Affiliate Tracking via GTM

Attribute conversions to affiliate partners using GTM on Reach journeys.

Use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to attribute sign-ups, activations, and purchases to affiliate partners.

Overview

Reach supports the technical enablement for tracking on Reach-controlled journeys. Reach does not operate or manage affiliate programs.

Scope

In scope for Reach

• GTM-based event instrumentation on Reach-controlled journeys

• Capture and persistence of affiliate parameters across multi-step flows

• Conversion events fired on validated success outcomes

• Clean routing of events to brand-owned affiliate and analytics tools

Out of scope for Reach

• Affiliate partner onboarding and relationship management

• Commission logic, payouts, or reconciliation

• Troubleshooting discrepancies inside third-party affiliate platforms

Supported journeys

Affiliate tracking applies to Reach-owned and Reach-controlled surfaces, such as:

• Marketing site entry points

• Plan selection

• Checkout and purchase

• Activation confirmation and success states

Reach uses event-based tracking. Events fire on confirmed outcomes, not intermediate clicks or page views.

Implementation approach

Central data layer

Reach emits tracking events through a consistent GTM data layer. This keeps event naming stable and reduces duplicate conversions.

Affiliate parameter capture

When a customer arrives via an affiliate link, Reach can capture identifiers like:

• Partner or affiliate ID

• Campaign and placement identifiers

• Click or reference IDs provided by the affiliate network

Reach persists these values across the journey when possible. This protects attribution during multi-step checkout and activation.

Conversion events

Reach controls where conversion events fire. Typical conversion points include:

• Sign-up completion

• Payment confirmation

• Line activation completion

Events fire only when the platform validates success.

If you need a conversion at a different point, define it during onboarding.

Partner callback / postback URL (partner-provided)

Some affiliate partners require a callback URL (often called a postback URL) to receive the conversion event.

If your affiliate partner provides the callback URL template. Share it with Reach during onboarding.

Reach configures GTM to call it only on validated conversion outcomes.

Data and privacy

Data Reach can send

• Affiliate and campaign identifiers

• Conversion type (purchase, activation, sign-up)

• Timestamp

• Non-PII technical context (device type, journey step)

Data Reach does not send

• Customer name, email, or phone number

• Payment details

• Any sensitive or regulated personal data

If your affiliate platform requires PII, align on an alternate approach during onboarding.

Responsibilities

Reach

• Provide GTM hooks in supported flows

• Maintain event consistency and reduce duplicate firing

• Ensure events fire only on validated success outcomes

• Implement routing to brand-specified endpoints and tags

Brand

• Choose and manage affiliate platforms and partners

• Define attribution model and reporting requirements

• Provide required parameters and conversion definitions

• Validate reporting and manage payouts with affiliate partners

Onboarding checklist

Share these inputs during onboarding to avoid rework:

• Affiliate platform(s) to support

• Callback / postback URL template from the affiliate partner

• Required parameters to capture and persist

• Conversion definitions (what counts as a conversion, and when)

• Any constraints from legal/compliance on tracking and consent

Known limitations

• Attribution logic (first-click, last-click, multi-touch) is owned by the affiliate platform.

• Reach guarantees event quality, not third-party attribution results.

• Some affiliate parameters can be lost if they are not present at entry.

Questions or clarification? Reach out to your respective account manager or email at [email protected]