What is a “Channel” in Kickbite?
In Kickbite, a channel is simply a grouping of related traffic sources. Examples include:
Organic Search: Google, Bing (unpaid results)
Brand Paid Search
Generic Paid Search
PMAX
Display
Youtube // Demand Gen
Facebook & Instagram Paid
Pinterest Paid
Tiktok Paid
Influencer Marketing
Email
Affilate
The channel definitions for your brand are agreed upon during onboarding. Your Customer Success Manager maintains an updated record of all channel definitions and can add, remove, or edit them as required.
To view your current channel definitions:
Left Navigation → Settings → Channel Definitions → Check the rules of each channel and copy tracking templates if needed.
How Does Kickbite Classify Traffic Into Channels?
Each channel follows its own set of rules. For paid channels (Google, Bing, Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, and Pinterest), Kickbite relies on specific tracking parameters that are appended to your landing page URLs. 'Tracking template' is the name of a field in Google Ads and Bing where parameters can be added.
Example: Shopping Channel Tracking Parameters
Google
{lpurl}?kb=ga_shp_{campaignid}_{adgroupid}
Bing
{lpurl}?kb=bn_shp_{campaignid}_{adgroupid}
Note: You can view the tracking templates of each channel inside Kickbite.
Left Navigation → Settings → Tracking Templates→ Check the rules of each channel and copy tracking templates if needed.
Example (you need to check your own rules)
Channel Definition for Shopping:
kb_tag contains ga_shp (or similar parameter logic)
For all other channels—such as Email, Affiliates, and Influencers—Kickbite uses UTM parameters.
Example (Email)
utm_source contains Klaviyo
What If a Channel Looks Wrong?
A channel might be misclassified if:
In your drill-down to campaigns or UTM source/medium, you see traffic that should belong under a different channel.
A channel shows unusually high revenue or sessions, suggesting it may be capturing traffic from other channels.
Tip: If you suspect misclassification, first verify whether your tracking templates (for paid traffic) or UTMs (for other channels) are correct. If something still seems off, contact Kickbite Support.
Important Note on Sessions
Kickbite defines a session differently from Google Analytics, so the numbers between GA and Kickbite will not match exactly.
A new session is created in Kickbite when:
Behavior | Google Analytics | Kickbite |
Referral change | New session | New session |
Session timeout | 30 minutes | Varies by channel (Direct: 12h, Internal: 24h) |
Troubleshooting Misclassified traffic on Channels
1. Paid Channels
If the incorrect channel is a paid one (e.g., Google Ads, Meta Ads), the issue is most likely with your tracking templates.
Verify your ad account settings
Confirm that the correct templates are applied at the right level (typically on campaign or ad group level).
In Google Ads, tracking parameters are typically set at the campaign level. But be careful—if you’ve also added templates at the ad group or ad level, they can override the campaign-level settings. This can lead to tracking conflicts, especially if Kickbite parameters are involved. To avoid data issues, always check the lowest level where tracking templates might exist.
Bing Ads
The most common mistake is reusing Google Ads tracking templates in Bing. They differ in format.
If you automatically import Google Ads campaigns into Bing, make sure your Bing tracking templates are not overwritten by Google’s.
For Bing Ads, the standard approach is to set tracking parameters at campaign level. If you place them at the ad group level while Kickbite parameters are at the campaign level, they may overwrite each other and cause data errors.
TikTok Ads
As specified in Kickbite’s URL parameters documentation, TikTok requires manual parameter filling.
2. Other UTM-Based Channels
If the incorrect channel is not a paid ad channel:
Ensure the correct UTM parameters are included in the campaign links.
Double-check that the channel rules in Kickbite (e.g., utm_source or utm_medium conditions) match your actual UTM setup.
If you’ve confirmed your UTMs are correct but the channel is still misclassified, please contact your Customer Success Manager. They can update or add new rules to handle any unique UTM parameters you’re using.
Still Need Help?
If you’ve gone through these steps and remain stuck, reach out to our Customer Success Team. They can assist with updating channel definitions, verifying your tracking templates, and ensuring your traffic is attributed correctly.