Link tracking software, or “link trackers,” are simple yet stunningly effective tools to get in-depth and real-time insights into the performance of your links. But how do you determine what type of link tracker you need and whether they’re the right type of software for your business? 

In this article, we’ll cover the different types of link tracking software, and 16 of the best link trackers in the market today. We’ll also review some tips and tricks to keep in mind when you’re evaluating for the best fit.

What is link tracking software?

Link trackers are marketing tools that embed unique tracking codes in the links that you create. All of these can be linked back to analytics and centralized dashboards so you can “measure” how well they’re doing. The idea is to identify the ROI of your marketing campaigns, and find out how you can improve it.

Types of link tracking software

Link tracking software can be distinguished based on their utility and function into a few different types:

Affiliate marketing software Affiliate marketing software is designed for the end-to-end administration and marketing of affiliate programs. Link-tracking affiliate software will help you create unique links for your affiliate partners, measure traffic generation and conversions, and identify best-performing affiliates and channels. 

Referral marketing software — Referral software does the same thing as affiliate software, except that the functions apply instead to referral marketing. In referral marketing, your products, services, or content get referred to others. Your own team members can function as referrers.

Conversion tracking software (attribution software) — Conversion tracking/attribution software helps you track and measure conversions as well as the activities/events/actions that result in those conversions. You can use the software to track not just ad campaigns but also emails and social media. 

Link shorteners —  Link shorteners are tools that help you create and shorten trackable links. Link tracking software, on the other hand, extends the functionalities to tracking and data analysis. 

The best link tracking software

Next, we’ll cover 16 of the top link tracking software with their salient features. 

Use this guide to get quick insights into what the software does, best features, and how they stack up in terms of demo/free trial availability, customer support, and experience. Last but not least, we’ll be collecting insights from top real customer review sites like Capterra and G2, where available, so that you will have the complete 360-degree picture!

1. Referral Rock

Referral Rock is our software, and this review was written with as much of our unbiased opinion as possible.

Referral Rock Logo

You’d be hard-pressed to find another software that goes well beyond link management, does it all and from one place, like Referral Rock. Referral Rock is an end-to-end partner management platform flexible to manage several types of programs or even run them simultaneously. 

You also get your own dedicated onboarding specialist to walk you through everything you need to run your programs successfully!

Top key features:

  • Referral Rock software can be used for affiliate programs where you have full control over the data and the management/engagement of your affiliate partners. 
  • Also, use it to run referral programs to mobilize and engage customers and employees and accurately track and reward every single referral.
  • The software is flexible enough to run other types of trackable advocacy programs involving link management, such as ambassador programs and channel partner programs!
  • The team is known for their stellar customer service. Plus, every plan comes with a dedicated onboarding specialist.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Affiliate, referral (customer), referral (employee), other advocacy tracking – made for businesses of all sizes

Professional: $175+/month 

Engage: $200+/month 

Enterprise plan also available

Free trial and demo ​​Onboarding specialists, customer success managers, chat support, product and resource guides, support center, webinars 4.5 stars (64 reviews)

Our take: Referral Rock is a great all-in-one tool that can not only help you manage links but also manage data and relationships for different types of programs, including referral, affiliate, ambassadorship, and channel partner programs. 

Also, consider yourself in good hands when you sign up for the platform as you’ll have a dedicated account manager supporting you every step of the way, plus a highly-rated customer support team when you need them.

2.ClickMagick

clickmagick

ClickMagick is a powerhouse tool for small businesses that want to track, attribute, optimize, and scale. They’ve been adding new features obsessively every few months for the past nine years, so customers can expect to always stay on top of the latest marketing trends. Customer support is also rated highly. 

Top 3 key features:

  • A 5-minute setup process inclusive of the proprietary TrueTracking technology, intuitive Campaign Wizard, and URL builder.
  • Extensive tracking features for links, ads, and clicks. Over and above link tracking services, you can also track buttons or elements on your website, phone orders, offline conversions, email clicks, add to cart, and other checkout events. 
  • Best-in-class bot filtering and blocking so you get accurate data based on genuine and quality traffic.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking; affiliate (but for affiliates only – not businesses, and only works with existing affiliate networks)

$49-$199/month Free trial and demo Knowledge base, email, personalized videos N/A

Our take: ClickMagick is feature-rich software worth considering if you’re a small business. Non-techie users have reported that the software is easy to use and set up. Also, ClickMagick’s customer support team consisting of seasoned marketing experts, are quick on the take and highly responsive. 

3. Snapt.io

snapt.io

Snapt.io is essentially a link/URL shortener tool with a few other power-packed features included. So if you’re looking for a link shortener that goes the extra mile, this software may be a potential fit. 

Snapt.io has in-depth analytics that helps you track everything, whether that’s the number of clicks, the country, or even the referrer. Create custom landing pages, embed pixels for retargeting marketing activity, measure events, and even invite team members to collaborate. The software is currently in use by over 5000 customers. 

Top 3 key features:

  • Retarget customers by embedding pixels in your links for your social media marketing campaigns.
  • Boost engagement and conversion rates through customizable QR codes and measure performance through the robust dashboard.
  • Use the CTA overlays option on the short links to create professional-looking yet unobtrusive notifications, polls or even a contact on the target website.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Link shortener 

Unknown Free trial and demo Knowledge base, support chat N/A

Our take: Snapt.io is an effective all-in-one management tool that delivers the goods in terms of analytics and add-on marketing features. Worth mentioning, is the ability to add branded/custom domain names to your links, incorporate your API, and the integrations with popular tools like Google Analytics, Slack, WordPress, Facebook, and more.

4. Improvely

improvely

Improvely is a marketing analytics solution, so while it does link management, you can expect it to take care of click fraud monitoring, funnel reports, and client management. The software is self-hosted, so there isn’t anything you need to install. At the same time, you can access it easily from a computer or your tablet/smartphone using your web browser.  

Top 3 key features:

  • Improvely delivers detailed reports on your clicks, conversions, and attributions so you can identify where your best traffic is coming from and optimize your marketing strategy accordingly. 
  • The in-depth analytics can tell you, among other things, channel, referrer, medium, search phrase, and device type, in addition to sharing metrics like cost, customer lifetime value, profit, CPA, CPC, PPC, revenue, and more.
  • The software creates detailed profiles for each and every visitor providing valuable data such as time-to-conversion, repeat visits, and more.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking; affiliate tools (but only for affiliates, not brands running affiliate programs)

$29-$299+/month Free trial and demo Email, knowledge base 4.33 stars (6 reviews)

Our take: Improvely is suitable for all types of organizations regardless of whether they’re startups, small businesses, or large ones. 

Generally, users have rated Improvely positively, especially with regard to their comprehensive reporting function, click fraud protection capability, A/B tests, white-label agency reporting function, as well as the ability to import from all the major ad networks like Facebook, Taboola, Twitter, and Google Ads. 

5. Rebrandly

rebrandly

Rebrandly is a powerful tool for all-in-one link management boasting over 1.3 million customers worldwide, including the likes of MetLife, Toyota, Cisco, PayPal, and Giorgio Armani. Aside from helping you brand and shorten your URLS, use Rebrandly to measure user engagement, boost conversation rates, increase brand awareness, and track advanced analytics. 

Top 3 key features:

  • Deep linking and routing features facilitate the direction of traffic to specific landing pages or your mobile app depending on their location, device, browsing language, and other factors. 
  • Powerful, customizable private/public reporting tool full of features like fast redirects, QR codes, bulk link creation, custom slugs, 301 SEO redirect, link retargeting, UTM builder, multiple domains, team collaboration with multiple access levels, enterprise tool integrations, and more.
  • Dedicated account manager and onboarding together with extensive training and resources.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking, link shortener

$12-$359+/month (free plan also available) Free trial and demo Knowledge base, support chat

4.61 stars (410 reviews)

Our take: Users consistently rate Rebrandly as an easy-to-use and easy-to-setup platform to create branded short links that can be easily tracked and measured. Customer support is rated highly although there is reportedly a lag between service times between US and non-US-based businesses. 

Some reviewers have reported the need for more features on the free plan, while others have reported dissatisfaction with recent pricing changes and incremental downgrading of features on the tiered plans.

6. Pretty Links

pretty links

Pretty Links is a WordPress plugin that essentially extends the functionality of your WordPress website to all-in-one affiliate link management. So if you’re looking for an affiliate link tracking software for all our affiliate links, this tool could be a potential option.

Use Pretty Links to shorten, cloak, share, and track your links through its powerful automation features.

Top 3 key features:

  • The chief highlight of the plugin is your ability to add your links to WordPress and have Pretty Links automatically place your links in content throughout your website. Simply upload the link and activate it.
  • Directly access all your links, including URL redirects and social media links, directly from the WordPress admin interface.
  • It’s a powerful tool for link redirection of all types of links, including 301/203/306 redirects, cloaked, Meta Fresh, Javascript, Pixel links, and more. Even embed your link on a brandable bar called the Pretty Bar, visible on top of your links even when they’re redirecting to external sites.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking, link shortener, affiliate (but for affiliates only, not for brands running affiliate  programs) 

$100-$400/year Free trial and demo Support forum, contact form, user guide (premium support for those with a Pretty Links License) 4.8 stars (7 reviews)

Our take: Pretty Links is rated highly by users for its link cloaking capabilities and how easy it is to set up and use. There’s a decent array of features on the free version, which means you can find it beneficial even as a free link shortener and tracker tool. Although, you may find tracking and other aspects a bit wanting on the free version if you’re a seasoned marketer.

Given Pretty Links is a WordPress plugin, some users have indicated interest in having a version you can use on non-WordPress sites too. 

7. LinkTrackr

linktrackr

LinkTrackr is a link-cloaking and click-tracking software that’s been in the business for over ten years. Use it to easily track sales and leads throughout the breadth of your sales funnel. 

Track by source, medium, and campaign while tracking for banner ads, solo email marketing ads, website links, and more. Set up intelligent conversion tracking rules, and generate reports that zone in on all your critical data points like profitability and ROI. 

Top 3 key features:

  • Cloak and track affiliate links effectively through integrations with all the major networks like ClickBank, JVZoo, Commission Junction, and more. You can also import the reports and even embed pixels or postbacks for third-party service providers that use these. 
  • The A/B split testing and URL rotator features can help you test multiple affiliate offers (from the same affiliate even), so you don’t lose out on PPC. 
  • Set custom cookie rules, length of default sessions, exclusion settings, domain mapping, and even smart bot filtering. 
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking, link shortener, affiliate (but for affiliates only, not for brands running affiliate programs) 

$7-$77/month Free trial, demo Support tickets, guides, video tutorials N/A

Our take: Linktrackr is an affiliate marketer-friendly tool solid on the basics and starting at competitive prices. There is a chatbot where you can leave a message for support. But, the reviews we’ve combed through suggest the customer service could be improved.

You can also find knowledge resources in the form of how-to videos and guides on the website.

8. Voluum

voluum-logo

Voluum is a full-fledged cloud-hosted affiliate campaign management tool that you can use to track, optimize, and automate your affiliate campaigns. Expect 24/7 desktop and mobile tracking, robust analytics, error logs that identify faulty campaign setups, reports, trend analysis, workspace and team collaboration, and more. 

The software also includes an anti-fraud kit to flag and block suspicious traffic. 

Top 3 key features:

  • Easy desktop and mobile ad tracking of all your campaigns in one place. Track different types of metrics and conversions, and use different tracking modes, such as direct or redirect tracking.
  • The Traffic Distribution AI feature automatically sends traffic to the best-performing ads and sites. It analyzes the data from the last 24 hours and optimizes campaign elements every minute based on their performance.  
  • The Automizer feature allows you to integrate all your traffic sources in one place with Voluum’s API. You can change bids, pause campaigns, and so much more.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking, affiliate

$149-$1,999/month Free trial, demo Webinars, courses, other resources, email 4.66 stars (226 reviews)

Our take: Voluum appears simple on the surface, but it’s a data-heavy product. Some users have reported a steep learning curve, although the support team and learning resources on the website do help you get to grips more smoothly. 

Some users find the pricing on the higher side while others report that the price is right for the value on offer. The add-ons can add to your bottom-line costs.

9. Partnerize

partnerize

Partnerize is a comprehensive affiliate and partnership management solution you can use to discover and recruit partners, optimize marketing campaigns, manage payments, and prevent fraud. The term “partner” here can refer to influencers, affiliates, tech partners, content partners, brand partners, and even card-linked offers. 

When you sign up, the onboarding team will have you set up from technical integration to program kick-off in 15 days or less.

Top 3 key features:

  • Access unlimited data points for measurement and analytics using a variety of different tools, including first-party pixel tracking, server-to-server, batch or mobile app tracking solutions, and even Partnerizes’ suite of ecommerce plugins for turnkey program activation. 
  • The AllTrack feature makes it easy for you to track mobile transactions, inclusive of in-app or mobile touchpoints.
  • You have options for direct API or a secure and lightweight SDK. You also have access to third-party integrations for attribution, such as Appsflyer, Brand, and Adjust.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Affiliate (but functions as a network)

Unknown Free trial and demo Email, video support, phone, dedicated success manager, knowledge base, webinars 4.27 stars (102 reviews)

Our take: Partnerize is regarded as a powerful tracking tool and is generally favorably rated by users, but opinions on the user interface are mixed. Non-techie users may find UI/UX difficult to understand. The reporting features could also be better. 

The same mixed results are visible with customer support and the relative flexibility of the platform. And be warned: the platform operates as an affiliate network, so you won’t have full control over your affiliate data and relationships.

10. Everflow

everflow

Everflow is an award-winning partner marketing platform designed to help you extract the most value from your partnerships. Aside from general partnership management, you can use the software for tracking, attribution, and analytics. The company reportedly has over 750 global agencies, networks, and brands subscribed to the platform currently.

Top 3 key features:

  • Effortlessly track every channel using options such as direct linking, view-through attribution, unique coupon codes, organic tracking, and app tracking.
  • Dig deep and drill data using features such as dimensional analytics, event tracking, click-to-conversion-time rule setting, variance reporting, and click-level reporting. Also, schedule your reports and automate email delivery.
  • Robust automation solutions, such as shopping cart tracking for Shopify, Big Commerce, etc., powerful integrations (CRMs, contracts, anti-fraud tools, etc.), full-compliance payment processing, auto-optimization, open API and webhooks, and targeting optimization.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Affiliate

$750+/month Free trial and demo Email, phone, dedicated success manager, live chat, knowledge base, webinars 4.82 stars (162 reviews)

Our take: Everflow is a user-friendly and intuitive tracking platform supported by great customer service, so it hits all the right notes for partnership management software. Some users may find the cost of the software on the higher side, though, with plans starting at $750+ per month. 

11. TinyURL

tinyurl

The aptly-titled TinyURL started life as a free link shortener. Since then, it’s grown into a full-fledged link management software. With the paid plans, you can track links, use branded domains, and manage them end-to-end. You can start with the free plan if you’d like to get a sense of what the application can do.

Top 3 key features:

  • TinyURL was one of the frontrunners in the URL shortening space. But you can go further now to track an unlimited number of clicks by signing up for the company’s subscription plans. 
  • Create branded and custom links to build trust with your visitors and customers. TinyURL has plans to add a feature that helps you to find and select domains for custom links. With the feature, you’ll even be able to set up multiple domains within the same tab.
  • Track links individually or as a group. Also, track by the amount of traffic, location, and device to optimize your marketing campaigns for maximum ROI.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Link shortener 

$10-$1500/month (free plan also available) Free trial and demo Expert support options 4.33 stars (130 reviews)

Our take: TinyURL is undoubtedly one of the easiest of softwares to make sense of, so even non-techies will find it easy to get onboard. Users typically find it a simple (not a bad thing!) and straightforward application that delivers what it promises to do.

12. RedTrack

redtrack

RedTrack is the all-in-one automated platform for ad tracking and attribution (including cookieless tracking), optimizing your ad spends, and scaling your revenue. You can even set up an affiliate program using the platform. RedTrack also integrates with over 100 platforms, including Google/Facebook/TikTok Ads, Clickbank, Shopify, WooCommerce, HubSpot, and Google Analytics.

Top 3 key features:

  • Connect 1st-part visitor and sales data from your CRM throughout all points of the customer journey so you can obtain accurate revenue attribution.
  • Get a single customer view into all your key metrics, such as acquisition costs, revenue, LTD, and more, so you know exactly what’s working and what’s not.
  • You can use RedTrack to launch your affiliate marketing, track and attribute links, and promo codes. Also, set rules and conditions for all your partner campaigns, like conversion, and conversion types. Also, measure influencer campaigns. 
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking, affiliate

$149-$299+/month (affiliate solution is an extra monthly fee) Free trial, demo Support center, community, email 4.4 stars (21 reviews)

Our take: RedTrack is an intuitive and easy-to-use platform that is integrated with all the major tools business owners use, inclusive of ad networks. Users also love the personal account manager and the video recordings available onsite for support.

13. Bitly

bitly

Bitly is a platform that helps you create short links, QR codes, and Link-in-bio codes, which you can track and share anywhere. Bit.ly is a popular tool with over 5.7 million active users on its clientroll. According to the blurb on its website, Bitly currently enables over 256 million inks and QR codes monthly.  

Top 3 key features:

  • Create branded links, shorten them, manage, and track them from one centralized dashboard. 
  • Create custom QR codes for every event and share them everywhere (flyers, billboards, digital posters, etc.). You can even customize these links with specific colors, your brand logo, patterns, or frames, so they grab more attention. 
  • Click and share more clickable URLs from any social media platform, and drive more sales, views, subscribers, and leads. The links are just as customizable as the QR codes. Use the link-in bio option to create a personal link that’s easy to share. 
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Conversion tracking, link shortening

$14-$300+/month (free plan also available) Free trial and demo Knowledge base, email, resource library  4.69 stars (1872 reviews)

Our take: Bitly is worth looking into for small businesses who want to extract the most amount of value from link and QR code generation and tracking. It’s voted highly for being a user-friendly platform that provides creative ways to make your links/QR codes more attractive and engaging to your potential customers. 

14. SaaSquatch

Top 16 Link Tracking Software for Businesses of All Sizes 1

SaaSquatch is pegged as a loyalty and referral software designed to boost engagement and advocacy wherever your users are. SaaSquatch can be used for various use cases, including customer or employee referral programs, cash-backs, VIP programs, welcome offers, user activation programs, special events, points marketplaces, and more.  

Top 3 key features:

  • The in-app referral program in the form of a widget makes it easy to engage users. The users won’t have to leave the app or create an additional account to refer other people. 
  • SaaSquatchlets you reward both the referrers and referees with gift cards, points, credit, discounts, product features, product upgrades, and custom rewards or cash through 3rd party integrations.
  • Create customizable on-brand experiences using the drag-and-drop builder, HTML/CSS, or API.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Referral (enterprise only)

$1,750+/month Free trial and demo In-app chat, knowledge base 4.42 stars (50 reviews)

Our take: SaaSquatch best serves Saas, retail, eCommerce, FinTech, and telecom businesses. The in-app referral program widget is easily its best feature helping you attract more referrals organically through the app. But it’s highly expensive and only suitable for enterprise-level businesses. Other referral link tracking software (such as Referral Rock) offers the same features at a much lower price point. 

15. ReferralCandy

Top 16 Link Tracking Software for Businesses of All Sizes 2

ReferralCandy is a word-of-mouth marketing software that “runs by itself.” So, you can use the platform to seamlessly automate your invitations, customize rewards, segment your audience, and pay for performance. The software is reportedly used by over 30,000 eCommerce stores.

Top 3 key features:

  • Seamless integrations with popular applications like Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Volusion, and more. The integration options include automatic integration, simplistic email integration using a tracking code, custom developer integration, and third-party integration with tools like ReCharge, PayWhirl, and Bold.
  • The ability to provide a premium brand experience by way of easy-to-use customization templates, full developer flexibility, a mobile-first experience, and optimization tools.
  • The newly-released InfluencerCandy tool uses AI to match you with ideal influencer profiles in your niche, work with hundreds of influencers simultaneously, and leverage the power of a 100k-strong curated influencer network.
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Referral (eCommerce only)

$47-$299+ month (not including commission) Free trial and demo Knowledge base, email support 4.48 stars (398 reviews)

Our take: ReferralCandy is a good option if ease of use and ecommerce expertise are your key criteria. The cons reported by users gravitate more toward the need for more features and customization options. Plus, it’s only suitable for simple ecommerce programs (if you’re a B2B, SaaS, or other business that needs more complex referral tracking, it won’t work for you). And the commission-based pricing structure can be a bit confusing. 

16. LeadDyno

Top 16 Link Tracking Software for Businesses of All Sizes 3

LeadDyno is an affiliate tracking software that delivers everything you need to launch, manage and grow your affiliate, ambassador, and influencer marketing programs. Additionally, it offers integrations with more than 25 ecommerce and business tools. Think Shopify, HubSpot, Aweber, Slack, and Stripe, to name but just a few.

LeadDyno is currently used by over 2000 health and wellness, lifestyle, and SaaS platforms.

Top 3 key features:

  • Extensive customization options for commission tracking and payouts. Choose what you want to reward (visitors, leads, or purchases), the amounts, the frequency of payouts, when to pay, and more. You can even set up time-boxed incentives, new customer bounties, multi-level marketing, and performance-based tiers.
  • Aside from a comprehensive reporting and analytics suite to track performance, you can also set up affiliate leaderboards and gain insights into affiliate timelines and statistics.
  • Reliable email, video, and chat support with an average response time of two hours and an average resolution time of five hours. 
Type of link tracking Pricing Free demo or trial Customer support Review score

Affiliate (eCommerce only)

$49-$349+/month Free trial, demo Live chat, email, phone 4.29 stars (136 reviews)

Our take: LeadDyno scores highly on ease of setup and use and a great customer support team, especially for newbie affiliate marketers. The tracking and reporting features, as well as transparency for affiliates, are other features that have also been rated highly by long-time users. But the automation of rewards seems limited.

 

Why link tracking software?

From an online marketing perspective, links direct traffic and leads to specific actions you want them to take. For example, a link can direct a potential customer to a product page for the purpose of getting them to purchase your product or service. 

A link is also used for the purpose of lead generation, demo bookings, or new customer sign-ups. So, you direct people to a page where you collect their information (name, contact number, email address, questions, etc.) to be used for prospecting at a later stage in the buyer’s journey. But how to measure the results of these links, and properly track actions across the buyer’s journey? That’s where link tracking software comes in.

Link trackers place unique tracking codes in the links that you create. These codes feed data into your analytics and centralized dashboards so you can “measure” how well your links are performing. This way, you’ll easily be able to check and improve your ROI of your marketing campaigns.

Key features of link tracking software

Link trackers can tell you:

  • Where your traffic is coming from — Identify the locations of the majority of your traffic, and use that intel to drive marketing efforts to target these locations. 
  • How much traffic you’re generating — Analyze the returns on your marketing spends, so you can optimize your future campaigns.
  • A/B split-testing of marketing activities — Differentiate between high and low-performing campaigns by trackable links.
  • Performance-manage your affiliate marketing activity — If you’re running an affiliate program, you’ll want to know how to create unique and trackable links for each of your affiliates. You also want to identify your sales superstars to scale up their revenue generation. 
  • Other strategic insights — Identify best-performing channels, track performance on social media and email campaigns, and more.

What to keep in mind when choosing link tracking software

Standard conversion tracking software is not the one-size-fits-all way to track links. It’s meant for ads and content, and doesn’t have everything you need for a referral or affiliate tracking campaigns. Here are a few aspects to keep in mind if you want a bigger bang for your buck!

If you’re a brand that wants to run an affiliate program:

Use affiliate software if you want streamlined, accurate, and robust link tracking with affiliate marketing features. So, avoid link tracking software that is specifically created with the intent of creating or growing affiliate networks. This type of software would not be ideal for the specific requirements of your program. 

Typically, affiliate networks keep much of the affiliate conversion tracking data for themselves, which means you don’t have the 360-degree insights you need to optimize your marketing activities for the best ROI. The key difference here is the level of control you have, not just over data, but also affiliate relationships. Running your own affiliate campaign with affiliate software helps you fully manage both. 

Also, differentiate between affiliate link tracking tools meant for affiliates and the ones meant for brands running affiliate programs. Both have some overlapping features, but their purpose and functions are different from each other.  

If you’d like to run a referral program:

Opt for referral software directly. It’s easy to get sidetracked by conversion tracking software, but that’s designed for content and ads tracking/attribution and doesn’t help you with referral management.

With referral software, you can create and distribute tracking links directly to customers, track referral conversions, and instantly issue rewards for successful referrals. A lot of referral software also comes included with marketing features to help you engage and motivate your referrals and keep your program top-of-mind.

With conversion tracking software, you also won’t be able to issue rewards and manage the incentivization side of things. 

Wrap-up

Link tracking software are powerful digital marketing tools that can help you analyze and optimize the performance of your links for affiliates, referrals, track conversions, and more. Analyzing performance can help you identify and scale partner activities that are most responsible for moving the needle in your business. Use this guide to pick the best link tracking software for your needs.