Troubleshooting Outreach Conversion Tracking and Link Attribution

GC Outreach lets you track which email links drive donations. If conversion counts remain at zero even with clicks and donations, the issue may be with how links are formatted. This article explains common causes and troubleshooting steps.

Overview

Proper conversion tracking depends on correctly formatted links with tracking parameters. In GC Outreach, only links inserted using the Insert GC Link feature automatically include the necessary codes. Note that click tracking logs every link click, while conversion tracking only records donations made directly through these links.

Common Issues with Link Attribution

Copy-Pasted Links vs GC Links

• Copy-pasted links lack necessary tracking codes. Without these, donations aren’t attributed even if donors click and donate.

• Use the Insert GC Link feature. This automatically includes all required tracking parameters.

Differences Between Email Editors

• The Beta email editor uses different underlying technology from the standard editor. Both support the Insert GC Link feature, but implementation details vary.

• Always use the Insert GC Link feature in either editor to ensure tracking parameters are correctly added.

Using the Insert GC Link Feature

The Insert GC Link feature automatically adds the tracking parameters needed for accurate conversion attribution:

1. Automatic tracking: The feature adds tracking parameters to your URL.

2. Avoid manual entry: Instead of copy-pasting a URL, click the Insert GC Link button to generate a properly formatted link.

3. Consistent results: Regular use ensures that donation tracking reflects only clicks that convert to giving.

Troubleshooting Outreach Conversion Issues

1. Review your links: Verify that all email links were inserted using the Insert GC Link feature rather than being pasted manually.

2. Test link behavior: Send test emails with both manually entered links and GC-inserted links to compare URL structure and tracking information.

3. Switch editors if needed: If issues persist in one editor, try the other to determine if the problem is editor-specific.

4. Confirm conversion metrics: Ensure you are not comparing click numbers to conversion data; conversion tracking only records donations made via the email link.

5. Re-insert problematic links: Delete any links missing tracking parameters and reinsert them using Insert GC Link, then test before a full campaign launch.

Addressing Accidental Copy-Pasting

If you discover that a link was copy-pasted rather than inserted using GC tools:

• Replace the link: Remove the copy-pasted link and reinsert it using the Insert GC Link feature.

• Standardize your process: Inform your team to always use Insert GC Link to avoid future attribution issues.

Summary

• Conversion tracking relies on properly formatted links with embedded tracking parameters.

• Copy-pasted links do not include the required codes for proper attribution.

• The Insert GC Link feature automatically adds these parameters, ensuring that only donations made directly through email links are recorded as conversions.

• Differences exist between email editors, but both support the essential Insert GC Link functionality.

• Review, test, and reinsert links as needed to maintain accurate conversion tracking.