A tracking macro (also called a token or dynamic parameter) is a placeholder in a URL, such as {click_id} or {amount}, that a tracking system replaces with a real value at the moment a link is clicked or a postback fires. Macros let one URL template serve every click and conversion, each carrying its own data.
How it works
Every platform defines its own macro names and syntax. Curly braces are common, but you will also see square brackets, double braces, or hash-wrapped names. Before sending the request, the system scans the URL and substitutes each macro it recognizes. Unrecognized macros are usually sent as literal text or stripped, which is a frequent cause of broken tracking.
Macros appear in two places:
- Click side: a traffic source fills macros in the tracking link, such as placement, keyword, or device, before the user reaches the tracker.
- Conversion side: the network or advertiser fills macros in a postback URL with the click ID, payout, currency, and status.
Example
Macro syntax differs between platforms: one tracker writes {click_id}, another {clickid}, and MassPartner affiliate callbacks use placeholders such as {$sub1}, {$commission}, {$currency} and {$status}. A generic postback template for a tracker could look like this:
https://tracker.example.com/postback?cid={click_id}&payout={amount}&cur={currency}&st={status}
When a conversion fires, the macros are replaced with values (illustrative):
https://tracker.example.com/postback?cid=abc123&payout=25.00&cur=EUR&st=approved
The parameter names on the left (cid, payout) are defined by the receiving tracker; the macros on the right must match the sending platform.
Why it matters
One wrong macro, whether a typo, the wrong bracket style, or a macro copied from another platform, silently breaks attribution: conversions arrive without a click ID and cannot be matched. Before going live, fire a test conversion and confirm every parameter arrives with a real value, not the literal macro text. For tracker-specific setups, see sending affiliate postbacks to your tracker.
Related: postback URL, click ID, sub-ID.