Publisher Guide: Meta

Tracking Meta campaigns with tracking links

This guide shows you how to track Meta campaigns with your Summit tracking link and sub IDs. By the end you will be able to plan sub ID values, fill them automatically with Meta's URL parameters, test that every click is attributed, and join Meta spend data with your Summit lead data in one sheet.

It covers tracking-link and sub ID based reporting only. Ask during onboarding which other tracking options apply to your account.

Published 5 October 2026. How we write and check guides: editorial standards.

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How attribution works with a tracking link

Your tracking link sends the click to a Summit lander and records that the visit came from you. The lead submits on the lander, where consent is captured, and is routed to buyers by ping/post. Leads are reported by tracking link, so the link tells you which leads are yours. Sub IDs are extra values you add to the link to say which campaign, ad set and ad sent each click.

Meta knows what you spent and how many clicks each ad got. Summit reporting tells you which leads sold and which were returned. Sub IDs are the shared key that lets you put those two sets of numbers side by side. For the basics, read tracking links and sub IDs explained. For the program view, see Meta traffic for publishers.

Step 1: Plan your sub IDs

Decide what each sub ID slot holds before you build any ads, and keep the plan the same across every campaign. The parameter names for sub IDs are in the tracking link details you receive during onboarding. Your link may offer a different number of slots. A plan for Meta usually looks like this:

An example sub ID plan for Meta campaigns
Sub ID slot	What it holds	Filled by
Sub ID 1	Traffic source, for example "meta"	Typed once into the link
Sub ID 2	Campaign ID	Meta URL parameter
Sub ID 3	Ad set ID	Meta URL parameter
Sub ID 4	Ad ID	Meta URL parameter
Sub ID 5	Placement, such as Facebook feed or Instagram Stories	Meta URL parameter

Use IDs rather than names where you can. IDs never change, while names get edited, and a renamed ad set can split one ad set's results into two rows. Keep names readable anyway, because they help when you check results by eye.

Name campaigns so the data reads itself

IDs are the key for matching data, but names are what you read. Use one naming pattern for every campaign, ad set and ad, and put the same building blocks in the same order each time:

Campaign: vertical, offer and objective, for example "MVA_car_traffic" or "HI_roofing_traffic".
Ad set: state group and audience, for example "TX-OK_broad" or "GA-SC_interest-reno".
Ad: angle, format and version, for example "insurer_img_v2" or "shingles_vid_v1".

Set names before you publish. Meta fills name-based dynamic values with the name at the time of the click, so a later rename does not change values already recorded. With a fixed pattern, any row in your sheet tells you the offer, states, audience and angle at a glance.

Step 2: Add URL parameters in Ads Manager

Meta lets you add URL parameters to each ad, and it can fill some of them automatically at the moment of the click with dynamic values. Its help page, add URL parameters to your Meta ads, shows where the field is and how to build parameters.

In the ad, set the website URL to your Summit tracking link without sub IDs.
Open the tracking section of the ad and find the URL parameters field.
Add each sub ID parameter from your tracking link details, set to a Meta dynamic value. Common dynamic values include {{campaign.id}}, {{adset.id}}, {{ad.id}} and {{placement}}. Use Meta's build-a-URL-parameter option to pick from the current list.
Add the fixed source value by hand, for example the value "meta" in Sub ID 1.
Save the parameters, then copy the ad to create others so each new ad keeps the same setup.

Dynamic values only work in the URL parameters field, filled at the time of the click. Typing {{ad.id}} into the website URL field itself may not be replaced. Check the result with a test click before you publish.

Step 3: Test every link before you publish

Use the ad preview to open the destination, and check the final address in the browser bar.
Confirm the address opens the right Summit lander for the offer: car accident traffic on the car accident lander, roofing traffic on the roofing lander.
Confirm each sub ID parameter is present and holds a real value, not an empty field or the literal text in braces.
Check that no parameter appears twice and that no character such as "?" or "&" is doubled.
Do a test click from a phone, since most Meta traffic is mobile.
Do not submit test leads with fake details on the lander. If you need to confirm a test, ask us by email how to do it.

Repeat the check whenever you duplicate a campaign, change the destination, or edit URL parameters. Most attribution gaps come from a duplicated ad that lost its parameters.

Have Meta campaigns with a clean sub ID setup? Apply with your sources, states and expected volume.

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Step 4: Join Meta data with Summit lead data

Ask during onboarding how reporting is delivered. Whatever the format, the method of joining the data is the same:

01
Export from Meta
Export spend, impressions and link clicks by ad, with the campaign, ad set and ad IDs included as columns.
02
Collect Summit results
Gather leads, sold leads and returned leads by tracking link and sub ID for the same date range.
03
Match on the ad ID
Use the ad ID column from Meta and the matching sub ID from Summit as the key. Put both into one sheet.
04
Roll up
Group by ad set ID and campaign ID to see results at each level.
05
Compare like with like
Use the same date range and time zone on both sides, and expect small timing gaps between a click and a sold lead.
06
Keep a map
Keep a tab that maps each ID to its readable name, state group and angle, so the numbers are easy to read later.

The figure that matters is what your sold leads earned against what you spent, by ad set. You are paid rev share on sold leads, unsold leads are not paid, and returns are deducted under the return terms agreed during onboarding. See reading your publisher reports and how payouts work.

Fix common tracking gaps

Tracking problems on Meta and how to fix them
Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Leads show with empty sub IDs	URL parameters missing on some ads	Check duplicated ads; re-add parameters and test again
Sub ID shows "{{ad.id}}" as text	Dynamic value typed in the wrong field	Move it to the URL parameters field
Meta shows clicks, Summit shows few visits	People leave before the page loads, or the link is wrong	Test the link on a phone; check that it opens the lander quickly
One ad set's results split in two	Names used as sub IDs, then renamed	Switch to IDs and keep a name map
Leads from states you do not target	Location setting includes people traveling in the area	Change to people who live in the location; see the audience targeting guide

Common mistakes

Launching without sub IDs. You cannot add them to past clicks later.
Changing the sub ID plan mid-test. Results before and after the change will not line up.
Using a link shortener or redirect you control in front of the tracking link without testing it. Extra hops can drop parameters.
Pointing ads at the lander address directly. Without the tracking link, the lead is not attributed to you.
Comparing different date ranges. Meta and Summit numbers will never match if the ranges differ.

Frequently asked questions

Which Meta dynamic parameters should I use?

Campaign ID, ad set ID and ad ID cover most needs, plus placement if you test placements. Meta's URL parameters help page and the build-a-URL-parameter option in Ads Manager show the current list.

How many sub IDs do I get?

The sub ID parameters available on your tracking link are listed in the details you receive during onboarding. Plan which value goes in each slot before you build ads.

Can I use other tracking methods with Summit?

This guide covers tracking links and sub IDs. Ask during onboarding which other tracking options apply to your account.

How do I see which ad produced sold leads?

Leads are reported by tracking link and sub ID. If each ad passes its own ad ID as a sub ID, you can match sold leads to the ad in Meta. Ask during onboarding how reporting is delivered.