What is the idea of tracking when doing direct linking

Someone please?

Tracking is usually the counting of a desired action, a sale made online for example. This is important because you want to know which ads appear to influence conversions. If you don't or cannot track, you are only doing half a job and can only improve your campaigns to maximize clicks rates, not conversions. So that's basically the point.

Google Adwords and Bing allow you to track conversions within their system. You can see conversions to the keyword and ads by simply adding their code to your checkout. Problem of course for affiliates doing direct linking (or even if not) is that you cannot put that code yourself on the affiliate site which is where the conversion occurs.

I deal only with clients who have their own sites. But I have had a client who was an affiliate marketer years ago. He used Prosper but I'm sure they probably all work pretty much the same way. As I recall, it was a bit of a pain to remember and build the destination URL to provide tracking but even then it wasn't perfect. I don't think it could track conversions and thinking about it, how could it? So like you, I did not see the point.

Tracking is done to get those winning ads and keywords. Once you know which ad and keyword is converting the most, then you can spend more on those winning numbers and can get a real success with PPC. Therefore, tracking is very crucial for your PPC success.

I'm not sure I understand your question. When you direct link sometimes the tracking platform might not be able to track it properly. But if its set up correctly you could see which keywords converted for you in a direct linking campaign. How is that not helpful?

So for example if you use Prosper202 for your direct linking campaign and install a program like CB trax (Clickbank), Prosper will get information back from Clickbank as to which keyword converted. This is very helpful and useful.

otherwide it is proper on but their some problems I'm not sure I understand your question. When you direct link sometimes the tracking platform might not be able to track it properly. But if its set up correctly you could see which keywords converted for you in a direct linking campaign. How is that not helpful?

If you're direct linking, which you shouldn't be because you should be building lists, but if you are, you need to set up small ad groups with very related keyword phrases and track each ad group to see exactly where your traffic is coming from.

Once you've narrowed it down to groups, you need to setup a group for each keyword. This is what Perry Marshall called his "peel and stick" method. There'll be absolutely no doubt as to where the traffic is coming from.

You MUST use a third party tracking service!

Imagine this...you use the tracking service available through your affiliate program, you install pixels into the page(s) and they fire every time you make a conversion. It won't take long before you'll eventually have a campaign that converts well. You'll have all of your converting keywords listed and will have eliminated all the waste.

Smooth sailing after that, right? Not so fast.

By using your affiliate programs tracking system they now have all the same information that you do. The chances are great that they'll boot you from the offer by simply telling you that they've reached their quota of leads. In the meantime they'll set up a campaign where you once were, using your keyword research that you spent your hard earned money on, and will have cut you, the middle man, out.

It's harsh, but it happens.

Your affiliate manager is NOT your friend! He/she is your business partner - period. Don't trust them "too much" or you may regret it.

Always track by using an external service.

One more thing, once you find out which keyword phrases are converting you should build a website and have articles written around them. If you can get easy SEO rankings for those converting keywords you'll be making cash without having to pay for clicks. THAT is the best way to build a website. True story.

I hope this helps you understand the reasoning behind good tracking better.

Joe