The Dynamic Click Pixel – A Simple Approach to Streamline Cross-Channel Measurement
CAKE’s Dynamic Click Pixel empowers digital marketers to leverage their existing tracking framework (or UTM parameters) to simultaneously measure their affiliate channel alongside all digital channels to identify the true return on ad spend (ROAS). In addition, the Dynamic Click Pixel offers a simple setup and enables digital marketers to measure multiple traffic sources with a single tag that fuels direct linking, accurate tracking, and the ability to manage click costs in CAKE.
In our ongoing tracking series, we’re exploring the foundational CAKE features that equip networks and brands with the tools they need to manage, measure and optimize their performance marketing program.
To understand the full potential of the Dynamic Click Pixel, it’s important that we first explore the prominent measurement setback impacting brands with an affiliate program.
The measurement challenge
While brands are no stranger to affiliate marketing, in fact, 81 percent of worldwide brands have an affiliate program, measuring the affiliate channel with all digital channels continues to prove challenging for many.
Here’s why. Imagine you’re a digital marketer for a leading brand and you’ve invested countless hours strategizing, creating, and implementing a core tracking framework. This framework defines the parameters (ad group, keyword, source, etc.) you want to consistently track and measure across all of your digital channels. At the same time, you are ready to track the performance of your affiliate program in parallel with your other digital marketing efforts to extract the greatest insights. Unfortunately, digital platforms like Google and Facebook don’t accept third-party affiliate tracking links which leaves brands with a serious tracking dilemma.
What’s more, brands aren’t interested in redoing their existing tracking framework across all of their digital platforms in order to accommodate a new channel. They need a solution that seamlessly fits into their current strategy.
So how do brands holistically measure their digital channels (including affiliates) and maintain their current tracking framework? The CAKE Dynamic Click Pixel.
The Dynamic Click Pixel – What is it and how does it work?
CAKE’s Dynamic Click Pixel is a JavaScript tag that simplifies the tracking setup for brands and networks by placing a single tag on their website to concurrently track all digital media sources (including paid and earned media). By measuring all digital channels together, the Dynamic Click Pixel informs users of relevant insights, such as what campaign the traffic should be attributed to or the keyword that drove the click for example. It also ensures that brands can continue to use their established tracking framework.
When the Dynamic Click Pixel tag is placed on a brand’s webpage (either globally or at the landing page level), the Dynamic Click Pixel scans all of the parameters in the web address to identify two critical pieces of information.
(1) the specific parameters to extract, and
(2) the proper traffic source to give credit to.
Once a conversion occurs, a JavaScript SDK (JS SDK) conversion pixel captures the CAKE Request ID and subsequently records the conversion in CAKE.
Since the Dynamic Click Pixel is placed on the brand’s website (or landing page) it enables a single tag that works for any of the affiliates and campaigns associated with that brand, thus making it fully dynamic. Before the Dynamic Click Pixel users would click a static click pixel which meant it was hardcoded to that affiliate and campaign.
While server-to-server tracking consistently remains CAKE’s best tracking practice, it does require development resources. By eliminating the need to involve back-end resources to institute more in-depth tracking methods like server-to-server, the Dynamic Click Pixel offers a familiar setup for brands who are comfortable with marketing tags.
The Dynamic Click Pixel – Three benefits for digital marketers
In addition to a simple setup coupled with a brand’s ability to maintain its tracking framework, the Dynamic Click Pixel equips brands with three powerful benefits.
Expand digital marketing opportunities with direct linking
Direct linking widens the opportunity of the digital channels brands can advertise on while also unlocking access to a complete picture of how the brand’s digital media efforts are working together. This multi-channel view powers transparency, revenue, and greater opportunities for growth and expansion.
The Dynamic Click Pixel facilitates direct linking, which gives brands the ability to efficiently launch, measure, and optimize campaigns on media platforms like Google and Facebook that typically deny third-party tracking links. While tracking links are the recommended approach for click tracking, they are not always a viable option due to media-buying platform third-party tracking restrictions. CAKE’s Direct Linking is a type of click tracking that routes consumers to a landing page URL with tracking parameters in lieu of redirecting through a tracking link.
Fuel a hybrid tracking approach that abides by web browser restrictions
By combining the Dynamic Click Pixel with the JavaScript SDK, brands can leverage a hybrid approach of cookie and cookieless tracking to ensure accurate measurement. As web browsers continue to restrict third-party tracking cookies, digital marketers are struggling to gain a complete view of performance.
Since the Dynamic Click Pixel tag is placed on the brand’s website or landing page, users are relying on that site’s first-party cookies as opposed to the browser sending third-party cookies. To learn more about how to set up the JavaScript SDK Conversion Pixel, visit CAKE’s Knowledge Base article here.
Eliminate page deduplication costs with more control
Since the Dynamic Click Pixel uses first-party cookies, it instantly recognizes duplicate clicks and ensures brands only pay for “unique” clicks which drive greater revenue control.
Let’s look at an example: A consumer clicks your link and lands on the website which generates the first-click request. That same user comes back to the website two hours later which triggers a second-click request. While that user is still on the website, they reload the page which enacts a third-click request. For the brand, this translates into three payments for the same consumer. Unfortunately, this is a frustrating and common occurrence that results in wasted ad spend and diminished returns.
The Dynamic Click Pixel removes this challenge and provides brands with the automation they need to identify duplicate clicks in real-time to protect their margins.
The Dynamic Click Pixel: Ready to get going?
The Dynamic Click Pixel gives brands the simplicity and flexibility to utilize their existing tracking framework to measure their affiliate channel and digital marketing performance together. This holistic approach to measurement reveals actionable performance insights that inform brands of their true ROAS and guide strategic decision-making.
Ready to explore the full potential of CAKE’s Affiliate Software and how it can empower brands to take measurement to the next level? Reach out to our team here.
If you’re looking to:
- Boost profit margins in the face of rising digital ad costs —> Visit this blog
- Discover how to simplify postback URL management —> Read the series
- Build a performance program resilient to economic fluctuations —> Check this out