Afsrc=1: A Simple Option for Consistent Stand-Down in Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate networks have long relied on stand-down policies to manage the complexities of last-click attribution and commission credit allocation. While these policies are essential, they force each publisher to maintain an ever-evolving set of rules, a challenge faced across the industry. Because of these challenges, we advocate for a more consistent application of the afsrc=1 parameter across the board and are open sourcing our stand-down rules. Let’s explore why.

What is stand-down and Who Applies It?

Stand-down is a policy used by some affiliate networks to manage the complexities of last-click attribution and commission credit allocation. In essence, it acts as a signal that a user has already been referred by an affiliate, and any subsequent clicks should not override the initial referral.

Different types of publishers handle this signal in varying ways. Browser extension publishers, for example, typically enforce strict stand-down rules.

Just as our Creator Allow List feature ensures that your favorite content creators receive their ad revenue, we take extra steps with our stand-down policy. Although it is not required, our approach is to disable the ability to activate Cash Back for one week after a referral is detected, ensuring that the original affiliate receives proper credit.

On the other hand, many non-extension publishers—such as coupon websites, bloggers, and independent creators—often lack built-in mechanisms to enforce stand-down. As a result, these publishers may inadvertently or deliberately override existing affiliate tags, which can lead to misattributed commissions and revenue being diverted from the original referrers.

Understanding how stand-down works and recognizing who applies it consistently is crucial for industry insiders. It reveals the challenges in achieving fair and accurate attribution across all channels.

The Challenge of Stand-Down Maintenance

Without a universal standard, every new affiliate network forces browser extension publishers to update their stand-down rules to ensure accurate tracking. This constant maintenance:

• Increases Complexity: Publishers must juggle multiple, evolving rules, each addressing the challenge in their own way.
• Creates Inconsistencies: New networks can slip through the cracks, leading to unexpected attribution issues.
• Consumes Resources: Valuable time and effort that could drive innovation are instead spent on rule management.

What is afsrc=1 and How Does It Work?

The afsrc=1 parameter is a simple flag that shows a user has already been referred by a publisher. When an affiliate link includes afsrc=1, it signals to any subsequent publisher that the referral is already in place and (when implemented properly) triggers their stand-down experience. This helps maintain the integrity of the referral and ensures the original publisher receives proper credit.

Example Usage

Consider an affiliate link to a product. Without afsrc=1, the link might look like this:

https://www.example.com/product?affid=123

By adding afsrc=1, the link becomes:

https://www.example.com/product?affid=123&afsrc=1

This simple parameter confirms the source of the affiliate click, helping prevent conflicts and misattribution of commissions.

It is important that all publishers implement this parameter, not only software extensions but also content creators, bloggers, and coupon sites, to ensure consistent and accurate tracking across the industry.

Why afsrc=1 is a Proven, Universal Standard

For more than a decade, the afsrc=1 parameter has been a cornerstone of affiliate marketing. When included in affiliate links, it provides:

• Clear Attribution: Ensuring that credit is given correctly and consistently.
• Simplicity: Reducing or even eliminating the need to maintain extensive stand-down rules.
• Transparency: Offering a straightforward method for verifying affiliate tracking processes across the industry.

A Vision for a Unified Future

If every affiliate network and publisher adopted afsrc=1, the industry could move away from the cumbersome, error-prone world of constantly updated stand-down rules. The benefits would include:

• Consistent Tracking: A unified system where attribution works as expected for all parties.
• Reduced Maintenance: Eliminating the need for continuous rule updates as new affiliate networks emerge.
• A Fairer Ecosystem: Creating a transparent, streamlined process that benefits both users and affiliates, including both Pie and our publisher partners.

While open source stand-down files provide clarity as an interim solution, the long-term goal remains clear. We must drive the industry toward afsrc=1 as the universal standard for affiliate tracking.

Additional Approaches to Streamline Attribution

It is important to note that the challenges with current stand-down rules stem from affiliate networks not fully handling attribution, rather than from publishers falling short. This responsibility should not fall solely on extension-based publishers. Non-extension publishers, such as coupon websites and independent creators, often have no built-in concept of stand-down and may inadvertently or even deliberately override existing affiliate tags. This may lead to misattributed commissions, diverting revenue from the original creators and publishers who referred the user.

To address these challenges, networks should consider the following approaches:

1. First-Click Attribution
   What It Is: Rather than a "last-click-wins" model, this approach credits the first affiliate click. Once a user clicks an affiliate link, any subsequent clicks are ignored.
   Benefits: It preserves the initial referral, minimizes disputes over commission allocation, and simplifies rule management for publishers.
2. Multi-Touch Attribution
   What It Is: This model gives partial credit to each affiliate click in a user’s path. It doesn’t focus only on the first or last click—it includes every step along the way.
   Benefits: Multi-touch attribution shows the entire user journey and gives each contributing affiliate fair credit. It encourages collaboration and improves commission distribution.
3. Shared Data Repositories
   What It Is: A centralized platform that stores and verifies affiliate click data across multiple domains.
   Benefits: This unified system enables participating sites to confirm if a user is already affiliated, preventing accidental overwrites and ensuring accurate commission assignments. It also shifts data management responsibilities from individual publishers to the network.

Call to Action

For Affiliate Networks:

• If you do not currently adopt afsrc=1, integrate it into your network rules, enforce it through your compliance processes, and publicize your commitment—ideally through a dedicated blog post or public guideline.
• If you already have afsrc=1 as a guideline, ensure that it is mandated, enforced, and widely publicized.

For Creators, Affiliates, and Publishers (Including Bloggers, YouTubers, and Coupon Sites):

• Add afsrc=1 to your affiliate links so that you can ensure other publishers will stand-down to your traffic and help spread the word.

Together, we can simplify affiliate tracking, reduce complexity, and build a fairer, more efficient environment for everyone.