Overview

This article explains how to track clicks in Beeswax when using third-party JavaScript ad tags or HTML5 creatives. It does not apply to ads uploaded directly into Beeswax or through a VAST 2.0 Wrapper, as Beeswax automatically handles click redirection in those cases.

In third-party ad tags, a click macro must be included to track clicks and properly redirect the user to the destination URL. The Beeswax API and UI automatically detect tags from popular ad serving systems such as DoubleClick Campaign Manager and Sizmek.

For proper click tracking with Flashtalking, additional settings must be enabled by the Flashtalking team. More information on these settings can be found here.

How Click Tracking Works

When using Beeswax for click tracking, the {{CLICK_URL}} macro is used to generate a URL that includes both the Beeswax click tracker and the Beeswax redirect. This URL will have the following structure:

 https://event.bidr.io/clk?dest=<destination_url>

• The destination URL must be properly encoded (escaped) for the redirect to work correctly.
• If the ad is served through an exchange that requires a redirect, the destination URL must be encoded twice.

Example 1:
To properly encode a destination URL, use this format:

 {{CLICK_URL}}https%3A%2F%2Fwww.beeswax.com%2Fprivacy.html

Some exchanges require additional redirects, which means the destination URL will need to be escaped a second time.

Example 2:
If the exchange requires an extra redirect, the destination URL will need to be encoded twice:

 {{CLICK_URL}}https%253A%252F%252Fwww.beeswax.com%252Fprivacy.html

Beeswax also provides an escaped click macro: {{CLICK_URL_ESC}}. This is typically used when the ad server performs an initial redirect before redirecting through Beeswax. In this case, the destination URL must be encoded twice or even three times, depending on the exchange's requirements.

Example 3:
For a redirect through an ad server, the URL should be encoded twice:

 {{CLICK_URL_ESC}}https%253A%252F%252Fwww.beeswax.com%252Fprivacy.html

Example 4:
If the exchange requires additional redirects, encode the destination URL three times:

 {{CLICK_URL_ESC}}https%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.beeswax.com%25252Fprivacy.html

Configuring Click Macros in Ad Servers

When using a third-party ad server, the {{CLICK_URL}} or {{CLICK_URL_ESC}} macro is inserted into the appropriate parameter of the ad server's tag. The destination URL is declared within the ad server as well.

Ad servers handle URL encoding in different ways:

1. Some ad servers handle URL encoding automatically without any extra work needed.
   
   
2. Other ad servers require you to specify how many times the URL should be encoded. For example, you might need to specify whether the destination URL should be encoded once or twice.
   
   
3. Some ad servers do not offer URL encoding parameters, and you will need to manually encode the destination URL using a custom "for" loop.
   
   
4. Certain ad servers fire click trackers in parallel, which means you will not need to escape the URL at all. In this case, you only need to insert the Beeswax click macro without additional encoding.

To determine how many times to escape the destination URL, use the {{NUM_DEST_URL_ESCAPES}} macro (which can be set to 1 or 2) or the {{NUM_DEST_URL_ESC_ESCAPES}} macro (which can be set to 2 or 3).

Typically:

• {{NUM_DEST_URL_ESCAPES}} is used with the {{CLICK_URL}} macro.
• {{NUM_DEST_URL_ESC_ESCAPES}} is used with the {{CLICK_URL_ESC}} macro.

Examples of Click Tracking

Here are some scenarios to demonstrate how click tracking works with different ad servers and redirects.

1. Using the {{CLICK_URL}} Macro without an Ad Server

1. Before the ad is served: The Beeswax click macro expands to a Beeswax URL with the domain https://event.bidr.io/.
2. User clicks on the ad:
   • If the exchange does not require a redirect, the user is sent:
     • First, through the Beeswax click tracker (https://event.bidr.io/clk).
     • Then, to the destination URL, which must be encoded once.
   • If the exchange requires a redirect, the user is sent:
     • First, through the Beeswax click tracker (https://event.bidr.io/clk).
     • Then, through the exchange.
     • Finally, to the destination URL, which must be encoded twice.

2. Using the {{CLICK_URL_ESC}} Macro with an Ad Server that Redirects First

1. Before the ad is served: The Beeswax click macro ({{CLICK_URL_ESC}}) expands to an escaped Beeswax URL.
2. User clicks on the ad:
   • If the exchange does not require a redirect, the user is sent:
     • First, through the ad server.
     • Then, to the Beeswax click tracker (which is escaped once).
     • Finally, to the destination URL (which is escaped twice).
   • If the exchange requires a redirect, the user is sent:
     • First, through the ad server.
     • Then, to the Beeswax click tracker (escaped once).
     • Next, through the exchange (escaped twice).
     • Finally, to the destination URL (escaped three times).

3. Using the {{CLICK_URL_ESC}} Macro with an Ad Server that Fires Click Trackers in Parallel (e.g., Sizmek)

1. Before the ad is served: The Beeswax click macro ({{CLICK_URL_ESC}}) expands to an escaped Beeswax URL.
2. User clicks on the ad:
   • If the exchange does not require a redirect, the user is sent directly to the destination URL.
   • In parallel, a click tracker fires from the Beeswax domain.
   • If the exchange requires a redirect, the user is sent directly to the destination URL, while the click tracker fires in parallel, and an additional redirect happens through the exchange.