GaggleAMP counts clicks via our URL Shortener. When a user clicks on a GaggleAMP-created shortened URL, the user’s browser communicates with our server and our server tells the browser where to redirect the user.
User’s Browser => GaggleAMP Shortened URL => Redirect Instruction => User’s Browser => Final URL
In some cases, the Final URL may be another shortened URL, in which case the process repeats. (This allows clicks to be counted by GaggleAMP and additional shortening services).
GaggleAMP’s URL Shortener counts clicks at the server without using browser cookies. This allows our click tracking to work globally. Some countries are now regulating the use of cookie technology. This is a different process from a service that tracks clicks via a tracking tag that is inserted into the page, like Google Analytics or marketing automation tools. Since such services rely on different technology to track visitors, there can be a discrepancy in the reported data. This discrepancy can be caused by a number of factors:
-
Content/Ad Blockers
-
If the visitor uses a content or ad blocker, GaggleAMP’s URL Shortening service will still be able to count a click since blockers do not affect data recorded at the server. Since the blockers disable tracking in Google Analytics, nothing will appear in Google Analytics for these visitors.
-
-
Mobile or Other Slow Networks
-
GaggleAMP’s URL Shortening service will still count clicks on slow networks. Tracking tag services require additional network communication after the page loads to send tracking information about the visitor. On a mobile or slow network, the visitor may click on another link or close their browser tab before this data can be sent.
-
-
Automated Services (“bots”)
-
“Bots” from other online services frequently make automate requests that look like “clicks” on shortened URLs in order to gather data. These “bots” will be detected by URL shortening services. GaggleAMP aggressively filters our click data to remove any such clicks that we are able to identify.
-
-
Javascript Disabled
-
GaggleAMP’s URL Shortening service does not depend on the visitor’s browser having javascript enabled, while tracking tag services will not work if javascript is disabled.
-
-
Clicks vs Sessions
-
GaggleAMP’s URL Shortening service counts clicks without using cookies, so the same user clicking on a link multiple times will register as multiple clicks. Tracking tag services count sessions or visits and can be configured to show “unique” sessions or visits, so multiple clicks by the same user are shown as a single session or visit.
-