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Test your tracking templates

Learn how to test your tracking template to make sure it will send customers to the right landing page.

If you use tracking templates, you can test them to make sure:

  • They will send customers to the right landing page.
  • They are set up correctly for parallel tracking.

The tracking template test button is now available at the account, campaign, ad-group, ad, keyword, and Sitelink-Extension level.

How to test your tracking templates

Account level expando image
Note

We're redesigning Microsoft Advertising, so the steps to complete a task may be different based on the version you're using. Learn more about the redesign and which version you're using.

  1. From the main menu on the left, click All campaigns, then Settings, and then Account settings.
  2. Click the Test button. Microsoft Advertising will sample 10 URLs from your account and test them.
  3. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  4. Hover over the message to see the full test results.
  1. In the left navigation pane, click Shared Library and then Account level options.
  2. Click the Test button. Microsoft Advertising will sample 10 URLs from your account and test them.
  3. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  4. Click the ellipsis icon More information icon next to the message to see the full test results.
Campaign level expando image
Note

We're redesigning Microsoft Advertising, so the steps to complete a task may be different based on the version you're using. Learn more about the redesign and which version you're using.

  1. From the main menu on the left, click All campaigns and then Campaigns.
  2. Click a campaign name and then Settings.
  3. Under Campaign URL options, click Tracking template.
  4. Click the Test button. Microsoft Advertising will sample 10 URLs from your campaign and test them.
  5. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  6. Hover over the message to see the full test results.
  1. From the Campaigns page, click the Campaigns tab.
  2. Click a campaign name and then Settings.
  3. Under Campaign URL options, click Tracking template.
  4. Click the Test button. Microsoft Advertising will sample 10 URLs from your campaign and test them.
  5. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  6. Click the ellipsis icon More information icon next to the message to see the full test results.
Ad-group level expando image
You can test tracking templates at the ad-group level either in an ad group's settings page or inline in the ad group table.
Ad group settings page expando image
Note

We're redesigning Microsoft Advertising, so the steps to complete a task may be different based on the version you're using. Learn more about the redesign and which version you're using.

  1. From the main menu on the left, click All campaigns and then Ad groups.
  2. Click an ad group name and then Settings.
  3. Under Ad group URL options, click Tracking template.
  4. Enter your tracking template URL in the box.
  5. Click the Test button.
  6. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  7. Hover over the message to see the full test results.
  1. From the Campaigns page, click the Ad groups tab.
  2. Click an ad group name and then the Settings tab.
  3. Under Ad group URL options, click Tracking template.
  4. Enter your tracking template URL in the box.
  5. Click the Test button.
  6. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  7. Click the ellipsis icon More information icon next to the message to see the full test results.
Ad group table expando image
Note

We're redesigning Microsoft Advertising, so the steps to complete a task may be different based on the version you're using. Learn more about the redesign and which version you're using.

  1. From the main menu on the left, click All campaigns and then Ad groups.
  2. Make sure that the Tracking template column is visible. If it isn't:
    1. Click Columns > Modify columns.
    2. Click Attributes.
    3. Next to Tracking template, click Add.
    4. Click Apply.
  3. Hover over the Tracking template column of the appropriate ad group and click the pencil icon.
  4. Enter your tracking template URL in the box.
  5. Click the Test button.
  6. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  7. Hover over the message to see the full test results.
  1. From the Campaigns page, click the Ad groups tab.
  2. Make sure that the Tracking template column is visible. If it isn't:
    1. Click Columns > Modify columns.
    2. Click Attributes.
    3. Next to Tracking template, click Add.
    4. Click Apply.
  3. Hover over the Tracking template column of the appropriate ad group and click the pencil icon.
  4. Enter your tracking template URL in the box.
  5. Click the Test button.
  6. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  7. Click the ellipsis icon More information icon next to the message to see the full test results.
Ad level expando image
Note

We're redesigning Microsoft Advertising, so the steps to complete a task may be different based on the version you're using. Learn more about the redesign and which version you're using.

Note: Ad-level testing is only supported for Expanded Text Ads.

  1. From the main menu on the left, click All campaigns and then Ads & extensions.
  2. Either:
    1. New ad: Click Create ad, select an ad group, and then click Ad URL options to expand the section.
    2. Existing ad: Select the checkbox next to an ad and click Edit > Change URL options.
  3. Enter your tracking template URL in the Tracking template box.
  4. Click the Test button.
  5. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  6. Hover over the message to see the full test results.

Note: Ad-level testing is only supported for Expanded Text Ads.

  1. From the Campaigns page, click the Ads tab.
  2. Either:
    1. New ad: Click Create ad, select an ad group, and then click Ad URL options to expand the section.
    2. Existing ad: Select the checkbox next to an ad and click Edit > Change URL options.
  3. Enter your tracking template URL in the Tracking template box.
  4. Click the Test button.
  5. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  6. Click the ellipsis icon More information icon next to the message to see the full test results.
Keyword level expando image
Note

We're redesigning Microsoft Advertising, so the steps to complete a task may be different based on the version you're using. Learn more about the redesign and which version you're using.

  1. From the main menu on the left, click All campaigns and then Keywords.
  2. Make sure that the Tracking template column is visible. If it isn't:
    1. Click Columns > Modify columns.
    2. Click Attributes.
    3. Next to Tracking template, click Add.
    4. Click Apply.
  3. Hover over the Tracking template column of the appropriate keyword and click the pencil icon.
  4. Enter your tracking template URL in the box.
  5. Click the Test button.
  6. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  7. Hover over the message to see the full test results.
  1. From the Campaigns page, click the Keywords tab.
  2. Make sure that the Tracking template column is visible. If it isn't:
    1. Click Columns > Modify columns.
    2. Click Attributes.
    3. Next to Tracking template, click Add.
    4. Click Apply.
  3. Hover over the Tracking template column of the appropriate keyword and click the pencil icon.
  4. Enter your tracking template URL in the box.
  5. Click the Test button.
  6. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  7. Click the ellipsis icon More information icon next to the message to see the full test results.
Sitelink-Extension level expando image
Note

We're redesigning Microsoft Advertising, so the steps to complete a task may be different based on the version you're using. Learn more about the redesign and which version you're using.

  1. From the main menu on the left, click All campaigns.
  2. From the page menu, click Campaigns or Ad groups.
  3. In the table, click the campaign or ad group you want to add an extension to.
  4. From the page menu, click Ads & extensions.
  5. From the top of the page, click Extensions.
  6. If not already selected, click Sitelink Extensions.
  7. Click Create ad extension > Add new Sitelink Extension.
  8. Click Sitelink Extension URL options to expand the section.
  9. Enter your tracking template URL in the Tracking template box.
  10. Click the Test button.
  11. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  12. Hover over the message to see the full test results.
  1. Click Campaigns at the top of the page.
  2. Click the Ad Extensions tab.
  3. If not already selected, click Sitelink Extensions and select Account, Campaign, or Ad group.
  4. Click Create ad extension.
  5. Select the campaign or ad group you want to add the extension to.
  6. Click Add new Sitelink Extension.
  7. Click Sitelink Extension URL options to expand the section.
  8. Enter your tracking template URL in the Tracking template box.
  9. Click the Test button.
  10. Check the resulting message below the Tracking template box for a brief description of the results.
  11. Click the ellipsis icon More information icon next to the message to see the full test results.

What the full test results show

Results message
The message indicates whether a problem was encountered with the landing page or parallel tracking URL and provides the landing page URL that the testing tool returned. See the next section for more information on results messages.
Click URL
The click URL is passed to your website server or third-party tracking system when the search user clicks the ad. The testing tool constructs the click URL by appending the tracking template parameters and their values to the final URL.
Tracking template
This is the tracking template that will be applied when the ad is served. We also show what entity level the template is coming from.
Final URL
This is the URL you entered when you created the ad.
Attributes
The listed URL and custom parameters and their values will be passed to your third-party tracking system when the ad is served.

What the results messages mean

Landing page results messages
  • Landing page found: You're all set: The testing tool successfully found your landing page.
  • Page not found: The testing tool found no results for this URL. Please make sure your tracking template, custom parameter(s), and final URL are correct.
  • URL mismatch: There is a mismatch somewhere in your URL, which is not allowed. Your landing page and final URL must share the same domain, the URLs in your redirect chain must begin with your final URL, and the redirects after your final URL must stay on the same domain. Please review your URL and make sure it meets the requirements listed in the Microsoft Advertising URLs and landing page policies page.
  • Page unreachable: We couldn’t reach the landing page. The request may have timed out. Please try again.
  • System error: We encountered an error while testing your landing page. Please try again.
Tracking URL results messages
  • Tracking call successful: You're all set: The testing tool was able to successfully call the tracking URL created in the parallel tracking scenario.
  • Tracking call unsuccessful: The testing tool was not able to successfully call the tracking URL created in the parallel tracking scenario. Make sure your tracking template and any custom parameters are correct.

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