I remember the first time I launched an affiliate program. I was pumped.
People were sharing their links, traffic was trickling in, and I thought it was going well… But when it came time to pay commissions, I had no idea who actually brought in what sales. Total mess.
If you’re running an affiliate program and not tracking results? You’re probably wasting time (and possibly money). But here’s the good news: you can easily track affiliate sales with analytics, even if you’re not a tech wizard.
Why You Need to Track Affiliate Sales?
It’s not just about knowing how much to pay. When you track affiliate sales properly, you can:
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See which partners are actually delivering
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Identify your best-performing content or platforms
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Detect weird activity (like fake traffic or fraud)
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Optimize your offers and landing pages
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Build better relationships with top affiliates
Without tracking, you’re flying blind. With it? You’re in control.
Want a broader view on how analytics can shape store strategy? Check out our beginner’s guide to e-commerce analytics.
Tools You’ll Need (Nothing Fancy)
Here’s what I use:
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Affiliate dashboard (Payhip has one built-in, but platforms like Gumroad, ThriveCart, or Refersion work too)
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Google Analytics (GA4): For detailed traffic and behavior data
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UTM Parameters: Simple codes added to links to track source/campaign
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Google Tag Manager (optional): Advanced tracking setup
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Spreadsheets or Airtable: To organize affiliate data or run reports
You can run a solid system with just Payhip + GA4 + a free spreadsheet.
New to UTM tags? Here’s a full breakdown on how to use UTM tracking in marketing.
Step-by-Step: Track Affiliate Sales the Right Way
Step 1: Use Unique Referral Links
This seems obvious, but I’ve seen people skip it.
Every affiliate should have their own tracking URL. In Payhip, it might look like this:https://yourstore.payhip.com/b/xyz?affiliate=jenny123
The system knows to credit that sale to “jenny123.” Done.
Step 2: Add UTM Parameters for Deeper Analytics
Want to see affiliate performance inside Google Analytics? Add a UTM string:?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=jenny123
This lets GA track:
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Where the click came from
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Which affiliate sent it
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What type of campaign it was
You’ll find this under:
Reports → Acquisition → Traffic Acquisition
For more on setting this up in a real-world store, see our step-by-step guide to Google Analytics for Payhip.
Step 3: Set Up Conversion Goals in GA4
This step connects clicks to purchases.
In GA4:
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Go to Admin → Events
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Mark your “purchase” event as a conversion
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Or create a new conversion event using a thank-you page URL
Now, when someone clicks a UTM link and makes a purchase, GA will show it as a conversion.
While you’re optimizing, don’t miss our guide on how to reduce cart abandonment using data.
Step 4: Monitor and Optimize
Every week or month, review:
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Which UTMs are driving the most traffic
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Conversion rates by affiliate
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Revenue per referral link
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Drop-offs or underperforming pages
Export this to Google Sheets, combine with your affiliate dashboard, and share performance with partners.
You can also get more value from analytics by creating monthly reports for your store.
Bonus Tips for Better Tracking
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Use a UTM builder (like Google’s) to keep link formatting consistent
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Segment affiliates by platform (blog, email, YouTube)
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Reward top partners with bonuses or higher commission tiers
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Test different landing pages for your affiliates
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Create a mini dashboard in Looker Studio if you’re managing multiple affiliates
Small tweaks go a long way when you’re scaling an affiliate program.
Final Thoughts
If affiliate sales are part of your strategy (and they should be), you need to track them — not just for payouts, but for insight.
With just a few tools and a bit of setup, you can go from messy guesswork to clear, data-backed decisions.
So if you’re tired of wondering who’s driving results, take 30 minutes, follow these steps, and set up your affiliate tracking.
Your revenue — and your best partners — will thank you.
