About parallel tracking

This article only applies to the new Google Ads experience. Determine which Google Ads experience you’re using.

Since October 30, 2018, parallel tracking has been enabled for Search and Shopping campaigns on most browsers (we will continue to improve coverage in the coming months). Parallel tracking for Display will be available as an opt-in feature starting May 1, 2019, and required July 31, 2019. Parallel tracking for Video will be available later in 2019. Parallel tracking isn’t currently available for Hotel campaigns, so you won’t need to turn it on for your campaign to function normally. 

Parallel tracking helps load your landing page more quickly which can reduce lost visits. That can lead to increased conversions, and improved ad performance. Parallel tracking sends customers directly from your ad to your final URL while click measurement happens in the background (without sending them to the tracking URLs first). 

Important
 
Check with your click measurement provider to make sure their system is compatible with parallel tracking. Compatibility may vary based on the particular features you have enabled. If there is an incompatibility, your click measurement or landing page could stop working when you turn this setting on. If you're a click measurement solutions provider, you can find more information in our partners guide.

How it works

With parallel tracking, customers are delivered directly to your landing page while click measurement happens in the background.

Here’s what parallel tracking looks like:

  1. Customer clicks your ad.
  2. Customer sees your landing page.

At the same time, in the background:

  1. Google Ads click tracker loads.
  2. Tracking URL loads.
  3. If you use more than one click tracker, additional redirects may load.

Without parallel tracking, customers go through one or more redirects after clicking your ad before they reach your landing page. This means it takes longer for customers to reach your landing page.

Here’s what tracking looks like without parallel tracking:

  1. Customer clicks your ad.
  2. Google Ads click tracker loads.
  3. Tracking URL loads.
  4. Possible additional tracking URL loads.
  5. Customer sees your landing page.

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