Custom builds, missing attribution
If you're using Twilio's WhatsApp Business API, you've already invested in building a custom messaging solution. Maybe it's integrated with your CRM. Maybe you've built custom chatbots. Your conversation handling is sorted.
What's usually missing is the link back to acquisition. A message arrives in your Twilio-powered system. Where did this person come from? Which Google Ad, which keyword, which campaign? Twilio doesn't know because it only sees the messaging layer.
How it actually works with Twilio
The mechanism is straightforward:
When someone taps your WhatsApp link on your site, the Tagless script modifies the wa.me URL to include a unique reference in the pre-filled message text. The customer sends the message — the reference is right there in the message body, invisible to them in practice.
That message arrives in Twilio. You route incoming messages to Tagless's universal endpoint:
In your Twilio webhook handler, add an HTTP call to your Tagless endpoint URL when a new message arrives. If you're using Make.com or Zapier with Twilio, create a one-step scenario instead: trigger on Twilio incoming message, HTTP module forwards to Tagless.
Tagless scans the incoming message for the reference. When it finds one, it matches it to the GCLID captured when the visitor clicked your Google Ad, and associates it with the customer's phone number.
What happens next depends on your plan:
Free plan: Any message containing a valid reference is auto-qualified as a conversion and synced to Google Ads. Simple — if they sent the message, they're a lead.
Paid plan: Tagless AI listens to the ongoing conversation thread and makes a determination on lead quality based on your qualification prompt. It can distinguish a genuine property enquiry from someone asking for directions, or a real patient consultation request from a sales pitch. Only genuinely qualified leads sync to Google Ads.
Since you're already handling webhooks in code, you can also use the Tagless REST API directly for tighter integration.
For a full explanation of the tracking mechanism, see How Tagless Works.
For developers building on Twilio
Tagless also has a REST API, so you can integrate attribution directly into your existing Twilio message handling code. Capture the GCLID from the Tagless cookie on the frontend, pass it to your backend, and include it when your Twilio webhook fires. Full control, no middleware.