A click handler that bypasses clickTag

Reviewed October 6, 2026 · Synthetic 160 × 600 example

Both files declare var clickTag = "https://creativevalidator.com/about";. The broken handler ignores that variable and opens a separate literal URL. Merely finding the variable is insufficient.

Smallest correction

// Broken: ignores the trafficker-editable value
window.open('https://creativevalidator.com/about', '_blank');
// Fixed: reads the configured value
window.open(window.clickTag, '_blank');

A literal default in the declaration is normal in Google's example. The problem shown here is bypassing it at the exit. Keep the declaration readable in the primary HTML and check for later assignments that reset it.

Google's help page describes a warning for hard-coded click-through URLs; its API also defines the error category below. Do not claim that every such occurrence always rejects an upload.

Download and compare

Each link downloads one creative ZIP. Upload that downloaded file directly to the validator; do not wrap it in another ZIP. Extract a copy only to inspect or edit its source.

These examples contain no client assets, vendor scripts or tracking pixels. The corrected banner's click opens Creative Validator's methodology page.

What has been verified

Automated local validation with the GAM profile reports CLICK-DESTINATION-STATIC for the broken ZIP. The corrected ZIP clears that finding and passes the completed static checks. These examples are generated from fixed source and checked byte-for-byte in the test suite.

GAM upload acceptance is unverified. The examples have not been uploaded to a Google Ad Manager account. A validator pass does not explain an unrelated generic rejection.

Check the destination platform

Upload the corrected individual bundle in the intended account. If accepted, check dimensions, rendering and the configured click destination in the available preview and serving environment. If rejected, preserve the exact error, ZIP and creative identifiers for support.

The GAM API error reference names CLICK_TAG_HARD_CODED. This is an API classification, not a promise about the wording or cause of a UI error. Also consult Google's HTML5 guidelines.

GAM upload troubleshooting and support evidence

More worked examples

Missing primary HTML in a GAM ZIP · A missing asset inside an HTML5 ZIP