fbclid
fbclid is a unique parameter Facebook appends to a link whenever someone clicks an ad, identifying that specific click and session. Trackers and server-side events use it to tie whatever happens on the lander or inside the PWA back to the exact ad and campaign that sent the click.
Where fbclid gets used
The tracker reads fbclid off the landing URL, stores it, and derives the fbc value from it, which then travels with conversion events sent to CAPI. That's what lets Facebook attribute a lead or purchase to the right ad instead of losing it as unattributed direct traffic.
Where fbclid gets lost in a PWA funnel
If a visitor passes through several redirects — a rotator, a domain switch, the PWA install step — fbclid can vanish unless it's carried through the entire chain down to where the postback fires. It disappears fastest for users in private browsing or with aggressive cookie clearing, so capturing and storing it as early as the first screen is worth doing.
FAQ
- Are fbclid and fbc the same thing?
- No — fbclid is the parameter in the click URL itself, while fbc is the derived value built from it that gets sent along with events for attribution.
- Can attribution work without fbclid?
- Partially — Facebook can fall back on IP, user-agent, and timing, but accuracy and EMQ end up noticeably lower than with a proper fbclid/fbc in place.
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