II. Inside Voluum

The second step takes place in Voluum, where we configure all the tracking magic that will allow you to reach affiliate marketing heights.

In Voluum you create elements that represent different parts of a campaign funnel and configure those elements in a way that define the flow of traffic.

In this paragraph, you will add a Clickdealer affiliate network template to Voluum. Using templates will make the tracking setup as easy as it gets. In order to do so, perform the following steps:

1. In Voluum, go to the Affiliate networks tab.
2. Click the Create button and select the Affiliate network option from the drop-down menu.
   
3. Select Clickdealer from the list of available templates.
4. Click the Next button.
   

An affiliate network element has been added. Now it's time to integrate it with Voluum.

Do you still have the offer link from Clickdealer? Then let's proceed.

1. In Voluum, go to Offers.
2. Click the Create button and select the Offer option from a drop-down menu.
   
3. Affiliate network: Select the Clickdealer affiliate network element that you have just created from the drop-down menu. Notice that the affiliate network name will be included in the offer's name.
4. Offer name: Provide a name for your offer. It is a good practice to name your offers in a meaningful way, so instead of "My offer" try naming it the type of offer you selected. For example, "Software Download".
5. Offer URL: Paste the offer link that you have copied from Clickdealer in the Offer URL text field.
6. Tracking parameters: Below the affiliate network selection drop-down menu, there is small info about the tracking parameter that needs to be added. Copy the marked parameter and add it at the end of the offer URL, after the ? character.
7. Scroll down and click the Copy button next to the postback URL and paste this URL to any text editing tool for later use.
   
8. Click the Save button.

You have created an offer element in Voluum. You can see it listed in the table. When traffic starts coming, you will see appropriate stats next to this offer.

You have now defined where you want your visitors to go. The next logical step is to define where they should come from. This is done by addic a traffic source in Voluum.

There are a lot of traffic sources out there. For the purpose of this guide, we have selected one traffic source for our guide: PropellerAds. Again, there are two reasons for that:

• It is very inclusive and allows almost everyone
• It is fully integrated with Voluum, what allows for some magic

To fully benefit from the integration, you have to add an integrated traffic source to Voluum first (PropellerAds in our case), and then perform the integration. We will do the latter in the step 3 of this guide. To add PropellerAds as traffic source to Voluum, follow the steps below:

1. In Voluum, go to Traffic sources.
2. Click the Create button and select the Traffic source option from the drop-down menu.
   
3. Select PropelerAds from the list of templates.
4. Click the Next button.
   
5. Thanks to the template, all tracking parameters are already set. Click the Save button.

To finish the integration with PropellerAds, you need to submit the API key to Voluum.

Select PropellerAds and follow on-screen instructions.

At this point, many affiliates also add a lander to Voluum to define a landing page. A landing page is a web page that is displayed to a visitor prior reaching the main offer page. It shows additional information and creatives and its goal is to boost conversion rate.

Having a landing page is optional. If you want to use them, you have to design them and host them.

For the sake of simplicity, we have decided to present the simplest setup that doesn't include having a landing page. If you want to learn how to add a lander, read the Add a Lander Element article.

If you want to set your campaign for first party cookies, you need to use a lander with the same domain that you use for tracking. You cannot change the domain for the offer page, so linking directly to an offer may cause that cookies set by Voluum may be treated as third-party ones.

With the offer element added, there is only one thing to do in Voluum, and that is to create a campaign element.

In order to create a campaign in Voluum, perform the following steps:

1. In Voluum, go to Campaigns, click the Create button and select the Campaign Simple or Campaign Advanced option from the drop-down menu.
   
2. Campaign form type: When creating a campaign for the first time, you will see a campaign form selection windows. Voluum allows you to tailor its experience according to your needs: if you only need to create a simple campaign, it provides you with a simple form and hides advanced options. And that's what we are aiming for: creating a simple, yet fully functional campaign. Select the simple form by clicking the Simple campaign option.
   
   Don't worry, every time you will create a campaign you will have an option to select the type of a campaign form from a small drop-down menu.
3. Workspace: Select the Private Workspace that this campaign will be assigned to. Workspaces allow you to separate your elements and segregate them by verticals, offer types or by other criteria. By default, you have only one Private Workspace, called Initial.
4. Traffic source: Select PropellerAds as your traffic source from the Traffic sources drop-down menu.
5. Campaign name: In the New campaign form provide a meaningful name of your campaign. Voluum will add some additional information to the name you provide.
6. Path destination: Check the Offers only option as you are not using any external landing pages, and therefore, you do not need a lander element in your campaign funnel.
7. Offer: Select the offer that you have just created.
8. Click the Save button.
   

The next screen provides you with a campaign URL. It is a Voluum generated link that directs visitors from the pop-up window, through the Voluum domain, to the offer. For a visitor, a redirect through Voluum will be barely noticeable, but it will allow you to capture all visit characteristics, that are essential for the whole learning process.

Copy this campaign URL to the clipboard by clicking the Copy button to finish the tracking setup in Voluum. Remember that the campaign URL is always available for you in a campaign's edit mode.

That's it, the tracking setup is now complete. The remaining step takes place in the traffic source platform.

Click the image on the right to proceed to the next step.