Using parameters and macros, you can dynamically store information and provide information from a click session. Partner sub IDs (also known as partner sub IDs) are a subset of parameters and macros used for non-unique values that don’t correspond to any other parameters and macros.
How Partner Sub IDs Work
Partner sub IDs are used to store non-unique values from the publisher’s tracking system, in some cases to forward to an advertiser. For example, TUNE doesn’t have a parameter or macro specific to sub-partners or ad placements. To store that data, you use partner sub IDs.
On click, values for these parameters are stored in the session. Once a sub-ID value is stored, you can provide it to your advertiser or publisher using the corresponding partner sub-ID macro in an offer URL or partner conversion link.
Note: If you are storing unique values—like click IDs or user hashes—use the partner click ID or unique value parameters instead. Storing unique values in partner sub-IDs is a common cause of sluggish reporting.
Each partner sub ID must be a URL-encoded value up to 500 characters in length. Your tracking link may not work if you use longer or non-encoded sub-ID values.
Adding Partner Sub ID Parameters
Partner sub-ID values are stored via the following tracking link parameters:
- aff_sub
- aff_sub2
- aff_sub3
- aff_sub4
- aff_sub5
To add sub-ID parameters to a tracking link, go to your offer’s page and find the Generate Tracking panel. Check the box for Add Sub ID and enter the sub ID value in the field that appears. In that panel, you can also view the updated tracking link or click More Sub IDs for additional fields:
The four fields that appear when adding more sub-IDs correspond to partner sub-IDs 2 through 5 (aff_sub2, aff_sub3, aff_sub4, and aff_sub5), respectively. Here’s an example of a tracking link that contains multiple partner sub-ID parameters:
http://demo.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=1001&aff_id=1002&aff_sub=SUBAFFILIATE&aff_sub2=SUBPLACEMENT
For the above tracking link, the partner would provide you with the appropriate macros from their tracking system to replace the “SUBAFFILIATE” and “SUBPLACEMENT” placeholder values. In this case, they could provide you with macros for sub-partner and ad placement that you use to replace “SUBAFFILIATE” and “SUBPLACEMENT”.
Passing Sub ID Values to Landing Pages
You or the advertiser may want to pass partner sub-ID values forward into the offer URL. To set this up, go to your offer’s page and find the Details panel. Click Edit and find the default offer URL. Then insert the {aff_sub} macro as the value of the appropriate offer URL parameter.
For example, your advertiser may want to accept the {aff_sub} macro in their “pubsub” parameter. The offer URL after inserting the macro would look something like this:
http://www.advertiserlandingpage.com/lp2?pubsub={aff_sub}
The same process applies to inserting the values of partner sub IDs 2 through 5 in an offer URL.
Returning Sub IDs on Conversion
Your publisher may want you to return their partner sub ID values via the partner conversion link. To set this up, first, go to Partners > Conversion Pixels / URLs. You can add a new link (by clicking Add Conversion Pixel / URL) or edit an existing link (by clicking Edit). Then insert the {aff_sub} macro in the appropriate partner conversion link parameter.
For example, your publisher may want to accept the {aff_sub} macro in their “session” parameter. The partner conversion link after inserting the macro would look something like this:
http://track.publisherstuff.com/conversion?session={aff_sub}
Passing Sub IDs on Impression
Passing a sub-ID value on an impression works similarly to passing it into a tracking link. When you add a sub ID in the offer’s Generate Tracking panel, the Impression Pixel field is automatically updated with that sub ID value. You can then copy and paste the pixel code as you would normally when using impression tracking.
Tracking Protocol Limitations
Partner sub IDs do not work the same way with the “Server Postback w/ Partner ID” tracking protocol. Because no transaction ID is passed to the advertiser on click, there’s no single value to link the click with a conversion.
If your offer uses the “Server Postback w/ Partner ID” tracking protocol, then your advertiser must connect partner sub IDs from click to conversion. That is, you need to both pass the partner sub ID to your advertiser (via offer URL) and receive the partner sub ID from your advertiser (via conversion link) before you can provide the sub ID to your publisher on conversion.