Getting Started with S2S tracking
Server 2 Server tracking (S2S), also known as Postback URL works by generating and storing a unique identifier of some kind when a user clicks a tracking link, like our Click IDs. When the same user later makes a conversion, the Click ID is matched back to the user. This is done by posting that same unique identifier back to the tracking server.
We generally recommend using server 2 server tracking for advertisers who have their website’s software able to send a signal back (a.k.a. “fires a postback”) to FlexOffers in the code. That is more reliable than using any other tracking method.
Below are instructions for S2S tracking:
When a user lands on your page, you need to capture the Reference ID (RefID). This is unique with each visit. You can capture the RefID from a query string parameter that we place in the URL when we send users to the destination.
Example: https://examplesite.com?refid=110097545FOF41509727756072518
How to save the unique identifier
There are several ways an advertiser can store the RefID. One method is for the advertiser to generate a cookie on the landing page that carries through the duration of the transaction. Another method is to log the transaction ID as a hidden variable. A third option is to continue carrying the transaction ID as a URL parameter until the conversion completes.
Using the example URL from step 1, you would “capture” the RefID and add it to the Server-to-Server (S2S) URL. It should be changed in a programmatic process to look like this example and then fired:
- Fill in the “ordernumber” parameter with an order number. It should be unique with each fire.
- Fill in the “orderamount“ parameter with a sale amount. It should update dynamically with each fire. If you’re running a CPL campaign, you can put in “orderamount=0”
After everything is implemented, we need two tests to ensure all processes are working properly.