Promo Codes FAQ

This FAQ covers common questions about using promo codes within your impact.com program. Learn how to manage tracking, attribution, and exceptions to ensure promo codes work effectively with your partner setup.

How do I restrict certain promo codes from being payable to my partners?

You can use Promo Code Exception Lists to pay partners different rates (including $0) based on specific/select promo codes associated with actions they drove. You can also create exception lists based on item categories or SKUs.

Can I assign a promo code to more than one partner?

No, a promo code can only be assigned to a single partner or media source. When you create a promo code, you must select the specific partner or media source to which it will be attributed. Any purchases driven by other partners using that promo code will result in invalid conversions.

What's the difference between a Coupon Ad and a Tracking Promo Code?

Coupon Ads are simple text link ads that provide your partners with content to host and link to your promotions. Tracking Promo Codes, on the other hand, incorporate crediting logic—meaning that when a code is used, impact.com will assign credit to a partner, or away from a partner, depending on the click path and setup of the code. A coupon ad will fall back to the crediting logic of your program for clicks (which likely requires the partner to be the last click).

Are promo codes case-sensitive?

Exact match-type promo codes are not case-sensitive. Regex promo codes, however, are case-sensitive.

What is Regex?

Regex stands for Regular Expression. It is a special string of text used to describe certain patterns using wildcards. Regex can be used to assign dozens of codes that all begin with the same prefix to a partner.

Example: If all your codes begin with SUMMER but end with other characters, you can set up the code with the Regex ^(SUMMER).* to capture any promo code beginning with SUMMER.

If I expire a partner contract that has an assigned promo code, will the code also expire?

The code will not expire and will remain assigned to that partner. This means any sale attributed to the code and partner after a partner contract is expired will be reported in the Invalid Conversions Report.

Why are my promo codes reporting zero clicks?

If you assign a tracking promo code with the Always Credit policy to a partner, clicks from that partner will no longer be tracked by impact.com and the click count will show as 0 in your reports.

Why do I not see the option: Create Tracking Promo Code?

Promo code tracking needs to be enabled for your program before the option will appear.

How is attribution affected when Promo Code Tracking and credit groups are both active?

When using Promo Code Tracking, your credit groups will take precedence over Promo Code Tracking attribution. For example, a Standard partner with a promo code set to Always Credit will lose attribution over a Preferred partner using last-click attribution. However, if both partner contracts are set to Preferred, then Promo Code Tracking attribution wins.