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      Understanding Click Append Parameters

      Click Append Parameters are added to the end of your target URL when an affiliate sends traffic to your website. These parameters help in identifying and categorising the traffic source, enabling more detailed tracking and analysis. You have complete control over these and they are set here in your account - "Settings - Tracking Rules". 


      Click Append Parameters are typically used for:

      • Dynamically Adding UTM tags to affiliate links
      • Tracking & De-duplication
      • Pushing data to third party systems e.g. Google Analytics, channel measurement tools etc

      The Format of Click Append Parameters 

      • Structure: Parameters must be formatted like querystring parameters: key1=value1&key2=value2. 
      • No Leading Question Mark: Do not start with a question mark. 
      • Percent Encoding: Static values should be URL encoded. For example, AAA?BBB#CCC=DDD%EEE becomes AAA%3FBBB%23CCC%3DDDD%25EEE. 

      For dynamic values, use shortcodes that are automatically encoded. Here are some commonly used shortcodes for Commission Factory: 

      • [AffiliateId]: The affiliate's Commission Factory user ID (e.g., 12345). 
      • [CampaignName]: The name of your campaign (e.g., Example Campaign). 
      • [ClickId]: A unique code identifying each individual click. 
      • [CreativeId]: The ID of the creative that generated the click. 
      • [CreativeName]: Name of the creative or coupon code for data feeds. 
      • [CreativeType]: Type of the creative (e.g., Banner, Coupon). 
      • [SourceChannel]: The traffic source channel (e.g., Content, Display). 
      • [SourceDomain]: Domain name of the traffic source. 
      • [SourceType]: Type of the traffic source (e.g., Email List, Website). 
      • [SourceUrl]: Full URL of the traffic source. 
      • [AffiliateCode]: A unique code that you have specified on the affiliate profile page. Useful if you want to match up an affiliate to an ID number in your system 

      Please note we recommend the use of [AffiliateId] to identify each publisher on an individual click basis; this is a dynamic and matches up with the unique id we allocate to each publisher in all the reporting. [AffiliateCode] requires more management and each publisher being assigned a code that you create and add to their profile in your account. 

      Implementing UTM Parameters 
      Using UTM parameters can further enhance your tracking capabilities. UTM parameters help in tracking the performance of campaigns across various platforms. 
      Example of UTM Parameters 

      • utm_source: Identifies the source of your traffic (e.g., CommissionFactory, Newsletter). 
      • utm_medium: Identifies the medium (e.g., Affiliate, Social). 
      • utm_campaign: Identifies the campaign (e.g., Summer_Sale). 
      • utm_content: Differentiates similar content within the same ad (optional). 

      Best Practices 

      1. Consistency: Ensure consistency in naming conventions for easy tracking. 
      1. Avoid Duplication: Ensure that the same parameter is not added multiple times by different sources. 
      1. Test and Validate: Regularly test and validate your URLs to ensure parameters are correctly implemented and tracking as expected. 
      2. Document Your Parameters: Maintain a clear documentation of the parameters and shortcodes you use for quick reference and troubleshooting. 

      By following these best practices, you can improve the accuracy and efficiency of your campaign tracking, leading to better insights and optimised performance. 
       

      If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out to your account manager.