Are you looking to set up affiliate link tracking to grow your business?
You’re in luck!
It couldn’t be easier, and in just 2 steps, you can create an affiliate marketing program to boost sales.
Strap in; we’re going to show you exactly how to set up affiliate link tracking in WordPress.
Note: Our guide is for merchants and businesses looking to set up link tracking. If you’re an affiliate who wants more detailed affiliate link tracking methods check out this great guide.
What Can Affiliate Link Tracking Software Help You Achieve?
The right affiliate link-tracking software solution can unlock many new business opportunities. Whether you run an e-commerce store membership site or are looking to boost your lead generation, affiliate link tracking can help.
- Immediately expand your reach
- Gain access to expert digital marketing skills without paying upfront (experts in search engine optimization (SEO), social media, email marketing, Google Ads, and much more)
- Save time on your marketing and focus on other important tasks
- Grow sales in a sustainable way
Everyone can agree these are some pretty exciting benefits, and this is probably why affiliate marketing is so popular.
In fact, over 80% of brands run affiliate marketing programs, and it’s the top acquisition channel for 40% of US merchants.
Your customers are out there, and skilled affiliates with the ability to reach them are waiting. All you’ve got to do is set up your affiliate link tracking.
How to Set Up Affiliate Link Tracking in WordPress
Here’s the thing: you want more than an affiliate link tracking system – you also want affiliate management tools. This is what’s going to unlock your affiliate marketing strategy and save you time.
Luckily, it’s incredibly easy to set up, and we’re going to show you exactly how to do it!
Let’s take a quick look at the steps you need to take before going into more detail:
Amazingly, that’s it!
As soon as you’ve completed the setup wizard, you’re ready to start tracking affiliate links, so let’s get started.
Step 1: Install AffiliateWP
AffiliateWP is the best affiliate tracking software for WordPress. (If your store runs on Shopify, check out this alternative guide for Affiliate SaaS products.)
Not only does it allow you to set up affiliate link tracking in minutes, but it’s also got some incredibly powerful link tracking features. This will allow you to attract top affiliates, minimize your time commitment, and grow your sales.
Head over to our pricing page, and select the plan that works best for you.
Once you’ve completed your purchase, you can install the plugin by going to the Plugins tab in your WordPress dashboard. This step should take you just a few seconds, but if you get stuck at any point, then just follow this simple step-by-step guide.
Step 2: Complete the Setup Wizard
Next, you’ll want to open the AffiliateWP setup wizard.
Hover over AffiliateWP in the left-hand sidebar of your WordPress dashboard and click Settings.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Launch Setup Wizard.
A new screen will open that asks you to enter your license key. This can be found in your confirmation email, or in your AffiliateWP account. Simply copy the license key and paste it into the box before clicking Continue.
Now you’re ready for one of the best parts about AffiliateWP. It syncs with a host of WordPress plugins in just one click, enabling you to set up affiliate click tracking in seconds.
The wizard detects the supported plugins on your site and turns on those integrations for you. Check the selection and click Continue.
Next, you can decide how you want to pay your affiliates. You can choose Stripe to pay affiliates straight to their bank accounts, or if you use PayPal, you can select the PayPal Payouts option to pay your affiliates through PayPal.
If you run WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads, you can also pay affiliates with store credit, and manual payouts are always available. When satisfied, click Continue.
Next, you can set your commission structure by setting your currency, referral type (flat fee or percentage of total order), and commission value. This will set a global commission rate, but don’t worry you can always edit this in your AffiliateWP settings. You will also get the option to turn on the Pro-only features like Lifetime Commissions, Multi-Tier Commissions, and more from the wizard itself if you have a Pro license (which we would recommend).
Apart from this, you will be prompted to enable Growth Tools like Social Proof or Google Analytics, OptinMonster, and more to help you set up a great affiliate program.
Once you’re happy with everything, click Finish Setup and Exit. Don’t worry too much about your settings at this point; you can always change them in the AffiliateWP Settings tab at a later point if you need to.
That’s it, and your affiliate link tracking is now set up, complete with in-depth metrics and conversion tracking (without having to worry about Google Analytics, pixels, postbacks, and other complicated tracking tools).
Now it’s Time to Sign Up Innovative Affiliates
The AffiliateWP setup wizard puts in place a ton of automation for link tracking, notifications, affiliate management, and payouts. You can start running your affiliate marketing campaigns immediately, but there are some small tweaks you might want to make.
AffiliateWP’s functionalities also allow you to customize your program and make it stand out from the crowd.
Once your affiliate link tracking is set up, you can use the customization tools to start signing innovative affiliates.
AffiliateWP will automatically create an Affiliate Area page (and a separate affiliate registration page) on your website when you install AffiliateWP, but it’s highly customizable (for more tech-minded people, there are even hooks and APIs). You can create and optimize your own signup page using the WordPress builder or simply use the template page.
Either way, the affiliate area is highly customizable, and you can quickly edit your affiliate registration form.
If you’re on a pro plan, make sure to mention all the fantastic affiliate tracking features your affiliate program offers:
Your main aim is to demonstrate to affiliates that your program offers a return on their efforts, and these great features help convince them.
As soon as you approve an affiliate’s application, they will be able to create affiliate links in their Affiliate Area. AffiliateWP will automatically track these referrals, assign attribution, and show you real-time analytics and affiliate conversions in your Reports tab.
It’s Time to Add Affiliate Link Tracking to Your Site
If you’re not using affiliate link tracking to grow your business yet then you’re missing out.
Affiliate marketing opens you up to huge growth opportunities and it’s very low risk. You only pay affiliates when they make a sale, so it really is a win-win.
We’ve shown you how to set up your affiliate link tracking (without an affiliate network taking a chunk of your profits), but here are some extra resources you might be interested in.
- 10 Best WooCommerce Affiliate Plugins for a Thriving Affiliate Program
- A Complete Guide to Setting Affiliate Commission Rates
- How to Build More Affiliate Partnerships: 13+ Ways to Grow Your Program
- How to Set Up a Lead Generation Affiliate Program in WordPress
That’s it; you’re ready to set up affiliate link tracking and grow your program!
