Know who replaces each value
Do not copy a macro from one system into another unless that receiver supports it. Two providers can use similar names for different identifiers.
Start with attribution and source tokens
These Metricanic macros are the most common in landing and offer URLs:
For example, map the source’s
creative parameter into Token 1 and capture its ad click ID in the Click ID row. Then configure the offer URL as:
subid. The other two values can support its own analysis or source attribution.
Use the numbered token macro even when the token has a readable alias such as Creative. The alias labels the slot. It does not create an arbitrary {Creative} replacement.
Use request context only where available
The macro picker next to a URL lists the set appropriate for that field. Landing and offer URL pickers include geography, language, IP, user agent, device, operating system, browser, and network fields such as:{ref_domain} and {ref_url}. Do not assume that every field available at arrival is also available when a later offer click is processed. A supported field can be missing for a particular request.
{lp_key} supplies a landing protection token. It requires server-side verification and is separate from click attribution. Follow landing protection for its setup and limitations.
In Direct Script Mode, the browser has already loaded the arrival page. Saving Metricanic macros in that page’s configured URL does not cause an earlier ad-platform request to be expanded by Metricanic. Use the generated direct integration and landing script to work with the registered visit.
Add event values to outgoing postbacks
Event macros become useful after Metricanic receives and processes an event:{payout} does not always equal the revenue recorded in reports. For example, incoming payout=100 with Revenue set to Fixed amount = 80 records USD 80 revenue but sends 100 through {payout}.
{event_cost} uses the cost calculated by the event action for incoming /event requests. {profit} uses the outgoing macro amounts, so it can differ from recorded event revenue minus cost. It does not subtract visit cost or represent the campaign’s total profit.
For a source that accepts these example parameter names, an outgoing URL could be:
Send 50% with the event cost macro
To send half of each incoming payout, set Revenue to From incoming event, set Event cost to Revenue share (%) with50, and use {event_cost} as the outgoing amount:
payout=100 produces an outgoing payout=50 in this example. The receiver’s parameter can be called payout even though the value comes from {event_cost}.
Selecting the revenue share normally also adds that USD 50 to report costs. Follow the complete percentage postback setup before using it. Macros such as {payout:50} or {payout*0.5} are not supported and do not calculate a reduced amount.
Verify the expanded request
Metricanic URL-encodes replacement values. A space in a value becomes%20, so use macros as individual parameter values and avoid encoding them a second time.
Unknown macros and macros without a value remain unchanged. A saved template is therefore not proof that every placeholder will resolve.
Test a real campaign arrival, offer click, or event for the stage you are configuring. Inspect the resulting destination request or outgoing postback. If a placeholder remains, check its spelling, the relevant macro picker, and whether the source data was captured. If a conversion fails, first confirm that the returned ID came from {click_id} rather than {external_id}.