The Linkbreakers ID, also known as LBID, connects every visitor interaction in your workflow, from initial scan to final conversion. Discover how this tracking identifier works, when to use it, and how to implement it correctly in your Linkbreakers setup.
Every time someone scans your QR code or clicks your short link, something important happens behind the scenes. Linkbreakers creates a unique identifier called an LBID (Linkbreakers ID) that follows that visitor through their entire journey. Think of it as a digital thread connecting every interaction, from the initial scan to form submissions and final conversions.
This matters because you can't improve what you can't measure. And you definitely can't measure visitor behavior if you lose track of them halfway through.
An LBID is a base64-encoded identifier that represents one specific scan or click event. When someone interacts with your link, we generate a UUID (universally unique identifier) and convert it into a URL-safe format. The result looks something like 2VqKhjxtKwC7pBbg.
Here's what makes LBIDs useful:
The LBID acts as the connective tissue between disparate events. Without it, you'd see a password entry here, a form submission there, but you wouldn't know they came from the same person.
When someone scans your QR code or clicks your short link, we create a new Event ID. This UUID gets converted to LBID format for URL compatibility, then attaches itself to every subsequent step in your workflow.
You don't need to do anything special to make this happen. The system handles it automatically.
The LBID travels with your visitor through multiple touchpoints:
Password screens validate access while maintaining the tracking thread. When someone enters the correct password, the LBID passes through to the next step.
Form submissions get linked to the original scan event. This means you can see exactly which QR code or link prompted someone to fill out your form.
Redirects can optionally carry the LBID to final destinations. You control whether this happens through your conversion tracking settings.
Here's where things get interesting. When you collect information like email addresses or phone numbers, the LBID helps us associate that data with the specific scan that started the journey.
Over time, this builds comprehensive visitor profiles. You can track conversion paths, attribute actions to specific campaigns, and understand which touchpoints matter most.
To start generating LBIDs for your links, you need to turn on conversion tracking:
This ensures the LBID gets preserved and passed to your destination, so you can use it later on.
LBIDs appear as query parameters in your URLs:
https://your-link.com/form?lbid=2VqKhjxtKwC7pBbg&utm_source=email
When you collect visitor information, include the LBID in your API requests. This connects the data to the original scan event:
1// Extract LBID from URL parameters
2const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
3const lbid = urlParams.get('lbid');
4
5// Submit visitor data with LBID
6fetch('/v1/visitor/identify', {
7 method: 'POST',
8 headers: {
9 'Content-Type': 'application/json',
10 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_WORKSPACE_TOKEN'
11 },
12 body: JSON.stringify({
13 lbid: lbid,
14 visitor: {
15 data: {
16 "$email": "user@example.com",
17 "$phone": "+1234567890",
18 "custom_field": "custom_value"
19 }
20 }
21 })
22});Note that you need workspace token authentication for this to work. The API won't accept visitor identification requests without proper credentials.
This error means the LBID is missing from either your URL or API request.
First, check that you've enabled conversion tracking on your link. Without this setting, Linkbreakers won't generate or pass LBIDs through your workflow.
The LBID got corrupted or improperly formatted somewhere along the way.
Check your URL handling code. Sometimes URL encoding/decoding can mangle the LBID string. Make sure you're not inadvertently modifying it during processing.
The LBID doesn't match any existing scan event in the system.
This usually happens when you're testing with old or made-up LBIDs. Verify that the LBID corresponds to a recent, valid scan. LBIDs don't work across different workflows either—each one is tied to a specific link configuration.
Validate LBID presence before processing. Don't assume it'll always be there. Check for it explicitly and handle missing LBIDs with clear error messages.
Preserve the LBID when redirecting. If you're moving visitors between workflow steps, make sure the LBID comes along for the ride.
Enable conversion tracking strategically. Turn it on for links where you need visitor identification, but you can leave it off for simple redirects.
Test your workflows end-to-end. Click through the entire visitor journey to ensure LBID continuity. It's easy to break the chain if you're not careful.
Use proper authentication. Always include your workspace token when making API calls that involve LBIDs.
LBIDs are temporary identifiers linked to scan events. They don't contain personal information themselves. You could look at an LBID all day and never learn someone's name, email, or phone number.
Personal data only enters the picture when visitors explicitly provide it through forms or other input methods.
LBIDs actually help with compliance in several ways:
Data portability becomes easier because visitor interactions are linked together. If someone requests their data, you can find everything associated with their scans.
Right to deletion works by removing the associated scan events. When the events disappear, so does the LBID trail.
Consent tracking flows through the entire workflow. You can verify that consent was obtained at the right stage of the visitor journey.
You can build sophisticated analytics or CRM integrations using LBIDs:
Track visitor journeys across multiple touchpoints, even outside the Linkbreakers platform. Attribute conversions to specific QR code campaigns with precision. Build detailed visitor profiles that incorporate cross-session data.
The LBID provides the glue that holds all this data together.
LBIDs enable powerful testing capabilities:
Compare conversion rates between different workflow paths. Track how visitors behave across multiple variations. Measure the long-term impact of workflow changes.
Without LBIDs, you'd struggle to connect test variations with actual outcomes.
If the LBID disappears at any point, you'll lose tracking continuity. The visitor can still proceed, but you won't be able to connect their later actions to the original scan. Enable conversion tracking and test thoroughly to prevent this.
No. Each LBID is unique to one scan or click event. Trying to reuse LBIDs will cause tracking errors and data corruption.
LBIDs persist as long as the associated scan event exists in the system. There's no automatic expiration, but you can manually delete scan events if needed.
Only if you're tracking visitors through workflows. Simple redirects don't need it.
Yes, it appears in the URL as a query parameter. But since it doesn't contain personal information, this doesn't create privacy concerns.
They represent the same thing in different formats. The Event ID is a UUID, while the LBID is that UUID converted to a URL-safe base64 string.
Check your Link Settings under Workflow Steps. You'll see a "Conversion Tracking" toggle for redirect steps.
No, the format is standardized across the platform to ensure compatibility and reliability.
Your workflow will likely break at the next interactive step (like a password screen or form). Always validate LBID presence and show helpful error messages when it's missing.
They coexist peacefully in the URL. UTM parameters track campaign attribution, while LBID tracks individual visitor journeys. Both provide valuable but different insights.
Yes, you can query scan events and their associated LBIDs through the Linkbreakers API. Check the API documentation for specific endpoints.
First, verify that conversion tracking is enabled. Then check that your code properly extracts and preserves the LBID through each workflow step. If problems persist, contact support with specific error messages and your link configuration details.
Still stuck? Reach out to our support team with your specific error messages and link configuration. We'll help you get LBID tracking working smoothly.