--- title: "Tracking Visitors" description: "A non-technical overview of Tracking Visitors in RevCent, focused on how visitor identity records are created from Tracking Domains, how they connect page activity to sales, metadata, attribution, fraud context, AI workflows, and reporting." type: "item" company: "RevCent" canonical: "https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/ecosystem/item/TrackingVisitor.md" relationships: - name: "Tracking Domain" url: "https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/ecosystem/feature/TrackingDomain.md" - name: "URL Parameter Set" url: "https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/ecosystem/feature/URLParameterSet.md" - name: "Tracking Entry" url: "https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/ecosystem/item/TrackingEntry.md" technical_links: web_app: "https://kb.revcent.com/en/tracking/conversion-tracking" api: section: "https://revcent.com/docs/api/v2#section-tracking" operations: - name: "Get A Tracking Visitor" operation_id: "GetTrackingVisitor" operation: "https://revcent.com/docs/api/v2#operation-GetTrackingVisitor" schema: "https://revcent.com/documentation/files/api/operation/GetTrackingVisitor.json" mcp: overview: "https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/mcp/operation/GetTrackingVisitor.md" operations: - name: "Get A Tracking Visitor" operation_id: "GetTrackingVisitor" markdown: "https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/mcp/operation/GetTrackingVisitor.md" available_via_ai: true bigquery_schema: "https://revcent.com/documentation/files/bigquery/dataset.json" bigquery_tables: - "tracking_visitor" --- # Tracking Visitors Tracking Visitors are RevCent items that represent website visitors tracked through RevCent tracking infrastructure. They help connect website sessions, page visits, URL parameters, campaign data, visitor identifiers, and later ecommerce activity such as sales or fraud review. In the RevCent ecosystem, a Tracking Visitor is an item. It is created as a result of tracking activity on a configured Tracking Domain. Tracking Domains are the feature that enables tracking. Tracking Visitors are the individual visitor identity records created from that feature. The purpose of this document is to explain the item conceptually for LLMs, AI crawlers, and planning systems. It does not provide technical implementation instructions. For technical details, use the interface-specific links below. ## Technical Links by Interface | Interface | Use This When | Link | |---|---|---| | Web App | A human is learning about conversion tracking, visitor tracking, URL parameters, metadata attribution, or how tracked visitors connect to sales. | [Web Knowledge Base](https://kb.revcent.com/en/tracking/conversion-tracking) | | API | A developer is building a direct integration with RevCent tracking operations. | [API Docs: Tracking](https://revcent.com/docs/api/v2#section-tracking) | | MCP / AI | An LLM, MCP client, or AI agent needs markdown-oriented guidance for retrieving and interpreting one Tracking Visitor. | [MCP Markdown Operation](https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/mcp/operation/GetTrackingVisitor.md) | | BigQuery / Reporting | A data analyst, reporting workflow, or AI reporting agent needs schema details for analyzing Tracking Visitor records. The primary table is `tracking_visitor`. | [BigQuery Tables Schema](https://revcent.com/documentation/files/bigquery/dataset.json) | --- ## What Tracking Visitors Are A Tracking Visitor is a RevCent record that represents a visitor identified through RevCent tracking. When a person or browser session reaches a tracked website, RevCent can create or update a Tracking Visitor. That record can preserve visitor context such as the tracking domain, IP address, user agent, browser fingerprint, URL-parameter metadata, related tracking activity, and related sales when the visitor later purchases. Conceptually: ```text Visitor lands on a tracked domain ↓ RevCent tracking identifies the visitor ↓ Tracking Visitor item is created or updated ↓ Tracking Entries record page-level activity ↓ If the visitor purchases, the visitor can be associated with a Sale ↓ Attribution, fraud context, and reporting become possible ``` Tracking Visitors help turn anonymous website activity into structured ecommerce context. ## Why Tracking Visitors Are an Item Tracking Visitors are an item because each record is created from real tracking activity. They are not reusable configuration. They are individual visitor identity records that exist because someone visited a tracked domain or because a tracking workflow associated a visitor with later commerce activity. This distinction matters in the RevCent ecosystem: ```text Tracking Domain = feature / configuration Tracking Visitor = item / visitor identity record Tracking Entry = item / page-visit or tracking activity record ``` A merchant may configure one Tracking Domain, but many Tracking Visitor items can be created from visitor activity on that domain. ## Core Purpose The core purpose of Tracking Visitors is to preserve visitor identity and attribution context long enough for RevCent to connect website activity to business outcomes. Ecommerce attribution often depends on knowing what happened before the purchase. A visitor may arrive from an ad click, affiliate link, email campaign, organic search result, social post, landing page test, or referral partner. Without a visitor record, that context may disappear before the customer reaches checkout. Tracking Visitors help answer questions such as: - Which visitor created this sale? - Which tracking domain produced this visitor? - What URL parameters were attached to the visitor? - Which traffic source, affiliate, ad, campaign, or landing page introduced the visitor? - Which page visits occurred before purchase? - Did this visitor later become a customer? - Did this visitor produce one or more sales? - Is this visitor relevant to fraud review or Sentinel Anti-Fraud context? - How should attribution metadata be connected to revenue, refunds, subscriptions, or chargebacks? A Tracking Visitor is the bridge between visitor behavior and RevCent commerce records. ## How Tracking Visitors Are Created Tracking Visitors are typically created through RevCent tracking behavior on a configured Tracking Domain. A common creation flow is: ```text Tracking Domain exists ↓ Track.js or DNS tracking is active ↓ Visitor lands on the domain ↓ RevCent assigns or recognizes a visitor identity ↓ Tracking Visitor item is created or updated ``` The Tracking Visitor may then accumulate metadata, related entries, and related sale references over time. For supported WordPress or WooCommerce flows, visitor ID handling may be handled by the RevCent plugin when configured. For custom or non-WordPress implementations, the visitor ID must be preserved and passed into the relevant sale or checkout flow so RevCent can connect the visitor to the eventual commerce record. ## Relationship to Tracking Domains Tracking Domains are the feature that enables Tracking Visitors. A Tracking Domain tells RevCent which domain belongs to the merchant and where tracking should be active. A Tracking Visitor is the visitor identity created from activity on that domain. Conceptually: ```text Tracking Domain ↓ Visitor arrives on tracked website ↓ Tracking Visitor item is created ``` The Tracking Domain provides the domain context for the visitor. This matters because RevCent does not blindly track across the internet. Tracking is tied to domains configured by the merchant. If Tracking Domain setup is incomplete, visitor tracking may be incomplete. DNS setup, tracking code installation, plugin configuration, and visitor ID handling all affect whether Tracking Visitor records are useful for attribution and fraud context. ## Relationship to Tracking Entries Tracking Entries are the page-level or activity-level records associated with Tracking Visitors. If a Tracking Visitor represents the visitor identity, Tracking Entries represent the visitor's activity trail. Conceptually: ```text Tracking Visitor ↓ Tracking Entry: first landing page ↓ Tracking Entry: product page ↓ Tracking Entry: cart page ↓ Tracking Entry: checkout page ``` Tracking Entries help reconstruct the visitor journey. They can show pages visited, hostnames, paths, referrers, and other visit context, depending on what was captured. The relationship is important because a Tracking Visitor alone identifies the visitor, while Tracking Entries help explain what the visitor did. ## Relationship to Sales Tracking Visitors can be associated with Sales when the visitor completes or attempts a purchase and the visitor ID is connected to the sale request or checkout flow. This relationship is one of the main reasons Tracking Visitors matter. Conceptually: ```text Tracking Visitor ↓ Visitor metadata and page activity are preserved ↓ Visitor completes checkout ↓ Sale is created ↓ Sale references the Tracking Visitor ``` A visitor may be associated with one or more sales. A sale may contain a reference back to the Tracking Visitor so the business can connect purchase behavior to the original visitor and attribution metadata. This supports conversion tracking, ad attribution, affiliate attribution, funnel analysis, fraud review, and customer journey analysis. ## Relationship to URL Parameters and Metadata Tracking Visitors can carry metadata created from URL parameters. URL parameters are values added to landing page URLs to identify source, campaign, ad click, affiliate, keyword, landing page, or other tracking context. Examples include: - `utm_source` - `utm_medium` - `utm_campaign` - `utm_content` - `utm_term` - `gclid` - `fbclid` - `ttclid` - `msclkid` - `affiliate_id` - `sub_id` - `click_id` - `campaign_id` - `ad_id` - `landing_page` When a Tracking Domain is configured to save these parameters, RevCent can attach the values as metadata to the Tracking Visitor. If the visitor later purchases, that metadata can help explain where the sale came from. Conceptually: ```text Visitor lands on /offer?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=spring_sale ↓ Tracking Domain captures configured URL parameters ↓ Tracking Visitor stores metadata ↓ Sale can later inherit or reference attribution context ``` This makes Tracking Visitors important for both individual sale review and aggregate marketing analysis. ## Relationship to Conversion Tracking Tracking Visitors are central to RevCent conversion tracking. Conversion tracking is the process of connecting a visitor's source and browsing context to the eventual conversion or sale. A basic conversion tracking flow looks like this: ```text Ad, affiliate, email, search, or social click ↓ Visitor lands on tracked domain ↓ Tracking Visitor is created ↓ URL parameters are saved as metadata ↓ Visitor purchases ↓ Sale is associated with Tracking Visitor ↓ Business can analyze source, campaign, and revenue ``` Without the Tracking Visitor, the business may still see a sale, but lose the pre-purchase context that explains how that sale happened. ## Relationship to Google Ads and Click IDs Tracking Visitors can preserve click identifiers such as `gclid`, which is commonly used for Google Ads attribution. When a visitor lands on a tracked page with a click ID in the URL, RevCent can save that value as visitor metadata if configured to do so. That click ID can later help connect the visitor and sale to ad-related context. This matters because ecommerce businesses often need to understand not just that a sale occurred, but which ad, campaign, keyword, source, or channel led to that sale. Tracking Visitors help preserve this context across the time gap between the first click and the eventual purchase. ## Relationship to Affiliate and Partner Tracking Tracking Visitors are useful for affiliate, partner, and sub-ID attribution. Many affiliate programs and partner campaigns rely on URL parameters such as: - `affiliate_id` - `partner_id` - `sub_id` - `sub_id_2` - `click_id` - `campaign_id` When these values are captured on the visitor, they can later be connected to sales, refunds, renewals, chargebacks, or fraud detections. This allows the business to understand which partners are producing valuable traffic and which sources may need closer review. ## Relationship to Customers Tracking Visitors can become connected to Customers when a visitor purchases and a customer record is created or matched. The Tracking Visitor represents pre-purchase visitor identity. The Customer represents the known buyer identity inside RevCent. Conceptually: ```text Tracking Visitor = pre-purchase visitor/session context Customer = known buyer/contact identity Sale = commerce event that can connect the two ``` This relationship is useful because the business can analyze how visitor source and behavior relate to customer value, repeat purchases, refunds, subscriptions, trials, and support outcomes. ## Relationship to Tracking Domains and DNS Quality The usefulness of a Tracking Visitor depends on the quality of the Tracking Domain setup. If the tracking domain is not configured correctly, visitor identity may be incomplete, metadata may not be captured, or visitor-to-sale matching may not work consistently. Important setup concepts include: - The domain should be configured as a Tracking Domain. - DNS tracking should be completed where required. - Track.js or plugin-based tracking should be active. - URL parameters should be configured for the domain. - Visitor IDs should be passed into checkout or sale creation flows. For WooCommerce or WordPress flows, plugin configuration can reduce manual work. For custom storefronts, developers must ensure the visitor ID is preserved and submitted correctly. ## Relationship to Sentinel Anti-Fraud Tracking Visitors can provide context for Sentinel Anti-Fraud and fraud review. Visitor data can include IP address, user agent, metadata, tracking domain, and page-visit behavior. This context can help RevCent understand whether a purchase attempt looks normal or suspicious. For example, visitor context may help evaluate: - Whether the visitor exists. - Which domain the visitor came from. - Whether the visitor came through expected tracking paths. - Whether visitor metadata matches the sale context. - Whether the visitor IP or behavior appears suspicious. - Whether a sale should be reviewed as potential fraud. Tracking Visitors do not replace anti-fraud policy. Instead, they provide behavioral and attribution context that Sentinel or fraud-review workflows can use. ## Relationship to Fraud Detections Tracking Visitors can be relevant to Fraud Detection records. A fraud event may involve a visitor ID, IP address, source metadata, page activity, or tracking domain context. When a Fraud Detection is reviewed, the related Tracking Visitor can help explain how the visitor reached the site and what tracking information was available before the fraud event. This is especially useful for identifying patterns such as: - Repeated fraud from the same source or landing page. - Suspicious traffic from specific campaigns or affiliates. - Fraud attempts with missing or invalid visitor context. - Card testing or bot behavior tied to visitor/session patterns. - Fraud detections connected to certain tracking domains or metadata values. Tracking Visitor context can make fraud review more complete. ## Relationship to AI Assistants AI Assistants can use Tracking Visitor context when analyzing ecommerce activity. Useful AI workflows include: - Summarizing a visitor's path to purchase. - Explaining where a sale likely came from. - Reviewing attribution metadata attached to a visitor. - Identifying whether a sale has tracking context. - Comparing sale metadata to visitor metadata. - Creating an internal memo about a high-value visitor path. - Reviewing potential fraud context connected to a Tracking Visitor. - Suggesting whether missing visitor metadata indicates a tracking setup problem. AI Assistants should avoid overstating certainty. Visitor paths and metadata provide strong context, but they do not always prove causality by themselves. ## Relationship to AI Voice Agents AI Voice Agents may use Tracking Visitor context indirectly when helping with customer support, sales review, or fraud review. For example, if a support agent is reviewing a customer or sale, related tracking context may help explain where the customer came from or which campaign drove the purchase. An AI Voice Agent should not expose sensitive behavioral tracking details unnecessarily. Visitor data should be treated as internal operational context unless the business explicitly wants it used in a customer-facing conversation. ## Relationship to Functions Functions can use Tracking Visitor context in event-driven workflows. Examples include: - Sending visitor attribution context to an internal analytics system. - Enriching a sale workflow with tracking metadata. - Routing suspicious visitor behavior to an external fraud tool. - Creating internal notifications when a high-value campaign produces a sale. - Sending conversion context to a CRM, helpdesk, or marketing platform. Functions are useful when the business wants to move visitor and conversion context outside RevCent or use it in custom automation. ## Relationship to Reporting Tracking Visitors are useful for reporting and analytics because they connect visitor identity, metadata, tracking domain context, and sale relationships. Common reporting questions include: - How many visitors did each tracking domain receive? - Which tracking domains produced visitors with sales? - Which metadata values produced the most visitors? - Which traffic sources produced visitors who purchased? - Which landing pages or sources produced the highest-value visitors? - How many visitors were associated with a sale? - Which visitors had repeated page visits before converting? - Which visitor sources produced refunds, chargebacks, or fraud detections? - Which tracking domains have traffic but no sales? - Which campaigns produce visitors but weak conversion outcomes? The primary BigQuery table for this item is `tracking_visitor`. ## BigQuery Table Role The `tracking_visitor` BigQuery table contains Tracking Visitor records created by RevCent tracking. It can include fields such as: - Tracking Visitor ID. - Creation timestamp. - IP address. - User agent. - Browser fingerprint. - Metadata entries. - Associated Sale IDs. - Associated Tracking Domain ID. This table is useful for visitor-level reporting and attribution analysis. Conceptually: ```text `revcent.user.tracking_visitor` ↓ visitor identity records ↓ metadata, source, domain, and sale relationships ↓ conversion attribution and visitor analysis ``` Use the BigQuery schema to confirm exact fields before building reports. ## Relationship to Metadata Reporting Tracking Visitors are one of the sources of metadata used for conversion analysis. Metadata may originate from URL parameters captured at landing time. That metadata can then be used to group and filter business outcomes. Examples: ```text utm_source = google utm_campaign = summer_sale affiliate_id = partner_123 landing_page = version_b gclid = click_id_value ``` A business can use these values to understand which visitor sources are producing revenue, subscriptions, refunds, chargebacks, or fraud events. Tracking Visitors are especially important because they capture metadata before the sale happens. ## Relationship to Attribution Quality Tracking Visitors improve attribution quality only when the tracking workflow is implemented correctly. Common issues that can reduce attribution quality include: - Tracking Domain not created. - DNS tracking not completed. - Track.js not installed. - Plugin DNS tracking not enabled. - Visitor ID not passed into checkout or sale creation. - URL parameters not configured to save as metadata. - Inconsistent metadata names across domains. - Ad or affiliate links missing expected parameters. - Browser behavior, ad blockers, or cross-domain flows interfering with tracking. A Tracking Visitor record is most valuable when the domain, tracking code, visitor ID handoff, and metadata setup all work together. ## Common Ecommerce Use Cases Tracking Visitors support many ecommerce workflows: | Use Case | How Tracking Visitors Help | |---|---| | Conversion attribution | Connect visitor source metadata to sales. | | Affiliate tracking | Preserve affiliate IDs, sub IDs, and partner click IDs. | | Paid ad analysis | Preserve click IDs and campaign metadata. | | Landing page testing | Connect landing page variants to sales and revenue. | | Funnel analysis | Use visitor and entry activity to understand the path to purchase. | | Fraud review | Provide visitor IP, user agent, tracking domain, and source context. | | Customer support | Help explain how a customer or sale originated. | | Marketing optimization | Identify which visitor sources create high-value customers. | | WooCommerce tracking | Connect storefront visitor activity to RevCent sales when plugin tracking is configured. | | Custom storefront tracking | Connect custom website traffic to RevCent sale creation when visitor IDs are passed correctly. | ## Why This Matters in the RevCent Ecosystem Tracking Visitors are important because they connect marketing activity to commerce activity. A sale by itself tells the business what was purchased. A Tracking Visitor can help explain how the buyer arrived, what campaign or source was involved, what page path preceded the purchase, and what attribution metadata should travel with the outcome. In the RevCent ecosystem, Tracking Visitors connect: - Tracking Domains. - Tracking Entries. - URL parameters. - Metadata. - Sales. - Customers. - Fraud review. - Sentinel Anti-Fraud context. - AI workflows. - Functions. - Reporting and BigQuery analysis. They are a core item for understanding the customer journey before the customer becomes known through a purchase. ## Best-Fit Businesses Tracking Visitors are especially useful for businesses that rely on measurable traffic sources and conversion attribution. Best-fit examples include: - WooCommerce stores using paid traffic. - Ecommerce stores running Google Ads, Facebook Ads, TikTok Ads, or Microsoft Ads. - Affiliate-driven businesses. - Multi-domain funnel businesses. - Landing-page and A/B testing workflows. - Subscription businesses that need source-to-renewal analysis. - Trial businesses that need source-to-conversion analysis. - High-risk merchants that need visitor context for fraud review. - Businesses that want AI-assisted attribution and campaign analysis. ## Summary Tracking Visitors are RevCent items that represent tracked website visitors. They are created from tracking activity on configured Tracking Domains and can connect visitor identity, URL-parameter metadata, page activity, and associated sales. They help businesses understand where visitors came from, how they moved through the site, which visitors converted, and how visitor context relates to fraud, reporting, AI workflows, and long-term ecommerce performance. For technical implementation, use the Web App, API, MCP/AI, and BigQuery links in the header. --- Document Parent Directory * [Items](https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/ecosystem/item/index.md) - Non-technical markdown documentation for items within the RevCent ecosystem. An item is an entity that is spawned as a result of a feature or operation conducted within the RevCent ecosystem.