Postback (S2S)

A postback is a server-side HTTP request that fires automatically when a conversion happens, sending data from the advertiser's server directly to your tracker or affiliate network. Unlike pixel-based tracking that relies on a user's browser loading a tiny image or JavaScript snippet, postbacks work entirely between servers, making them immune to ad blockers, cookie restrictions, and browser privacy settings. A typical postback URL looks like: https://your-tracker.com/postback?clickid={clickid}&payout={payout}&status=approved. When a user completes a conversion, the advertiser's system calls this URL with the relevant parameters. The clickid ties the conversion back to the original click in your tracker. Setting up postbacks correctly is critical — even a small configuration error means you lose conversion data and cannot optimize campaigns. Most affiliate networks provide postback templates for popular trackers like Voluum, Binom, and Keitaro. In practice, postback discrepancies of 5-15% between your tracker and the network dashboard are normal due to timing differences and data processing delays. For affiliate marketing careers, understanding postback setup and troubleshooting is a must-have technical skill, especially for media buyers and affiliate managers who need accurate attribution data to make optimization decisions.