UID Sync Overview
1. User Sync Process
1.1. User Syncing
User matching (cookie syncing) is the process of synchronizing browser-based user IDs (cookies) between ADARA and the partner system.
Many platforms consider privacy regulations and require their partners to store the match table. For similar reasons, ADARA prefers to store the user to reduce exposure of ADARA IDs.
1.2. User Match Table
To implement the user match, ADARA develops a local table to preserve the mapping between ADARA cookie ID and the corresponding partner’s cookie ID.
1.3. Populating the User Match Table
The user match table is populated by receipt of the sync pixel requests where the party that initiates the sync adds their ID the request. The receiving party that is storing the match table will set their own ID to pair with the ID from the initiator so then it can store the ID match pair.
2. Initiating User Sync
User sync can be initiated in multiple ways:
- The initiating party fires a sync pixel from receiving party and passes their ID when the receiving party stores the cookie map.
- The initiating party fires a sync pixel form the receiving party. The receiving party redirects with a call to original caller while pass their ID. The initiating party stores the cookie map so it requires a redirect back.
- Option 1 an be set up so that there is a two-way sync and both sides stores their copy of the cookie match table.
Initiating User Sync is the first step in configuring the User Syncing process. Both parties must agree on who will initiate the sync and who will store the match table. |
The following table outlines the multiple scenarios available based on the three options above:
| Option | Scenario | Sync Initiation | Match Table Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Partner Initiated | Partner stores match table |
| 1 | 2 | ADARA initiated | ADARA stores match table |
| 2 | 3 | Partner Initiated | Partner stores match table |
| 2 | 4 | ADARA initiated | ADARA stores match table |
| 3 | 5 | Either party can initiate | Both parties store match table |
Pixel Sync requirements include:
- Determine which party will initiate the sync.
- Determine if one party or both parties will host the match table.
- Partner SSL compliant dedicated endpoint pixel.
- Parameter name in which the User ID value should be passed.
- ADARA SSL compliant dedicated endpoint pixel.
Example pixel provided by ADARA:
https://tag.yieldoptimizer.com/ps/ps?t=i&p=[ADARA_PARTNER_ID]&uid=[PARTNER_USER_ID]
The p parameter value is the unique Partner ID provided by ADARA, and the uid parameter value is the user ID that is passed (i.e. the Cookie ID).
Example Partner sync pixel:
https://www.partner.com/?partner=[PARTNER_NAME_OR_ID]&user_id=[COOKIE_ID]
The partner parameter value is the unique Partner name or ID (i.e. ADARA or 1234), and the uid parameter value should be the User ID in partner ecosystem (i.e. the Cookie ID).