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What is not possible with Direct Tracking method?Direct tracking method has some limitations. Due to the way it works, you cannot alter the path of a visitor from an ad to a lander or offer. So you cannot use rule-based paths, weights and Traffic Distribution AI. You also cannot hide referrer data with redirect modes such as meta-refresh. You can only rotate offers, if you have a lander in your funnel.Should I install the lander tracking script or the offer tracking script on my own landing page?Lander tracking script should be installed on a landing page, so a page that has a link to an offer page. There’s no benefit in installing both scripts on one page, and this may cause incorrect reporting.What kind of funnels can be tracked with direct method?The direct method can be used to track funnels with lander and offer, and for offer only funnels. For the first case, Voluum generates a lander tracking URL and lander tracking script. The URL needs to be submitted to the traffic source and the script implemented on a landing page. For the second case, Voluum generates offer tracking URL and offer tracking script,. The URL needs to be submitted to your traffic source, and the script needs to be implemented on an offer page."}

Track with a Direct Method


A direct method of tracking uses cookies and local storage (in that order) to pass visit information between sites.

  • The direct method is compliant with all traffic sources requirements, as there is no redirect in the middle.
  • It is faster than a redirect method.
  • The downside is that you cannot rotate landers or offers in case of an offer-only campaign or use rule-based paths or AI, because the visit to a lander is reported to Voluum retroactively.

Benefits of Direct Tracking

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Pros:

  • Faster, because there is no redirect through Voluum servers
  • Compliant with all traffic sources, including those that don't allow rotating destinations (such as Facebook Ads (now Meta Ads).
  • Can track organic traffic

Cons:

  • Doesn't allow for landing page rotations, such as rule-based paths, weights, A/B testing or AI. Offer rotations are still possible (if landers are used).
  • Doesn't support using various redirect modes to hide referrer data.
  • Requires access to a promoted page's code (applicable mostly for offer-only campaigns)

First transition from an ad to a landing page or offer

When a visitor clicks an ad and activates a destination URL, they are directed straight to the destination set in a campaign setup: an offer or lander. When the destination page loads, a tracking script will be launched, and two things happen:

  • Script makes a request to Voluum to record a visit
  • Voluum assigns a click ID value to this visit. This data is stored in a cookie and local storage.

The visitor is already on a destination page, so no path alteration features, such as rule-based paths, weights, AI, or A/B tests are possible.

(Optional) Second transition from a landing page to an offer

When a lander loads and a visitor activates a click URL, two things will happen:

  • A lander tracking script replaces a click URL with a destination URL (so with the Offer URL) on page load
  • A script makes a request to Voluum to record a click

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Quickstart a Direct Campaign With a Landing Page and an Offer

To start a direct tracking campaign, you need to have:

  • A traffic source selected
  • An offer selected
  • A landing page that you can edit

To start a direct tracking campaign, follow the steps below:

A. (Optional) Add an affiliate network to Voluum. Read the Add an Affiliate Network to Voluum article to learn more.

B. Add an offer to Voluum. Read the Add an Offer to Voluum article to learn more.

C. Add a traffic source in Voluum. Read the Add a Traffic Source to Voluum article to learn more.

D. Add a lander to Voluum. Read the Add a Lander Element article to learn more.

E. Create a campaign in Voluum.

  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. Set general campaign information.
  3. Select the Direct radio button for the first transition (from an ad to the landing page).
  4. Select the second transition mode, either direct or one of the Redirect Modes.

  5. Select an offer and a lander.
  6. Click the Save button.

  7. Copy the Lander tracking URL to the clipboard and paste it to any text editing tool.
  8. Copy the click URL to the clipboard and paste it to any text editing tool.
  9. Copy the Lander tracking script to the clipboard and paste it to any text editing tool.

F. Implement a Lander tracking script on the landing page.

  1. Go to the landing page that you host externally.
  2. <HEAD>
    .
    .
    .
    Lander tracking script
    </HEAD>
    <BODY>
    .
    .
    .
    </BODY>

    Paste the Lander tracking script at the bottom of the <HEAD> component of your landing page's HTML:

G. Implement a click URL on your landing page. Read the Adding Click URLs to a Lander article to learn more.

H. (Optionally) Set up conversion tracking. Read the Track Conversions article to learn more.

I. Submit the lander tracking URL to your traffic source platform. Depending on the traffic source you use, the setup may vary, but look for something like a "destination URL" or "campaign URL" and paste the lander tracking URL there.

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Quickstart a Direct Campaign With an Offer Only

To start a direct tracking campaign, you need to have:

  • A traffic source selected
  • An offer page that you can edit

To start a direct tracking campaign, follow the steps below:

A. (Optional) Add an affiliate network to Voluum. Read the Add an Affiliate Network to Voluum article to learn more.

B. Add an offer to Voluum. Read the Add an Offer to Voluum article to learn more.

C. Add a traffic source in Voluum. Read the Add a Traffic Source to Voluum article to learn more.

D. Create a campaign in Voluum.

  1. In Voluum, click the New campaign button.
  2. Set general campaign information.
  3. Select the Direct radio button for the first transition (from an ad to the offer page).
  4. Select the Offers only radio button.
  5. Select an offer.
  6. Click the Save button.

  7. Copy the Offer tracking URL to the clipboard and paste it to any text editing tool.
  8. Copy the Offer tracking script to the clipboard and paste it to any text editing tool.

E. Implement an Offer tracking script on the offer page.

  1. Go to the offer page that you host externally.
  2. <HEAD>
    .
    .
    .
    Offer tracking script
    </HEAD>
    <BODY>
    .
    .
    .
    </BODY>

    Paste the Offer tracking script at the bottom of the <HEAD> component of your offer page's HTML:

F. (Optionally) Set up conversion tracking. Read the Track Conversions article to learn more.

G. Submit the offer tracking URL to your traffic source platform. Depending on the traffic source you use, the setup may vary, but look for something like a "destination URL" or "campaign URL" and paste the offer tracking URL there.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions? You might find answers below:

Where can i find the offer tracking script?

Offer tracking script can be found in an offer setup form in Voluum.

I want to A/B test a lander with a direct campaign. Can I do it with Voluum?

In a direct tracking method, the visitor goes immediately from an ad to a landing page or offer without being redirected through Voluum servers. Because of that, Voluum cannot alter the destination of a visitor. A/B testing of landers with a direct method is not possible.

Can I pull the click ID value from the offer tracking script?

By using this function, you can retrieve click ID.

<script> 
     dtpCallback(() => { 
          var clickId = dtpCallback.getClickID(); 
          document.cookie = “cid=” + clickId;
          });
</script>

What is not possible with Direct Tracking method?

Direct tracking method has some limitations. Due to the way it works, you cannot alter the path of a visitor from an ad to a lander or offer. So you cannot use rule-based paths, weights and Traffic Distribution AI. You also cannot hide referrer data with redirect modes such as meta-refresh. You can only rotate offers, if you have a lander in your funnel.

Should I install the lander tracking script or the offer tracking script on my own landing page?

Lander tracking script should be installed on a landing page, so a page that has a link to an offer page. There's no benefit in installing both scripts on one page, and this may cause incorrect reporting.

What kind of funnels can be tracked with direct method?

The direct method can be used to track funnels with lander and offer, and for offer only funnels. For the first case, Voluum generates a lander tracking URL and lander tracking script. The URL needs to be submitted to the traffic source and the script implemented on a landing page. For the second case, Voluum generates offer tracking URL and offer tracking script,. The URL needs to be submitted to your traffic source, and the script needs to be implemented on an offer page.

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