What Are Affiliate Trackers? Types and Tips for Success (+ Top 5 Options)

One of the biggest advantages of launching and managing digital marketing campaigns is that they can be optimized and adjusted for better performance. With that in mind, affiliate marketers also need to find the best tracking tools to help them measure the success of their campaigns.

There are dozens of marketing trackers that you can opt for, but not all of these tools are created equally. Additionally, all marketers are different, so you need to evaluate your unique situation to figure out the best alternative for your specific case. But, to make the right choice, you need to understand the definition of a marketing tracker and understand how these platforms work.

Below, well define affiliate tracker, go over the benefits of implementing this tool, and discuss three tips to help you improve your campaign with the right tracking tool.

What Is an Affiliate Tracker?

In a nutshell, affiliate trackers are platforms that allow you to measure the performance of your digital marketing campaigns. In the vast majority of cases, trackers can be used in a variety of settings, including SEO, PPC, and of course, affiliate marketing.

That said, most trackers have a unique combination of features, customer support approaches, and pricing, so you need to find the platform that gives you the highest chance of success. Always remember, the quality of the tracker will directly impact the results you get and the actions you take thereafter, so make sure to partner with a reliable provider.

How Do Affiliate Trackers Work?

There is no set standard for how affiliate trackers should work, which means that providers can choose from a variety of options. Some rely on pixel technology, while others implement cookies or completely unique approaches that rely on trademarked in-house technology.

Again, every affiliate and offer is different, so the features that seem great for one marketer may not be up to scratch for the next. To find the ideal fit, your best bet is to contact different providers, text out a few tools, and make a decision based on your own experience.

Benefits of Getting a Reliable Tracking Tool

The price of a tracking tool can range from extremely affordable to obscenely expensive. But, as long as you find a reliable provider, you’ll enjoy benefits that will help you grow your campaign and achieve a sustainable level of success.

There are many benefits to choosing a great tracking tool, including:

• Better understanding of your target audience
• Accurate metrics that are updated in real-time
• Auto-optimization and suggestion features
• The ability to develop campaigns based on number projections rather than hunches
• Increased conversion rates as well as a boost in other relevant metrics
• Lower costs across the board

3 Tips to Successfully Track Your Campaign

Simply setting up a tracker and letting it collect data is not enough to succeed. In addition to ensuring that the installation was successfully completed, you also need to take additional steps to verify the validity of the data you collect.

Some of the steps you need to take to successfully track your marketing campaign include:

Find a Reliable Tracker

It may seem obvious, but you have to ensure that you’re working with a reliable provider. This is the only way to guarantee that the numbers you’re collecting are accurate. And, even though some of the leading platforms are also the most expensive, remember that a high price tag doesn’t immediately translate to a reliable tracker. You should always take the time to evaluate each option and make a decision based on your findings.

Collect Statistically-Significant Data

Remember, you always have to allow your tracker to collect enough information before you start optimizing your content. If you start analyzing the data too early, you may end up misreading the patterns and developing materials that aren’t as engaging as your original set.

Develop a Consistent Optimization Schedule

Campaign optimization is an ongoing process that needs to be performed on a regular basis. For this reason, you need to evaluate how long it took you to collect enough statistically-significant data and create a consistent optimization schedule. This will remind you to optimize your campaigns and to check all relevant metrics at the same time.

Top 5 Affiliate Trackers

As we mentioned before, there are dozens of trackers you can choose from. Not all trackers are equal and options leave a lot to desire in terms of quality. Below, we’ve put together a shortlist of our top 5 all-purpose affiliate trackers. Note that we’ve left out free options like Google Analytics because these often lack affiliate-friendly functionalities.

Let’s take a look at our picks for the top affiliate trackers out there.

Voluum

Voluum has quietly established itself as one of the leading trackers in the affiliate space because it runs on a powerful infrastructure and provides accurate metrics without costing a small fortune. This analytics platform allows you to establish custom tracking for conversions, impressions, organic traffic, redirects, and mobile apps. Plus it provides landing page protection and manual cost update features for maximum control.

Appsflyer

Appsflyer is an affiliate tracking tool designed to provide real-time data and in-depth analyses for mobile traffic. The tracking tools also offer extensive integrations that enhance the platform’s functionality and flexibility. It allows tracking for mobile campaigns and provides reporting as well as creative management capacities to help simplify the optimization process. We’ll have more exciting news about Appsflyer and ActiveRevenue users in the near future, so stay tuned!

Everflow

Everflow aims to deliver three simple benefits: performance tracking, data interpretation, and smart optimization through a specific set of features. The platform allows marketers to track all of their efforts, slice the data in dozens of different ways, and take actions right through the tracking interface.

Tune

Although over options on this list can be used by both affiliates and advertisers, Tune was designed specifically for companies that track the performance of their partners. Known for being a wholesome partner marketing platform, advertisers can monitor how their affiliates are performing, automate their internal workflows, issue payments, and complete other actions through Tune.

LinkTrust

LinkTrust is a juggernaut in the world of affiliate tracking because it offers individual solutions for advertisers, affiliates, and influencers. The company develops tailored solutions for every client, which can include features like performance reports by ad, offer, product, device, and more.

Ready to Implement Your Tracker? Launch Your Campaigns on ActiveRevenue!

Ready to implement a tracker and optimize your campaigns? Start acquiring great traffic from ActiveRevenue today.