Are you struggling to understand which of your affiliate links are making you money? With the right affiliate link tracking tools, you can turn guesswork into clear, actionable insights. You’ve put in hours and hours of hard work to build your online business, and you need to quickly and easily see what strategies bring you the highest ROI. Whether you’re an affiliate marketer or a business that partners with affiliates, tracking affiliate links is key to boosting your revenue and optimizing your strategy.
Here at OptinMonster, we’re experts at affiliate marketing. Not only do we use affiliate links on our own blog, but we’ve done in-depth research to write guides for our readers, including:
- What Is Affiliate Marketing?: How to Start Making Money While You Sleep
- How to Create an Affiliate Program & Increase Your Sales
- 18 Affiliate Marketing Statistics All Marketers Must Know
In this guide, I’ll show you how to set up affiliate link tracking in WordPress using powerful tools like MonsterInsights and AffiliateWP. Plus, I’ll cover options for those without WordPress, so you can make data-driven decisions no matter what platform you use.
Table of Contents:
- What Is Affiliate Link Tracking? (Basics & Why It Matters)
- Affiliate Link Tracking for WordPress Users
- How to Track Affiliate Links Using MonsterInsights (for Affiliate Marketers)
- How to Track Affiliate Links Using AffiliateWP (For Business Owners With Affiliate Programs)
- Affiliate Link Tracking for Non-WordPress Sites
- Tips to Optimize Your Affiliate Link Tracking
What Is Affiliate Link Tracking? (Basics & Why It Matters)
Affiliate link tracking is a way to monitor how well your affiliate links perform. It helps you understand which links are getting clicked, which ones are converting into sales, and how much money you’re making from each link.
Let’s say you’re promoting affiliate links for 2 different products: a high-end camera and a budget-friendly alternative.
Without tracking, you might assume the pricier option makes you more money. But what if most of your clicks are on the budget option? With affiliate link tracking, you can see exactly where your revenue is coming from and adjust your strategy to focus on what’s really working.
Why Tracking Affiliate Links Is Important
Tracking your affiliate links offers several key benefits:
- Identify Top-Performing Content: See which blog posts, videos, or emails are driving the most affiliate sales. This lets you double down on the content that resonates most with your audience.
- Optimize Your Marketing Efforts: Knowing which links convert best helps you refine your marketing tactics. You can invest more time and resources into the strategies that generate the most income.
- Increase Revenue: By focusing on high-converting links and improving low-performing ones, you can boost your overall affiliate earnings without needing to expand your traffic base.
- Detect and Fix Issues: Sometimes links break or products go out of stock. Tracking helps you quickly spot and fix these issues before they cost you sales.
Tracking affiliate links is like having a roadmap that shows you where to go next. Without it, you’re just guessing. And that’s not the best way to grow your business.
Affiliate Link Tracking for WordPress Users
WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for affiliate marketers, and for good reason. With the right plugins, you can easily set up and manage affiliate link tracking without needing to touch a line of code. Let’s explore two standout options for WordPress users: MonsterInsights and AffiliateWP.
Why WordPress Makes Affiliate Tracking Easier
WordPress’s flexibility and huge library of plugins make it a top choice for anyone looking to run an affiliate marketing business. You can customize your site, optimize it for search engines, and track your affiliate links all in one place. With tools like MonsterInsights and AffiliateWP, you’ll have everything you need to stay on top of your affiliate performance.
Overview of the Two Best Tracking Methods
Let’s break down the two tools we’ll be focusing on:
- MonsterInsights: Ideal for individual affiliate marketers. This plugin integrates seamlessly with Google Analytics, bringing powerful tracking data right into your WordPress dashboard. You’ll be able to see which links get clicked the most and where your revenue is coming from, all without leaving WordPress.
- AffiliateWP: Perfect for businesses running their own affiliate programs. It lets you manage affiliates, track their performance, and handle payouts within your WordPress dashboard. It’s a comprehensive solution for business owners looking to grow their affiliate networks.
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re looking to take your affiliate marketing to the next level, both tools offer robust features that can help you succeed.
How to Track Affiliate Links Using MonsterInsights (for Affiliate Marketers)
If you are an affiliate marketer using WordPress, MonsterInsights is the easiest way to track affiliate links. It connects directly to Google Analytics and brings important data right into your WordPress dashboard. You can see which links are getting the most clicks and which ones are converting into sales, all without leaving your site.
Follow these steps to set up affiliate link tracking with MonsterInsights.
Step 1: Purchase and Install MonsterInsights
To access affiliate link tracking, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- subscribe to MonsterInsights’ Plus plan or above.
- Download the plugin from your MonsterInsights’ account
- Install and activate the plugin in WordPress.
- Follow the setup wizard to connect your Google Analytics account.
Step 2 (Recommended): Use Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates for Link Cloaking
Affiliate links are often long and complicated. I suggest that you use an affiliate link management plugin like Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates to create cleaner links. Doing so will improve user experience, provide more secure affiliate links, and allow you to manage your links more effectively.
For example, instead of using a long link that might look untrustworthy, you can create a cleaner, branded link like:
yourwebsite.com/refer/productname
Once your links are set up, MonsterInsights will automatically track them in Google Analytics.
New to Affiliate Link Cloaking?
No worries! Check out our guide to cloaking affiliate links in WordPress.
Step 4: View Affiliate Link Reports in WordPress
After setting up tracking, you can view your affiliate reports without leaving WordPress.
- Go to Insights > Reports > Publishers.
- Scroll down to Top Affiliate Links to see which links get the most clicks.
This report helps you understand which affiliate products are performing best, so you can focus on promoting what works.
Start tracking your affiliate links with MonsterInsights.
How to Track Affiliate Links Using AffiliateWP (For Business Owners With Affiliate Programs)
If you run your own affiliate program that partners will affiliate marketers, MonsterInsights is not the best option. Instead, you need AffiliateWP. This plugin helps you manage affiliates, track referrals, and handle commission payouts, all inside WordPress.
Here’s how to set it up.
Step 1: Purchase and Install AffiliateWP
- Select the AffiliateWP pricing plan that works best for your business.
- Download the plugin from your AffiliateWP account.
- Install and Activate the plugin in WordPress
- Once activated, go to AffiliateWP > Settings and enter your license key.
Step 2: Complete the Setup Wizard
AffiliateWP has a built-in setup wizard that makes configuration easy.
- Open the wizard by going to AffiliateWP > Settings > Launch Setup Wizard.
- Connect AffiliateWP with your eCommerce or membership plugin, such as WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads.
- Choose your commission structure (flat fee or percentage of sales).
- Select how you want to pay affiliates, such as manual payouts or PayPal.
- Click Finish Setup to complete the process.
Step 3: Monitor Affiliate Activity in Reports
Once your affiliate program is running, you can track performance in real-time.
- Go to AffiliateWP > Reports.
- View key metrics, such as total referrals, conversion rates, and top-performing affiliates.
This data helps you see which affiliates drive the most sales, so you can reward top performers and optimize your program.
Affiliate Link Tracking for Non-WordPress Sites
Not using WordPress? You can still track affiliate links using other methods.
UTM Parameters
UTM parameters are tags added to your URLs that help Google Analytics track traffic sources.
For example, if you are promoting an affiliate product in an email campaign, you can add UTM parameters like this:
https://example.com/product?utm_source=email&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=summer_sale
This lets you see exactly where your affiliate sales are coming from.
To learn more, check out our beginner’s guide to UTM parameters.
Postback URL Tracking
Postback URL tracking (also called server-to-server tracking) is a cookieless method used by affiliate networks. It sends conversion data directly from the advertiser’s server to the affiliate network. This is more accurate than traditional tracking but requires technical setup.
Pixel Tracking
Pixel tracking uses a small image or JavaScript code placed on a “thank you” page after a purchase. When a customer completes a transaction, the pixel fires, recording the conversion. This is commonly used in affiliate networks and eCommerce platforms.
Tips to Optimize Your Affiliate Link Tracking
Once you have affiliate link tracking set up, the next step is to use that data to increase your revenue. Here are some best practices to get the most out of your affiliate links.
1. Regularly Review Your Affiliate Reports
Set a schedule to check your reports at least once a month. Look for trends in:
- Top-performing links: Identify which affiliate products drive the most revenue and promote them more.
- Low-performing links: If certain links aren’t converting, try changing their placement, call-to-action, or landing page.
- Seasonal trends: Some affiliate products sell better at specific times of the year. Use this data to plan promotions.
2. A/B Test Different Link Placements
The location of your affiliate links can affect how often they get clicked. Test different placements to find what works best for your audience.
- In-text links: Embed links naturally within your content.
- Call-to-action (CTA) buttons: Make your links more visible with eye-catching buttons.
- Popups and floating bars: Use OptinMonster to create targeted popups that display your best affiliate offers at the right time.
3. Keep Your Affiliate Links Updated
Affiliate products can change or go out of stock. Broken links mean lost revenue. Use a link management tool like Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates to:
- Easily update links in one place
- Redirect old links to new affiliate offers
- Monitor click activity and spot inactive links
4. Use OptinMonster to Boost Affiliate Clicks
Affiliate links only work if people click on them. OptinMonster helps increase conversions with:
- Exit-Intent® popups: Show affiliate offers right before a visitor leaves your site.
- Targeted campaigns: Display promotions based on user behavior, such as time on page or scroll depth.
- Floating bars: Keep your best affiliate deals visible as users browse your site.
Adding these features to your site ensures more people see and engage with your affiliate links.
In fact, Top 6 Digital used OptinMonster to increase their affiliate revenue by 30%! They did it with popups like this one:
Read the full Top 6 Digital case study here.
Start Tracking Your Affiliate Links Today
Affiliate link tracking is essential for anyone serious about affiliate marketing. Whether you use WordPress or another platform, tracking helps you:
- Understand which links generate the most revenue
- Optimize your content and marketing strategies
- Increase your affiliate commissions with data-driven decisions
If you are a WordPress user, the best tools for tracking affiliate links are MonsterInsights and AffiliateWP.
- Use MonsterInsights to track affiliate link clicks in Google Analytics and view reports inside WordPress. Pair it with a link management plugin like Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates for best results.
- Use AffiliateWP if you run an affiliate program and need to manage affiliates, referrals, and commissions.
And if you want to maximize clicks and conversions, OptinMonster helps you display your best affiliate offers at the right time with powerful popups and targeting features.
BONUS: Done-For-You Campaign Setup ($297 value)
Our conversion experts will design 1 free campaign for you to get maximum results – absolutely FREE!
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