What a gclid is
GCLID stands for Google Click Identifier. When auto-tagging is on, Google Ads adds it to the URL people click through. Google's own example is a final URL that turns into www.example.com/?gclid=123xyz after the click.
That small code is how your conversions find their way back to the ad click that earned them. The final URL is the page people reach after they click your ad, also known as the landing page. This tool checks that exact page.
This is the same kind of problem we cover in our guide on conversion tracking not working. The tag can be perfect and still have nothing to report, because the click ID was lost before the page loaded.
Why redirects drop it
Google says it plainly: if your website uses redirects, make sure the GCLID is passed to the final landing page in order to track conversions. A redirect is a hand-off. The first address answers with "go here instead," and the browser follows. If the new address leaves off the query string (the part after the question mark), the gclid is gone.
These are the usual causes:
- A redirect rule at your host or a plugin that sends visitors to a clean address with no parameters.
- A move from http to https, or from the bare domain to www, set up without keeping the query string.
- An old page that forwards to a new landing page after a redesign.
- A link shortener or forwarding link placed between the ad and the page.
- A trailing slash or lowercase rule that rewrites the address.
Every extra hop is one more place for the click ID to fall off. Fewer hops is safer, and the best number is often zero.
How to read the result
The checker lists each hop with its address and status code, so you can see where the chain goes. Then it gives one of three answers.
- Your click ID made it through. The final address still carries the gclid. Nothing to fix on the redirect side.
- A redirect drops the gclid. The result names the step where it went missing. That is the redirect to fix.
- Page could not be reached. We got no answer, an error, a timeout, or a chain longer than 8 hops.
It also notes when the chain moves from http to https, or when the domain changes. Those are normal, but they are the first places to look when a gclid goes missing. The check runs from our server, not from your phone, so a page that treats mobile visitors differently may behave differently for a real click.
How to fix a dropped gclid
- Point the ad's final URL straight at the page that loads. If the page lives at a new address, update the ad instead of leaving a redirect behind.
- Find the redirect the checker named. It may be a server rule, a CDN rule, a page builder setting, or a plugin.
- Turn on the option that keeps query parameters. Many redirect tools have a setting for this, often called "preserve query string" or similar. If yours has none, ask your developer to add the query string to the target address.
- Remove extra hops. Go straight from the ad URL to the final https address, with the version of the domain you use.
- Run the check again until the verdict says your click ID made it through.
If you manage many client pages, edits and plugin updates can quietly bring a redirect back, so run this check again after big changes. Paid plans also include weekly landing page monitoring with alerts when a page gets worse.
When auto-tagging matters
Google lists several reasons auto-tagging is needed. It lets you track conversions on your website on all browsers, and Google notes that some browsers require it to track conversions. It is also required to import Google Analytics key event data into Google Ads, and to track offline conversions such as sales that happen in a shop.
Auto-tagging is on by default for new accounts. You can check it in your Google Ads account under Admin, then Account settings, in the Auto-tagging section. Google also warns that a small percentage of websites do not allow arbitrary URL parameters and serve an error page when auto-tagging is on. If your ad link opens an error page, fix that before anything else.
Once the gclid reaches the page, the rest of the chain still has to work: the conversion tag has to load and fire. The ClickMend scanner checks the tracking on your landing page, and the landing page audit guide explains what else it looks at.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool change anything in my Google Ads account?
No. It never connects to your account. It only requests your landing page with a made-up test gclid and reports what happened.
Does the checker use my free scans?
No. The GCLID checker is separate from the page scan. It does not count against the 2 free scans a week.
Will it catch redirects done with JavaScript?
No. It follows server redirects and one simple meta refresh. A page that sends visitors on with JavaScript can still drop the gclid, so test that page in a real phone browser too.
Why does the checker say the page could not be reached?
The page may be down, may be slow, may block automated visits, or may redirect more than 8 times. Open the URL on your phone to see what a real visitor gets.