A must-read for all new users to quickly understand the behind-the-scenes workings of PalDock and its workspace (affiliate program).
Workspace Currency
When you create a new workspace, you need to choose one main currency for report calculations. This currency can be changed later for the workspace. However, individual users cannot customize it for themselves within the workspace – they will see the main currency set for the workspace.
Workspace Language
Workspaces can have a default language, but this can be customized by each registered user for their own experience.
Simplified Setup Process
When you create a new workspace, we make things as easy as possible. You can create everything you need – Offers, Commissions, user accounts – without filling in unnecessary details (you can fill them in later). You can use the prepared default values and default users (such as default advertiser) to quickly create the foundation of your workspace and get started right away.
Setup Steps
The first thing you need to do is create an offer and set it up. Most common settings are predefined, so you can leave them as they are. What you need to specify is:
Set commission amounts for yourself and your partners
- If you’re a network, your profit is the difference between the partner payout and what you receive from the advertiser.
- If you’re an advertiser, this defines your maximum CPA used to calculate profit per partner.
- If you’re an affiliate using a dedicated workspace, you can set both values the same. It’s just for you (or your future sub-affiliates).
We automatically calculate ROI based on the difference between these two values.
⚠️ A commission is simply a rule that defines when and how a transaction should be created from a click or a lead.
Create offer
Create custom commission groups and assign affiliates later, or simply stick with the default group for now.
Assign the commission setup to an advertiser. You can choose the default advertiser to speed things up, but make sure to assign the correct one later for conversion tracking to work.
Set up the promotion method using either Affiliate link, iframe, or API.
If you choose Affiliate link, paste your link and include the tracking parameter pcid. This ensures the recipient of the link sends the identifier back with the conversion.
If you choose iframe or API, you need to configure the Form structure. You can start with the default and update it later if needed. If you use iframe, you also need to select a design. The default one is fine to begin with. The API will not be functional until you add Distribution channels paired with an integration that sends the data. This integration can be added later, though.
Once this is done, you can save the offer.
Set up tracking
This depends on whether you are a partner, advertiser, or network.
To keep it simple, you can set up only postback tracking and leave cookie or cookie-less tracking to the advertiser’s website or CRM. Be aware that if they configure it incorrectly, some of your conversions might not be tracked, and you could lose commissions. That is why it is a good idea to have a backup using pixel tracking.
- If you or your partners want to update leads using cookie-based parameters like Google, Facebook and others, use the Pixel for lead updating. You can find it in Settings, then Tracking, then Conversions and Pixels. Select the “update” action.
- To receive conversion information from a pixel on the advertiser’s site or your own system, use the Pixel for lead or sale creation. You can also use a custom conversion type. Go to Settings, then Tracking, then Conversions and Pixels. Choose the correct conversion type and the “create” action.
- To receive conversions using postback from the advertiser or your own system, use the Postback option. You can find it in Tracking, then Incoming Postback. Share the prepared documentation with your advertiser so they can send the postback to the correct URL with the required parameters.
Make sure to include the parameter pcid, which identifies each click or lead. This is required to match conversions correctly in PalDock. You can also pass additional parameters, such as value for commission calculation based on percentage payouts, or conversion_type to distinguish between lead, sale, or custom events.
If you only care about affiliate links, you are all set. Nothing else is needed. If you also want to use iframe or API, you still need to create those integrations. Now is a good time to do it, since you are waiting for the advertiser to set up tracking.
First, update the default form structure or create a new one that matches the data format you want to receive and send through integrations. Then customize the form design to your liking.
Then go to the Integrations section and create a new integration. Just like in tools such as Zapier or Make, you can add elements, connect them, set up modifiers or conditions, and build the entire integration based on the API documentation provided by your advertiser. There are a few system requirements you need to follow:
• Specify which method should precheck the lead and define the expected positive response that allows the process to continue. This is optional.
• Specify which method should send the lead and define the expected positive response that confirms it was accepted. This is required.
• Identify what in the advertiser’s response is their external ID. This might be needed for tracking if they cannot return PalDock’s pcid. Either way, it is best practice to collect it in case something breaks.
• Optionally, define what part of the response should be used as the redirect URL, if you want to redirect the lead somewhere.
And now you are all set! Of course, there are many other tweaks and advanced settings you can explore.