Postback
A postback is an automatic notification one system sends to another when a conversion status changes: a new application, an approval, a rejection, a payment.
In plain words
As a lead moves from application to payment, every party should learn about each step: the advertiser, the network, the affiliate. A postback is a way to pass on such a message automatically, without exports and spreadsheets. The advertiser’s server calls a predefined address and reports: the lead with this ID now has this status.
How it looks in practice
When a click happens, the network or tracker assigns it a unique ID. The ID travels with the application. When a sales rep approves or rejects the lead, a postback is sent with that ID and the new status. The affiliate’s tracker updates its statistics, and the network updates settlements.
Technically, a postback is a special case of a webhook used for conversion tracking.
Why it matters to a manager
Postbacks determine how quickly and honestly traffic suppliers see results. If statuses are sent a week late, the affiliate cannot optimize their campaigns and keeps sending what does not work, or leaves.
For an owner, timely statuses are a way to steer the flow: quickly show which sources bring junk and avoid paying for what does not fit.
Common mistakes
- Statuses change in the sales records, but no postback is sent, and leads sit “in progress” in the network for weeks.
- The click ID gets lost along the way, and the conversion cannot be linked to its source.
- Only approvals are sent, without rejections. Then the partner does not understand why the approve rate is low and cannot fix the traffic.
More in Signals
- WhatsApp across branches: how head office sees what the network tells clientsWhen every branch runs its own WhatsApp number on a front-desk phone, head office cannot see who replied to a client, what was promised or how many requests went unanswered. The network loses speed, promises, a consistent tone and the client base, which leaves with the branch admin. The fix starts with management rules: numbers belong to the company, one reply standard covers every location, and it is decided in advance who picks a client up and what head office sees versus what stays with the branch.
- Imagine your team had its own server, and one letter on the other sideA CRM on a dedicated server gives a leader clarity: the team’s data doesn’t sit next to anyone else’s, and it’s clear which country it is stored in, who has access and who answers for it at the vendor. It does not make you secure on its own: you still need updates, backups, an access log and clear rules. A leader, a lawyer and the security team settle this, not the idea of a server.