Referral tracking issues can be tricky to troubleshoot. Especially when you don't know why or what is preventing an order from being tracked as a referral. Below you'll find some reasons why an ambassador's Referral didn't get attributed to them. These situations are common in the referral/affiliate link-tracking industry in general due to the nature of the internet and browsers and not unique to the Roster platform only.
When the Ambassador's Referral Link Goes Untracked
There are a few reasons this might happen:
Ad/Script Blockers in the Browser:
Some users may have privacy settings enabled on their device or ad/script blockers in their browsers, preventing the tracking script from capturing the referral.
If you've installed our script in a tag manager (e.g. Google or Adobe) there is a higher chance our script will be blocked by an ad blocker.
User Doesn't Accept Cookies
Many websites prompt users if they would like to accept cookies. If your website does this, and the user doesn't accept cookies, this can prevent the tracking script from capturing the referral.
Page Loading Delays:
Customers who click a referral link and quickly navigate to another web page on a website with slow loading performance (or slow internet connection) before the web page loads the tracking script can result in untracked clicks.
Recommendation: Conduct a speed test of your website to assess and enhance your loading speed. This proactive step can improve user experience and the effectiveness of click tracking for Roster and other tracking scripts you may be using.
Immediate Redirect
The website immediately redirects the customer to a different page before the tracking script runs and doesn't include the Roster query string parameter in the redirect.
Mobile Users Starting in an Embedded Browser and Switching:
If a mobile user begins the referral process in an embedded browser (e.g., Gmail or Facebook in-app browser) and later switches to the device's main default browser, the tracking is lost when switching to another browser instance.
Or if a mobile user begins correctly in their default browser following a referral link then needs to login via 2FA and are switched to an in-app browser like Gmail to complete their order.
JavaScript Absence or Delayed Execution:
The absence or deferral of JavaScript in the header tags can impede the proper functioning of the click-tracking script.
Verification: Confirm that the required JavaScript is correctly integrated into the header tags. Scrutinize your website configuration to prevent any deferral issues that could adversely impact click tracking.
Referral ID Missing in Browser Session Despite Tracked Clicks
Potential Explanations (Prioritize these checks):
Third-Party Payment Gateway:
When a payment provider redirects customers to a different page for payment details, Roster may fail to retrieve a Referral ID if customers don't return to the confirmation or Thank You page on the original domain/site where the tracking was initiated.
Headless Checkouts:
If a headless checkout is implemented, contact us for potential solutions to capture the Referral ID and sales attribution.
Checkout Redirect to a Different Subdomain:
If the checkout redirects from, for example, mystore.com to shop.mystore.com or an external landing page, the loss of the tracked Referral ID will occur.
Solution: Enable Cookies in Your Referral Tracking Script. Note that enabling cookie tracking may prompt visitors to allow cookies on your site, and if not allowed, referral tracking may still not work. However, changing subdomains during the checkout process can capture many referrals.
Conclusion
Resolving referral tracking issues is crucial for a seamless ambassador program. A systematic approach to addressing each potential cause will contribute to a more reliable and effective referral tracking system, ensuring ambassadors receive the deserved credit for their efforts.
For further assistance, reach out via chat in the Roster app or email us at: [email protected].