Click ID
Also known as: Click identifier
In short
An identifier attached to an advertising click so a measurement system can associate that interaction with related activity or conversions.
Keep a reference to the ad interaction
A click ID gives a measurement workflow a reference to an ad click. Different platforms use different identifiers and rules. Google Ads uses GCLID in supported auto-tagging flows; Microsoft Advertising uses msclkid.
These values are usually passed in landing-page query parameters. A website or measurement integration captures the identifier and supplies it with later events when the platform’s workflow requires it.
UTM parameters serve another role: they label a source, medium or campaign. Many clicks can share those labels. A click ID should therefore not be replaced with a campaign name or used as a product identifier.
Illustrative workflow
Imagine a fictional shopper clicking a Microsoft ad and submitting a quote request. The landing page receives the click identifier. The business associates it with the lead record, then passes it through the supported conversion workflow when an eligible outcome is recorded.
This describes the data relationship, not a complete implementation or a promise that every event will match.
Preserve the platform’s value
Treat click IDs as opaque strings. Redirects, URL cleanup and form handling must not accidentally remove or alter them. Follow the platform’s storage, consent and upload requirements. An identifier is a measurement reference, not proof of a person’s identity or evidence that the advertising caused a purchase.