Within the platform, there are two columns used for uploading keyword, creative, product group, and placement URLs. These are the Destination URL Column and the Click Through URL column. Which one you use depends on your URL Builder settings.

What Does The URL Builder Do? 

The URL Builder is a tool that applies the platform's tracking parameters and any other tracking parameters you plan to use to your keyword, creative, placement, and product group URLs.

Depending on your tracking solution, the URL Builder is either adding tracking parameters to the end of the URL when uploading a keyword, creative, product group, or placement, or inserting a redirect to a tracking provider in front of the URL.

It’s important to know which option you are using, as it impacts how you should upload URLs. You can see the settings by following these steps:

1. Click the Settings at the top right.
2. Select the Revenue & Tracking.
3. You will automatically be on the URL Templates sub-tab.

Destination URL Vs. Click-Through URL 

In deciding which column you should use for your bulk uploads, there are a few things to take into consideration. Here are a few questions you should ask:

• Has URL Builder been enabled in your account?
• If yes, is it set up to build Standard URLs or Redirect URLs? 

We've created a handy chart to help out with this decision and we'll go into additional details in the sections below.

Accounts Not Using The URL Builder 

If your URL Builder has never been set up or is not currently active, you should use the Destination URL column to upload URLs. If your URL Builder does not have any templates, then changes are good your account has not been set up to use URL Builder. 

Note: We recommend you check these settings for each publisher to confirm that they are all set up in the same manner. 

Accounts Set Up To Build Standard URLs 

Once you've launched the URL Builder, select the check-box next to a template and click on the Edit button ('pencil' icon) to see its settings. If your Redirect Level is set to None, then your URL Builder has been set up to build Standard URLs.

Accounts using Standard URLs should use the Destination URL column to upload URLs.

Note: We recommend you check these settings for each template/publisher to confirm that they are all set up in the same manner. 

Accounts Set Up To Build Redirect URLs 

Once you've launched the URL Builder, select the check-box next to a template and click on the Edit button ('pencil' icon) to see its settings. If your Redirect Level is set to ingle or Double, then your URL Builder has been set up to build Redirect URLs.

Accounts with this setting should use the Click-Through URL column to upload URLs.

Notes on this method:

• Using the wrong column may cause your upload to fail. Using both columns at once may also cause your upload to fail. Therefore, before you upload URLs, make sure that you are only using one column and that it’s the correct one.
• Warning: If the Destination URL column is included and blank, your destination URLs will be deleted.
• We recommend you check these settings for each template/publisher to confirm that they are all set up in the same manner. 

Important Information About The URL Columns 

If you're using the URL Builder to build Redirect URLs, you do not need to upload the Destination URL column in your bulk upload because the platform will do this for you. If you do try to upload both the Destination URL and Click-Through URL columns, you may see this error:

In this case, simply remove the Destination URL column from your upload and the error will be resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why Does The Click-Through URL Sometimes Contains Tracking Parameters? 

Here are a couple of possible explanations for this:

• You uploaded tracking parameters into the Landing Page box in the URL Builder rather than the Redirect 1 or Redirect 2 box.
• You uploaded the full Destination URL into the Click Through URL column when using Redirects. To fix this, re-upload your base landing page Click Through URLs.

Why Is The Click-Through URL Sometimes Empty But Showing URLs In The Grid? 

This issue is commonly caused by the Click-Through URL copying the data of the Destination URL when the Click-Through URL is empty.

I Bulk Uploaded Click Through URLs But The App Did Not Trigger A Rebuild For Destination URLs. Why? 

If you upload a file with a blank Destination URL field, this issue can occur. You should include only the Click Through URL field and not the Destination URL field at all. If the platform won't accept the change with the same Click Through URL in your upload, you should alter the URLs slightly (e.g. adding / at the end) and try again. If this fails, upload altogether different URLs, then the original ones again (this will force the platform to accept them).

Important Notes 

• If you're using redirects and you upload a Click Through URL that is identical to the one currently in the system, it will be ignored. This means that no URL will be rebuilt.
• If your Click Through URL is supposed to be appended by tracking parameters (e.g. mkwid) in URL Builder, please do not include these parameters when you update the Click Through URL. Doing so will cause the URL Builder to ignore these parameters, therefore not updating.
• It's possible your URL Builder is set up differently from one publisher to the next, so be sure to check your URL Builder settings for each publisher to confirm that they're set up in the same manner.