Criteo

When tracking Criteo Ads with SegMetrics, you need to configure your ads with the appropriate tracking parameters. This integration enables comprehensive retargeting performance analysis and provides valuable insights into your customer acquisition and retention efforts.

Installing the SegMetrics Tracking Pixel

1. Make sure that the SegMetrics Tracking Pixel is installed on your site & landing pages

   Ensure the tracking pixel is installed on all pages where Criteo traffic will land, including:

   • Landing pages that ads point to
   • Product pages
   • Checkout and order confirmation pages
   • Any intermediate pages in your conversion funnel

Configuring Ad Tracking Parameters

Basic Ad Tracking Setup:

In order for SegMetrics to track your ad-spend effectively, you need to add ad_id={bannerid}  to the URL Parameters on each of your ads.

Current Criteo Configuration Process (2025):

1. Access Commerce Growth Dashboard: Log into your Criteo Commerce Growth dashboard
2. Navigate to Ad Tracking: You can configure your Ad tracking in two different ways: Ad set level (track ads attached to the Ad set simultaneously) or Ad level (dedicated tracking setup for each ad)
3. Configure Tracking Parameters: Add the required SegMetrics tracking parameters to your ad URLs
4. Apply to Active Ads: Update all currently active ads with the new tracking parameters

From SegMetrics Side:

1. From your Integrations Page, click on "Manage Settings" for Criteo, and choose "Install Ad Tracking"
2. Here will be a list of all the ads that we've detected as currently being active, and need to be updated
3. Go into Criteo to install the tracking values into the appropriate ads

Advanced UTM Tracking:

If you would like to automatically generate your UTM values from your ads as well, you can use the following URL Parameters to track the ad-spend as well as UTM values in SegMetrics:

utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=retargeting&utm_campaign=lowerfunnel&utm_content={width}x{height}&utm_term={campaignid}&ad_id={bannerid}

Parameter Breakdown:

• utm_source=criteo  - Identifies Criteo as the traffic source
• utm_medium=retargeting  - Categorizes the ad type
• utm_campaign=lowerfunnel  - Campaign categorization (customize as needed)
• utm_content={width}x{height}  - Dynamic creative size tracking
• utm_term={campaignid}  - Campaign ID for detailed analysis
• ad_id={bannerid}  - Essential SegMetrics tracking parameter

Using Criteo Data in SegMetrics

Retargeting Performance Analysis

Once your Criteo integration is active, you can leverage powerful retargeting analytics:

1. Retargeting Funnel Analysis: Track how retargeted visitors move through your conversion funnel
   • Navigate to Funnels → Retargeting Analysis to see conversion rates by audience segment
   • Compare first-time visitors vs. retargeted visitors performance
2. Creative Performance Tracking: Analyze which ad creatives drive the highest conversions
   • Access Reports → Creative Analysis to see performance by ad size and format
   • Optimize creative strategy based on engagement and conversion data
3. Audience Segmentation: Understand which retargeting audiences provide the best ROI
   • Use Segments to create custom audiences based on Criteo campaign data
   • Track lifetime value differences between acquisition and retargeting campaigns

Customer Journey Attribution

Criteo's retargeting data provides crucial insights into the complete customer journey:

1. Multi-Touch Attribution: See how Criteo retargeting works with other marketing channels
   • View Attribution Reports to understand Criteo's role in the conversion path
   • Identify optimal touchpoint sequences for maximum ROI
2. Abandoned Cart Recovery: Track effectiveness of abandoned cart retargeting campaigns
   • Navigate to E-commerce → Cart Abandonment for detailed recovery metrics
   • Optimize timing and frequency of retargeting messages
3. Cross-Device Tracking: Monitor customer interactions across different devices
   • Access Customer Profiles to see complete cross-device journey data
   • Understand how retargeting impacts mobile vs. desktop conversions

Campaign Optimization Insights

Leverage SegMetrics' advanced analytics to optimize your Criteo campaigns:

1. Time-to-Conversion Analysis: Understand optimal retargeting windows
   • Review Timing Reports to see average time from ad click to conversion
   • Adjust campaign duration and frequency capping based on data
2. Lifetime Value Attribution: Calculate true ROI including repeat purchases
   • Use LTV Reports to see long-term value of Criteo-acquired customers
   • Optimize bidding strategies based on customer quality metrics
3. Competitive Analysis: Compare Criteo performance against other channels
   • Access Channel Comparison reports for comprehensive performance analysis
   • Allocate budget based on relative channel performance and efficiency

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why should I avoid URL shorteners with Criteo ads?

A. Warning about URL Shorteners: Most URL shorteners will remove all UTM and Ad Tracking from the final URL, which breaks tracking in SegMetrics, Google Analytics, and other tracking systems. We highly recommend using your FULL URL when creating ads, or use a custom redirection service that will keep the UTM and Ad Tracking values.

Test Your URLs: You can test this by taking your link shortener and adding ?utm_campaign=test  to the end of it.

Examples:

• Shortened URL: https://bit.ly/2LQwjlZ
• Test URL: https://bit.ly/2LQwjlZ?utm_campaign=test
• GOOD: https://segmetrics.io?utm_campaign=test (UTM preserved)
• BAD: https://segmetrics.io (UTM removed)

Q. How does tracking work for promoted posts in Criteo?

A. When you update the Ad Tracking for promoted posts, Criteo will automatically update any links in the body of the ad copy for that specific ad, just like it would for any other CTA. That means that all your promoted post and page ads track clicks and conversion through to SegMetrics, without modifying your original post.

Q. What's the difference between ad set level and ad level tracking?

A. Ad set level tracking allows you to track the ads attached to the Ad set simultaneously and regardless of their types for the created Ad set, while Ad level tracking lets you have a dedicated tracking setup for each ad. Choose ad set level for simplified management of similar ads, or ad level for granular tracking of individual creative performance.

Q. Can I track both acquisition and retargeting campaigns?

A. Yes, SegMetrics can track both Criteo acquisition and retargeting campaigns. Use different UTM campaign parameters to distinguish between campaign types (e.g., utm_campaign=acquisition  vs utm_campaign=retargeting ) for clearer reporting and analysis.

Q. How long does it take for Criteo data to appear in SegMetrics?

A. Criteo tracking data typically appears in SegMetrics within 6-8 hours pending on your plan and when the next data import is set to occur.