Tracking
Track your affiliate campaigns with Voluum Ad Tracker. Record impressions, visits, clicks and conversions with our link tracking software to optimize your ads.
The main purpose of Voluum, in its broadest sense, is to track and manage information. This information includes
Events: Impressions, Visits, Clicks, and Conversions.
Visit characteristics: Visitor-generated information passed from a traffic source or obtained by Voluum on its own that characterize visit, such as country, device info, cost, payout and more.
Voluum records this data to help you learn more about your visitors, gain insights into your campaign performance and optimize your campaigns' setup, but only if you set up Voluum correctly.
In order to get that information, you need to set up Voluum correctly. The basic setup has already been covered in the Getting Started guide. The following set of articles describes extensively all methods of tracking events and exchanging information between platforms, like between a traffic source and Voluum, or between Voluum and an affiliate network.
Event types
Voluum tracks different types of actions, executed by visitors, called events, as understood by Voluum.
Track with a redirect method
This is a classic method that redirects a visitor through Voluum servers. Because of that, you can use a lot of path-altering options, such as rule-based paths, weights, A/B testing or AI. However, it may not be compliant with every traffic source.
Track with a direct method
A direct method of tracking is an industry response to challenges caused by a redirect method of tracking.
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.
Scenarios of using different tracking methods
You can use different tracking methods for each transition that a visitor goes
Usually, there are two transitions:
First transition: From an ad to a landing page or offer
(Optional) Second transition: From a landing page to an offer.
There also can be funnels that only use one transition that directs a visitor straight to an offer.
The section below describes various scenarios of using different tracking methods throughout the campaign funnel.
Scenario 1: First transition from Ad → Offer with a direct method
This simple campaign funnel requires you to put an offer tracking script on an offer page. Then you have to submit an offer tracking URL to your traffic source and users will be taken from an ad directly to an offer without the initial redirect.
This of course means that you have to be able to edit the offer page. If you cannot edit this page (as it often is with offers from affiliate networks), go with scenario 2 and use the standard redirect method. But if you still want the first transition to be direct, please go to the scenario 3 or 6.
Scenario 2: First transition from Ad → Offer with a redirect method
This basic campaign funnel will work just fine without the 3rd party cookies support. After activating a Voluum campaign URL that is hidden behind an ad, Voluum will count a visit and redirect to the offer page.
Because there is no landing page in the middle, no 3rd party cookies are required for this method to work.
Scenario 3: First transition from Ad → Landing page with a direct method and second transition from Landing page→ Offer also with a direct method
This scenario requires:
Submitting a lander tracking script to your traffic source platform
Putting a lander tracking script on a lander.
Implementing a click URL on a landing page.
The tracking script will count both a visit (arrival to a landing page) and a click (leaving a landing page after clicking a click URL). This setup works with a single click URL or with multi-offer click URLs.
When a lander loads, the script will replace a click URL with a direct offer URL. This enables you to use paths and weights for offers even with the direct method of tracking.
You don’t need to put any script on an offer page in this scenario, unless you want to track conversions with a conversion pixel, with conversions occurring on an offer page load. Read the Set up conversion tracking section.
Caution
Voluum Note: Users that have been using direct tracking before the 11-24-2020: we strongly encourage you to update your script. The old ones will work in many use cases but not with all.
Scenario 4: Ad → Landing page with a redirect method and Landing page → Offer also with a redirect method
Without the support of 3rd party cookies and no further adjustments, this funnel may encounter problems in certain scenarios. The lack of cookie with a click ID value will cause the aforementioned disconnection between a visit and a click.
That is why from 11-24-2020 we have made adding a lander tracking script to a landing page obligatory even for a redirect method of tracking.
This will keep your data reliable and consistent, while at the same time it will allow you to benefit from the advantages of a redirect method of tracking: rotations, paths and AI.
Don’t worry, your visits won’t be counted twice, by activating a campaign URL and by a direct script for landers - we have a fail-safe mechanism for that.
Scenario 5: First transition from Ad → Landing page with a redirect method and a second transition from a Landing page → Offer with a direct method
You can use different tracking methods on various steps of the campaign funnel. With this scenario you still benefit from various forms of altering paths to landers (by rules, weights, AI or A/B testing), while reducing the time needed to go from on a lander to an offer.
You are still required to put a lander script on a lander (this is obligatory for both methods of tracking from 11-24-2020).
Scenario 6: Ad → First transition from Ad → Landing page with a direct method and second transition from Landing page → Offer with a redirect method
This type of a campaign funnel allows you to be compliant with the requirements of many traffic sources, as well as use various techniques of hiding referrer data, such as meta-refresh and double meta refresh. Read the Expand article.
But you can go with a simple redirect for the second step of your campaign funnel. The direct script for landers is still required though.
Scenario 7: Organic traffic
With a lander tracking script present on your landing page, you can track organic traffic with ease. Read the Track Organic Traffic article to learn more.
Redirect modes
Redirect modes determine, firstly, how redirection to the offer (campaign endpoint) is handled and secondly, whether referrer data is passed through or not.
Redirect modes govern how the traffic is handled during the second transition (from a landing page to an offer). The Meta refresh and Double meta refresh modes offered by Voluum are useful ways of protecting the intellectual property an affiliate marketer may have built up by running successful offers. They allow you to prevent the traffic source (referrer data) being sent through to the offer or the landing page.
Note
Voluum Info: Referrer data is unique information that is readable by servers / browsers / applications. It can be used to ascertain the origin of a visitor and can be relayed as full referrer URLs and/or cookies.
There are four redirect types:
302: This is a default option. This is a standard temporary HTTP redirect that sends a visitor directly to the desired location – your promoted offer. The referrer data is passed to the campaign endpoint.
Meta refresh: When set, the browser starts loading the page - but only the head, not the body of the page - before going to the new destination. In the <head> tag of the HTML page, triggering the browser to refresh and load a new URL. The referrer data is hidden with this mode selected.
Danger
Pricing plan availability
The following feature is available on Profit pricing plan and above.
Double meta refresh (DMR): Double meta refresh is just meta refresh, but performed twice consecutively. This way, the first meta refresh page contains the referrer you want to hide. It goes to the second page, and the first meta refresh page become then the referrer. This goes to your affiliate link with the referrer from the second refresh of the page. Due to this extra redirect, DMR is the most reliable redirect mode to ensure that the referrer data is not leaked to the owner of the offer, usually an affiliate network. It might be also the slowest one because of this double redirect.
Danger
Pricing plan availability
The following feature is available on Profit pricing plan and above.
If you redirect visitors using the Double meta refresh mode, the redirect domain name will show up in their browser’s address bar. We highly recommend adding a custom redirect domain and set it up the same way as a custom domain. If you do not set up the custom domain, then a Dedicated Domain will be used. For more information, go to the Domains article.
Campaign funnel with an offer:
<
http(s)://campaign.url> ⟶ < visit > ⟶ <http(s)://redirect_domain.url⟶ <http(s)://offer.url>Campaign funnel with a landing page and an offer:
<
http(s)://campaign.url> ⟶ < visit > ⟶ <http(s)://lander.url> ⟶ <click> ⟶ <http(s)://redirect_domain.url⟶ <http(s)://offer.url>Direct: This selects the direct method of tracking for the second transition, from a landing page to an offer. Using this method for the second transition may be beneficial, as some traffic sources may check links on landers for redirects (which may not be allowed). Also, from a visitor's perspective, a direct link looks like it is more trustworthy, as there is no visible tracking. Lastly, direct tracking is a little bit faster, and in case of using a redirect method for a second transition - if a tracking domain is flagged, such a redirect may be blocked. If you select this method, you will have to implement the Lander Tracking script into the Lander’s code so the Click URL could be replaced with Offer URL during redirection.
You need to select one of the redirect modes while configuring a flow or a campaign in the Voluum platform:
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Moreover, the redirect mode can be applied either globally, Default redirect mode, or individually per path, Redirect mode.
Example:
If you have a campaign funnel with a landing page then, when visitors click a call-to-action (CTA) link on the landing page, they are redirected to a promoted offer. While having set one of the redirect modes, Meta refresh and Double meta refresh, the offer's owner (affiliate network) will not see the referrer data to identify your landing page, but will see the domain's referred data passed instead.
Add various elements to Voluum
A Voluum campaign consists of several specific elements that are defined by an advertiser to firstly, organize the reporting of third-party data, and secondly, to determine the destination of their targeted traffic.
A campaign binds all elements in Voluum together, so it should be added at the end of the process of preparing a funnel.
Simple and Standard Campaign Forms
Voluum offers two distinct views of the campaign creation form.
Simple
This one is aimed at users that do not need advanced campaign setup options and only want to create quickly a simple campaign without being distracted. The simple campaign form allows you to create a basic campaign with several landers and offers, with one path only, with both direct and redirect method of tracking. All in one simple tab.
Advanced
This one allows you to benefit from the full range of options and settings that Voluum has to offer. On the top of the functionalities offered by the simple campaign form, you can also use:
Selecting a Campaign Form Type
At first, upon clicking the New campaign button, you will be prompted to select the campaign form type. Click the Try simple form or Use advanced form button to select the desired campaign form type:
After your initial selection, you have an option to select the campaign form type from the drop-down menu each type you click the New campaign button.
Campaigns created with the simple campaign form will be opened in this form, and analogically, campaigns created with the standard campaign form will be opened with this campaign form.
You can always turn off the simple campaign form option in Settings / General settings.
Note that campaigns saved or edited in the standard campaign form type will always be opened with this campaign form, so there will never be a case where your settings will be hidden from view.
Converting Campaign Type
You can convert a simple campaign to an advanced one with just one click. To do so, perform the following steps:
Edit a campaign created with a simple form.
In the campaign edit form, click the Convert to advanced campaign button.
Confirm your decision by clicking the Convert button. Note that only saved changes will be converted. If you have updated any settings (for example, changed a campaign's name) without clicking the Save button, these changes will be discarded.
Your campaign will be opened with the advanced campaign form.
Before You Start
These are elements that you should have already created before.
Traffic source: You have decided where you want to advertise your offer and you have set up at least one traffic source element in Voluum. You will also have the option to add a new traffic source while creating a campaign. If not, read the Add a Traffic Source to Voluum from a Template article to learn more.
Offer: (Optional) You have added an offer to Voluum or decided to use the Destination URL option instead. In the latter case, you do not have to add an offer element. You will also have the option to add an offer while creating a campaign. Read the Add an Offer to Voluum article to learn more.
Lander: (Optional) You have decided if you want to use landing pages in your campaign setup or use the Direct linking option instead. In the latter case, you do not have to add a lander element. To use landing pages you need to add a lander element in Voluum. If you have not done so yet, you will also have the option to add a lander while creating a campaign. Read the Add a Lander Element article to learn more.
Flow: (Optional) You have decided if you want to use a flow, set up a path or provide the Destination URL. Read the Set Flows and Paths article to learn more.
Caution
Voluum Info: If you want to use the direct method of tracking, you will have to use landers and set up a campaign element and a traffic source with certain options enabled. Read the Direct Tracking Pixel article to learn how to do that.
Creating a Campaign Element:
The following 3-step guide will instruct you how to add a campaign element in Voluum:
Conversion tracking
Setting up tracking conversions is a good practice.
Tracking conversions will allow you to know how much money you have earned.
It is the best indicator about how your campaigns are performing.
With conversion tracking set you can also use Voluum AI to manage traffic distribution in your campaigns.
How Voluum passes information
You can pass information about visit characteristics:
From a traffic source to Voluum
From Voluum to an affiliate network
From affiliate network back to Voluum
From Voluum to a traffic source
Track cost and payout
Tracking numbers of different event types is only half of the picture. Apart from knowing, HOW MANY events were generated in your campaigns you should also want to know HOW MUCH did those events cost and HOW MUCH you have earned thanks to them. Ultimately, it all comes down to the cost and profit ratio.
Recording costs and payouts is an integral part of tracking. It is a complex topic, involving different cost models and support for cost and payout tokens by traffic source or affiliate network platforms. But the aim of this set of articles is to make it easier.
What is Cost and What Are Cost Models?
Cost is an amount of money that you have to pay for a single event. To paraphrase a saying, "there is no free traffic". This expense is your investment that you have to make in order to get money as a result. The payment is made in your traffic source platform. Typically, you have to top-up your account in the traffic source platform with some amount of money and then the money will be drawn from your account when an event occurs.
Remember, you want to pay as little as possible for the most converting traffic. Once you set tracking costs correctly, you will be able to see how much you pay in the Cost column in Voluum.
What is Payout?
A payout is an amount of money you get from offer owners after a successful conversion occurs. Your summed payouts make your revenue. Each payout is given out by your affiliate network platform. Typically, payouts are paid in batches per every predefined period of time (for example: bi-weekly, monthly). Some affiliate networks support instantaneous payments for bigger clients.
Every successful conversion recorded by an affiliate network platform generates a payout. Typically a single visitor generates one conversion, but sometimes this person can generate subsequent conversions. Read the Upselling: Tracking Subsequent Conversions article to learn more.
As you want to get as much money as possible for the biggest number of conversions. Once you set tracking payout correctly, you will be able to see how much you get in the Revenue column in Voluum.
What are Profit and ROI?
Profit is the money you have earned minus the money you have spent. In Voluum, you can see what is your profit in the Profit column.
Return on investment (ROI) is the main indicator of the profitability of your campaign. It shows the percentage of the money you earned as a fraction of the money you have invested. You can find this indicator in the ROI column in Voluum.
Example:
If your total cost is 9,510.28$ and your revenue (all payouts summed) is 45,583$, then your profit will be
Automatic Cost and Payout Tracking
Cost and payout are information like any other and they can be sent to Voluum from a traffic source platform or an affiliate network platform in a token. Not all platforms support passing cost and payout information in tokens, but if there is an option to do so, we recommend doing it.
Cost Tracking for Fully Integrated Traffic Sources
If you use the Automizer feature, cost information for integrated traffic sources will be fetched using a reliable API connection. Read the article about Automizer to learn more.
Using Different Currencies
By default, Voluum shows all financial information in USD. However, you can change the currency of cost and payout. Voluum will record this information in the selected currency. You can also select the default display currency and recalculate all cost and payout values to this currency using live exchange rates.
To learn more about using different currencies in Voluum, read the Multicurrency in Voluum article.
Advanced tracking
The advanced tracking options let you customize and adjust several tracking options to match your business needs.
Working with Voluum
Learn about cool easy-to-use features that can help you with your day-to-day work in Voluum.
Advanced guides
Read our helpful guides that will allow you to get the most out of Voluum.