NATS For Networks Affiliate Custom Pixels
Note: Pixels are not what affiliates use to promote offers. If you are looking to start promoting your network's offers, see Affiliate Linkcodes.
As an affiliate in an NATS for Networks network, you can set up custom pixels for third-parties when a conversion occurs. This means parties other than the original Network can be notified when a conversion happens. Custom pixels can be useful if you are promoting offers from NATS for Networks in another network, because the other network also needs to be notified with details of a conversion. In addition, an affiliate who is part of several networks can use custom pixels to send all conversion information to one place, rather than having to log into multiple networks to view stats.
Conversion Tracking Types
There are three different types of custom conversion tracking that affiliates can use:
- Iframe Pixel
- Image Pixel
- Postback
When a Network admin creates an Offer, a conversion type must be chosen to let the network know how to expect the conversion to be communicated to the network. The type of custom conversion tracking that an affiliate can use depends on the conversion method previously set up by the Network admin:
If an offer has a conversion type of Iframe, affiliates can use any type of custom conversion tracking: Iframe, Image Pixel or (Server) Postback.
If the offer's conversion type is Image Pixel or Postback, only the Postback method can be used for custom conversion tracking.
NATS for Networks automatically filters out the unallowed conversion types for affiliates.
Conversion Code Examples
- Iframe Pixel Example:
<iframe src="<conversion url>" height=1 width=1></iframe>
- Image Pixel Example:
<img src="<conversion url>" height=1 width=1 />
- Postback URL Example:
<conversion url>
See Building your Conversion URL for information on creating your <conversion url>.
Building your Conversion URL
The <conversion url> consists of 3 major parts:
http://<conversion_domain>/<conversion_path>?<conversion_variables>
- <conversion_domain> - The domain of where you would like the conversion details sent.
- <conversion_path> - The conversion script or file for the pixel. For example, NATS for Networks uses signup/process_pixel.php.
- <conversion_variables> - Predefined variables that are available to send with your post. See below.
Conversion Variables
When configuring the conversion urls for your custom pixels, you can add predefined variables that will be available.
- aff_id - Your affiliate ID.
- oid - The ID of the offer.
- aff_campaign - The campaign used.
- aff_approved - Your auto-pending status. (If set to 1, conversions you referred must be approved before you receive a commission. If 0, your conversions are automatically approved.)
- transaction_hash - The transaction ID of the conversion.
- commission - The commission related to the conversion.
These are added to your conversion code as:
<your variable name>=%%aff_id%%
Multiple variables are joined with an &. If you wanted to capture all of these variables, here is an example you can use to build your conversion url:
http://<conversion_domain>/<conversion_path>?aff_id=%%aff_id%%&oid=%%offer_id%%&aff_campaign=%%aff_campaign%%&aff_approved=%%aff_approved%%&transid=%%transaction_hash%%&commission=%%commission%%
Custom Conversion Variables
In addition to the variables already given to you by NATS for Networks, you may want to add your own variables. When you set up your tracking links, you can add your own custom variables that will be available for your custom pixels.
For example, this is your tracking link:
http://<tracking_domain>/track/<Tracking code>?<custom_var_name>=<custom_var_value>
Continuing with the example, if you set up your tracking link like:
http://example.com/track/MS4xLjEuMS4wLjAuMC4wLjAuMC4wLjA?custom_var_name=12345
You can capture the variable data in your conversion pixel by formatting your conversion url like the following:
http://<conversion_domain>/<conversion_path>?custom_var_name=%%custom_var_name%%
When the conversion occurs, %%custom_var_name%% would be replaced with 12345 (what it was set to in the tracking link) and saved into a variable called custom_var_name.
Adding Pixels in NATS for Networks
Custom Offer Pixels will allow you to set a global pixel in NATS for Networks that will run whenever a conversion happens. Visit this page from the My Account tab, and then Custom Offer Pixels.
To add a pixel, simply select the Offer you would like, what type of pixel you would like, and the code for the pixel. Click "Save" to save your pixel. You can then edit your pixel again with the pencil icon, or delete it with the trash icon. You can make multiple pixels for each offer.
You can also add pixels to be a part of a certain campaign. You can do this easily by using the campaign wizard. First select one of your network's offers, and then select "Campaigns" tab.
Note: When adding a pixel for a specific campaign, it will override the global one. This means only the campaign pixel will run. If you set a pixel for all offers and another for a specific offer, both pixels will be sent out.
