- Definition
- A redirect chain is the sequence of addresses a click passes through, such as tracking or network links, before reaching the final page.
In plain words
When you click an ad, your browser can bounce through one or more addresses before landing. Each bounce is a redirect; together they form a redirect chain.
Most are ordinary measurement. Some reveal who was involved in sending the click, such as an affiliate network, an agency's tracking tool or a partner's own domain.
Why it matters for brand and paid search teams
Affiliate networks and tracking tools often sit in the chain. A hop through a network domain can identify the partner behind an ad even when the final page is the merchant's own.
Chains can also be used to hide things, which is why policy teams care about them. But chains can vary by time, place and device, so each trace is an observation with its own context.
How it works
Google documents tracking templates and final URL suffixes that add measurement to a click. With parallel tracking, people go directly to the final URL while the tracking URLs load in the background.
Google's circumventing systems policy does not allow redirecting people through click trackers to hide destinations that break its rules, and its destination requirements ask that ads reflect where people are taken.
Following a chain means actually requesting each address, and the result can change between two requests.
Example
An ad on northstar coupon lists a destination on a network domain, tracking.network.example/c?pid=4471, which then forwards to northstar.example with a coupon code.
The captured destination shows the network domain and pid=4471, which is enough for Northstar's affiliate manager to ask the network about partner 4471. Any further hops would need a separate trace, dated on its own.
Fictional brands and domains, for illustration only.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
Every redirect is suspicious. Most are normal measurement. Look at what the hops reveal, not their number.
One trace shows the chain for everyone. Chains can vary by time, location and device. Record each trace with its context.
The destination URL in an ad always contains the whole chain. Only the first address and its parameters are written there. Later hops happen when the link is followed.
How to monitor it in Ads Lighthouse
Ads Lighthouse traces eligible ad destinations from its servers, one hop at a time, and shows each hop's status code, the final page and any affiliate IDs present in the chain. It does not run from the searcher's country or device and does not run page scripts, so a chain seen by a person may differ.
When the first address is a network or tracking domain, that domain and its parameters are visible in the ad details view, and affiliate ID matching reads them if your parameter is configured.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ads Lighthouse follow redirects?
Yes, for eligible destinations, within a daily limit. It traces them from its own servers, automatically or when you ask, one hop at a time. It does not run from the searcher's country or device, so a person may see a different chain.
How can I trace a chain myself?
Browser developer tools or a URL tracing tool can show each hop. Save the date, location and device with the result, because chains can change.
Does parallel tracking hide the chain?
With parallel tracking, people go straight to the final URL while tracking loads in the background, so the visitor's browser may never show the tracking hops.
Official sources
- Google Ads Help: About tracking in Google Ads
- Google Ads Help: About the different types of URLs
- Google Advertising Policies Help: Circumventing systems
Sources checked on .