How Attribution Works

Overview

Attribution is the process of connecting a customer's signup and payment back to the affiliate who referred them. TrekMail uses last-click attribution with a 30-day cookie window. Understanding how this works helps you set accurate expectations for your earnings and troubleshoot cases where a commission may not have been credited.

The 30-day attribution window

When someone clicks your affiliate link, a tracking cookie is set in their browser. This cookie stays active for 30 days.

If that visitor creates a TrekMail account and activates a paid plan within those 30 days, the commission is attributed to you. If they return after 30 days, the cookie has expired and no commission is generated.

Last-click attribution

TrekMail uses last-click attribution. This means:

• If a visitor clicks multiple affiliate links (from different affiliates) before signing up, the commission goes to the most recent link they clicked.
• If a visitor clicks your link, then clicks another affiliate's link, and then signs up — the other affiliate receives the commission.
• If a visitor clicks your link first and no other affiliate link before signing up — you receive the commission.

This is the standard model used across most affiliate programs. It rewards the affiliate whose content was the last touchpoint before conversion.

What counts as a conversion

A commission is generated when:

1. A visitor clicks your affiliate link
2. A tracking cookie is set (valid for 30 days)
3. The visitor creates a TrekMail account
4. The account activates a paid subscription

The commission is created at the point of the qualifying payment, not at signup. A visitor who creates a free account does not generate a commission unless and until they upgrade to a paid plan within the attribution window.

Conversion events

There are three tracked events in the attribution chain:

All three appear separately in your Analytics tab. The gap between signups and paid conversions represents users who registered but are on the free plan or trial.

Why a click might not generate a commission

Several situations can prevent a click from resulting in a credited commission:

• Cookie blocked or cleared: Some browsers, browser extensions, or privacy settings block or immediately delete third-party tracking cookies. Visitors who browse with strict privacy settings may not be attributed even if they click your link and convert.
• Link modified: If your affiliate link is stripped of its referral parameters (for example, by a link shortener that drops query strings), no cookie is set.
• Attribution window expired: The visitor clicked your link but only converted more than 30 days later.
• Another affiliate's link clicked last: The visitor clicked a different affiliate's link after clicking yours, and that link is credited instead.
• Self-referral detected: Self-referrals are not eligible for commission. See Affiliate Program Rules.

Tips for maximising attribution

• Share links directly, not through shorteners that strip query parameters.
• Create content that drives immediate action — the longer the delay between a click and a signup decision, the more likely the cookie expires or gets overwritten.
• Target audiences who are ready to evaluate — migration guides, alternative comparisons, and pricing-focused content attract visitors closer to a purchase decision than purely educational content.