💡Introduction
Accurate tracking is the backbone of any profitable advertising strategy. It ensures you can measure performance, identify high-quality traffic, and optimise campaigns based on verified ROI rather than assumptions.
At SolAds Media, advertisers use S2S (Server-to-Server) postback tracking to achieve precise attribution, clean reporting, and transparent performance data.
You can either track through your own software (recommended for advanced control) or use the built-in SolAds tracking integration - which we'll cover later in this guide
🚀 Option 1 - Track via Your Own Tracking Software (Recommended)
Using a dedicated tracking platform such as Voluum, RedTrack, Binom, or Peerclick gives you complete control over data flow, attribution, and ROI reporting
If you haven't decided on a platform yet, check: Recommended Tracking Solutions
❶ Add SolAds as a Traffic Source in Your Tracker
Create a new Traffic Source in your tracking tool and name it SolAds Media. Define the parameters your tracker should receive from SolAds for every click.
| Parameter | Token | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| trackingid | $$trackingid$$ | Unique click ID used to match conversions |
| cost | $$cost$$ | Cost per click (used for ROI calculations) |
| src | $$src$$ | Publisher or traffic source identifier |
| subid | $$subid$$ | Sub-partner or sub-source identifier |
| copyname | $$copyname$$ | Campaign copy or creative name |
| campaignid | $$campaignid$$ | Unique campaign ID |
| sitename | $$sitename$$ | Site or placement name |
💡 Tip: Many tracking platforms (e.g. Voluum) already provide a SolAds Media template. When selected, all parameters, tokens, and cost settings will be automatically prefilled.
❷ Add Your Offer in the Tracker
Next, create a new Offer (or Product) in your tracking platform. This is the final URL where users land after clicking your ad - your website, product page, or affiliate offer.
Example Offer URL:https://www.youroffer.com/click?offer_id=3021&cid={clickid}&geo={country}
The offer link represents your real conversion destination. {clickid} ensures that conversions can later be attributed to the correct SolAds click. Once saved, this offer will be linked to your campaign setup in the next step.
❸ Create the Campaign and Connect the Offer
Now, create a Campaign in your tracking software and link the Offer you've previously added. Select SolAds Media as your Traffic Source - your tracker will automatically generate the correct Campaign URL containing all SolAds parameters.
Example Campaign URL:https://www.yourtracker.com/1234?publisher=$$src$$&subid=$$subid$$©name=$$copyname$$&campaignid=$$campaignid$$&sitename=$$sitename&$$&cost=$$cost$$&trackingid=$$trackingid$$
| Parameter | Purpose |
|---|---|
| trackingid | passes the unique SolAds click ID used for conversion matching |
| cost | transmits the CPC value per click (only for CPC campaigns) |
| publisher, subid, copyname, campaignid and sitename | send metadata for detailed reporting inside your tracker |
💡 In most modern trackers (e.g. Voluum), this URL is generated automatically as soon as SolAds Media is selected as the traffic source - no manual edits are needed.
⚠ Important: This Campaign URL must be placed in your SolAds campaign setup as your final destination URL. It ensures SolAds passes all tracking parameters correctly to your tracker on every click.
❹ Configure the Postback (Product → Tracking Software)
Your product or offer system must send a server-to-server postback to your tracker whenever a conversion occurs. This ensures that every sale or signup is matched to the corresponding click.
Data flow:
User clicks ad → SolAds forwards click data (incl. cost) to your tracker
Tracker redirects to your Offer → Conversion happens → Product sends postback to your tracker
You don't need to configure a postback between SolAds and your tracker - SolAds already passes all click and cost information during the user click.
⚠ Note on Cost Tracking (Clicks vs. Spend)
Clicks are transmitted 1:1 and correctly to your tracker. However, some external trackers apply their own filtering or unique-click logic, which can cause minor differences in reported spend compared to SolAds.
This does not affect the accuracy of your SolAds data - the costs shown in the SolAds interface always reflect the verified and qualified clicks recorded in real time.
Additional note: Cost values are transmitted only for CPC campaigns. For CPM campaigns, impressions and spend are tracked internally in SolAds but cannot be passed externally as per-click costs.
Option 2 - Track Directly via the SolAds Platform
If you prefer a faster or secondary integration, you can use the built-in SolAds tracking system. It lets you view cost, conversions, and value data directly in your SolAds dashboard - all in real time.
Advantages:
- ✔ No external software required
- ✔ Automatically accurate cost tracking
- ✔ Clear comparison between costs and conversion results
Learn more: Setup Postback Tracking
Comparing Both Tracking Methods
| Feature | External Tracking Software | SolAds Platform Integration |
|---|---|---|
| Setup speed | Medium | Fast |
| Data control | Full | Focused on SolAds data |
| Spend accuracy | Slight variance possible | Always accurate (verified) |
| ROI tracking | Fully customisable | Built-in overview |
| Best for | Experienced media buyers | Quick setup & spend validation |
Step 5: Use Tracking Data to Optimise ROI
Once tracking is live, the real work begins - campaign optimisation. Here's how accurate S2S tracking helps you maximise your return on investment:
❶ Identify profitable sources: Compare performance across src (publisher ID) or sitename. Pause or exclude low-performing placements to reduce waste.
❷ Refine creatives: Use the copyname parameter to analyse which banners or pre-landers generate the most conversions. A/B test creatives and optimise based on CTR and CVR.
❸ Monitor ROI in real time: By combining cost and payout data, your tracker can display profit margins per campaign - allowing instant budget adjustments.
❹ Track sub-sources: If your traffic runs through sub-affiliates, the subid parameter helps evaluate each partner's quality and contribution.
Accurate tracking isn't just about counting conversions - it's about making smarter buying decisions that continually improve ROI.
Quick Start Checklist
- Add SolAds as a Traffic Source in your tracker
- Create your Offer and connect it to a new Campaign
- Copy your Campaign URL into the SolAds campaign setup
- Configure your product's postback to your tracker
- Verify click and cost data flow
- Use the SolAds dashboard as your main cost reference
- Optimise campaigns based on verified performance
Final Thoughts
Whether you use a full-featured tracking platform or rely on SolAds' built-in integration, S2S postback tracking gives you the accuracy and transparency needed to scale profitably.
By combining SolAds' verified spend data with your tracker's attribution insights, you'll gain a complete, real-time view of your campaign performance - ensuring every click truly counts.
For further setup help: