What is the difference between ad tracking and a tag?

With Campaigns, you can trigger a series of messages based on what Tags have been applied to your subscribers. Using Ad Tracking, you can see which subscribers signed up through a particular form, and create a segment in your list. You can also use Ad Tacking to trigger a Campaign based on what form a subscriber used to sign up to your list. This article will walk through the differences between Ad Tracking a Tags.

Ad Tracking

The Ad Tracking value is automatically assigned to your sign up form when it is created. This will be similar to the name you have given the form, with each word separated by an underscore. You can also change this ad tracking value under the Advanced Settings in your form.

For example, if you have two different offers which direct subscribers to the same list, one for an eBook, the other a branded template. You would be able to assign a specific Ad Tracking value to each form. Subscribers who sign up through the eBook form would have the eBook ad tracking value, while those who sign up through the branded template form would have that ad tracking value. Both sets of subscribers would receive the same Follow Up Series, but you would be able to send a Broadcast to each segment individually.


A tag can be used to trigger a Campaign to be sent to your subscribers. You can apply a tag via the Manage Subscribers page, through a Sign Up Form, through our API, or through the Campaign itself. Tags can also be updated in bulk on the Manage Subscribers page. You can also send a Broadcast directly to tagged subscribers as part of a segment.

Using tags provides you with more direct control of what messages your subscriber's receive.

If you would like to provide your eBook subscribers with a dedicated Welcome Message, you would be able to trigger a campaign based on what tag they received upon signing up. After that first message has been received, you also have the option to move these subscribers to another campaign using tags, or continue sending them a specific series of messages based on how they signed up.

Why Should I Use Tags?

If your branded temples provide the subscriber with color options, you can also use tags to create a dedicated welcome message and series for each different color. For example, if I signed up to receive your blue template, I would be tagged as "blue" and added to the blue template campaign. The same can be said for those people who sign up for the red or yellow templates. Using tags, you would also be able to move these subscribers into a general campaign for more information on how best to utilize their new branded template.

Using tags, you can also make sure that subscribers do not sign up to multiple campaigns with the same information. If you have a subscriber who has signed up for your blue template, you can set the red and yellow campaigns to not be sent when a subscriber is already tagged as "blue".


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