Introduction
The platform offers full support for the Microsoft Advertising {BidMatchType} and {MatchType} dynamic tracking parameters.
{BIDMATCHTYPE} Vs. {MATCHTYPE}
Microsoft Advertising offers two different dynamic tracking parameters for keyword match type that can be used in URLs for tracking purposes:
- {BidMatchType}: This parameter returns the bid match type of the keyword that triggered the ad. This is the match type selected by the advertiser when creating the keyword. This is also the match type shown in the platform.
- {MatchType}: This parameter returns the delivered match type that was used by Microsoft Advertising to match the keyword to the user's search query. This may or may not be equal to the match type shown in the platform.
These two parameters resolve with the following values:
- {MatchType}: b, e, p, c
- {BidMatchType}: bb, be, bp, bc
Example
Let's assume an advertiser creates the keyword 'red shoes' with match type Broad. If a web user searches for 'buy red shoes', this query would match the keyword. In this case, the bid match type (i.e. {BidMatchType}) is Broad, because that is the match type set by the user for the keyword. The delivered match type (i.e. {MatchType}), however, is Phrase because the exact phrase 'red shoes' is contained in the user's search query.
Implications For Tracking
- The platform supports the values returned by {BidMatchType} (i.e. bb, be, bp, bc) in the Match Type column of revenue upload files.
- Since the platform must receive the bid match type in revenue upload files in order to properly identify the keyword that led to a conversion, {BidMatchType} should be used in Microsoft Advertising URLs whenever possible.
- If you are using creative-level tracking, you must use {BidMatchType} on Microsoft Advertising URLs for tracking to work as expected. If you have {matchtype} instead of {BidMatchType} in your URLs, you may see errors that Warning: Attributed only to the creative in the Results column of revenue files for Microsoft Advertising objects.
