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This comprehensive guide walks through the process of configuring PPC (Pay-Per-Click) tracking in Affelios using Google Tag Manager (GTM). The integration enables seamless tracking of affiliate conversions, attribution to specific PPC campaigns, and optimization of your overall marketing strategy.

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Prerequisites

Before starting the PPC tracking setup, ensure you have the following:
  • Affelios Identity account - Your login for accessing and managing all your programs
  • Active Affelios subscription - Any plan (Flex, Pro, or Enterprise)
  • Google Tag Manager account - Must be integrated with your website
  • Admin access - Full administrative privileges to both Affelios and GTM
  • Active brand - A configured brand in Affelios with parallel tracking enabled
The integration process requires administrative access to both your Affelios account and Google Tag Manager. Ensure you have the necessary permissions before proceeding.

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Why PPC Tracking Matters

Key Benefits

PPC tracking is critical for digital marketing strategies focused on paid advertising campaigns, providing essential insights for campaign optimization and ROI measurement.
Real-Time Analytics:
  • Track clicks, impressions, and conversions in real-time
  • Assess return on investment (ROI) for each campaign
  • Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs)
  • Identify high-performing ad variations
Data-Driven Improvements:
  • Optimize ads, keywords, and budgets based on performance data
  • A/B test different ad creatives and landing pages
  • Refine targeting parameters for better audience reach
  • Adjust bidding strategies for maximum efficiency
Smart Resource Allocation:
  • Direct resources to high-performing ads
  • Reduce spend on underperforming campaigns
  • Maximize budget utilization across channels
  • Eliminate wasteful advertising spend
Valuable Behavioral Data:
  • Understand audience behavior and preferences
  • Tailor future campaigns to target demographics
  • Identify new market opportunities
  • Improve customer acquisition strategies
Market Leadership:
  • Continuous optimization based on tracking data
  • Stay ahead of competitors with data-driven decisions
  • Identify market trends and opportunities
  • Build sustainable competitive advantages
Financial Performance:
  • Compare ad costs against revenue from conversions
  • Ensure campaigns contribute positively to financial goals
  • Track lifetime value of acquired customers
  • Measure long-term profitability of marketing investments

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Step-by-Step Setup Guide

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Step 1: Enable Parallel Tracking in Affelios

1

Access Brand Settings

Navigate to your Affelios dashboard and click on “Brands” in the left-hand navigation menu.
2

Select Your Brand

Choose the brand you want to configure for PPC tracking from your list of brands.
3

Edit Brand Configuration

Click on the action menu (three dots) next to your brand and select “Edit Brand”.
4

Enable Parallel Tracking

Scroll down to the tracking settings and enable “Parallel Tracking” for your brand.
5

Copy Tracking Code

Copy the parallel tracking code snippet that appears after enabling parallel tracking.
Keep the tracking code snippet handy as you’ll need it for the Google Tag Manager configuration in the next step.

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Step 2: Configure Google Tag Manager

1

Access GTM Dashboard

Log into your Google Tag Manager account and navigate to your website’s container.
2

Create New Tag

Click “Add a new Tag” from the Tag Manager dashboard to create a new tracking tag.
3

Name Your Tag

Give your tag a descriptive name, such as “Affelios PPC Tracker” or “Affelios Tracker”.
4

Configure Tag Type

Click on the “Tag Configuration” box and select “Custom HTML Tag” from the options menu.
5

Add Tracking Code

Paste the parallel tracking code snippet you copied from Affelios into the HTML field.
6

Set Trigger

Select “All Pages” as the trigger to ensure the tracking code fires on every page load.
7

Save Tag

Click “Save” in the top-right corner to save your new tag configuration.
8

Publish Changes

Submit and publish your new tag for the changes to take effect on your website.
Remember to publish your changes in Google Tag Manager for the tracking to become active. Unpublished changes won’t affect your live website.

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Step 3: Configure Tracking URLs

1

Access Tracking Links

In your Affelios dashboard, navigate to the tracking links section for your brand.
2

Select Parallel Tracking

When retrieving a link for a specific tracker, ensure the tracking template is set to “Parallel”.
3

Choose URL Template

Select the appropriate URL template for your needs:
  • Google URL template (default) - For Google Ads campaigns
  • Custom template - For other PPC platforms or specific requirements
4

Generate Tracking URL

Create your tracking URL with the proper parameters for your PPC campaign.
5

Test Tracking URL

Verify that the tracking URL works correctly and properly attributes clicks to your campaigns.

URL Template Options

  • Google URL Template: Optimized for Google Ads campaigns with proper parameter formatting
  • Custom Template: Flexible option for other PPC platforms or specific tracking requirements
  • Parallel Tracking: Ensures proper attribution while maintaining campaign data integrity

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Advanced Configuration

Advanced Features

Once your basic PPC tracking is set up, you can configure advanced features for enhanced campaign management.

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Campaign Attribution

Enhanced Campaign Data:
  • Track utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign parameters
  • Attribute conversions to specific ad groups and keywords
  • Monitor campaign performance across different channels
  • Generate detailed campaign reports
Precise Attribution:
  • Track Google Click ID (gclid) for Google Ads campaigns
  • Monitor Facebook Click ID (fbclid) for Facebook campaigns
  • Attribute conversions to specific ad clicks
  • Measure click-to-conversion attribution
Conversion Optimization:
  • Track performance by landing page
  • A/B test different landing page variations
  • Optimize conversion funnels
  • Improve user experience and conversion rates

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Data Integration

Comprehensive Analytics:
  • Connect PPC data with Google Analytics
  • View affiliate conversions alongside PPC metrics
  • Create custom reports and dashboards
  • Track user journey from click to conversion
Performance Measurement:
  • Set up conversion goals in Google Ads
  • Track affiliate conversions as PPC conversions
  • Monitor cost per acquisition (CPA)
  • Optimize campaigns based on conversion data
Audience Building:
  • Create remarketing lists from PPC traffic
  • Target users who clicked but didn’t convert
  • Retarget with affiliate offers
  • Improve campaign efficiency through remarketing

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Here are solutions to common problems you might encounter during the PPC tracking setup process.
Code Not Firing:
  • Verify that Google Tag Manager is properly installed on your website
  • Check that the tag is published and active
  • Ensure the trigger is set to “All Pages” or appropriate pages
  • Use browser developer tools to check for JavaScript errors
  • Verify that the tracking code snippet is complete and unmodified
Conversions Not Attributed:
  • Check that parallel tracking is enabled in your Affelios brand settings
  • Verify that tracking URLs are using the correct template
  • Ensure UTM parameters are properly formatted
  • Check that the ClickKey parameter is being passed correctly
  • Verify that the tracking window is appropriate for your conversion cycle
Inconsistent Reporting:
  • Compare data between Google Ads and Affelios dashboards
  • Check for time zone differences in reporting
  • Verify that conversion tracking is set up correctly in Google Ads
  • Ensure that attribution models are consistent
  • Review any filters or exclusions that might affect data
Slow Page Load Times:
  • Optimize the tracking code implementation
  • Use Google Tag Manager’s asynchronous loading
  • Consider implementing tag firing rules to reduce unnecessary loads
  • Monitor Core Web Vitals impact
  • Test page speed with and without tracking code

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Getting Help

1

Check Implementation

Verify that all steps have been completed correctly and that the tracking code is properly implemented.
2

Test Tracking

Use browser developer tools and Google Tag Manager’s preview mode to test the tracking implementation.
3

Review Documentation

Check this guide and other relevant documentation for solutions to your specific issue.
4

Contact Support

If you’re still experiencing issues, contact Affelios support with specific details about your problem.

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Best Practices

Optimization Tips

Follow these best practices to ensure your PPC tracking setup runs smoothly and provides maximum value.
Proper Setup:
  • Always test tracking implementation before going live
  • Use Google Tag Manager’s preview mode for testing
  • Implement tracking on all relevant pages
  • Set up proper triggers and firing rules
  • Monitor tracking performance regularly
Effective Campaign Strategy:
  • Use descriptive campaign names and UTM parameters
  • Organize campaigns by product, audience, or objective
  • Set up proper conversion tracking in Google Ads
  • Monitor and optimize campaign performance regularly
  • Use negative keywords to improve targeting
Meaningful Insights:
  • Regularly review performance reports
  • Compare PPC performance with affiliate performance
  • Identify high-performing campaigns and keywords
  • Use data to inform future campaign strategies
  • Track lifetime value of PPC-acquired customers
Legal Considerations:
  • Ensure compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations
  • Implement proper cookie consent mechanisms
  • Use data responsibly and transparently
  • Regularly review and update privacy policies
  • Consider user privacy in tracking implementation

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Next Steps

Your PPC Tracking is Complete!

Congratulations! Your PPC tracking with Google Tag Manager is now successfully configured. You can start running targeted campaigns with full attribution tracking.

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What Happens Next

1

Campaign Launch

Start running PPC campaigns with your configured tracking URLs to begin collecting performance data.
2

Data Collection

Monitor the collection of click and conversion data through your Google Tag Manager implementation.
3

Performance Analysis

Use the collected data to analyze campaign performance and optimize your PPC strategy.
4

Continuous Optimization

Regularly review and optimize your campaigns based on the tracking data and performance insights.

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Additional Resources

Further Reading

Need additional help? Our support team is available to assist with any questions or issues you might have with your PPC tracking setup. Contact us via Intercom or email support@affelios.com.
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