# Set up Direct Traffic Tracking

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Direct traffic tracking allows your team to track Partner-level traffic without the use of a tracking link.

Most click traffic tracking uses tracking links, embedded links in ads, logos, or text on Partner sites. **Direct Traffic Tracking**, however, identifies the source of consumer traffic arriving on your website without using a tracking link. Instead, information from the landing page URL or the referring URL identifies the source of the traffic.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Required**: If you want to track events by using direct traffic, you’ll need the [UTT and Identify Function tags](https://help.impact.com/brand/what-would-you-like-to-learn-about/platform-features/tracking/javascript-tag-tracking/tracking-with-universal-tracking-tag-utt) or you’ll need to implement [PageLoad API requests](https://integrations.impact.com/impact-brand/reference/pageload-overview) on every page of your website. If you are not currently using the UTT or PageLoad API and are interested in switching over, [contact support](https://app.impact.com/support/portal.ihtml?createTicket=true&) to guide you through the migration process.
{% endhint %}

#### Set up direct traffic tracking

![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ce68cfb317a0bdf2b9e82f3df63b400f7764cbf2%2F6b9ec025210c2878ab8e126697a41af04cef94403a452d5dee89cf87e9f2cf2d.svg?alt=media) This feature is only accessible to specific impact.com editions or add-ons. [Contact us](https://app.impact.com/support/portal.ihtml?createTicket=true) to upgrade your account and get access!

1. From the left navigation menu, select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-230534471fef5f40808e921e41ee44e4a06ded03%2Fe6cb9548999afdc1ed3ce4942e4cb5b45b5cecbd323267aac2a7cd1915fccc09.svg?alt=media) **\[Engage]** → **Partners**.
2. Hover your cursor over the partner whose traffic you want to view. Then select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-8ec3e877b1397045c61d394485e72ac4d93120ee%2Fc6ddb46c637059f06e86c790a911217a9428f5c47b5efef046f90555e85b03cd.svg?alt=media) **\[More]** **Tracking** → **Direct Traffic Tracking**.
3. Set up your **Rules to identify** the traffic. See the Identification rules reference for more information.
4. Select **Save**.

**Identification rules explained**

There are three ways to identify traffic—by *Landing Page*, by *Referring URL*, or by both. Each tracking method has a sub-section, and, depending on how your Partner’s traffic is recognized, you will need to set up rules to instruct impact.com on how to categorize the inbound traffic.

Each identification rule additionally requires a matching rule, so stricter or more lenient combinations can be set (e.g., `contains`, `starts with`, `does not contain`, etc.).

<details>

<summary>Landing Page reference</summary>

As a referring URL is not always available, setting up landing page rules instead is recommended. Many factors can hinder [Using Referral URL Parameters](https://help.impact.com/en/support/solutions/articles/48001214026-using-the-referring-url-parameter?accountType=ADVERTISER).

| Landing Page                  | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| ----------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Landing Page URL**          | Identify traffic based on landing page URL or porting of it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **Landing Page Domain**       | <p>If your program has multiple domains and a domain for each Partner, then make sure to set rules.</p><p>• View the <em>Rules</em> reference table below for more information.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| **Landing Page Query String** | <p>Match by the parameter name only, regardless of the parameter value.</p><p>For example, adding a link with a dynamic value, <code>AID=</code> , so you could match (<code>exactly matches</code>, <code>contains</code>, <code>starts with</code>, etc.) AID parameter name.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| **Landing Page Parameter**    | <p>Use when the landing page parameter is a fixed name=value pair.</p><p>For example, if you want to track when Partners send traffic to <code>brand.com?partner=123</code>, then input <code>partner</code> in the first box, select <strong>contains</strong> or <strong>exactly matches</strong> from the drop-down menu, then insert 123 the last box. impact.com also supports multiple values by separating the values with a comma (and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression">regex</a> queries).</p> |

</details>

<details>

<summary>Referring URL reference</summary>

| Referring URL              | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Referring URL**          | <p>Configure the Partner traffic to be matched by the referring URL. Specify a list of comma-separated domains, or match part of the domain, using wildcard matching.</p><p>For example, matching on the directory part of the URL - <code>*./advertiser.*</code> or <code>[www.petercoupons.com/mysite/](http://www.petercoupons.com/mysite/)</code>.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| **Referring Domain**       | For example, all traffic from petercoupons.com impact.com attributes to the Partner: *Peter Coupons*.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| **Referring Query String** | <p>Use when a specific parameter name is present in the referring URL.</p><p>For example, adding a link with a dynamic value, <code>AID=</code>, so you could match (<code>exactly matches</code>, <code>contains</code>, <code>starts with</code>, etc.) AID parameter name.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| **Referring Parameter**    | <p>Use when the Referring URL contains a specific name=value query string pair.</p><p>For example, if you want to track when the Partners sends traffic to <code>brandadvertiser.com?partner=123</code>; then input <code>partner</code> in the first box, select contains or exactly matches from the <img src="https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c2cb550b55c51ea1eeff0acbd6f437a03b621a2c%2F60d033ae8a04c14498d5229c3c0160ac05feea7f605dbd770741793c900469f0.svg?alt=media" alt=""> <strong>\[Drop-down menu]</strong>, then and insert 123 the final box. impact.com also supports multiple values by separating the values with a comma (and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression">regex</a> queries).</p> |

</details>

<details>

<summary>Rules reference</summary>

If both landing page and referring URL domains are enabled, using the following for guidance on how to create a rule:

| Rule    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| ------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **AND** | Requires a match of both the landing page and referring domain.                                                                                                                                 |
| **OR**  | This option is more flexible and allows for a match of either the landing page or referring domain. If "OR" is selected, the landing page method takes precedence in the case of any conflicts. |

</details>

**Test your direct tracking**

To test your direct tracking setup, learn more about [partner test accounts for brands](https://help.impact.com/brand/what-would-you-like-to-learn-about/account-administration/account-settings/partner-test-accounts-for-brands).
