Winfluencer Technical Guide

Track page views, purchases, leads, and add-to-cart events with optional first-party routing via a CNAME endpoint.

Quick Start

In GTM go to Templates → Search Gallery, add Winfluencer Pixel Tag

Create a New Tag:
Pixel ID (required): wi-123456 format
CNAME endpoint (optional): hostname only (e.g., win.yourbrand.com)
If not set, the default endpoint is used
Event type: pageView, purchase, lead, or add_to_cart
(Optional) Custom Parameters table (e.g., transaction_id, value, currency)

Add a trigger (e.g., All Pages for page views) and use Preview to test

Installation

Option A: Install from GTM Community Template Gallery (Recommended)

In Google Tag Manager, navigate to Templates in the left sidebar
Click Search Gallery button (top right)
Search for "Winfluencer Pixel Tag"
Click on the template card
Click Add to workspace
The template is now available in your workspace

Option B: Manual Import

Download the template.tpl file from GitHub
In GTM, navigate to Templates → Tag Templates → New
Click the ⋮ menu (top right) → Import
Select the downloaded template.tpl file
Click Save

Configuration

Creating a Tag

In GTM, navigate to Tags → New
Click Tag Configuration
Select Winfluencer Pixel Tag
Configure the required and optional fields (see Field Reference)
Add an appropriate trigger
Save and test in Preview mode

Field Reference

Required Fields

Pixel ID

Description: Your unique Winfluencer tracking identifier

Where to find: Log in to the Winfluencer platform to obtain your Pixel ID

Event Type

Description: The type of user action to track

Available options:

Value	Description	Typical Use
pageView	Page navigation	Every page load
purchase	Completed transaction	Order confirmation
lead	Form submission/signup	Lead generation
add_to_cart	Product added to cart	E-commerce funnel

Optional Fields

CNAME Endpoint

Format: Hostname only (no https://, no path)

Examples:

✅ Correct: win.yourbrand.com
❌ Incorrect: https://win.yourbrand.com
❌ Incorrect: win.yourbrand.com/collect

Description: Enables first-party tracking by routing via your hostname (subject to browser policies and your DNS setup)

Benefits:

Reduced likelihood of ad blocker interference
Tracking data routed through your domain
Better compatibility with privacy policies

If not configured: The default endpoint (api.winflncr.com) is used

Custom Parameters

Description: Additional key-value pairs sent with each event

Format: Table with two columns: Parameter Name and Parameter Value

⚠️ Privacy Warning:

Do not include personally identifiable information (PII) such as email addresses, phone numbers, or names without hashing them first. See Privacy Best Practices for guidance.

Parameter mapping: Parameter names on the left (e.g., transaction_id) are what the Winfluencer endpoint expects. GTM variables on the right (e.g., {{ Transaction ID }} ) read from your dataLayer keys. Create Data Layer Variables in GTM that match your data layer structure.

Common parameters:

Parameter Name	Description	Example GTM Variable
transaction_id	Unique order ID	{{ Transaction ID }} (reads transactionId from data layer)
value	Transaction amount	{{ Order Total }} (reads transactionTotal from data layer)
currency	Currency code	USD (static) or {{ Currency Code }} (reads transactionCurrency)
product_ids	Product identifiers	{{ Product IDs }} (reads productIds from data layer)
form_name	Form identifier	{{ Form Name }} (reads formName from data layer)
lead_type	Type of lead	contact_form (static value)

Using GTM Variables: Reference any GTM variable using {{ Variable Name }} syntax

Enable Debug Mode

Description: Writes diagnostic logs to the browser console for troubleshooting

When to enable:

During initial setup
When troubleshooting issues
In development/staging environments

When to disable:

Production environments (for performance)

Console output example:

[GTM Template Debug] GTM Template loaded
[GTM Template Debug] Configuration loaded
[GTM Template Debug] SUCCESS: Both init and track completed

Example Setups

Page View Tracking

Configuration:

Event Type: pageView
Trigger: All Pages
Custom Parameters: (none required)

Use for: Understanding user navigation, measuring campaign landing pages

Note for SPAs: For single-page applications (React, Vue, Angular), fire pageView events on route changes by pushing a custom event to the data layer when your app navigates.

Purchase Tracking

Configuration:

Event Type: purchase
Trigger: Custom Event named purchase (recommended)
Custom Parameters:
transaction_id: {{ Transaction ID }}
value: {{ Order Total }}
currency: {{ Currency Code }}
product_ids: {{ Product IDs }}

Alternative trigger: Page View on /thank-you or /order-confirmation

Use for: E-commerce conversion tracking, ROI measurement

Lead Tracking

Configuration:

Event Type: lead
Trigger: Form Submission or Custom Event named lead
Custom Parameters:
form_name: {{ Form Name }}
lead_type: contact_form
lead_source: {{ Page Path }}

Form trigger settings:

Check validation: ✅
Wait for tags: ✅
Use for: Lead generation tracking, B2B conversions

Add to Cart Tracking

Configuration:

Event Type: add_to_cart
Trigger: Custom Event named add_to_cart (recommended)
Custom Parameters:
product_id: {{ Product ID }}
product_name: {{ Product Name }}
product_price: {{ Product Price }}
quantity: {{ Quantity }}
currency: USD

Alternative trigger: Click trigger on add-to-cart buttons

Use for: Funnel analysis, cart abandonment tracking

Data Layer Examples

Purchase Event

// Push transaction data to data layer
dataLayer.push({
event: 'purchase',
transactionId: 'ORD-12345',
transactionTotal: 149.99,
transactionCurrency: 'USD',
productIds: ['PROD-001', 'PROD-002']
});

GTM Variables needed:

Create Data Layer Variable Transaction ID reading transactionId
Create Data Layer Variable Order Total reading transactionTotal
Create Data Layer Variable Currency Code reading transactionCurrency
Create Data Layer Variable Product IDs reading productIds

Lead Event

// Push lead data to data layer
dataLayer.push({
event: 'lead',
formName: 'Contact Form',
leadType: 'contact_form',
leadSource: window.location.pathname
});

GTM Variables needed:

Create Data Layer Variable Form Name reading formName
Use built-in variable Page Path for lead_source, or create Data Layer Variable reading leadSource

Add to Cart Event

// Push cart data to data layer
dataLayer.push({
event: 'add_to_cart',
productId: 'PROD-12345',
productName: 'Blue Widget',
productPrice: 89.99,
quantity: 1,
currency: 'USD'
});

GTM Variables needed:

Create Data Layer Variable Product ID reading productId
Create Data Layer Variable Product Name reading productName
Create Data Layer Variable Product Price reading productPrice
Create Data Layer Variable Quantity reading quantity

Attribution Parameters

The template automatically captures these URL parameters when present:

UTM Parameters

utm_source - Traffic source (e.g., instagram, youtube)
utm_medium - Marketing medium (e.g., influencer, social)
utm_campaign - Campaign name
utm_content - Content differentiation
utm_term - Keyword term

Winfluencer Parameters

win_campaign_id - Campaign identifier
win_influencer_id - Influencer identifier
win_content_id - Content/post identifier

How it works: When a user arrives with these parameters, the template reads them from the URL and forwards them with subsequent events for attribution tracking.

Example tracking URL:

https://yoursite.com/products?win_campaign_id=CAMP123&win_influencer_id=INF456&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=influencer

CNAME Setup

Why Use CNAME?

Routing via your hostname (subject to browser policies) provides:

Reduced likelihood of ad blocker interference
First-party data routing through your domain
Better alignment with privacy policies

DNS Configuration

Step 1: Choose a subdomain

Examples: win.yourbrand.com, tracking.yourbrand.com, analytics.yourbrand.com

Step 2: Add CNAME record

In your DNS provider, create a CNAME record:

Field	Value
Type	CNAME
Name	win (or your chosen subdomain)
Target	api.winflncr.com
TTL	3600 (or default)

Important for Cloudflare users:

Use DNS only mode (gray cloud, not orange/proxied)

Step 3: Wait for DNS propagation

Typical time: 1-24 hours (varies by provider)

Verify propagation:

// Push cart data to data layer
dataLayer.push({
event: 'add_to_cart',
productId: 'PROD-12345',
productName: 'Blue Widget',
productPrice: 89.99,
quantity: 1,
currency: 'USD'
});

Or check online: whatsmydns.net

Step 4: Update GTM tag

In your Winfluencer tag, set CNAME Endpoint to:

win.yourdomain.com

(hostname only, no https://, no path - the template validates this format)

Step 5: Verify

Visit your website
Open browser DevTools (F12) → Application/Storage → Cookies
Verify requests route via your hostname and that any cookies set are scoped to .yourdomain.com (subject to browser policies)

CNAME Troubleshooting

Issue: DNS not propagating

Verify CNAME record exists in DNS provider
Check target is api.winflncr.com
Wait 24-48 hours for full propagation
Clear local DNS cache
Check propagation status: whatsmydns.net

Issue: Cloudflare blocking

Ensure gray cloud (DNS only), not orange (proxied)
Orange proxy mode interferes with tracking

Issue: HTTPS/SSL errors

Wait for automatic SSL provisioning (15-30 minutes)
Contact randi@cortexlabs.digital for manual SSL setup

Issue: Still using default endpoint

Verify CNAME field in GTM has no https:// prefix (template validates this)
Ensure no trailing slashes
Re-publish GTM container
Clear browser cache

Permissions

The template requires the following sandboxed permissions:

Permission	Purpose	Justification
get_url	Read page URL to capture attribution parameters	Standard permission for tracking templates. Required to read UTM and Winfluencer campaign parameters from the URL.
get_referrer	Read referrer for source attribution	Standard permission for tracking templates. Required to track traffic sources.
inject_script	Load the tracking script when required	Required to load the Winfluencer core tracking script (core-script.js) from tm.winflncr.com. Script is loaded once per page.
send_pixel	Send HTTP beacon requests when script fallback is used	Fallback mechanism only. Used when script injection fails to ensure tracking continues via pixel beacon. Only sends to verified Winfluencer endpoints.
logging	Optional console diagnostics in Debug Mode	Debug logging only. Permission is only used when "Enable Debug Mode" is checked. Disabled by default in production.
access_globals (win - execute)	Call the win() tracking function	The win() function is our tracking API (similar to Facebook's fbq() or Google Analytics' gtag()). Required to call win('init', pixelId) and win('track', eventType, data).
access_globals (__win_config - read/write)	Pass configuration to the tracking script	Configuration object only. Used to pass CNAME endpoint, debug mode, and other settings from the GTM template to the tracking script before it initializes.

Permission Scope

All permissions are minimized and only requested when the corresponding feature is enabled:

Debug logging permission is only used when Debug Mode is enabled
Script loading only occurs when needed
Pixel fallback activates only if script injection fails
Global access is restricted to our namespaced variables only (win, __win_config)

Consent & Privacy

GTM Consent Mode

The template respects GTM Consent Mode if enabled in your container or Consent Management Platform (CMP).

Template settings: Required consent types are declared in the Template Editor so GTM enforces them at runtime when Consent Mode is enabled.
Required Consent Checks: Enabled in the Template Editor so the tag only runs after the necessary consents are granted.
Runtime behavior: The tag only fires when the required consent types are granted in GTM/CMP.

Consent types:

Analytics Storage
Ad Storage
Ad User Data
Ad Personalization

Configuration: In GTM tag, go to Advanced Settings → Consent Settings and select required consent types for your use case.

Privacy Best Practices

Do not send raw PII:

❌ Never send: Social Security Numbers, credit cards, passwords, medical info
⚠️ Hash before sending: Email addresses, phone numbers
✅ Safe to send: Order IDs, product IDs, anonymous user IDs

Hashing example (for site code or a separate custom tag):

async function hashEmail(email) {
const normalized = email.toLowerCase().trim();
const encoder = new TextEncoder();
const data = encoder.encode(normalized);
const hashBuffer = await crypto.subtle.digest('SHA-256', data);
const hashArray = Array.from(new Uint8Array(hashBuffer));
return hashArray.map(b => b.toString(16).padStart(2, '0')).join('');
}

const emailHash = await hashEmail(userEmail);
// Use emailHash in custom parameters

GDPR/CCPA Compliance:

Obtain proper consent before tracking
Honor opt-out requests
Provide data access upon request
Support data deletion requests
Document data collection in privacy policy

Security

Sandboxed environment: This template runs in GTM's sandboxed template environment with strictly controlled permissions.

Permission minimization: All permissions are minimized to only what is necessary for the template's functionality. Permissions are only invoked when the corresponding features are actively used.

No external dependencies: The template only loads scripts from verified Winfluencer endpoints and does not depend on third-party libraries.

Data transmission: All data is transmitted over HTTPS. When using CNAME, traffic is routed through your domain (subject to browser policies and your DNS configuration).

Open source: Source code is available in this repository; issues are enabled for security disclosure and fixes.

Troubleshooting

Tag Not Firing

Symptoms: No events in dashboard, tag shows "Not Fired" in GTM Preview

Solutions:

Check trigger configuration in GTM Preview
Verify Pixel ID format: wi-123456
Ensure event type is selected
Confirm GTM container is published
Check for JavaScript errors in console

Events Not Appearing in Dashboard

Symptoms: Tag fires successfully, network shows 200 OK, but no data in dashboard

Solutions:

Wait 2-5 minutes for data processing
Verify Pixel ID matches your account
Check date range filter in dashboard
Contact support: randi@cortexlabs.digital

Missing Parameters

Symptoms: Events track but custom parameters are empty/undefined

Solutions:

Verify GTM Data Layer Variables are configured correctly
Check data layer timing - ensure data is pushed before event
Use DOM Ready or Window Loaded trigger timing
Test variables in GTM Preview mode (Variables tab shows values)
Add trigger condition to exclude undefined values

Correct order example:

// Correct order:
dataLayer.push({
transactionId: '123',
transactionTotal: 99.99
});
dataLayer.push({ event: 'purchase' });

Duplicate Events

Symptoms: Same event tracked multiple times

Solutions:

Check for multiple Winfluencer tags with overlapping triggers
Use GTM's built-in "Once per page" limit in trigger advanced settings (recommended first)
Verify the template's built-in deduplication is functioning
As a last resort, implement client-side deduplication

Campaign Parameters Not Captured

Symptoms: Attribution data missing despite parameters in URL

Solutions:

Verify parameter spelling (case-sensitive)
✅ Correct: win_campaign_id
❌ Incorrect: win-campaign-id
Ensure page view tag fires on initial page load (not just on subsequent actions)
Enable debug mode and check console logs for parameter detection
Test with: yoursite.com?win_campaign_id=TEST&win_influencer_id=TEST

Debug Mode

Enable debug mode to see detailed console logs:

Edit your Winfluencer tag
Check ☑ Enable Debug Mode
Save and use Preview mode
Open browser console (F12)
Look for [GTM Template Debug] messages

Expected success logs:

[GTM Template Debug] GTM Template loaded
[GTM Template Debug] Configuration { pixelId: "wi-123456", ... }
[GTM Template Debug] Script injection successful
[GTM Template Debug] SUCCESS: Both init and track completed

Versioning & Updates

This template is published via the Community Template Gallery using metadata.yaml with commit SHAs and change notes. When updates are released, GTM will offer an in-container update notice allowing you to review changes and accept the update with one click.

Version history: See the releases page for detailed change notes.
Current version: Check the template's Info tab in GTM or see metadata. yaml in this repository.

Documentation & Support

Primary Contact

Email: randi@cortexlabs.digital

For:

Account setup and Pixel ID requests
CNAME configuration assistance
Technical troubleshooting
Implementation guidance
Privacy/compliance questions
Response Time: 24-48 hours

GitHub Resources

Repository: https://github.com/randicortexlabs/winfluencer-gtm-template
Issues: Report bugs or technical issues
Discussions: Ask questions, share implementations

Custom Parameters

Please include:

Pixel ID (if you have one)
Website URL
GTM Container ID
Issue description
Steps to reproduce
Screenshots (console logs, GTM Preview, network requests)
What you've already tried

Implementation Checklist

Pre-Implementation

☐ Winfluencer account requested
☐ Pixel ID obtained
☐ GTM access confirmed
☐ DNS access confirmed (for CNAME)

Installation

☐ Template installed from GTM Gallery
☐ Page view tag created and tested
☐ Purchase tag created (if e-commerce)
☐ Lead tag created (if applicable)
☐ Add to cart tag created (if applicable)
☐ CNAME DNS record added (optional but recommended)

Testing

☐ Tested in GTM Preview mode
☐ Verified tag firing for each event type
☐ Checked console logs with debug mode
☐ Confirmed network requests (status 200)
☐ Validated data in Winfluencer dashboard
☐ Verified CNAME working (if configured)
☐ Confirmed first-party cookies set

Production

☐ GTM container published
☐ Debug mode disabled
☐ Monitoring enabled
☐ Team trained on dashboard
☐ Documentation saved
☐ Support contact saved

Winfluencer Technical Guide

Table of Contents

Quick Start

Installation

Option A: Install from GTM Community Template Gallery (Recommended)

Option B: Manual Import

Configuration

Creating a Tag

Field Reference

Required Fields

Pixel ID

Event Type

Optional Fields

CNAME Endpoint

Custom Parameters

Enable Debug Mode

Example Setups

Page View Tracking

Purchase Tracking

Lead Tracking

Add to Cart Tracking

Data Layer Examples

Purchase Event

Lead Event

Add to Cart Event

Attribution Parameters

UTM Parameters

Winfluencer Parameters

CNAME Setup

Why Use CNAME?

DNS Configuration

Step 1: Choose a subdomain

Step 2: Add CNAME record

Step 3: Wait for DNS propagation

Step 4: Update GTM tag

Step 5: Verify

CNAME Troubleshooting

Issue: DNS not propagating

Issue: Cloudflare blocking

Issue: HTTPS/SSL errors

Issue: Still using default endpoint

Permissions

Permission Scope

Consent & Privacy

GTM Consent Mode

Privacy Best Practices

Security

Troubleshooting

Tag Not Firing

Events Not Appearing in Dashboard

Missing Parameters

Duplicate Events

Campaign Parameters Not Captured

Debug Mode

Versioning & Updates

Documentation & Support

Primary Contact

GitHub Resources

Custom Parameters

Implementation Checklist

Pre-Implementation

Installation

Testing

Production

Company

Resources