Link parameters offer merchants enhanced transparency, enabling them to accurately map traffic to its source and assign optimal rates to those sources. This documentation outlines the various options available for affiliate networks to consider, each with its own unique features and considerations.
A numerical string associated with a specific campaign on the publisher’s platform. The granularity of a publisher's campaign varies from publisher to publisher depending on their technical ability to segment traffic.
On the campaign level, it is typically whichever referring domain has the highest number of clicks. If a domain is not available, the Inferred Publisher will rely on the internal name our quality team has assigned to that campaign in the platform. This field is the most reliable means of identifying a particular source consistently.
Sovrn Commerce uses a 302 server-side redirect for reader clicks, allowing partner networks to capture referring URLs via the browser header. We can pass this information through a link parameter for networks that cannot capture it independently.
Various factors may prevent Sovrn Commerce or our partnered networks from capturing the referring URL. On average, Sovrn identifies around 50% of referring URLs across its network, so we recommend integrating a more reliable parameter in addition to the referring URL for better accuracy.
Common Reasons for No or Low Referring URLs
Separate Parameters: When utilizing link parameters, keeping them independent in network tools is recommended. This ensures the maximum amount of information is preserved and accessible, even if only partial data is available.
Comprehensive Integration: In cases where ref URLs are unreliable, using additional parameters ensures that more complete traffic data is passed and can be actioned upon.
Hierarchal Methods: For networks with limited parameter support, Sovrn can implement a hierarchical parameter system that passes different values based on availability. However, due to the inconsistent nature of referring URLs, Sovrn strongly advises against including them in a hierarchical setup, as it may lead to confusion for merchants. Instead, the following structure is recommended:
Inferred Publisher: This should take priority as it provides the most consistent and reliable method for merchants to easily identify traffic sources.
User ID: Used as a fallback when an Inferred Publisher has not yet been assigned, ensuring that traffic can still be tracked and attributed accurately.
This approach ensures a clear and intuitive experience for merchants while maximizing the transparency of traffic identification.