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- Are you Ready for Holiday? #36
Are You Ready for Holiday? #36 🎄🎁🎧
As Q4 and holiday approaches, there’s a growing need for brands to understand and improve affiliate marketing tracking.
It's time for a deep dive into tracking. ⏰
Why Tracking is Essential 📈
In Performance Marketing, there's a saying:
"Without tracking, you have nothing."
It’s not just a phrase—it's the undeniable truth. Tracking is the cornerstone of performance marketing. It’s the dividing line between a flourishing campaign and a mediocre one.
Common Tracking Issues ❌
Occasionally, affiliate programs fail to track referred conversions. This often happens when brands update their websites but neglect to set up the tracking for their affiliate programs on the updated version of the site.
When Tracking is Down ❤️🩹
This erodes trust between the retailer/brand and affiliate/partner. This often requires manual calculations and “make goods,” which can be time-consuming and stressful for both parties.
When Client Tracking Goes Down for the 3rd time this quarter.
Understanding Affiliate Tracking 🎓
A company wants to sell a product.
They provide a unique link to an affiliate.
The affiliate promotes this link.
Purchases via this link allow the company to attribute sales to the affiliate.
The affiliate earns a commission for every sale.
Source: Branch how affiliate tracking works
It’s nice to see the expansion of tools in the DTC EComm space, and the affiliate plug-ins available in the Shopify ecosystem can make it easier for brands.
Cookies in Tracking 🥠
Cookies store data in users’ browsers. They track customer movements online, but there are limitations:
Users can delete them.
They don’t track across devices.
As privacy concerns increase, Regulations like GDPR and platforms like Google are moving against third-party cookies.
3rd Party —> 1st Party Cookie 💻
50% of affiliate tracking relied on third-party cookies.
40% used first-party cookies.
35% used Server to Server.
21% were unaware.
Source: IAB poll
Firefox - implemented total cookie protection (only uses first-party cookies) accounts for 3% of browser market share.
Google Chrome has 63% of the browser market share. Currently accepts first and third-party cookies - is planning to deprecate third-party cookies in 2024. Their statement on the timeline as they prepare to deprecate third-party cookies for 1% of Chrome users in Q1 2024.
Safari Has ITP (Intelligence Tracking Protection) similar to Firefox, which prevents third-party cookies—19% browser market share.
Source for browser market share stats.
Evolution of Tracking Methods ⌚️
Server-to-Server Tracking: Highly recommended for its reliability and privacy compliance. It leverages first-party cookies and aligns with GDPR.
URL Tracking: Postback URLs offer cookieless tracking using an invisible URL for conversion data.
Pixel Tracking: Uses a code snippet to convey conversion data back to the affiliate tracking platform.
Having confidence in your tracking heading into your busiest time of year.
UTM Parameters: The Backbone of Precise Tracking 🦴
utm_source: Source of the traffic (e.g., affiliate platform, impact).
utm_medium: Marketing medium (e.g., "affiliate" capital one shopping).
utm_campaign: Specific promotion or campaign, fall 2023.
utm_term: Paid search keywords (less common in affiliate marketing).
utm_content: Differentiate similar content within the same ad, pumpkin spice.
Best Practices for UTM: Create unique links for each affiliate, maintain consistency, shorten links without losing parameters, educate affiliates on proper use, and analyze the resulting data for actionable insights.
Broken Links: A Silent Sales Killer 🧾
Broken links lead to lost sales and a poor user experience. It's critical to monitor and manage link health consistently.
Pixel Tracking Audit - this is critical in Q4 Holiday 🎅
When you see some of your most significant volume periods of the year, you want to ensure your pixels are firing accurately. We recommend a weekly test to ensure nothing is lost.
The benefits for your partners have been discussed, but it also protects against lost time and learning.
Moonpull: The Ultimate Solution for Link Management 🌗
Moonpull offers a comprehensive suite of tools, from link validation to automated auditing. It ensures links are active, offers real-time alerts for issues, and provides deep insights into link performance.
Chris Tradgett and Steve Brown are experienced, knowledgeable affiliate practitioners and recommend a Memory Cookie for accurate measurement. Their thesis is that affiliate marketing tracking works
by having all three of the following: 1) a record of the referral from affiliate to brand, 2) a record of the sale (checkout on the brand website), and 3) a memory connecting the referral and the sale.
Comprehensive Link Review: Moonpull offers a holistic analysis, scrutinizing every link to ensure it functions correctly. This means fewer missed opportunities and a seamless experience for users.
Automated Auditing: Eliminate manual link-checking with Moonpull's automated system. This saves time and ensures consistent, round-the-clock monitoring for issues or discrepancies.
Real-time Notification: Moonpull alerts you when a link breaks or underperforms. This proactive approach ensures immediate resolution, minimizing potential revenue loss.
User-friendly Dashboard: With Moonpull, get a clear visual representation of your link's performance. Its intuitive dashboard allows for easy access to vital data, helping in informed decision-making.
Compatibility: Moonpull's system is designed to integrate seamlessly with multiple platforms, making it adaptable and convenient for a range of users, from bloggers to large-scale e-commerce sites.
Enhanced Security: Moonpull prioritizes data protection. With robust security measures, users can be assured that their data and link information remain confidential and secure.
Comprehensive Reports: Gain deep insights with Moonpull’s detailed reporting. Understand where a link might be broken and derive actionable insights on user behavior and link effectiveness.
Scalability: Whether you're monitoring dozens or thousands of links, Moonpull can handle it. Its system is built to scale with your needs, ensuring consistent performance regardless of volume.
Collaborative Features: Moonpull allows teams to work together. With features that support multi-user access and collaboration, it becomes easier to coordinate and strategize.
Cost-Effective: By automating the link auditing and tracking process, Moonpull reduces the human resources and time typically needed for such tasks, offering a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.
Ensuring Seamless Affiliate Tracking
What brands need to check to ensure accurate tracking:
Update your affiliate network with the latest home page.
Ensure tracking parameters are present across your site.
Prioritize early loading of network javascript tags.
Configure cookie consent correctly.
Ensure deep links and data feeds are correctly set up.
Handle 'not found' items without breaking tracking.
Redirect traffic appropriately without breaking tracking.
Factor in tracking during site restructures.
Consider affiliate implications when changing any site links.
Parting Thoughts
Brands must ensure their tracking game is top-notch as the holiday season looms. It’s not just about being prepared; it's about excelling where challenges and opportunities meet.
Do this the right way, and your future self will thank me.
Thanks!
Tye