Set up postback tracking for FroggyAds campaigns.
Postback tracking sends conversions back to FroggyAds from your server, so every result is matched to the exact source that produced it. Here is how to pass the click ID, store it, send it back, test it and fix the common problems.
What postback tracking is
A postback is a server-to-server message. When a user converts on your side, your tracker or server sends a small request back to FroggyAds containing the click ID of the visit that led to the conversion. FroggyAds matches that click ID to the original click and records the conversion against the exact campaign, creative and source that produced it. Nothing runs in the user's browser, so the report is built from your own server's confirmation of the event rather than from a tag that may be blocked.
Why server-to-server tracking is useful
Browser tags can be blocked by ad blockers, privacy settings, cross-site cookie restrictions and slow page loads. Postbacks avoid all of that because the conversion signal travels between servers. The result is more complete and more durable conversion data, which matters because SmartCPC optimizes on the conversions it can see. The cleaner the signal, the better the optimization. Postbacks also let you report deep events such as a sale, an approved lead or a subscription rather than only a page view.
| Aspect | Postback (server to server) | Browser pixel |
|---|---|---|
| Where it fires | Your server, after the event | The user's browser |
| Blocked by ad blockers | No | Sometimes |
| Good for deep events | Yes, lead, sale, install | Mostly page level |
| Setup effort | Higher, needs click-ID storage | Lower |
| Reliability | High | Variable |
How the FroggyAds click ID moves through the funnel
Every click FroggyAds sends carries a unique click ID. The flow is simple: FroggyAds appends the click ID to your campaign URL, the visitor lands on your page or tracker carrying that value, your system stores it alongside the session, and when the visitor converts you send that same click ID back to FroggyAds. Get this chain right and attribution is accurate end to end.
{click_id}, is a generic example, not the literal token. Do not assume the placeholder name is the real macro.
How to pass the click ID into a tracker
Add the FroggyAds click-ID macro to the destination URL you set in your campaign, mapped to your tracker's click parameter. The macro is replaced with the real value at click time, so each visitor arrives carrying their own ID.
https://your-tracker.example/click?campaign=123&froggy_click={click_id}
How to store the click ID
Your tracker or landing page must keep the click ID for the length of the session so it is still available when the conversion happens. Trackers store it automatically against the visit. If you handle it yourself, save it in your session or database keyed to the user, not only in a URL that can be lost on the next navigation.
How to send the click ID back after a conversion
When the conversion fires, call the FroggyAds postback URL and include the stored click ID in the click-ID parameter. Trackers do this for you when you paste the FroggyAds postback URL into their postback or S2S settings. A generic shape looks like this:
https://postback.froggyads.example/postback?cid={click_id}&payout={payout}&event=sale
Use the exact postback URL and parameter names shown in your FroggyAds dashboard or official guide. The host and parameters above are illustrative.
Step by step postback setup
- Add the click-ID macro to your campaign destination URL so every click carries an ID.
- Pass it to your tracker by mapping the macro to the tracker's click parameter.
- Confirm storage so the click ID persists for the whole session.
- Configure the FroggyAds postback URL in your tracker's S2S settings, including the click-ID parameter.
- Map the event to the conversion you care about, such as lead, sale or install.
- Fire a test conversion and confirm it appears in FroggyAds against the right source.
- Go live and scale only after the test conversion is confirmed.
How to test a postback before increasing campaign spend
Run one real click through the funnel, complete a test conversion, and watch for it in your FroggyAds reporting tied to the originating source ID. Confirm the count, the source and any value parameter before you raise the budget. Testing on a small spend protects you from scaling a campaign whose conversions are not being recorded.
How to read success and error responses
A correct postback returns a success response from FroggyAds. An error response usually points to a missing or malformed click ID, an unknown parameter name, or a request that arrived after the attribution window. Log the response your tracker receives so you can see exactly what FroggyAds returned rather than guessing.
Common causes of missing conversions
Most missing conversions come from a broken click-ID chain: the macro was not added to the URL, the click ID was not stored, or the postback sent an empty value. Other causes include firing the postback from a page that lost the ID, a typo in the parameter name, or events that happen outside the attribution window.
Duplicate-conversion troubleshooting
Duplicates usually mean the postback fired more than once for the same event, for example on a page refresh or a retry. Fire the postback once per confirmed conversion, ideally from a server-side step that runs a single time, and deduplicate on your own order or lead identifier.
URL encoding and parameter errors
Values that contain spaces or special characters must be URL encoded, or the postback can break or be parsed incorrectly. Send clean parameter names that match exactly what FroggyAds expects, and encode any dynamic value you append. A single unencoded character is a common, easily missed cause of failures.
Tracker and FroggyAds time-zone differences
If your tracker and FroggyAds report in different time zones, conversions can appear to land on a different day, which makes totals look mismatched even when every event was recorded. Note the time zone each system uses and compare like for like before assuming data is lost.
Attribution-window differences
Each system attributes a conversion only if it happens within its attribution window. If your tracker and FroggyAds use different windows, a late conversion may count in one place and not the other. Align expectations to the windows in use rather than expecting identical totals.
Click discrepancies versus conversion discrepancies
Click differences and conversion differences have different causes. Click gaps often come from filtering, redirects or bot screening between systems. Conversion gaps usually trace back to the postback chain. Diagnose them separately: confirm clicks first, then confirm the postback is firing and matching.
Safe handling of tracker credentials and API tokens
Keep any tracker API keys or postback secrets server side. Do not place them in public page source, client-side scripts or shared screenshots. Treat a postback secret like a password, rotate it if it is ever exposed, and never paste real credentials into a support message.
When to contact support
Reach out through the FroggyAds contact page when your test conversion does not appear after the click-ID chain and postback are configured correctly, when responses return errors you cannot resolve, or when totals stay mismatched after you account for time zones and attribution windows.
What information to include in a tracking support request
Include the campaign, an example click ID from a recent test, the exact postback URL you are calling with parameter names, the response you received, the approximate time and time zone of the test, and what you expected to see. That lets support trace the specific click rather than starting from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
What is a postback in FroggyAds tracking?
A postback is a server-to-server message that sends the FroggyAds click ID back to FroggyAds when a user converts, so the conversion is matched to the exact campaign, creative and source that produced it without relying on a browser tag.
Why use server-to-server tracking instead of a pixel?
Postbacks are not blocked by ad blockers or cookie restrictions and can report deep events such as a sale or approved lead, which gives SmartCPC a cleaner signal to optimize on. A pixel is easier to add but less reliable.
Which macro do I use for the click ID?
Use the exact click-ID macro shown in your FroggyAds campaign setup or the official Postback URL guide. Placeholder names in examples are generic and should not be treated as the literal macro.
Why are some conversions missing?
The most common cause is a broken click-ID chain: the macro was not added, the click ID was not stored, or the postback sent an empty or misnamed value. Time-zone and attribution-window differences can also make totals look mismatched.
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