Override a Visitor's Source

When a visitor accesses a website where the JavaScript snippet has been installed, we place a cookie on their browser on their first visit and display a tracking number corresponding to that source every time we see that visitor in the future.

For example, if a visitor comes in via Google PPC one day, and then later comes via direct type-in, we’ll continue to show the Google PPC number.

However, some marketers wish to have specific sources override a visitor's first visit for campaign attribution purposes. We call this a "source override" because it outranks the other referring sources. 

For example, if you’ve configured a source override, and a visitor comes from Google Organic one day and then Google PPC the next, we’ll show the Google PPC tracking number on the second visit instead of the Google Organic number.

Getting Started

The settings for your JavaScript snippet are company-specific within your account. Follow the instructions below for each company where you’d like to create a source override.

If you’re using CallRail’s WordPress plugin, you’ll use these instructions as well. Your plugin will update with your settings automatically without you having to make any changes to your website.

Create a PPC Source Override

Use these instructions to configure a PPC source override if you’d like to have your PPC source (Google Ads, Yahoo & Microsoft AdCenter) override an existing referral source.

1. Click the Settings icon on the left navigation bar.
   
   
2. Choose the company where you'd like to configure the PPC override.
   
   
3. Click Integrations at the top of the page.
   
   
4. Choose JavaScript Snippet from the list of integrations.
   
   
5. Beneath your company's code snippet, click the link for Advanced Settings.
   
   
6. Check the box for "when a visitor arrives via PPC".
   
   
7. Click Save to update your settings.

Create a Landing Page Source Override

Some marketers may wish to have certain sources override an existing referral source, especially with remarketing campaigns. We allow this by placing a user-defined parameter within the URL.

When you use a source override, you can add one URL parameter name (sometimes called a key). For example, in utm_campaign=summer-promo, “utm_campaign” is the parameter name, which is what you would type into the source override box.

Doing so will tell our Javascript snippet to override the visitor’s source any time “utm_campaign” is present in the URL, with any value at all.

You can specify any URL parameter that might appear in your URLs, not just UTM parameters. 

Please note: source override does not support the following:

• A URL parameter name and specific value. For example, only overriding the source for utm_campaign=summer-promo.
• A full landing page URL. For example, www.example.com/?parameter1=blue&parameter2=red
• Multiple URL parameter names. For example, utm_source,utm_medium.

How to Create a Landing Page Source Override

1. Click the Settings icon the left navigation bar.
   
   
2. Choose the company where you'd like to configure the landing page parameter override.
   
   
3. Click Integrations at the top of the page.
   
   
4. Choose JavaScript Snippet from the list of integrations.
   
   
5. Beneath your company's code snippet, click the link for Advanced Settings.
   
   
6. Check the box for the landing page source override, and enter the parameter name in the field provided.
   
   
7. Click Save to update your settings.