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The SegmentStream Identity Graph is a core part of the attribution infrastructure. It connects fragmented user sessions across browsers, devices, and channels to enable more accurate multi-touch attribution (MTA) and a unified view of the customer journey. By using a combination of identifiers collected on-site, the identity graph helps associate sessions with users across devices — even when they don’t log in — improving attribution, optimisation, and decision-making.

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Why it matters

Modern users interact with brands across multiple channels and devices. A typical journey may include:
  • Subscribing to a newsletter on mobile
  • Clicking a retargeting ad on desktop
  • Converting later on tablet
Without stitching these sessions together, each would be seen as a separate user, breaking attribution. The identity graph enables SegmentStream to connect these interactions, reconstruct the full path to conversion, and attribute value accurately.

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What data is used to stitch sessions

SegmentStream combines the following identifiers to build and enrich the identity graph:
IdentifierDescription
user_idA persistent user identifier (e.g. when logged in) — the strongest signal.
ip_addressUsed as a fallback when stronger IDs are missing; often combined with timestamp and location heuristics.
click_idUnique ad click identifiers (e.g. gclid, fbclid) used to match sessions to ad interactions.
email hash (ehash)A SHA-256 hashed version of the user’s email collected on forms (e.g. newsletter signup, checkout). Enables matching to email campaigns and cross-device interactions.
SegmentStream uses confidence-weighted merging logic to stitch sessions based on multiple identifiers.

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Use cases

  • Cross-device attribution — Match a subscription on mobile to a purchase on desktop via ehash.
  • Campaign path stitching — Connect Meta, Google, and direct sessions leading to a conversion.
  • Better ML input — Feed complete user journeys into conversion modelling, improving performance.

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Best practices for implementation

To get the most from the identity graph, implement the following:
  • Send user_id to GA4 whenever a user logs in or authenticates.
  • Preserve click_id parameters when redirecting from ad platforms by implementing the SegmentStream SDK.
  • Implement ehash by capturing and hashing emails from forms (e.g. newsletter, checkout) and adding ehash to email links (e.g. https://site.com?ehash=...).

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In this section

User ID

Implement user ID tracking in Google Analytics for cross-device attribution.

Email hash (Segment)

Implement ehash-based cross-device tracking using Segment.

Email hash (GTM)

Implement ehash-based cross-device tracking using Google Tag Manager.