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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.upstackdata.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

New to Upstack? Follow the getting started guide for a streamlined onboarding walkthrough.
  • Configure the Outbrain destination in Upstack Data with your Marketer ID.
  • Add obclid={{ob_click_id}} to your campaign URL suffix to capture click IDs.
  • Verify events appear in Outbrain Amplify Dashboard → Conversions.
  • Monitor attribution improvements over 7-10 days of campaign traffic.
Critical limitation: Unlike Meta, TikTok, and Reddit, Outbrain does NOT support enhanced matching with hashed email or phone. Attribution relies solely on click ID (obclid). Events from visitors without a click ID are skipped — they cannot be attributed to any campaign.

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Prerequisites

Before you start, you need:
1

Configure click ID tracking in your campaigns

Add the click ID parameter to your campaign tracking URLs so Upstack can capture and store the click ID for attribution.Add to your campaign URL suffix:
obclid={{ob_click_id}}
Help guide:How to configure Outbrain click ID tracking →
2

Find your Outbrain Marketer ID

Locate your Marketer ID (also called OB_ADV_ID) in the Outbrain Amplify dashboard. This 32-character hexadecimal string identifies your account for conversion tracking.Help guide:How to find your Outbrain Marketer ID →
3

Configure the Outbrain destination in Upstack Data

In the Upstack dashboard, navigate to Event Destinations and add an Outbrain destination using your Marketer ID.Help guide:How to configure the Outbrain destination in Upstack Data →
4

Verify the full setup is healthy

Confirm each piece of the setup is working:
  • In the Upstack dashboard, Event Destinations shows your Outbrain destination as Healthy (green).
  • In Outbrain Amplify Dashboard, the Conversions page shows recent events.
  • Test with a real ad click — clicking your own ad and completing a purchase should generate a tracked conversion within 5-10 minutes.
If anything is unhealthy, check the corresponding help guide above for troubleshooting steps.

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What to expect after setup

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Attribution limitations

Unlike other ad platforms (Meta, TikTok, Reddit, Google), Outbrain only attributes conversions when a click ID is present:
ScenarioAttribution
User clicks ad with obclid, converts same session✅ Attributed
User clicks ad with obclid, converts within 30 days✅ Attributed (if cookie persists)
User visits directly without ad click❌ Skipped (no click ID)
User clears cookies between click and conversion❌ Skipped (click ID lost)
User clicks on mobile, converts on desktop❌ Skipped (different device/cookie)
Known customer with email, no click ID❌ Skipped (email not used for attribution)

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Conversion reporting timeline

  • Initial conversions start appearing in Amplify within 5-10 minutes of real ad clicks and purchases.
  • Full attribution picture emerges over 7-10 days as more users complete the click → conversion journey.
  • Lower attribution rates compared to Meta/TikTok are expected — this reflects Outbrain’s click-only attribution model, not a tracking issue.

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Deduplication

Outbrain deduplicates based on orderId. If you’re running both the Outbrain browser pixel and Upstack server-side delivery, ensure both send the same orderId value for the same transaction to avoid double-counting.
Need help?If you encounter any issues during setup or don’t see conversions appearing after confirming ad clicks, contact our support team with your Outbrain Marketer ID and we’ll help diagnose the problem.