Native traffic source
Track Outbrain with UTMCAP
Outbrain’s macros use double braces, and only the click ID carries the ob_ prefix — {{ob_campaign_id}} is not a macro. Spend syncs from Outbrain’s API with a key from your account, and conversions go back by postback, matched on ob_click_id.
Your tracking URL
This is the URL UTMCAP builds for a Outbrain campaign. Yours has your own tracking domain and campaign in place of the example — copy it from the campaign, not from here.
https://track.example.com/spring-sale?sub1={{ob_click_id}}&sub2={{campaign_id}}&sub3={{ad_id}}&sub4={{ad_title}}&sub5={{section_id}}&sub6={{section_name}}&sub7={{publisher_id}}&sub8={{publisher_name}}What each macro records
Outbrain replaces each macro with the real value when the ad is clicked, and UTMCAP stores it in the matching field — so reports can be grouped by campaign, placement or device.
| Field | What it records | Outbrain macro |
|---|---|---|
| sub1 | Click ID | {{ob_click_id}} |
| sub2 | Campaign ID | {{campaign_id}} |
| sub3 | Ad ID | {{ad_id}} |
| sub4 | Ad Title | {{ad_title}} |
| sub5 | Section ID | {{section_id}} |
| sub6 | Section Name | {{section_name}} |
| sub7 | Publisher ID | {{publisher_id}} |
| sub8 | Publisher Name | {{publisher_name}} |
Worth knowing
Double braces, and no ob_ prefix on anything except the click id — {{ob_campaign_id}} is not a macro.
Macros from Outbrain’s own documentation.
How conversions get back to Outbrain
Postback to https://tr.outbrain.com/unifiedPixel with ob_click_id and a conversion name. Spend is API-only.
In UTMCAP, {external_id} is Outbrain’s own click ID and {payout} is what the conversion paid — they are filled in when each conversion is sent.
Set it up in three steps
- 1. Add Outbrain as a traffic source in UTMCAP and choose its template — the macros above are filled in for you.
- 2. Create a campaign with that source, and copy its tracking URL.
- 3. Paste it into Outbrain as the ad’s click or destination URL.
Every field of the traffic source form is explained in the traffic sources guide.
Point a domain at us and run a click through it.
The free plan takes a hundred thousand clicks a month and no card. If it does not do what you need, you have lost twenty minutes.