Performance Max: How to Discover Traffic Sources

// Concept: Server-side script to log Google Ads source info

// Attach this logic to run early for incoming web requests
onHttpRequestStart( request => {

  // Skip if it's an admin or system internal request
  if (isSystemInternalRequest(request) || isAdminUser(request)) {
    return; // Do nothing
  }

  // Get URL query parameters
  const params = request.getUrlParameters();
  const gclid = params.get('gclid');

  // Must have gclid to proceed
  if (!gclid) {
    return; // Not a direct Google Ads click we are tracking here
  }

  // Get gad_source if available
  const gad_source = params.get('gad_source') || 'N/A';

  // Collect other useful data
  const timestamp = getCurrentTimestamp();
  const ipAddress = getRealVisitorIp(request.headers);
  const url = request.getFullUrl();
  const userAgent = request.headers['User-Agent'] || 'N/A';

  // Format data for logging
  const logEntry = `[${timestamp}] Source: ${gad_source} | gclid: ${gclid} | IP: ${ipAddress} | URL: ${url} | UA: ${userAgent}`;

  // Store the log entry (e.g., append to a file)
  appendToServerLogFile('/logs/gads_tracking.log', logEntry);

  // Or alternatively, insert into a database
  // database.insert('tracking_logs', { timestamp, gad_source, gclid, ipAddress, url, userAgent });

});

// --- Helper function examples (conceptual) ---
function isSystemInternalRequest(request) { /* ... logic ... */ }
function isAdminUser(request) { /* ... logic ... */ }
function getRealVisitorIp(headers) { /* ... logic to check common IP headers ... */ }
// ... other helpers ...