If you are using a third-party affiliate tracking software like FirstPromoter or Rewardful, your affiliates will be given unique links that include tracking parameters at the end of the URL. For example:
FirstPromoter:
?fpr=xyzRewardful:
?via=xyz
These parameters indicate that the traffic and conversions came from an affiliate. In Cometly, you can filter down to track affiliate traffic and conversions—even to the specific affiliate—allowing for deeper insights beyond what is available in your third-party affiliate system.
Example report we will build below
Step-by-Step Guide to Building an Affiliate Tracking Report in Cometly
1. Select Your Report Type and Event
To get started, navigate to your Cometly dashboard and:
Choose the report type (for example, Area Chart as shown in the example report).
Select the events you want to analyze, such as Website Visit and Lead.
2. Set the Attribution Model to 'First Touch'
To ensure affiliate traffic gets full priority and credit over any other touchpoints, select the First Touch attribution model.
3. Leave the 'Sources' Field Blank
Some affiliate traffic might come in under "Direct Traffic" or "Referrer" sources. Leaving this field blank ensures that all sources are included in your report.
4. Apply a URL Parameter Filter
This is the most crucial step.
Add a filter by selecting 'URL Parameter'.
Set it to 'Contains'.
Enter the parameter associated with your affiliate tracking system:
FirstPromoter:
fprRewardful:
viaIf using another system, be sure to enter the correct parameter to track affiliate traffic.
After applying the filter, you should see affiliate-driven traffic and conversion data on the chart.
5. Verify Data by Viewing a Specific Journey
You can click into the data points to examine individual user journeys and confirm that affiliate-driven conversions are being tracked correctly.
Advanced (Optional): Filter for a Specific Affiliate
If you want to drill down further to analyze performance for a specific affiliate:
Add another filter:
Select 'URL Parameter'.
Choose 'Contains'.
Enter the specific affiliate’s code (e.g.,
fpr=abc123).
Combine filters using 'AND' (not 'OR') to ensure you're seeing traffic from a specific affiliate while still capturing all affiliate-driven conversions.
Viewing a Breakdown of All Affiliates
To view a table report that breaks down affiliate traffic and conversions by individual affiliates, follow these steps:
Choose a Table Report Type
Instead of using an area chart, select a Table Report for a clearer breakdown of affiliates.
Apply the Same URL Parameter Filter
Keep the URL Parameter Contains filter applied to ensure you are tracking all affiliate-driven traffic (e.g.,
fprfor FirstPromoter orviafor Rewardful).
Group By URL Parameter
Add a Group By filter and select 'URL Parameter'.
This will segment traffic and conversions by each unique affiliate ID, providing an overview of each affiliate’s performance.
Analyze the Data
The table will display affiliate tracking parameters along with corresponding Website Visits and Leads.
You can further drill down by clicking on individual affiliate rows to inspect conversions attributed to specific affiliates.
By following these steps, you can generate a detailed affiliate performance report in Cometly, ensuring you track affiliate-driven conversions accurately and gain deeper insights into your affiliate marketing efforts.