CPV Lab Pro Documentation

CPV One - Setup Custom Tracking Domains

  • CPV One (opens new window) can track an unlimited number of pages and offers using a single instance (installation) and by default all the tracking links (base pages) use the instance domain as the base of the URL.

  • The Custom Tracking Domains feature allows you to attach different domains to your CPV One instance and use these domains in the tracking links, on a per-campaign basis.

    • This is achieved by editing the DNS CNAME Records for the custom tracking domains at your Domain Name Registrar/Provider. You can find the entire process described in detail below.

  • Your normal CPV One tracker (opens new window) domain will be something like https://cl-xxx.clpcld.com (note: this is just an example domain)

  • Then by default all the tracking links (base.php, base2.php, base3.php) and pixels (adclick.php) use the cl-xx.dev.clpcd.com domain and they look like this:

    • http://cl-xxx.clpcld.com/base.php?c=1&key=qwewqewqewqe
    • http://cl-xxx.clpcld.com/base2.php
    • http://cl-xxx.clpcld.com/adclick.php

What if you need a different tracking domain?

  • If you want to have a different domain in the tracking links of a campaign or group of campaigns then you need to define a Custom Tracking Domain!
  • You can define up to 150 custom tracking domains in your CPV One tracker (depending on your plan)

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Note: The CPV One interface (Campaigns, Stats, Trends pages) will always be accessed using your main domain (cl-xxx.clpcld.com), the custom tracking domains can only be used in tracking links and pixels. So,they are used for your campaigns, not for your tracker dashboard.

Advantages of using a custom tracking domains

  1. Keep your original tracker domain private and secure as your campaigns would use tracking links from the Custom Tracking domains

  2. Easily change your Campaign URL and Tracking Links from a campaign by selecting a new Custom Tracking Domain in the Campaign Setup page

  3. You can have the Campaign URL using the same domain as your Landing Page. This may be required by some Traffic Sources (like Google Ads) and will improve your campaign appearance.

    • Example:
      • if you promote weight loss offers and your Landing Page is placed at:
        • http://lose-weight-today.com/top-methods.html
      • Your initial Campaign URL would look like:
        • http://cl-xxx.clpcld.com/base.php?c=1&key=qwewqewqewqe
      • But you can add a Custom Tracking Domain for the start.lose-weight-today.com subdomain and use it in your campaign. This means that the Campaign URL that you submit to your Traffic Source would become:
        • http://start.lose-weight-today.com/base.php?c=1&key=qwewqewqewqe

  4. You can have the Tracking Links using the same domain as your Landing Pages in order to hide the fact that you are redirecting to a different domain.

    • Example:
      • if you promote weight loss offers and your Landing Page is placed at:
        • http://lose-weight-today.com/top-methods.html
      • Your initial Tracking Link placed in the above Landing Page in order to redirect to the Offer Page would be:
        • http://cl-xxx.clpcld.com/base2.php
      • But you can add a Custom Tracking Domain for the start.lose-weight-today.com subdomain and use it in your campaign. This means that the Tracking Link placed in the Landing Page would become:
        • http://start.lose-weight-today.com/base2.php
  • Plus, with this method you will be using first party data.

Steps to Setup a Custom Tracking Domain

Step 1. Get the domain

Here is a short guide on how to setup a custom domain with Namecheap! (opens new window)

Step 2. Edit DNS Settings at Domain Registrar/Provider

  • Access the domain registrar interface. In case you don’t know who your domain registrar is, you can find it by looking at the whois of your domain (https://www.whatsmydns.net/).
  • You need to define a CNAME record.
    • CNAME Record - the CNAME record should point to cname.clpcld.com.
      • You can point your whole domain (root domain) and use it as a tracking domain.
      • In case you have a website on your root domain, you can create a subdomain that you will use for tracking (like go.yourdomain.com or trk.yourdomain.com or start.yourdomain.com, etc) (recommended solution).
        • If you already have an CNAME record for the same custom tracking domain, then edit this CNAME record.
        • Otherwise create a new CNAME record for one of the scenarios below:
Use Root Domain Use Subdomain
- Type: CNAME Record
- Host: @
- Value: cname.clpcld.com
- TTL: Auto or 3600		 - Type: CNAME Record
- Host: go or trk
- Value: cname.clpcld.com
- TTL: Auto or 3600
CNAME record setup in Namecheap CNAME record setup in Namecheap

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When you setup the CNAME record using Cloudflare, make sure you choose DNS only instead of Proxied!

CNAME record setup in Cloudflare

Step 3. Define the Custom Tracking Domain in CPV One

You need to follow these steps:

  • Login to your CPV One tracker
  • Navigate to: Settings ➡️ Custom Domains
  • Enter your newly created custom tracking domain starting either with https://
  • Click Save

Custom domain setup

Step 4. Test your custom domain

  • You need to wait for the new domain to propagate somewhere between 1 and 24 hours.
  • Once the domain is propagated you can call the custom-domain-check.php on the custom tracking domain in a browser and the page should display a confirmation message.
  • Once you have this page loading on the custom tracking domain, it means the domain was assigned correctly
  • you can select the custom tracking domain in your campaigns and all tracking links provided in the campaign setup page will use the custom domain selected.

Use custom tracking domain for campaign tracking

Learn more about Custom Domains

Custom Tracking domains in Affiliate Marketing (opens new window)

Last Updated: 12/17/2023, 10:53:37 PM

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