Create custom parameters for advanced tracking

Custom parameters are an advanced type of URL parameter that you can add to your ad’s landing page URLs. Unlike ValueTrack parameters, you can choose what values your custom parameters record once someone clicks on your ad.

This article explains the steps you’ll need to take to set up custom parameters at different levels of your account.

Before you begin

If you’re not familiar with tracking in Google Ads or ValueTrack parameters, consider reviewing About tracking in Google Ads and Using ValueTrack parameters in your tracking template before getting started.

Instructions for setting up custom parameters

Step 1: Choose a level

You can create up to 8 custom parameters at any level of your account except for the account level. If your custom parameters use the same name, Google Ads will use the most specific custom parameter that you create. This means that if you create a custom parameter for an ad group (e.g. {_color}=red) and a custom parameter for one of the ads within that ad group (e.g. {_color}=blue), Google Ads will use the ad-level custom parameter ({_color}=blue).

Step 2: Define your custom parameters

Custom parameters consist of two parts:

Name: Up to 16 alphanumeric characters
Value: Up to 250 characters; can contain any characters (including | ; _ / ^ ( !), as well as ValueTrack parameters

Both the name and the value can be anything you want. For example, if you have special IDs for each of your keywords, you can create a custom parameter that looks like this: {_mykwid}=1234.

Step 3: Add your custom parameter in the “Custom parameter” field

The new Google Ads experience is now the exclusive way for most users to manage their accounts. Note, automatic targeting is only available in the new Google Ads experience.

Create or edit custom parameters at the campaign level

Sign into your Google Ads account.
In the navigation panel, click All Campaigns.
From the page menu on the left, click Settings.
Click the campaign you want to edit.
Under “Additional settings", select Campaign URL options.
Next to "Custom parameter," enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
Click Save.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1-6 above, make your changes, and click Save.

Create or edit custom parameters in bulk at the ad level

Sign into your Google Ads account.
Click Ads & extensions.
Check the boxes next to all of the ads you want to add custom parameters to.
Click, Edit in the blue bar above the table, then select Change custom parameters from the drop-down menu.
Next to “Add parameters", enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
Click Add.
Click Apply.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1-5 above. Make your changes, and click Apply.

Edit custom parameters at the ad level

Sign in to your Google Ads account.
Click Ads & extensions.
Hover over the ad you’d like to edit and click the pencil icon .
Click the arrow in the top right corner to expand the edit panel.
Under the “Ad URL options” section, enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
Click Save new ad. Saving sends this new ad for review, and removes your old ad.

Create or edit custom parameters at the ad group or keyword level

First, add the “Custom parameters” column to your ad group or keyword table:

Sign into your Google Ads account.
Click Keywords or Ad groups.
Click the columns icon , and select Modify columns.
Click Attributes.
Select Custom parameter.
Click Apply.

Now, add your custom parameter:

Hover over any entry in the "Custom parameter" column and click the pencil icon when it appears.
Enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
Click Save.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1-2 in the second section, make your changes, and click Save.

Create or edit custom parameters at the sitelink level

Sign in to your Google Ads account.
Click Ads & extensions in the page menu, then click Extensions at the top of the page.
Click the plus button , and choose Sitelink extensions.
From the “Add to” drop-down menu, choose the level you’d like to add the sitelink to.
To use an existing sitelink, click Use existing and select the sitelinks that you’d like to add.
To create a new sitelink, click Create new.
Fill out the sitelink text, and URL.
Enter additional text about your link in the Description fields (optional, but highly recommended).When you fill out both lines of description, your sitelink may be eligible to show with these details.
Under “Sitelink URL options” add your custom parameters.
Select if you’re like to use a different URL for mobile.
Click Save.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1-2 above. Then:

Click on the “Extension type” in the blue bar above the table. Choose Sitelink extension from the drop-down menu, then click Apply.
Hover over specific sitelink you want to edit, and click the pencil icon when it appears.
Click the arrow in the top right corner to expand the edit panel.
Under “Sitelink URL options, ” enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
1. Keep in mind that any changes you make will also be applied to any ad group, campaign, or account that shares this sitelink.
After you're done editing, click Save.

Step 4: Add your custom parameter to the “Tracking template” field

Lastly, put your custom parameter’s name in the tracking template, along with the necessary ValueTrack parameters (for example {lpurl}?color={_color}). Once your ad is clicked, Google Ads will replace the name with the value you defined in your custom parameter.