Every ClickFlare campaign uses one of these two tracking methods. Choosing the right one depends on your traffic source, your lander setup, and whether you need to pass or hide referrer information. This article explains both methods at a conceptual level — follow the deep-dive links at the bottom for full implementation guides.
The Two Tracking Methods
Redirect Tracking: The user passes through ClickFlare's server before reaching your lander. ClickFlare records the visit server-side, then redirects the user to the destination.
- ✓ Works with any traffic source
- ✓ No code on your landing page
- ✓ Most reliable visit tracking
- – Adds one redirect step
Direct Tracking: The user lands directly on your page. A JavaScript snippet on the lander fires the visit event to ClickFlare without any redirect.
- ✓ Faster perceived load time
- ✓ No redirect in the URL
- – Requires JS on your lander
- – Can be blocked by ad blockers
Start with Redirect Tracking. It works in almost every scenario and requires zero code changes to your landing page. Direct Tracking is worth considering only if your traffic source restricts redirect URLs, or if landing page load speed is a priority.
Redirect vs. Direct — Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Redirect Tracking | Direct Tracking |
|---|---|---|
| How visit is recorded | Server-side, before page load | Client-side JS, after page load |
| Code required on lander | ✗ None | ✓ JS snippet required |
| Works if JS is blocked | ✓ Yes | ✗ No — visit not recorded |
| Redirect in user's URL bar | ✓ Brief (302) or hidden (DMR) | ✗ None |
| Referrer passed to lander | ✓ Yes (except with DMR) | ✗ No |
| Works without a landing page | ✓ Yes (direct-link to offer) | ✗ No |
| Traffic source compatibility | Universal | Requires traffic source support |
Which Method Should You Use?
Use Redirect Tracking if…
→ You're just getting started, or your lander isn't under your controlRedirect Tracking works out of the box with no code changes. It's the most reliable method and supported by every traffic source.
Use Direct Tracking if…
→ Your traffic source prohibits redirect URLs, or you're tracking non-ad traffic
Direct Tracking is the right choice when redirect destination URLs aren't allowed, when landing page load speed is critical, or when you want to track organic arrivals that have no ad click.
Redirect Tracking also has fourTransition Modes (302, Meta Refresh, Double Meta Refresh, and Direct) that control how the redirect behaves.
See ClickFlare Transition Modes for the full breakdown.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got questions? Find the answers below:
Q1: Which tracking method should I use as a beginner?
A1: Start with Redirect Tracking. It requires no code changes to your landing page and works with every traffic source. Only switch to Direct Tracking if your traffic source explicitly prohibits redirect destination URLs.
Q2: What tracking method should I use — redirect or direct?
A2: It depends on your setup. Redirect tracking is simpler to configure and works in most scenarios. Direct tracking is better for setups where you want to avoid a redirect (e.g. faster landing page load times, or campaigns where redirect URLs are not allowed). See Tracking Methods in ClickFlare for a full comparison
