Why is it necessary to leave the ?mkt_tok= URL parameter in the address bar?

[Anthony_Pica]

I was wondering why it was necessary to leave the ?mkt_tok= URL parameter in the web page address bar after someone clicks a link in an email.

Links in emails are decorated with the track?=click&enid= URL parameters already, right? For example, here's the href for a link in an email:

http://go.example.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPWludGVybmV0Y3JlYXRpb25zQmV0YWN1c3QtLS0tMTc2Ni1wcm9kLTI2OCZtZXNzYWdlaWQ9MCZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTI2OCZzZXJpYWw9MTI2NTI2OTY4MCZlbWFpbhlkPWFudGhvbnkucGljYUBpbnRlcm5ldGNyZWF0aW9ucy5jb20mdXNlcmlkPTEwMDQ4MDgmZXh0cmE9JiYm&&&http://www.example.com/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRow5%2FmYJoDpwmWGd5mht7VzDtPj1OY6hBapJLqJK1TtuMFUGpsqOOCQFQcCHZV1wx5dG%2FScc45TvOFYGFWeXTr7qaWHPt0eJewjhA%3D%3D

Then, this is what displays in the web page address bar:

http://www.example.com/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRow5%2FmYJoDpwmWGd5mht7VzDtPj1OY6hBapJLqJK1TtuMFUGpsqOOCQFQcCHZV1wx5dG%2FScc45TvOFYGFWeXTr7qaWHPt0eJewjhA%3D%3D


Does the decorated email link also cookie the user in addition to recording the link? If so, then why is it necessary to have ?mkt_tok= in the address bar afterwards?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

There is an Idea to remove this tracking code—like it!

[Anthony_Pica]

Would you mind posting a link to the idea you're referring to?

[Anonymous]

Er, at least for shortening it: https://community.marketo.com/Marketoideadetail?id=08750000000H7ptAAC

[Jon_Wu]

I wanted some variation of this too and eventually found the solution after support said it wasn't possible.

Now you can remove the tracking code while still tracking clicks in the email or remove tracking altogether. The redirects in the email allow you to see click link in email activitiy and the mkt_tok is basically like calling associateLead immediately once the user is the site so that you can track all their site activitiy - especially if they are on a new device like their phone.

Here's some info: https://community.marketo.com/MarketoArticle?id=kA050000000KyqCCAS