Google Ads iOS App Tracking: When to Skip UTM Parameters

Your Google Ads app install campaigns include both manual UTM parameters and Google's automatic wbraid parameter. While this doesn't break tracking, the UTMs are redundant—Google's auto-tagging handles everything for iOS app campaigns.

Here's the complete guide to understanding wbraid and simplifying your app campaign tracking setup.

What is wbraid?

wbraid = Web-to-App Browsing ID (officially: Web Browsing Advertising ID)

It's Google's tracking parameter designed specifically for iOS app campaigns where Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework restricts traditional attribution methods.

Example URL with wbraid

Before click (your Google App Campaign destination):

https://apps.apple.com/app/your-app/id123456789

After click from iOS device (what user sees):

https://apps.apple.com/app/your-app/id123456789?wbraid=abc123xyz...

Google automatically appends this parameter—you don't configure it or build it into your URLs.

What wbraid is

wbraid (Web-to-App Browsing ID) is Google's parameter for tracking iOS app installs and web-to-app conversions. It works around Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) restrictions introduced in iOS 14.

What wbraid Tracks

App Install Attribution:

• Campaign and ad group that drove install
• Keyword or placement that triggered the ad
• Ad creative performance
• Install timestamp and device info

Web-to-App Conversions:

• User sees ad on mobile web → installs app later
• User clicks ad on desktop → installs app on mobile
• Cross-device attribution (when signed into Google)

In-App Events:

• First open
• Registration or account creation
• In-app purchases
• Subscription starts
• Custom conversion events

Campaign Performance:

• Cost per install (CPI)
• In-app conversion rate
• Return on ad spend (ROAS)
• Lifetime value (LTV) by campaign

When you run Google Ads campaigns promoting app installs or app engagement, Google automatically appends wbraid to iOS traffic. Important: GA4 does NOT create duplicate sessions when both wbraid and manual UTMs are present—auto-tagging takes precedence. The UTMs are simply ignored, making them unnecessary.

How wbraid Works: Technical Flow

Step 1: User Sees Google App Campaign Ad

You create a Google Ads app campaign promoting your iOS app. Your destination is the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/fitness-tracker/id987654321

Step 2: User Clicks Ad from iOS Device

Google's ad server:

1. Detects iOS device
2. Generates unique wbraid value containing attribution metadata
3. Appends it to App Store URL: apps.apple.com/app/fitness-tracker/id987654321?wbraid=abc123xyz

Step 3: User Installs App

User clicks "Get" in App Store and installs the app. When app opens:

1. Firebase SDK or Google Analytics for Firebase reads the wbraid from iOS system
2. Associates the install with Google Ads campaign
3. Begins tracking user actions in-app

Step 4: User Completes In-App Events

When the user converts in-app (purchases, subscribes, etc.):

1. Firebase sends conversion event to Google
2. Event includes the original wbraid value
3. Google matches conversion back to specific campaign, ad group, and keyword
4. Attribution data flows into Google Ads

Step 5: Reporting in Google Ads

Google Ads shows:

• Installs by campaign
• In-app conversion events
• Cost per install
• ROAS by campaign

All tracked automatically via wbraid with zero manual configuration.

wbraid vs Other Google Parameters

Google automatically selects the correct parameter based on campaign type and device.

Why wbraid Instead of gclid for Apps?

Pre-iOS 14 app tracking:

• Used IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers)
• Cross-app attribution worked seamlessly
• Advertisers could track user journey from ad click → install → in-app events

iOS 14+ with ATT:

• Apple requires explicit user permission to access IDFA
• 70-80% of users decline tracking
• Traditional attribution methods fail

wbraid solution:

• Works within ATT restrictions
• Uses SKAdNetwork for privacy-safe attribution
• Provides campaign-level performance without individual user tracking

The simplification

You can remove manual UTM parameters from Google Ads app campaigns since Google's auto-tagging handles attribution:

For iOS app campaigns: Google appends wbraid For web campaigns on Safari/iOS: Google appends gbraid For all other traffic: Google appends gclid

Step-by-Step: Remove Redundant UTMs

1. Enable auto-tagging

1. Open Google Ads
2. Navigate to Settings → Account Settings
3. Find Auto-tagging section
4. Enable: "Tag the URL that people click through from my ad"
5. Save

2. Remove manual UTM parameters

If using tracking template:

• Remove any ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaign} patterns
• Google automatically appends wbraid for iOS app campaigns

If using final URL:

• Change: https://apps.apple.com/app/id123?utm_source=google&utm_medium=app
• To: https://apps.apple.com/app/id123

3. Set up Firebase for iOS

For wbraid to work, you need Firebase SDK in your iOS app:

1. Add Firebase to your iOS project
2. Install Firebase SDK (via CocoaPods, Swift Package Manager, or direct download)
3. Link Firebase to Google Ads in Google Ads settings

4. Configure app conversion tracking

In Google Ads:

1. Tools & Settings → Conversions
2. Create app conversion actions (install, purchase, subscription, etc.)
3. Link to Firebase events

5. Verify tracking

1. Run test app campaign
2. Click ad from iOS device
3. Verify ?wbraid=... appears in App Store URL
4. Install app and trigger test conversion
5. Check conversion appears in Google Ads (may take 24-48h)

Google Ads automatically applies the correct tracking parameter based on platform and campaign type.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Issue 1: wbraid + Manual UTMs = Redundant Tracking

Problem: You added manual UTMs to app campaign URLs, but Google still appends wbraid.

URL example:

apps.apple.com/app/id123?utm_source=google&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=launch&wbraid=abc123

Impact: GA4 and Firebase ignore the UTM parameters. The UTMs are wasted effort and create URL clutter.

Fix: Remove manual UTMs. Auto-tagging handles everything.

Issue 2: App Installs Not Showing in Google Ads

Problem: Users install app from Google Ads, but Google Ads shows zero installs.

Cause: Firebase not linked to Google Ads.

Fix:

1. Set up Firebase in your iOS app
2. Link Firebase project to Google Ads account
3. Enable app conversion tracking in Google Ads
4. Verify Firebase is sending events to Google

See: Firebase for iOS Setup

Issue 3: wbraid Not Appearing on App Store URL

Problem: iOS traffic to App Store doesn't have wbraid parameter.

Possible causes:

1. Auto-tagging disabled in Google Ads → Enable it
2. Not using app campaign type → wbraid only for app campaigns
3. User clicked from organic search → wbraid only for Google Ads

Verification:

1. Create test app campaign
2. Click ad from iOS device
3. Inspect App Store URL immediately after click
4. Confirm ?wbraid=... present

Issue 4: In-App Conversions Not Tracked

Problem: App installs tracked correctly, but in-app events (purchases, subscriptions) not showing in Google Ads.

Cause: Firebase events not configured or not linked to Google Ads conversion actions.

Fix:

1. Configure Firebase events in your app code:

   SwiftCopy

   // Example: Purchase event
   Analytics.logEvent(AnalyticsEventPurchase, parameters: [
     AnalyticsParameterCurrency: "USD",
     AnalyticsParameterValue: 29.99
   ])

2. Link Firebase events to Google Ads conversion actions
3. Verify events appear in Firebase console
4. Wait 24-48h for conversions to appear in Google Ads

wbraid vs Manual UTMs: Detailed Comparison

Verdict: wbraid provides complete iOS app attribution with zero manual configuration.

Platform Comparison: App Tracking Parameters

All platforms use auto-tagging for app campaigns—manual UTMs are not recommended.

FAQ

Do I need to enable wbraid separately from gclid?

No. Enabling auto-tagging in Google Ads activates all Google click ID parameters (gclid, gbraid, wbraid) automatically. Google selects wbraid specifically for iOS app campaigns.

Can I use both wbraid and manual UTMs?

Technically yes, but the manual UTMs are ignored by Firebase and Google Ads. Auto-tagging takes precedence. Using both creates URL clutter without any benefit.

Does wbraid work for Android app campaigns?

No. Android app campaigns use standard gclid parameter. wbraid is specifically for iOS where ATT restrictions require special handling.

How long is the wbraid parameter value?

Typically 80-150 characters. Example:

?wbraid=0AAAAADw7i1pQwFjZGE1YmU4LTRhODktNGRmZS05ZjZhLWVjZmU4NzE3YmZmZQ

This is normal and doesn't impact app install conversion rates.

Can I decode the wbraid parameter to see attribution data?

No. wbraid is an encrypted identifier. Only Google's servers can decrypt it. However, all attribution data captured by wbraid is visible in Google Ads campaign reports.

Does wbraid work if the user doesn't grant ATT permission?

Yes. wbraid works within Apple's ATT framework using SKAdNetwork for aggregated attribution. Individual user tracking requires ATT permission, but campaign-level attribution works without it.

What happens if a user installs the app days after clicking the ad?

wbraid attribution works for up to 30 days post-click for app installs. If user installs within 30 days, the install is attributed to the original campaign.

Can I track specific ad creative performance without UTMs?

Yes. wbraid captures ad-level performance automatically. In Google Ads, you can see performance broken down by:

• Campaign
• Ad Group
• Ad (specific headlines/descriptions)
• Keyword or placement

No manual utm_content needed.

Does wbraid work for web-to-app conversions?

Yes. wbraid tracks scenarios where:

• User sees ad on mobile web → installs app later
• User clicks ad on desktop → installs app on mobile device
• Cross-device attribution when user is signed into Google

Do I need Firebase for wbraid to work?

Yes. wbraid requires Firebase SDK in your iOS app to:

• Read wbraid from iOS system after install
• Track in-app conversion events
• Send attribution data to Google Ads

Without Firebase, app installs won't be tracked.

Related Resources

Internal Guides

• Google App Campaigns Tracking - Complete setup guide
• iOS 14 Privacy & UTM Tracking - How ATT affects app tracking
• Platform Click ID Conflicts - Auto-tagging across all platforms
• Google Ads Double Sessions Fix - Troubleshooting duplicate data

Google Official Documentation

• Track app conversions with wbraid - Official wbraid guide
• Firebase for iOS Setup - Firebase SDK installation
• Google Ads App Campaigns - App campaign guide

Apple Resources

• App Tracking Transparency - Official ATT documentation
• SKAdNetwork - Apple's attribution framework

Conclusion

Google's wbraid parameter is the automatic, privacy-safe tracking solution for iOS app campaigns.

Unlike manual UTM parameters, wbraid provides:

• ✅ Zero configuration (automatic)
• ✅ iOS ATT compliance via SKAdNetwork
• ✅ App install attribution
• ✅ In-app conversion tracking
• ✅ Cross-device attribution
• ✅ Campaign performance reporting in Google Ads
• ✅ Zero human errors

Best practice for Google Ads iOS app campaigns:

1. Enable auto-tagging in Google Ads account settings
2. Never add manual UTM parameters to app campaign URLs
3. Set up Firebase SDK in your iOS app
4. Link Firebase to Google Ads
5. Configure app conversion tracking
6. Let Google append wbraid automatically

Result: Complete iOS app attribution without manual work or errors.

Related Documentation:

• Platform Click ID Conflicts
• Google Ads Auto-Tagging Validation