INTERNET TRACKING OF CLICKS AND CONVERSIONS BEST PRACTICES

Tracking Components

Tracking affiliate-generated conversions involves multiple steps and multiple technologies. Each of the without the use of specific technological components, no information is stored on an advertiser’s web server, and neither the Internet user nor the advertiser can relay information from one browsed page to the next or one browser session to the next. This means that no information implicitly or explicitly entered by the user into the browser or on a web page is available from one page to the next.

Cookies

Cookies enable the tracking of a web user's browsing history. Netscape Communications originally introduced the cookie in 1993, using it to determine if a visitor had previously been to a Netscape site. A cookie is nothing more than a simple text file added by a web server to the user’s browser that stores information to be used for a subsequent visit to the web site.

Cookies serve many valuable functions that enhance a user’s experience:

> They prepopulate web page data with information previously provided by the user. 

> They store items added to an ecommerce shopping cart.

> They facilitate the exposure of advertisements that are relevant and non-redundant to the user.

Cookies also facilitate such business and technical g between traffic originafunctions as user authentication and relationship trackintion and action conversions.

Tracking Pixels

The tracking pixel works in tandem with the cookie, and it is used most predominantly in the industry. The tracking pixel is no more than a standard 1x1 image pixel that, when called via HTML code, searches the browser for a cookie that matches the domain included in the pixel. Although the placement of the tracking pixel is relatively easy to handle, issues sometimes arise that could affect campaign conversion rates and, therefore, commissions. The marriage of the cookie and the tracking pixel forms the technological foundation for Internet affiliate marketing.

TRACKING FAILURE POINTS

Based on the critical Internet functionality outlined in the previous section, cookies are extremely powerful and valuable tracking tools. However, cookies and cookie tracking are not perfect. In fact, there are several pitfalls to cookie usage of which affiliates need to be aware. Cookie Expiration Date The cookie's duration plays a critical role in affiliate marketing. The longer the cookie duration for example, 90 days as opposed to 30 days the more likely it is for a conversion to occur and, in turn, for a commission to be paid.

Cookie Deletion and Blockage Although their concerns are unwarranted, many web users believe cookies compromise their personal privacy and therefore pose a security risk. As a result, many web surfers overzealously delete cookies from their browser and/or use aggressive cookie-blocking software.
These two operations can greatly impact your affiliate commissions.