Attribution Methods
In our Tracking Basics guide, we introduced sessions and tracking links as a way to track the necessary information for attribution. In this guide, we will review two different attribution methods used on the Scaleo platform.
In this article
What’s an Attribution Method?
When you work with an Offer within the advertising funnel, there is a piece of information that is carried from one step to another. An attribution method is a technical process used by our server to define the way and place where the session data is stored. It also defines the ID used by the server to validate the conversion for the Offer.
When the Goal is added for the Offer, a Network manager can select one of the two attribution methods: Postback Tracking or Cookie-based Pixel Tracking.
What is the difference between these methods?
Postback Tracking
This method is also known as Server-side Tracking or S2S Tracking. 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 needed.
Upon conversion, the Advertiser transmits the Click ID to Scaleo for validation. The whole process is performed within two servers. So, it does not depend on the user’s route between steps. Learn more about Postback Tracking.
Cookie-Based Pixel Tracking
Pixel tracking method 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 — the page that is displayed to the user once he completed a conversion. For example, he completed registration or made a purchase. Most likely, this will be a “Thank you” page or “Your order is complete” page.
A tracking pixel is a 1×1 pixel size HTML container that includes an offer’s conversion link. It is usually added to the page source code before the </body> tag. When a user loads the pixel, it checks for a session ID in the user’s browser cookie and records a conversion for that session.
The pixel tracking depends on other factors like ad blockers. When cookies are deleted, they affect your results. Learn more about Cookie-Based Pixel Tracking.
What Method Do We Recommend?
At Scaleo, we recommend using the Postback Tracking method, it is server-side and does not depend on the user’s browser. That makes it an ideal choice for offers involving other platforms, like mobile app store pages, installed software programs, and click-to-call communications. In those circumstances when cookies can’t be tracked (like in-app stores), the Postback Tracking method is required.
Each Advertiser and Partner may require different attribution methods. Regardless of the method you choose, make sure your Advertiser supports this method. If the Advertiser requires a specific method, you should use this method when running a particular Offer.