Conversion Tracking

We explained the Tracking Basics and different Attribution Methods. Now we will go further.

To track how the Users completed the conversion, the Advertisers use the conversion pixel/postback. Using it, the Advertiser sends conversion details to Scaleo when the User completes the conversion. This guide will walk you through two possible methods: Postback and Cookie Based Conversion Tracking.

Basic Terms

Any visitor uses a mobile app or web browser on a desktop PC, smartphone, tablet, or any other device. In terms of the web, it is called a client. The browser connects to a remote computer that returns web pages or data in a readable format. It is called a server.

The Advertiser can track the data in two possible ways: on the client-side (Cookie-Based Conversion Tracking) and on the server side (Postback Conversion Tracking). In the first case, the tracking data is received from the user’s browser or mobile app, and in the second case — from the remote server.

Let’s see the features of both methods.

Postback Conversion Tracking

This is the most reliable and popular method. When the user clicks on the link, Scaleo automatically sends a session ID (also called Click ID) to the Advertiser. They store this Click ID in the database as long as necessary.

On conversion, the Advertiser transmits the Click ID to Scaleo for validation. The whole process is made between two servers. So, it does not depend on the user’s route between steps.

This method allows tracking multiple offers in other networks outside the Scaleo platform using a single global postback URL.

Some more advantages of Postback Conversion Tracking:

• The Advertiser can get the data that cannot be shared client-side for commercially sensitive reasons. For example, any profit data in retail that retailers would like to consider confidential and not to show it client-side so that the website visitors could get to know what profit is made on different items sold.
• Tracking events that are not performed in the user’s browser.
• The ability to bypass any ad-blocking software.

Learn more about Postback Conversion Tracking.

Cookie-Based Conversion Tracking

This method is recommended to use only in situations when it is not possible to use Postback tracking. It stores a Scaleo session ID in the user’s browser cookies — small text files that store information about the user’s activity.

To track the conversion, the Advertiser should place a tracking pixel on the conversion page. This is a piece of code added to the page source before the </body> tag.

When a user opens the target page, he loads the pixel. It checks for a session ID in the user’s browser cookie and records a conversion for that session.

Despite you can use Cookie-Based Conversion Tracking in cases when Postback Conversion Tracking is not available, it has some weak points compared to it:

• The cookies highly depend on the users’ preferences. When they deny cookies in the browser, you cannot track them.
• Cookies have a lifespan. When they are expired, it affects the possibility to make a conversion.
• Many users use ad-blockers in their browsers which delete the cookies. You cannot reach them using the Cookie-Based Conversion Tracking method.

Read more about Cookie-Based Conversion Tracking.