad click and the conversion. ClickTrail makes it survive: cached pages, dynamic forms, multi-page journeys, repeat visits, and consent requirements.</p>
<p>ClickTrail keeps the source of the visit, not a profile of the visitor. Capture is first-party and consent-aware: the plugin does not call external services to identify or enrich visitors, and data only leaves your site through integrations you enable yourself (GTM, webhooks, server-side delivery).</p>
<p>ClickTrail stores first-touch and last-touch attribution from the landing page and keeps it available until the conversion point, where it becomes usable inside WordPress:</p>
<ul>
<li>WooCommerce orders</li>
<li>supported forms</li>
<li>browser events</li>
<li>optional server-side delivery</li>
</ul>
<p>In WooCommerce, ClickTrail stores attribution on the order, pushes enriched purchase events on the thank-you page, and can optionally emit GA4-style storefront events for <code>view_item</code>, <code>view_item_list</code>, <code>view_cart</code>, <code>add_to_cart</code>, <code>remove_from_cart</code>, and <code>begin_checkout</code>, plus post-purchase milestones, through the same ClickTrail pipeline.</p>
<h4>Pick a starting path</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>WooCommerce store</strong>: enable Capture and WooCommerce. Orders carry campaign context from day one; add storefront events later if you want funnel signals.</li>
<li><strong>Lead-gen forms</strong>: enable Capture and Forms. Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms get hidden fields automatically; Gravity Forms and WPForms fill the <code>ct_*</code> fields you add.</li>
<li><strong>GTM / sGTM stack</strong>: enable Capture, Events, and Delivery. Browser events push to the <code>dataLayer</code>, and the server-side adapters feed sGTM or platform APIs directly.</li>
</ul>
<h4>What problems it solves</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>No paid order reports as “direct”</strong>: Paid traffic often ends up looking like direct traffic by the time an order is placed. ClickTrail stores attribution on the order and keeps purchase reporting tied to campaign context.</li>
<li><strong>No checkout journey goes dark</strong>: WooCommerce storefront journeys can emit opt-in <code>view_item</code>, <code>view_item_list</code>, <code>view_cart</code>, <code>add_to_cart</code>, <code>remove_from_cart</code>, and <code>begin_checkout</code> signals through the same ClickTrail event layer used elsewhere in the plugin.</li>
<li><strong>No cached or AJAX-rendered form drops attribution</strong>: Hidden fields often break on cached pages or dynamically rendered forms. ClickTrail includes client-side fallback and dynamic-content support.</li>
<li><strong>No cross-domain hop breaks continuity</strong>: Approved link decoration and attribution tokens keep continuity between domains or subdomains.</li>
<li><strong>No consent signal is ignored</strong>: Consent controls, browser events, webhook intake, and server-side transport live in the same plugin and respect the same consent state.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Core capabilities</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Capture</strong>: first-touch and last-touch UTMs, major ad click IDs, and referrers with automatic organic/social/referral fallback when UTMs are absent.</li>
<li><strong>WooCommerce</strong>: checkout attribution persistence, thank-you purchase event push, enriched commerce payloads, optional storefront commerce events, and optional order-status milestones.</li>
<li><strong>Forms</strong>: automatic hidden-field enrichment for Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms, compatible hidden-field population for Gravity Forms and WPForms, client-side fallback, dynamic form support, and WhatsApp attribution continuity.</li>
<li><strong>Events</strong>: browser event collection with <code>dataLayer</code> pushes, canonical REST intake, webhook ingestion, lifecycle updates, one-time WordPress follow-up events such as <code>login</code>, <code>sign_up</code>, and <code>comment_submit</code>, and optional WooCommerce storefront events.</li>
<li><strong>Delivery</strong>: optional server-side transport, retry queue, diagnostics, consent-aware dispatch, and failure telemetry.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Recent additions</h4>
<p>Recent releases extended the Gravity Forms integration with channel classification, merge tags, and per-form controls:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Channel classification</strong>: every GF entry now receives a <code>ct_ft_channel</code> value — a human-readable label such as Google Ads, ChatGPT, or Mailchimp — derived from click IDs, UTM parameters, or referrer context. A server-side fallback covers sessions where JS attribution was unavailable.</li>
<li><strong>Expanded click ID capture</strong>: six additional click IDs (Reddit <code>rdt_cid</code>, Pinterest <code>pin_cid</code>, Snapchat <code>snap_cid</code>, Mailchimp <code>mc_cid</code> / <code>mc_eid</code>, and Display & Video 360 <code>dclid</code>) are now captured and stored.</li>
<li><strong>Merge tags</strong>: nine <code>{clicutcl_*}</code> merge tags are available in GF notifications and confirmations, including <code>{clicutcl_channel}</code>, <code>{clicutcl_click_id}</code>, and seven UTM-based tags.</li>
<li><strong>Per-form toggle</strong>: attribution tracking can be enabled or disabled per form via a dedicated ClickTrail section in Gravity Forms form settings.</li>
<li><strong>Admin QA mode</strong>: attribution data is stored in <code>sessionStorage</code> only when a <code>manage_options</code> user is logged in, preventing admin browsing from appearing in attribution reports.</li>
<li><strong>sessionStorage fallback</strong>: attribution capture now falls back to <code>sessionStorage</code> when the browser blocks cookies.</li>
<li><strong>Minification protection</strong>: ClickTrail script tags carry exclusion attributes recognised by Autoptimize, Cloudflare Rocket Loader, WP Rocket, and LiteSpeed Cache (corrected attribute set in 1.7.0).</li>
</ul>
<h4>Current admin structure</h4>
<p>The main settings experience is organized by capability:</p>
<ul>
<li>Capture</li>
<li>Forms</li>
<li>Events</li>
<li>Delivery</li>
</ul>
<p>Operational screens stay separate:</p>
<ul>
<li>Logs</li>
<li>Diagnostics</li>
</ul>
<h4>Supported integrations</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Forms</strong>: Contact Form 7, Elementor Forms (Pro), Fluent Forms, Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms, WPForms</li>
<li><strong>Commerce</strong>: WooCommerce</li>
<li><strong>CMP sources</strong>: ClickTrail banner, Cookiebot, OneTrust, Complianz, GTM, custom</li>
<li><strong>Webhook providers</strong>: Calendly, HubSpot, Typeform</li>
<li><strong>Server-side adapters</strong>: Generic collector, sGTM, Meta CAPI, Google Ads / GA4, LinkedIn CAPI, Pinterest Conversions API, TikTok Events API</li>
</ul>
<h4>Forms behavior by plugin</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms</strong>: ClickTrail can add hidden attribution fields automatically.</li>
<li><strong>Gravity Forms and WPForms</strong>: ClickTrail can populate matching hidden fields you add to the form.</li>
<li><strong>Recommended for Gravity Forms and WPForms</strong>: add the hidden fields you want stored or exported, and ClickTrail will fill them.</li>
<li><strong>Elementor Forms (Pro)</strong>: ClickTrail uses the available submission hooks and attribution fallback, not automatic hidden-field injection.</li>
<li><strong>Ninja Forms</strong>: ClickTrail stores attribution with the submission and surfaces it in the submission record, not as automatic hidden-field injection.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Supported click IDs</h4>
<ul>
<li>Google: <code>gclid</code>, <code>wbraid</code>, <code>gbraid</code></li>
<li>Meta: <code>fbclid</code></li>
<li>TikTok: <code>ttclid</code></li>
<li>Microsoft: <code>msclkid</code></li>
<li>X / Twitter: <code>twclid</code></li>
<li>LinkedIn: <code>li_fat_id</code></li>
<li>Snapchat: <code>sccid</code></li>
<li>Pinterest: <code>epik</code></li>
</ul>
<h4>Additional capture fields</h4>
<ul>
<li>Extended UTMs: <code>utm_id</code>, <code>utm_source_platform</code>, <code>utm_creative_format</code>, <code>utm_marketing_tactic</code></li>
<li>Browser/platform identifiers: <code>fbc</code>, <code>fbp</code>, <code>_ttp</code>, <code>li_gc</code>, <code>ga_client_id</code>, <code>ga_session_id</code></li>
</ul>


ClickTrail – UTM, Click ID & Ad Tracking (with Consent)

Consent-aware attribution for WooCommerce, WordPress forms, and event flows. Capture UTMs and click IDs across conversion paths.

Thijs Joosten Digital Acquisition

<p><strong>S2S Conversions</strong> sends purchase and lead events directly from your server to Google Analytics 4 via the Measurement Protocol — bypassing ad blockers, browser restrictions, and cookie limitations.</p>
<p>Unlike client-side tracking via Google Tag Manager, server-side events are never blocked and always arrive — even when a visitor uses an ad blocker, Safari ITP, or closes the browser before the thank-you page loads.</p>
<h4>Key Features</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>GA4 purchase tracking</strong> — sends complete purchase data including items, revenue, tax and shipping</li>
<li><strong>GA4 lead tracking</strong> — tracks form submissions as generate_lead events</li>
<li><strong>Session ID tracking</strong> — correctly attributes conversions to the right channel (Google Ads, Meta, Organic) instead of Unassigned/Direct</li>
<li><strong>Form integrations</strong> — supports Contact Form 7, WPForms, Gravity Forms, and Elementor Pro Forms</li>
<li><strong>10 cookie consent tools</strong> — works with Cookiebot, Complianz, OneTrust, Real Cookie Banner, Borlabs, iubenda, Moove GDPR, CookieScript, WP Cookie Notice, and a custom banner</li>
<li><strong>Adblocker-proof</strong> — events are sent server-side, never blocked</li>
<li><strong>GDPR-ready</strong> — GA4 events contain no personally identifiable information; consent is respected before sending any data</li>
<li><strong>Debug log viewer</strong> — built-in log viewer in the settings page for easy troubleshooting</li>
<li><strong>WooCommerce HPOS compatible</strong> — fully supports High Performance Order Storage</li>
</ul>
<h4>How It Works</h4>
<ol>
<li>When a customer completes a checkout, the plugin captures the GA4 session data (client_id, session_id) before the payment redirect</li>
<li>After payment, the plugin sends the purchase event server-side via the GA4 Measurement Protocol</li>
<li>Because the session data was captured before the redirect, the conversion is correctly attributed to the original traffic source</li>
</ol>
<h4>Upgrade to TJDA Pulse</h4>
<p>The free version tracks GA4 only. Upgrade to <strong>TJDA Pulse</strong> at <a href="https://pulse.tj-da.com" rel="nofollow ugc">pulse.tj-da.com</a> for:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Google Ads</strong> — server-side click conversion upload + enhanced conversions</li>
<li><strong>Meta CAPI</strong> — Facebook/Instagram Conversions API with email and phone hashing</li>
<li><strong>LinkedIn CAPI</strong> — LinkedIn Conversions API</li>
<li><strong>Data Manager API</strong> — dual-write to Google’s Data Manager API</li>
<li><strong>Lead conversion slots</strong> — map specific forms to specific Google Ads conversion actions</li>
<li><strong>License management</strong> — secure per-domain licensing</li>
</ul>
<h4>Supported Consent Tools</h4>
<ul>
<li>Cookiebot</li>
<li>Complianz</li>
<li>OneTrust</li>
<li>Real Cookie Banner v3</li>
<li>Borlabs Cookie</li>
<li>iubenda</li>
<li>Moove GDPR</li>
<li>CookieScript</li>
<li>WP Cookie Notice</li>
<li>Custom banner (cookieConsent cookie)</li>
</ul>
<h4>External Services</h4>
<p>This plugin sends data to the following external services:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Google Analytics</strong> (analytics.google.com) — to send purchase and lead events via the Measurement Protocol. <a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" rel="nofollow ugc">Google Privacy Policy</a></li>
<li><strong>s2s-plugin.tj-da.com</strong> — to verify DPA (Data Processing Agreement) acceptance. No personal data is sent; only a domain verification request is made. <a href="https://s2s-plugin.tj-da.com/privacy.php" rel="nofollow ugc">Privacy Policy</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Additional Information</h3>
<p>S2S Conversions was built out of frustration with the growing gap between what web analytics reports and what actually happens. Ad blockers, iOS tracking prevention, and payment redirects cause a significant portion of conversions to go unrecorded — meaning marketers make decisions based on incomplete data.</p>
<p>The solution is straightforward: send conversion events from the server instead of the browser. The server always fires. It doesn’t get blocked. It doesn’t lose session data during a payment redirect. And because it captures the GA4 session ID before any redirect happens, conversions are attributed to the right channel — Google Ads, Meta, Organic — instead of showing up as Unassigned or Direct.</p>
<p>This free version focuses entirely on GA4 and handles the most common scenarios: WooCommerce purchases and form submissions. It works alongside your existing Google Tag Manager setup, not instead of it.</p>
<p>If you need server-side tracking for Google Ads, Meta CAPI or LinkedIn CAPI, TJDA Pulse at <a href="https://pulse.tj-da.com" rel="nofollow ugc">pulse.tj-da.com</a> covers those platforms with the same approach.</p>
<p>Built by <a href="https://tj-da.com" rel="nofollow ugc">Thijs Joosten Digital Acquisition</a> — a digital marketing specialist focused on measurement, attribution and conversion optimisation.</p>


S2S Conversions

Server-side GA4 tracking via the Measurement Protocol. Adblocker-proof, GDPR-ready, and free forever.

ClickTrail – UTM, Click ID & Ad Tracking (with Consent) vs S2S Conversions