Track Your Funnel Traffic

Set up analytics and attribution to measure partner performance—from clicks to conversions to lifetime value.

Why Tracking Matters

Without proper tracking, you’re flying blind. Good attribution tells you:

• Which partners drive revenue — and which don’t
• What funnels convert best — so you can optimize
• Where traffic comes from — to understand the journey
• How customers behave — to improve the experience
• What’s your ROI — on partner program investment

---

The Attribution Stack

What to Track

Stage	Metrics	Why It Matters
Awareness	Impressions, link shares	Partner reach
Traffic	Sessions, unique visitors	Partner engagement
Engagement	Pages/session, time on site	Traffic quality
Conversion	Add to cart, checkout	Purchase intent
Revenue	Orders, AOV, revenue	Business impact
Retention	Repeat purchase, LTV	Long-term value

Attribution Points

Partner Link Click
       ↓ (UTM parameters, referrer)
Landing Page View
       ↓ (cart attributes set)
Product Views
       ↓ (events tracked)
Add to Cart
       ↓ (cart attributes persist)
Checkout
       ↓ (discount code applied)
Purchase
       ↓ (order tagged)
Post-Purchase
       ↓ (customer tagged)
Retention

---

Setting Up UTM Parameters

Standard UTM Structure for Partners

https://yourstore.com/pages/creators/sarah?
  utm_source=partner&
  utm_medium=affiliate&
  utm_campaign=sarah-jones&
  utm_content=instagram-bio

Parameter	Value	Purpose
utm_source	partner	Identifies partner channel
utm_medium	affiliate	Traffic type
utm_campaign	partner-handle	Which partner
utm_content	link-location	Where link was placed

Generating Partner Links

Manual

Create links per partner with UTM builder.

Best for: Small programs, testing

Automated

Generate links automatically when partners join.

Base URL: yourstore.com/pages/creators/{handle}
+ UTM source: partner
+ UTM medium: affiliate
+ UTM campaign: {handle}

Best for: Scalable programs

Link Shortener

Use branded short links:

yourbrand.link/sarah
→ yourstore.com/pages/creators/sarah?utm_...

Benefits:

• Cleaner for sharing
• Additional click tracking
• Easier for partners

---

Cart Attribute Tracking

Setting Attributes on Landing

When visitor arrives via partner link, store context in cart:

{% if request.path contains '/creators/' %}
  {% assign cc_handle = request.path | split: '/creators/' | last | split: '?' | first %}
  
  <script>
    // Set cart attributes via AJAX
    fetch('/cart/update.js', {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
      body: JSON.stringify({
        attributes: {
          'cc-creator-handle': '{{ cc_handle }}',
          'cc-landing-page': window.location.pathname,
          'cc-landing-time': new Date().toISOString()
        }
      })
    });
  </script>
{% endif %}

Attributes to Track

Attribute	Value	Use
cc-creator-handle	Partner identifier	Primary attribution
cc-discount-code	Partner’s code	Discount tracking
cc-landing-page	First page visited	Funnel analysis
cc-landing-time	Timestamp	Session analysis
cc-utm-source	UTM source value	Traffic source
cc-utm-campaign	UTM campaign value	Campaign tracking

---

Google Analytics 4 Setup

Custom Events

Track partner-specific events:

// Partner page view
gtag('event', 'partner_page_view', {
  partner_handle: 'sarah-jones',
  partner_tier: 'gold',
  page_type: 'creator_landing'
});

// Add to cart from partner page
gtag('event', 'add_to_cart', {
  partner_handle: 'sarah-jones',
  currency: 'USD',
  value: 49.99,
  items: [{ item_id: 'SKU123', item_name: 'Product Name' }]
});

// Purchase with partner attribution
gtag('event', 'purchase', {
  partner_handle: 'sarah-jones',
  partner_discount_code: 'SARAH15',
  transaction_id: 'ORDER123',
  value: 149.99,
  currency: 'USD'
});

Custom Dimensions

Set up custom dimensions in GA4:

Dimension	Scope	Value
Partner Handle	Event	Partner identifier
Partner Tier	Event	Bronze/Silver/Gold
Discount Code	Event	Code used
Partner Revenue	Event	Order value

Creating Partner Reports

Build reports showing:

• Traffic by partner
• Conversion rate by partner
• Revenue by partner
• AOV by partner
• Partner comparison over time

---

Shopify Analytics Integration

Order Tagging

Automatically tag orders for easy filtering:

{% comment %} In Shopify Flow or via API {% endcomment %}
Tags to add:
- cc-partner:{{ order.attributes['cc-creator-handle'] }}
- cc-discount:{{ order.discount_codes.first.code }}
- cc-attributed

Admin Filtering

With proper tagging, filter orders in Shopify admin:

• Search: tag:cc-partner:sarah-jones
• Export: Partner-specific order reports
• Analyze: Revenue by partner

Shopify Reports

Create custom reports:

Report	Filters	Metrics
Partner Sales	Tag contains “cc-partner”	Orders, Revenue, AOV
Partner by Discount	Discount code	Orders, Revenue
Partner Customers	Customer tag “cc-acquired”	Customer count, LTV

---

Third-Party Attribution Tools

Triple Whale

Best for: Full-funnel attribution, ad spend correlation

Setup:

• Install Triple Whale pixel
• Configure partner source identification
• Build partner-specific dashboards

Northbeam

Best for: Multi-touch attribution modeling

Setup:

• Implement Northbeam tracking
• Define partner touchpoints
• Analyze partner contribution to conversions

Rockerbox

Best for: Marketing attribution, channel mix

Setup:

• Rockerbox pixel implementation
• Partner channel configuration
• Cross-channel attribution reports

---

Building a Partner Dashboard

Metrics to Display

For Partners

What partners want to see:

• Clicks to their page
• Conversion rate
• Orders attributed
• Revenue generated
• Commission earned
• Comparison to last period

For Internal

What you need to track:

• Partner performance ranking
• Revenue by partner
• AOV by partner
• LTV of partner-acquired customers
• Partner activity/engagement
• Program ROI

Dashboard Tools

Tool	Best For
Looker/Data Studio	Custom dashboards from GA4/BigQuery
Klaviyo	Email attribution dashboards
Spreadsheets	Simple tracking, manual updates
Custom Build	Full control, branded experience

---

Debugging Attribution Issues

Common Problems

Orders Not Attributed

Symptoms: Orders have partner discount code but no attribution

Causes:

• Cart attributes not set on landing
• Attributes cleared during checkout
• Customer used direct link instead of partner link

Fixes:

• Verify cart attribute setting script
• Check if checkout clears attributes
• Use discount code as backup attribution

Duplicate Attribution

Symptoms: Same order attributed to multiple partners

Causes:

• Customer visited multiple partner pages
• Attribution not updating properly
• Multiple discount codes applied

Fixes:

• Define attribution rules (first touch vs. last touch)
• Clear previous attribution on new partner visit
• Document attribution logic

Missing Traffic Data

Symptoms: Partners report shares but no traffic shows

Causes:

• UTM parameters stripped
• Ad blockers preventing tracking
• Wrong page being tracked

Fixes:

• Verify UTM parameters persist
• Use server-side tracking for accuracy
• Implement first-party tracking

Testing Your Tracking

---

Privacy Considerations

Cookie Consent

• Ensure tracking respects cookie consent preferences
• Use first-party tracking where possible
• Document what data is collected

Data Retention

• Define how long attribution data is stored
• Comply with GDPR/CCPA requirements
• Provide data deletion capability

---

Quick Start Checklist

---

Related Resources

• Going Live & Measuring — Launch and metrics setup
• Connect Your Tech Stack — Integration setup
• Analytics & Reporting — Analysis strategies