How Affiliate Attribution Works

Overview

Attribution is the process of connecting a customer's signup and later qualifying payments to the affiliate who referred them. TrekMail uses last-click attribution with a 30-day cookie window. Understanding the order of events helps you set accurate expectations and troubleshoot a missing commission.

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 within those 30 days, TrekMail saves the attribution with the account. A qualifying payment can happen later; it does not need to occur before the cookie expires. If the visitor registers after the window has expired, no affiliate attribution is saved.

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 attribution.
• If a visitor clicks your link first and no other affiliate link before signing up, you receive the attribution.

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 while the attribution is valid
4. The account makes a qualifying purchase

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: The tracking cookie is set by TrekMail, but browser settings, private browsing, or extensions can still prevent it from being saved or retained.
• 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 registered 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 registration, the more likely the cookie expires or is replaced.
• Target audiences who are ready to evaluate. Migration guides, alternative comparisons, and pricing-focused content can attract visitors closer to a purchase decision than purely educational content.