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This article will review:

• The steps required for a brand when changing their website
• Checking existing tracking and scoping site change requirement
• Implementing a TEST- version of the tracking (new domain/existing domain)
• Switching over to new website

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Index

• Overview
• Implementation Steps
• Notes & Considerations

Overview

This guide will outline the steps required for making changes to an brand site. Switching to the new website without any preparation could potentially cause issues with live tracking & reporting so we need to make sure the relevant checks are performed.

Common reasons for making changes are:

• Re-branding
• Site maintenance / improvements
• Updating to new web site URLs / domains

Implementation Steps

Our goal is to make sure that live tracking activity continues as normal while the new tracking is tested out on the new website. We urge brands to implement a TEST- version of the tracking to be implemented. Here is a quick overview of the steps required:

Step 1 - Inform Partnerize

The first step of the process is for the brand to contact Partnerize and confirm the following details:

• Which campaign(s) require the site change
• Who is the brand technical contact who will be overseeing this project
• Details of the website change
• Deadline

Partnerize will need to know what changes are required to the Brand website itself - for example:

• Is this a new website with a new domain ? (Website URL changing)
• Will the new website use a new confirmation/thank you page OR use the existing confirmation pages? (where tracking resides)
• If moving to a completely new website, then in most cases there will be a completely new confirmation page, which means the brand will need to re-implement the tracking.
• If new website, will brand automatically redirect the customers from the old site?

Once we know exactly what site changes are required, we can move onto the next step.

Step 2 - Review current tracking solution

We need to confirm exactly how the existing tracking is currently working. One of the most important checks is to see if the tracking is 'conditional' or 'unconditional' as this can have an impact on the new changes.

The reason for these checks is to ensure tracking still works during the URL switch over. This leads to 3 potential scenarios:

• Scenario A - If conditional tracking AND new website URL (brand new domain)
• Scenario B - If conditional tracking AND sub domain change
• Scenario C - If unconditional tracking AND new website domain

Scenario A - If conditional tracking AND new website URL (brand new domain)

If 'conditional' tracking is currently being used, we must ensure that the SAME logic must be applied to the new website.  Initial disruption will be expected when the new site launches (unless the site can read conditional cookies across domains).

• Old site example - www.oldwebsite.com?src=pz
• New site example - www.newwebsite.com
• www.oldwebsite.com requires 'src=pz' parameter to fire our tracking for example
• 'src=pz' is stored in a cookie by client that resides on oldWebSite.com domain

When the new site launches (www.newwebsite.com), even if it performs a HTTP Redirect (302) automatically the 'newwebsite' domain will not have access to the src=pz cookie as it will still belong to the 'oldWebSite'.

Scenario B - If conditional tracking AND sub domain change

If the website change is still part of the SAME domain, please be aware that the SAME logic must be applied to the new domain.  Transition of tracking should be fine providing new sub domain(s) can still read cookies from their previous site:

• Old site example - www.oldwebsite.com?src=pz
• New site example - www.subdomain.oldwebsitesite.com
• www.oldwebsite.com requires 'src=pz' parameter to fire our tracking
• 'src=pz' is stored in a cookie by client that resides on oldwebsite.com domain

It may still be possible to read the 'src=pz' cookie to fire tracking but testing is required.

Scenario C - If unconditional tracking AND new website domain

Transition will be fine to switch since there is no reliance on reading cross site cookies.

Step 3a - Implementation of TEST- version of tracking solution - NEW DOMAIN

Typically with new domains there will be a new confirmation page, so it is best practice to ensure that the tracking is tested fully on the new site before the switch over.

As most new websites have a testing/staging environment before going live, this procedure will allow us to test the tracking journey prior to the new website going live.

Please follow these steps below to create your 'TEST-' tracking, depending on your tracking method:

Pixel Tracking Instructions:

• Make a copy of your existing pixel
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the Campaign ID - i.e. /campaign:TEST-123456/
• Implement this 'TEST-' pixel onto the new site confirmation page

Clickref Pixel Tracking Instructions:

• Make a copy of your existing clickref Pixel
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the campaign ID - i.e. /campaign:TEST-123456/
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the clickref - i.e. /clickref:TEST-24680/
• Implement this 'TEST-' clickref pixel onto the new site confirmation page

Server to Server(S2S) Tracking Instructions:

• Make a copy of your existing S2S conversion call
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the campaign ID - i.e. /campaign:TEST-123456/
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the clickref - i.e. /clickref:TEST-24680/
• Implement this 'TEST-' S2S conversion call to trigger an S2S call when the new site confirmation page loads

Prefixing 'TEST-' within the parameters mentioned above allows us to run both the 'TEST-' and LIVE tracking in parallel so not to cause disruption.

Sales will NOT track for the 'TEST-' version but Partnerize can check the data in our Server logs to check on performance.

Step 3b - Implementation of TEST- version of tracking solution - EXISTING DOMAIN

If changes are being made to the brand site but will continue to use the same brand URL and existing confirmation page (where our tracking is already integrated) then you will not require a 'TEST-' version of the tracking as mentioned in the previous step (step 3a).

As the tracking is in place already and no changes are being made to the brand URL or confirmation page then implementing a 'TEST-' version is not required so you can move onto Step 4.

Step 4 - Testing / Review test transactions

Once the 'TEST-' version of the tracking has been implemented onto the new brand website confirmation page, please notify Partnerize so we can prepare the testing instructions ready for a non-session test transaction.

We will provide a test publisher tracking link (which we will deeplink through to the relevant URL of your new confirmation page) so you can perform a non-session test transaction. Simply advise Partnerize of the new URL you would like us to redirect the test link through to.

The aim of this test is to make sure that the Tracking is triggered at the point of sale via the new Confirmation page while live tracking continues via the original site.

Partnerize will then perform all the necessary checks to make sure everything is signed off from a testing perspective.

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❗NOTE:

• Your test transaction will not track in the PZ dashboard due to the tracking being a TEST- version if the above steps have been followed.

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Step 5 - Switch live

Once Partnerize confirms that the Testing stage is complete, we can move onto the final steps which involves switching the 'TEST'- tracking LIVE:

• Brand - Advise Partnerize of the exact Date/Time of when the switchover is required
• Brand - Remove "TEST-" from the Campaign ID section (and also Clickref section if API tracking is used)
• Partnerize - Update the "Destination URL" within the Campaign Settings
• Brand & Partnerize - Monitor the live performance tracking from the new Brand Website.

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❗NOTE:

• Please note that there may be some initial disruption when the new site launches. For example, customers who have clicked through a publisher link prior to the switch over then making a purchase on the site.

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Notes & Considerations

If these steps are not followed, this could result in tracking issues with LIVE conversions and in turn cause problems with the reporting and commissioning.

Simply switching off the old website where the existing tracking sits will stop tracking activity completely within the Partnerize system. We urge for a test version of the tracking to be implemented onto the New website prior to the switch over to ensure a seemless transaction.