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This article will outline:

• How to upgrade your existing pixel tracking solution to Partnerize (Pz) Tag 

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Index

• Overview
  • Prerequisites
• Implementation Overview
• Implementation Steps
  • Step 1 - Request
  • Step 2 - Create Partnerize tags
  • Step 2b - Auto append clickref
  • Step 3 - Implement landing page Partnerize Tag
  • Step 4 - Implement "TEST-" conversion tag
  • Step 5 - Notify Partnerize
  • Step 6 - Review "TEST-" data
  • Step 7 - Switch from pixel to Partnerize Tag solution 
  • Step 8 - Testing 
  • Step 9 - Monitor performance
• Allowed Characters

Overview

As web browsers (E.g Safari) implement measures to restrict access to 3rd party cookies,  traditional pixel based tracking solutions could be impacted.  To safeguard your brand, this guide details how to upgrade your existing pixel solution to Partnerize Tag which offers a 1st party tracking feature. 

What is a Partnerize Tag 

The Partnerize Tag is a client-side JavaScript implemented by brands within their websites. Once integrated, brands can take advantage of any available feature served from within the Partnerize Tag. To utilise the 1st Party Tracking feature brands will : 

1. Implement landing page tag  : This captures and stores a unique Partnerize ID ("clickref")  in 1st party storage whenever a user is referred by Partnerize. 
2. Implement conversion page tag :  When a user converts at the checkout page, the brand will return all transactional information. The Partnerize ID ("clickref") is automatically included within the conversion event and the partner is rewarded. This by-passes the browser's need to access any 3rd party cookies.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding please ensure : 

• You ARE currently using the standard Partnerize pixel implementation to track sales from your confirmation pages 
• You ARE NOT tracking via Partnerize's Server to Server solution
• If you ARE using a tag manager / eCommerce platform (E.g Google Tag manager, Shopify, Magento) and wish to upgrade, contact integrations.support@partnerize.com for further instructions

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Implementation Overview

This is designed to ensure a smooth transition from your old solution (pixel) to new (Pz tag) with no disruption to live activity. 

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Implementation Steps

Step 1 - Request (Brand)

Please contact integrations.support@partnerize.com providing details of your existing Partnerize campaign name(s) or campaign Id(s) to be upgraded.

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Step 2 - Create Partnerize tags (Partnerize)

The Partnerize Integrations team will provide the brand with:

• Landing page tag :  The JavaScript code for the Partnerize tag, which will be unique for each brand.  This will also have the First Party Tracking feature enabled.
• Conversion tracking tag : To be implemented onto the confirmation page of the brand website.
  • This will be a replica of the existing live tracking pixel so no data parameters are lost when upgrading.

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Step 2b - Auto append "clickref" to all referred traffic (Partnerize)

All Partnerize referred traffic to brand's site will include a unique ID ("clickref") within the query string.

• E.g) https://www.brand-site.com?clickref=ABC1234

The First Party tracking feature will set this Partnerize click ID ("clickref") in a 1st party storage.  Whenever a new click is initiated, a new "clickref" is generated and updated.

• E.g) https://www.brand-site.com?clickref=DEF456

Upon checkout, the most recent "clickref" present will be used to reward "last click" wins.  

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Step 3 - Implement landing page Partnerize Tag (Brand)

The brand implements the tag at the bottom of ALL pages of their site.  The following should help you determine which pages the tag should be present on:

• Any page of which an inbound referral may land on
• The checkout confirmation page  (NOTE: This is in addition to the conversion tracking tag)

Example JavaScript code (each brand will be provided their specific) : 

<script src="https://pzapi-kg.com/b/XXXXX/YYYYY.js"></script>

• The domain (pzapi-kg.com) may differ for your exact tag
• XXXXX will be replaced by the brand ID
• YYYYY will be replaced by a specific tag ID

The position of the tag is important. If you rely on other scripts responsible for populating the checkout conversion tag, you will need to ensure the tag shown here is placed after that.

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Step 4 - Implement "TEST-" conversion tag (Brand)

In addition to the landing page Partnerize tag, the conversion tracking <div> tag is also implemented onto the confirmation pages and triggered after every successful transaction. 

Example conversion tag (each brand will be provided their specific) : 

<div data-partnerize="https://prf.hn/conversion/campaign:TEST-<Brand campaign ID>/conversionref:<ORDER ID>/voucher:<VOUCHER>/customertype:<NEW|EXISTING>/[category:<CAT>/sku:<SKU>/value:<PRICE>/quantity:<QTY>]" style="display: none"></div>

Key differences between existing pixel VS Partnerize conversion tracking tag

• Uses <DIV> tag
• Addition of a “data-partnerize” attribute inside of the new <DIV> tag
• Inline CSS styling to ensure display is set to none

❗IMPORTANT : DO NOT REMOVE the existing LIVE pixel tracking solution❗

To ensure your LIVE pixel tracking solution continues as normal while the new solution is tested, we advise brand to implement "campaign:TEST-" version. This should be implemented to fire in conjunction with the existing pixel tracking solution. 

❗NOTE:

• Partnerize team will provide a "campaign:TEST-" version which will mimic ALL brand's existing live tracking parameters 
• As it contains "TEST-" it will NOT track in your reports BUT allows Partnerize to conduct comparison analysis against the live pixel
• If a brand currently tracks other events aside from purchases (E.g signups) please implement a "TEST-" version for that event as well.
  • Ensure ALL event conversion pixels need to be replicated with their own "TEST-" version

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Step 5 - Notify Partnerize (Brand)

Once both landing page tag and "campaign:TEST-" conversion tag are implemented to run in conjunction with your LIVE pixel, please inform the Partnerize Integrations team.

Your system should be set up so when live transactions take place, Partnerize will see 2 entries in our logs :

• Live Pixel (v1)
• TEST- conversion tag  (v2)

The live pixel (v1) will continue to track your current activity so no disruption is made to reports / partners and the "campaign:TEST-" (v2) will help the team review implementation. 

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Step 6 - Review "TEST-" data (Partnerize)

Partnerize will monitor and compare the live pixel (v1) against "campaign:TEST-" (v2) conversion tag to make sure everything is correct before advising the brand when to make the switchover.

Partnerize will check the following during this process:

• Live pixel tracking is continuing as normal
• The volume of "campaign:TEST-" (v2) conversion calls matches the volume of live pixel (v1)
• Tracking syntax and data parameters across both versions matches 
• The "campaign:TEST-" (v2) includes a valid "clickref"  (which is automatically injected into the conversion tag if present)
• Further internal checks to make sure campaign(s) are ready to switch from pixel tracking to Partnerize tag

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Step 7 - Switch from pixel to Partnerize Tag (Brand)

Providing there are no issues with the data analysis, Partnerize will advise the brand to make the switch over.

This involves the following actions by the brand:

• Brand to remove 'TEST-' prefixed to campaign parameter thus making it live
• Remove the old (live) pixel
• Informing Partnerize Integrations team that the above three steps have been actioned

EXAMPLE BEFORE - Here is how the TEST- conversion tag will look BEFORE the changes:

<div data-partnerize="https://prf.hn/conversion/campaign:TEST-XXXX/conversionref:<ORDER ID>/voucher:<VOUCHER>/customertype:<NEW|EXISTING>/[category:<CAT>/sku:<SKU>/value:<PRICE>/quantity:<QTY>]" style="display: none"></div>

EXAMPLE AFTER - Here is how the TEST- conversion tag will look AFTER the changes:

<div data-partnerize="https://prf.hn/conversion/campaign:XXXX/conversionref:<ORDER ID>/voucher:<VOUCHER>/customertype:<NEW|EXISTING>/[category:<CAT>/sku:<SKU>/value:<PRICE>/quantity:<QTY>]" style="display: none"></div>

❗NOTE: 

• Strongly advise brand tracks the Partnerize landing page tag for the duration of the campaign cookie period (E.g 30 days) BEFORE the switchover.
• This ensures any conversions made from clicks prior to the switch over will still track.
  

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Step 8 - Optional Testing (Brand)

From data analysis in step 6, both brand / Partnerize will be confident tracking works before the switch over. However, Partnerize would recommend a test transaction via the brand's live website is conducted.

Full testing instructions can be found here:

https://help.phgsupport.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019824018-Testing-Tracking-Solutions-FAQs

It is also recommended to test the implementation of the Partnerize landing page tag:

• View the page source to ensure that the Partnerize tag is shown
• Click a test Partnerize link and check the "clickref" is stored browser local storage named '_pz_clickref'

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Step 9 - Monitor performance (Brand / Partnerize)

Both the brand and Partnerize must monitor to make sure sales are tracking as expected after 

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Allowed Characters

• Values are allowed to have unicode characters and any symbol excluding/, #, +, \ and " (unless URL encoded)
• slash ( / ) , colon ( : ) , square brackets ( [ ] ) are reserved characters in Partnerize System so please exclude
• For all non alphanumeric characters please ensure these are URL encoded
  • E.g.)  A space will be encoded to %20, conversionref:test order will become   conversionref:test%20order
• Please exclude currency symbols (E.g. £ $ ) and comma separator from value parameter
  • E.g.) If the product amount is £1,980.99, you need set 1980.99