Automatic Conversion Tracking

In order to update conversions automatically, you will need to add a conversion tracking "postback" to the affiliate network or advertiser platform. A postback is a term used to describe a HTTP request (initiated by the network platform to your tracking server), which notifies the RevMax platform that an event (a conversion in this case) has occurred.

On this page:

Overview

• A server-to-server postback, image pixel or iFrame pixel (browser pixels) can be utilized.
• All postbacks to RevMax are logged (including failures) and can be seen in the Vendor Postback Log located at Reporting → Logs → Vendor Postbacks.
• All conversions from postbacks are logged in the Conversion Log located at Reporting → Logs → Conversions.
• The Global Server-to-Server Postback and browser pixels can be found under the "Tracking" tab on the Campaign Page, in the RevMax Conversion Tracking section.
  
  

Server Postback

• Common Aliases → postback URL, callback, s2s postback/tracking, server-to-server postback/tracking.
• Recommended whenever possible, as it is the most consistent and accurate.
• Most popular among affiliate networks and tracking platforms.
• Accepts GET, POST or HEAD HTTP methods.
• REVMAX_TRACKING_ID_HERE must be replaced with the network macro/actual tracking id sent to the offer.
  
• Basic tracking flow;
  
  1. Click arrives from tracking source.
  2. RevMax generates a unique tracking id and records the click.

  3. RevMax redirects the click to the offer with the unique tracking id placed in the offer url. The tracking id must be included using the {tracking_id} macro.

  4. Affiliate network receives the click and stores the passed RevMax tracking id with the click in their system.
  5. If a conversion occurs, affiliate network will initiate HTTP request to your tracking server (i.e. 'fires' the postback) using the server postback url placed/saved at the network.  The URL needs to include the tracking_id passed in the initial click.
  6. Your RevMax platform receives the postback and credits the conversion to the click.

Browser Pixels

• RevMax can utilize either image or iFrame HTML elements.
• Easy to set, but sometimes can fail due to browser cookie blocking technology. Use when it is not possible to pass a tracking id to the offer.
• MUST be placed on an HTML page (the success page) in order to work.
• This means you must have the ability to place the pixel or have the pixel placed on the success page. This may occur manually, or through an iFrame chain the network has set up. Either way, check with the advertiser.
• These pixels can be used on specific offers by adding ?offer_id=OFFER_ID to the url (replace OFFER_ID with the actual RevMax offer id.)
• iFrame pixels must be placed at the network or advertiser in order for RevMax to utilize 3rd-Party browser pixels (JavaScript, image, or iFrame).
• Basic tracking flow;
  1. Click arrives from tracking source.
  2. RevMax generates a unique tracking id and records the click.

  3. RevMax redirects the click to the offer.

  4. Affiliate network receives and stores the click in their system.
  5. If the user reaches the success page, the placed pixel will be loaded in the HTML, resulting in a HTTP request to your tracking server.
  6. Your RevMax platform receives the HTTP request from the browser, reads the cookie and credits the conversion to the click.

Available Parameters

The following parameters and respective values *can be added to the postback URL or pixel URL to pass back and update required/additional information associated with the click the conversion is being credited to.

• tracking_id - RevMax tracking id. Tracking id sent to the offer when a click occurs (possible link to another article showing this) - Required for the Global Server-to-Server Postback.
• payout - Conversion Amount/Payout. By default, the payout entered in the offer will be used. However, this parameter will allow an override of the saved default amount. Useful on dynamic payouts like revshare.
• cpc - Cost per Click/Conversion. Used to update the click cpc, which can be used as a CPI metric if cpc is set to 0 in the campaign. Useful on cost-per-conversion campaigns.
• transaction_id - Network/advertiser transaction id. Some systems generate a unique tracking id on conversion. 
• offer_id - RevMax offer id. May be used in browser pixels to specify a specific offer, as there may be more than 1 cookie in the browser.
• cvr - Conversion Flag. By default, RevMax will ignore multiple postbacks. However, this behavior can be overridden by adding this cvr flag to the postback. Accepts "update", "payout" and "replace".
  • update - adds 1 conversion and the posted payout (using payout parameter) to an existing conversion. Use to increment conversion count AND payout amount.
                *example → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=TRACKING_ID_HERE&payout=2.50&cvr=update
  • payout - adds the posted payout (using payout parameter) to an existing conversion. Only 1 conversion is recorded. Use to increment payout amount only.
                *example → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=TRACKING_ID_HERE&payout=2.50&cvr=payout
  • replace - updates existing conversion with the posted back payout. Only 1 conversion is recorded. Use to set the total payout amount.
                *example → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=TRACKING_ID_HERE&payout=2.50&cvr=replace
• s1-s10 - Token specific value. Use to update the token values for a click on the conversion postback.
  
  

Implementation Examples

While specific implementation vary by network, we have prepared a few examples using 2 popular network tracking platforms (Cake and Has Offers/Tune.)

Cake Platforms

Cake offer links can generally be identified by its query string signature. It will usually have an "a" parameter and a "c" parameter → ?a=1946&c=113612 with their values representing your affiliate id and campaign id, respectively. For these offer urls, you will want to add another parameter for the RevMax tracking id. Cake recommend the "s2" parameter.

Step-by-Step

• Base offer url →  http://cakedomain.com/?a=1946&c=113612
• Offer url with s2 parameter →  http://cakedomain.com/?a=1946&c=113612&s2=
• Add the offer url in RevMax and add the RevMax tracking id macro →  http://cakedomain.com/?a=1946&c=113612&s2={tracking_id}

• On redirect from RevMax, a tracking id will replace the {tracking_id} macro →  http://cakedomain.com/?a=1946&c=113612&s2=5897jjjdjsisadjahs435u43jhedfjaskjfhsdjf

• Add your global server-2-server postback to the Cake platform, utilizing their macro for the s2 parameter → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=#s2#

• Cake will replace the s2 macro with the tracking id passed to the offer by RevMax → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=5897jjjdjsisadjahs435u43jhedfjaskjfhsdj

Tracking Id Only

• Offer URL →       http://cakedomain.com/?a=1946&c=113612&s2={tracking_id}
• Postback URL → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=#s2#

Tracking Id and Payout

• Offer URL →       http://cakedomain.com/?a=1946&c=113612&s2={tracking_id}
• Postback URL → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=#s2#&payout=#price#

Has Offers/Tune Platforms

Has Offers/Tune offer links are easy to identify by its url and query string signature. Primarily, page 'aff_c' with the following example query string parameters and values → ?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1 where offer_id is self-explanatory and aff_id is your affiliate id with the network. For these offer urls, you will want to add another parameter for the RevMax tracking id.

Historically, the following parameters were used;

• aff_sub
• aff_sub2
• aff_sub3
• aff_sub4
• aff_sub5

However, these parameters are now reserved for non-unique subid values.

The parameters for unique values are now;

• aff_click_id
• aff_unique1
• aff_unique2
• aff_unique3
• aff_unique4
• aff_unique5

For our purposes, we will use aff_click_id.

Step-by-Step

• Base offer url - http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1
• Offer url with aff_click_id parameter - http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id=
• Add the offer url in RevMax and add the RevMax tracking id macro →  http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id={tracking_id}
• On redirect from RevMax, a tracking id will replace the {tracking_id} macro →  http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id=5897jjjdjsisadjahs435u43jhedfjaskjfhsdjf
• Add your global server-2-server postback to the Tune platform, utilizing their macro for the aff_click_id parameter → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id={aff_click_id}
• Tune will replace the aff_click_id macro with the tracking id passed to the offer by RevMax → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=5897jjjdjsisadjahs435u43jhedfjaskjfhsdjf

Tracking Id Only

• Offer URL →       http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id={tracking_id}
• Postback URL → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id={aff_click_id}

Tracking Id and Payout

• Offer URL →       http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id={tracking_id}
• Postback URL → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id={aff_click_id}&payout={payout}

Browser Pixels

Networks

Some network platforms (like Cake) have the ability for you to add a browser pixel to a specific offer. Generally, these should only be used at last resort. If they have the ability to use a server-to-server postback, then use it. However, there occasions when a browser pixel must be used. Examples include a Google or Facebook JavaScript pixel where you want to have conversions posted to one of those platforms. In those instances, you have 2 choices;

1. Recommended - simply add the Google or JavaScript pixel to the affiliate network. This will result in the following chain;
   Affiliate network iFrame is loaded on the offer's html success page.
   The Google or Facebook JavaScript pixel you added to the affiliate network platform is loaded inside the affiliate network iFrame.
2. Add your RevMax iFrame pixel to the network. Then, add the Google or Facebook JavaScript pixel as a 3rd-party postback inside RevMax. This will result in the following iFrame chain;
   Affiliate network iFrame is loaded on the offer's html success page.
   Your RevMax iFrame is loaded inside the affiliate network iFrame.
   The Google or Facebook JavaScript pixel you added as a 3rd-party postback in RevMax, is loaded inside your RevMax iFrame.

The first option is recommended as it will reduce load on your server, while producing the same results.

Other Advertisers

Occasionally, you may come across an advertiser where server-to-server tracking is not available. In those cases, an image or iFrame pixel will have to be used. Simply provide the advertiser with your pixel. They will place it on the success page for you.

Troubleshooting

If conversions are not being credited to RevMax as expected, the first thing you want to do is look at is the Vendor Postback Log, located at Reporting → Logs → Vendor Postbacks. All attempts (both successful and unsuccessful) will be logged. Specifically, look at the "Pixel Type", "Postback URL" and "Response Sent" columns. Together, these columns can provide useful information in determining why the conversion was not credited.

Caveats

1. Due to their nature, iFrame and image browser pixels will not have an entry in the "Response Sent" column.
2. If there is no postback, it was not sent. In this case, be sure the correct postback URL was added to the affiliate network.

Server Postbacks - Common Issues

• RevMax tracking id was not passed to the offer on a click.
  • In order to pass the RevMax tracking id to the offer, the {tracking_id} macro must be added to the offer URL in RevMax in an acceptable parameter.
  • This omission can often be detected in the Vendor Postback Log when there is an empty tracking_id parameter in the "Postback URL" column.
    • http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=
  • Incorrect offer URLs
    • http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1
    • http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1{tracking_id}
    • http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id=
  • Correct Offer URL
    • http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id={tracking_id}
      
      
• REVMAX_TRACKING_ID_HERE was not replaced with an affiliate network macro.
  
  • This issue is easily detected in the Vendor Postback Log when it is present in the "Postback URL" column.
    • http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id=REVMAX_TRACKING_ID_HERE

• Mismatch between the parameter the tracking id was passed in, and the affiliate network macro used in the postback.
  • When the RevMax tracking id is passed in a parameter, then the affiliate network macro used in the postback URL placed at the affiliate network must be the macro representing that parameter.
  • Mismatch example - note that the offer url parameter of "aff_click_id" does not match the affiliate macro used of {aff_click_id}
    Offer URL →        http://tunedomain.com/aff_c?offer_id=1946&aff_id=1&aff_click_id={tracking_id}
    Postback URL → http://revmaxdomain.com/track/?tracking_id={aff_click_id}
    

Browser Pixel - Common Issues

• Browser blocked 3rd party cookies. 
  
  • If possible, pass the RevMax tracking id to the offer, and have it added to the image or iFrame URL like it is done in a server-to-server postback.
• If placed at an affiliate network and it does not work at all (i.e. no postbacks recorded in the Vendor Postback Log)
  • Generally, this means there is a break in the "iFrame chain". Check with the network or advertiser to ensure this type of tracking is supported.
    
• The offer success page is secure, but the browser pixel is not.
  • Many browsers will block non-secure links on secure pages. In these cases, a secure pixel must be used. Simply changing the link from http to https will accomplish this. NOTE, your server must have a properly installed security certificate for this to work, otherwise an error will occur.