How do affiliates track conversions in affiliate marketing?

I prefer to track manually using UTM parameters. This way, I know if traffic came from Facebook, blog posts, or email campaigns. Then I cross-check with affiliate dashboard reports. Sometimes affiliate platforms misreport, so double tracking gives peace of mind.

Most affiliate programs provide tracking dashboards with metrics like clicks, sales, and commissions. Affiliates use cookies, unique referral links, or sub-IDs to identify which traffic source converted. Advanced affiliates also connect Google Analytics, Voluum, or ClickMagick for more detailed analysis. Without tracking, you’re flying blind.