A Guide to Conversion Tracking

A Conversion is a qualifying action taken by a visitor that generates a payout for an Affiliate. In performance marketing, conversions are the primary metric used to measure campaign success and trigger affiliate payouts.

Common conversion actions include:

• Form submission — A visitor completes and submits a lead form.
• Purchase — A visitor completes a transaction on the Advertiser's site.
• App install — A visitor installs a mobile application.
• Sign-up or registration — A visitor creates an account or opts in to a service.

In CAKE, every conversion is tracked, assigned a unique Transaction ID, and associated with the click that originated it — giving you full attribution data from click to conversion.

CAKE supports two primary methods for tracking conversions:

• Conversion Pixel (Client-Side) — A small piece of code placed on the Advertiser's confirmation page that fires in the visitor's browser when the conversion action is completed. Includes Image, iFrame, and JavaScript pixel types.
• Server-to-Server Postback (S2S) — A server-side request from the Advertiser's server directly to CAKE's tracking server. More reliable than client-side pixels because it is not affected by ad blockers, browser privacy settings, or ITP restrictions.

For most setups, Server-to-Server tracking is strongly recommended as the most reliable method. Client-side pixels remain useful for Advertisers who cannot implement server-side tracking.

CAKE supports four conversion pixel types. The right choice depends on the Advertiser's technical capabilities and the tracking environment:

• Image Pixel (1×1 Pixel) — The simplest pixel type. A 1×1 transparent image tag placed on the confirmation page. Easy to implement but can be blocked by ad blockers and is not supported in all environments. Cannot piggyback other pixels except postback URLs.
• iFrame Pixel — An invisible iFrame embedded on the confirmation page. More flexible than an image pixel and supports piggybacking of additional pixel types. Can be blocked by some browser privacy settings.
• JavaScript Pixel — A JavaScript snippet placed on the confirmation page. The most flexible client-side option, supporting piggybacking of any pixel type. Requires JavaScript to be enabled in the visitor's browser.
• Server Postback (S2S) — A URL called server-side by the Advertiser's system on conversion. The most reliable tracking method — not affected by browser settings, ad blockers, or ITP. Requires the Advertiser to pass the CAKE #reqsessid# token through the conversion flow.

Conversion pixels are generated at the Offer level in CAKE. Each pixel is unique to a specific Offer and encodes the Offer ID so conversions are attributed correctly.

1. Navigate to the Offer Card for the relevant Offer.
2. Click the Pixel tab (or click the Pixel button in the top action bar).
3. Select your desired pixel type from the dropdown: Image, iFrame, JavaScript, or Server Postback.
4. Optionally select a Revenue Model and configure any URL Tokens to pass dynamic values (e.g. #tid# for Transaction ID, #price# for payout amount).
5. Copy the generated pixel code and provide it to your Advertiser for placement on their conversion confirmation page.

You may also be interested in:

• How to Implement Server-to-Server Tracking Using a Postback URL
• How to Use URL Tokens to Send Dynamic Values
• How to Use Global Pixels in CAKE

If you have any questions, please reach out to your dedicated CAKE Client Success Manager/Account Manager or contact the CAKE Support Team at support@getCAKE.com.