How to track Facebook Ads Campaigns without cookies:
Two Primary Tracking Methods
Method 1: UTM Parameters
UTM parameters are custom tags that you can add to your Meta Ads URLs to track the performance of your campaigns. When you use UTM parameters in your Meta Ads campaigns, Sealmetrics will capture and display this information in your analytics dashboard.
How to implement UTM tracking:
Add UTM parameters to your ad destination URLs
Use consistent naming conventions across campaigns
Ensure all required parameters are included
Example UTM structure for Meta Ads:
https://yourwebsite.com?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=summer_sale&utm_term=running_shoes
Benefits of UTM tracking:
Complete campaign attribution
Detailed performance insights
Custom campaign naming
Full control over tracking parameters
Method 2: Facebook Click ID (fbclid)
When users click on your Meta Ads, Facebook automatically appends a unique identifier called fbclid to your landing page URL. Sealmetrics automatically detects this parameter and attributes the traffic to Meta Ads.
How fbclid tracking works:
User clicks on your Meta Ad
Facebook automatically adds
fbclidparameter to the URLSealmetrics detects the fbclid and identifies the traffic source
Traffic is automatically categorized as coming from Meta Ads
Example URL with fbclid:
https://yourwebsite.com?fbclid=IwAR123abc456def789ghi
UTM Attribution vs. fbclid Attribution
When UTM Parameters Are Present
If your Meta Ads URLs include UTM parameters, Sealmetrics will use this information for attribution:
utm_source: facebook (or your custom source)
utm_medium: cpc (or your custom medium)
utm_campaign: Your specific campaign name
utm_term: Your specific keyword/audience targeting
utm_content: Your ad variant identifier
When Only fbclid Is Present
When Sealmetrics detects fbclid without UTM parameters, the system automatically applies the following attribution:
utm_source: facebook-ads
utm_medium: cpc
utm_campaign: (not set)
utm_term: (not set)
This automatic attribution ensures that all Meta Ads traffic is properly identified, even when UTM parameters are not manually configured.
Best Practices for Meta Ads Tracking
1. Use UTM Parameters for Detailed Tracking
For maximum insight into your campaign performance, always include UTM parameters in your Meta Ads URLs. This allows you to:
Track individual campaign performance
Compare different ad sets and creative variants
Analyze audience segment effectiveness
Generate detailed ROI reports
2. Maintain Consistent Naming Conventions
Establish and follow consistent UTM naming conventions:
Use lowercase letters
Replace spaces with underscores or hyphens
Keep names descriptive but concise
Document your naming scheme for team consistency
3. Monitor Both Attribution Methods
Even when using UTM parameters, monitor your fbclid traffic to ensure:
No traffic is going untracked
UTM parameters are working correctly
All Meta Ads traffic is being captured
Understanding Your Analytics Reports
Campaign Performance Analysis
With proper UTM implementation, you can analyze:
Campaign-level performance: Compare different Meta Ads campaigns
Creative performance: Track which ad variants perform best
Audience insights: Understand which targeting parameters drive results
Cross-platform comparison: Compare Meta Ads performance with other channels
Traffic Source Identification
In your Sealmetrics dashboard, Meta Ads traffic will appear as:
With UTMs: Source shows your custom utm_source value
fbclid only: Source shows as "facebook-ads"
Medium: Shows "cpc" or your custom utm_medium value
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Missing Campaign Data
If you see traffic with source "facebook-ads" but campaign shows "(not set)":
Check if UTM parameters are properly added to your ad URLs
Verify UTM parameters are not being stripped by redirects
Ensure landing pages preserve URL parameters
Inconsistent Attribution
If attribution seems inconsistent:
Review your UTM naming conventions
Check for URL shorteners that might strip parameters
Verify that all team members are using the same UTM structure
Conclusion
Sealmetrics provides robust tracking for Meta Ads traffic through both UTM parameters and automatic fbclid detection. While fbclid ensures that no Meta Ads traffic goes untracked, implementing proper UTM parameters provides the detailed insights needed to optimize your advertising spend and improve campaign performance.
For the most comprehensive analytics, we recommend using UTM parameters on all your Meta Ads campaigns while relying on fbclid detection as a backup attribution method.