Are you tired of running affiliate marketing campaigns blindly? Do you want to track your conversions and optimize your campaigns for maximum profit?
If so, you need to start using Postback URLs!
But wait, what is a Postback URL?
If you never used it, you may fear that some geek talking is coming next.
Don’t worry, I’m here to explain it to you in a way that won’t make your head spin. 🙂
What is a Postback URL?
Simply put, a Postback URL is a URL that is called by an affiliate network or tracking platform to notify you of a conversion.
See? Easy! But let’s explain it a little more.
When a user completes a conversion, such as filling out a lead form or making a purchase, the affiliate network sends a request to your Postback URL, which contains information about the conversion, such as the offer ID, payout, and sub ID.
That information is sent back to the affiliate marketing tracker.
On its side, the ad tracker can send the information back to the traffic source through a Postback URL so it can optimize the attribution of your ads. This is optional (but recommended!).

Why should you care about Postback URLs?
Well, without them, you wouldn’t be able to track your conversions and optimize your campaigns effectively.
By using Postback URLs, you can see which offers are performing well, which traffic sources are converting, and which creatives are resonating with your audience.
Armed with this data, you can make informed decisions about where to allocate your budget and which campaigns to scale up or shut down.
And this is where an affiliate marketing tracker like CPV Lab or CPV One can help you out. The tracker has already the Postback URL setup for all major traffic sources and affiliate networks and you just have to select it.
And what is even better: if you are using a special Affiliate Network or you collaborate directly with a brand, you can simply add it as an offer source in CPV Lab and you can use the Postback URL in 2 clicks.
Now, I know what you’re thinking:
“But Julia, setting up a Postback URL sounds like a lot of work! Can’t I just rely on the affiliate network’s tracking system?”
Sure, you could do that, but do you really want to leave your profits to chance?
By setting up your own Postback URL, you have complete control over your tracking and can ensure that you’re getting accurate data.
Plus, it’s not as hard as you might think!
How to setup a Postback URL?
To set up a Postback URL, you’ll need to log into your tracking platform and get your Postback URL.
You’ll then need to enter the URL provided by your affiliate ad tracking software (such as CPVLab or CPV One or others) in your affiliate network (such as Maxweb, MaxBounty, GoldenGoose, etc) and make sure the parameters that you want to track are correctly setup.
The ad tracker will provide you with the exact Postback URL format. All you have to do is copy and paste it in your affiliate network.

Finally, you’ll need to copy the Postback URL and paste it into the appropriate field in your affiliate network’s settings.
And voila! You’re now ready to start tracking your conversions like a PRO. Just sit back, relax, and watch the conversions roll in.
Well, maybe don’t relax too much – you still have campaigns to optimize!
How does postback tracking work?
Affiliate marketers are always looking for ways to improve their campaigns and increase profits. And the Postback URL has been incredibly helpful for affiliate marketers using CPV Lab tracker.
As mentioned already, a Postback URL is a piece of code that allows you to track conversions in real-time.
Examples:
Here are 2 real-life exampleds of how to use a Postback URL to optimize an affiliate campaign.
Example 1
The client was promoting a fitness product on a popular social media platform.
He had created multiple ad sets with different targeting options, but wasn’t sure which ones were driving the most conversions.
We set up a Postback URL in CPV Lab tracking platform and added it to the offer’s conversion page.
Simply put: when a conversion was happening, the Postback URL was called and the conversion was sent to the tracker.
Another case was when the offer promoted was from an affiliate network.
This allowed us to see which ad sets were generating the most clicks and conversions. So, the client could optimize the campaign accordingly.
Example 2:
The affiliate was promoting an offer for a weight loss supplement on a popular affiliate network (Maxweb). Initially, he was using the default tracking provided by the network, but he wasn’t getting all the results he wanted.
That’s when he decided to implement a Postback URL together with an affiliate marketing tracker. He set up the Postback URL to trigger when a sale was made, and then used it to track the performance of his campaign.
In this way, he was able to see all the metrics in the tracker: cost, revenue, engagement. And he could identify which traffic sources were converting the best and adjust his campaign accordingly.
But what if you don’t have any CPA networks to work with?
If you are new to CPA marketing, you might be wondering how to find and join CPA networks that offer the best offers and payouts for your niche. CPA networks are the intermediaries between advertisers and affiliates, and they provide you with the offers, tracking, and payments for your campaigns.
However, getting approved by CPA networks is not always easy. CPA networks have strict criteria and requirements for accepting new affiliates, and they want to make sure that you are trustworthy, professional, and capable of driving quality traffic and conversions.
That’s why you need to learn how to apply and get approved by CPA networks, and avoid the common mistakes and pitfalls that can get you rejected.
Fortunately, there is a comprehensive guide that can help you with that. It’s called the CPA Network Approval Guide, and it’s written by the experts at CPV Lab Pro Blog. This guide covers everything you need to know about CPA networks, from choosing the best ones for your niche, to preparing and submitting your application, to following up and building a relationship with your network manager.
To sum up
Postback URLs have become a critical tool for digital marketers.
By eliminating the need for a “thank you” page and not relying on cookies, postback URLs offer a new way to track conversion data across marketing ecosystems.
You can use Tracking Pixels, but they are not as reliable as S2S Postback URL.
For affiliate networks, offering postback URL tracking capabilities to affiliates and publishers can bring numerous benefits. The most important advantage is that by enabling affiliates to measure their traffic accurately, the network can attract better traffic, enhance performance, and ultimately win together with the affiliate.
In conclusion, Postback URLs are an essential tool for any affiliate marketer or media buyer who wants to take their campaigns to the next level.
By using Postback URLs, you can track your conversions, optimize your campaigns, and maximize your profits.
So what are you waiting for?
Start setting up your Postback URLs today and watch your ROI go wild!
Want to stay up-to-date on the fast-paced marketing industry? CPV Lab affiliate marketing tracker offers a complete toolkit for tracking and analyzing all your affiliate campaigns from one single place. And all starts with a Free 14 days Trial!
Cloud or Self-hosted ad tracker? your choice!
Frequently asked questions
Postback URL frequent questions are answered below.
How can Postback URLs help me track conversions?
If you’re running a marketing campaign, it’s essential to understand which ads or promotions are driving the most conversions. Postback URLs are a type of link that you can add to your thank-you or confirmation page to send conversion information back to your marketing tracker. With this data, you can track campaign performance and identify patterns to optimize your strategies.
Postback URLs are useful because they work even if visitors use ad blockers or if your thank-you page isn’t functioning correctly. The tool provides valuable insights for affiliate marketers and marketing agencies to make data-driven decisions and achieve better results.
Do I need to have technical knowledge to implement Postback URLs?
While implementing Postback URLs can be complex depending on the tracking platform and campaign setup, you don’t need advanced technical knowledge in general.
Most affiliate networks and tracking platforms offer clear instructions.
CPV Lab, for example, provides an intuitive interface and a support team to help.
To set up Postback URLs in CPV Lab, go to the “Campaigns” tab, select the campaign, and go to the Postback URL and follow the instructions. Once set up, you can optimize campaigns based on real-time data, such as identifying which traffic sources generate the most conversions.
Can Postback URLs be used to track offline conversions?
While Postback URLs are typically used to track online conversions, they can also be used to track offline conversions in some cases.
For example, if you have a phone number on your landing page and want to track phone call conversions, you can use a Postback URL to send conversion data back to your CPV Lab tracking platform when doing follow-ups.
So if your setup involves phone call follow-ups, then you can still track these conversions in CPV Lab and have accurate reports that help you optimize campaigns and audiences.
How do Postback URLs differ from pixel tracking?
Pixel tracking and Postback URLs are two methods used to track conversions in digital marketing, but they differ in their approach. Pixel tracking involves placing a tracking pixel on a web page, while Postback URLs involve sending a notification directly from the conversion source to the tracking platform.
Pixel tracking relies on cookies to track user behavior, while Postback URLs bypass the need for cookies, making them more reliable in some cases.
However, setting up Postback URLs may require more technical knowledge than pixel tracking. Overall, both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
Are Postback URLs secure and reliable?
Yes, Postback URLs are generally considered to be secure and reliable. They allow for direct communication between the conversion source and the tracking platform, without relying on potentially unreliable cookies or third-party tracking scripts.
However, it’s important to ensure your Postback URLs are configured and secured correctly to prevent unauthorized access or data breaches.
At CPV Lab, we offer a secure and reliable Postback URL feature that uses HTTPS protocol to ensure secure communication. We provide comprehensive documentation and support to help you set up and configure your Postback URLs securely.

Author: Julia Draghici
Julia is the CEO of CPV Lab and CPV One ad trackers. She has 15+ years experience in the software industry, from development to management. For more than 6 years she is helping marketers get the best out of their marketing campaigns by using a performant ad tracker. Passionate about entrepreneurship, business and performance marketing, Julia loves helping people!