Auto-tagging of URLs

Auto-tagging is a feature that automatically appends HockeyStack’s unique parameters to the URL tracking templates.

Benefits of Auto-Tagging

There are two main benefits of auto-tagging:

• Accurate Attribution

  Eliminates manual tagging mistakes and ensures each ad is tracked back to its source, campaign, and creative

• Time Savings

  Automates the tagging process once at the account or campaign level, rather than tagging each URL manually.

How does it work?

Currently, we support the auto-tagging feature for Google, Bing and LinkedIn Ads. This feature reduces manual tagging errors, enriches reporting data, and makes tracking more accurate.

LinkedIn Ads

• HockeyStack’s script will go over every active campaign and automatically append our parameters to your tracking templates

• It will not remove any existing URL tracking parameters, only append additional ones

• We cannot tag campaigns that contain {{CREATIVE_NAME}} in the dynamicValueParameters due to the API limitation.

• Thought Leader Ads, Message ads, and Document ads are not supported and cannot be tracked due to the API limitation

Google Ads

• HockeyStack’s script will add our parameters on the customer level and then to all campaigns where Campaign URL Options are not empty. If the campaign does not have any URL Options set up, it will be skipped and covered by customer level parameters.

• If your campaigns already have URL Options set up, the script will append our parameters to the existing campaign template. It will not edit any existing parameters.

Bing Ads

• HockeyStack’s script will add our parameters to all campaigns.

• If your campaigns already have URL Options set up, the script will append our parameters to the existing campaign template. It will not remove any existing URL tracking parameters, only append additional ones.

Dynamic URLs

Here is the list of HockeyStack parameters:

Parameter Key	Parameter Value
hstk_network	linkedinAds, googleAds, or bingAds
hstk_creative	{creative}
hstk_campaign	{campaignid}

Enabling Auto-Tagging

1. Ensure your ad account (LinkedIn, Google, or Bing) is integrated with HockeyStack and you have administrative (write) permissions.

2. Go to Settings → API & Integrations → [Platform] → Configure.

3. Toggle Auto-tagging Creatives and Campaigns.

4. Click Save.

HockeyStack appends tracking parameters automatically but only at certain levels depending on the platform. If you set UTMs manually at a deeper level (for example, inside individual ads), they will override the template and disable auto-tagging.

Troubleshooting

No 'hstk' parameters in the URL

Confirm auto-tagging is enabled in Settings. Check if it is being overwritten by an ad-level template.

I turned off auto-tagging, but still see URL parameters showing up. Why?

When you turn off auto-tagging we stop appending our parameters to new campaigns/accounts, but it doesn’t affect those that were already appended (we do not delete tags from affected templates).

I need auto-tagging enabled for Facebook Ads but I don't see an option for it (similar to Google or LinkedIn). Why?

This is because we cannot turn on auto-tagging for Facebook due to API limitations. Once an ad has been launched and has impressions, it's not possible add parameters or change tracking template. So be sure to add unique parameters to the tracking template such as Ad ID, Campaign ID and Adset ID in your ad platform (Facebook). Parameters that we currently use as a fallback for mappings

1. Ad ID -> utm_content, hsa_ad, _bt, creative

2. Ad set -> utm_term, hsa_grp, _bg

3. Campaign ID -> utm_id, hsa_cam, campaign_id, gad_campaignid