Cost per lead commission model

Platform availability

This article refers to functionality currently available only on Awin Classic.

Note

Cost per lead (CPL) commission model is not supported by default if you’re using e-commerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. To discuss the options of setting it up, please contact our support team. If you have a dedicated Awin contact, please reach out to them. If not, you can get in touch with our support team by filling out the contact form.

This article explains how to set up a CPL commission model on the Awin platform. It covers the checks you need to complete before you start, how to configure your commission group in Commission Manager, what tracking changes are needed on your website, and how to verify everything is working correctly. Following these steps will help you avoid the most common setup mistakes and make sure your lead transactions are tracked and rewarded accurately.

What is CPL?

CPL stands for cost per lead. Instead of paying a commission on a sale, you reward partners for driving a specific action - such as a form submission, email sign-up, or subscription request. Each completed lead action counts as one transaction and is rewarded with a fixed commission amount.

CPL is a great fit if your goal is audience growth, data collection, or nurturing potential customers before a purchase.

Confirm your lead action

Before setting up the commission, you need to clearly define what action on your website counts as a lead. Common examples include:

• Email sign-ups via a pop-up or embedded form

• Subscription requests

• Contact form submissions

You’ll also need to map out the full customer journey - from the moment a user arrives on your site to the point where the lead action takes place. This context helps the Awin technical team validate the tracking correctly.

Make a note of:

• What the lead action is (e.g., email submitted via pop-up)

• Where on your website it happens (e.g., homepage pop-up, dedicated landing page)

• The full customer journey leading up to that action

Set up the CPL commission in Commission Manager

Once you’ve confirmed your tracking method and defined your lead action, you can configure the commission in the platform.

Configure the commission group

1. Log in to your Awin advertiser account.

2. Navigate to Commission > Rules > Commission Manager.

3. Create a new commission group.

4. Set the transaction type to Lead.

5. Set the condition to the Tracked Part Code. The value in this field must match exactly the parameter your website will send to Awin - in most cases this is lead.

Note

The tracked part code is the parameter Awin uses to identify and classify a transaction as a lead. It must be consistent between your Commission Manager setup and your website’s tracking implementation. Read about tracking set up in our developer guide.

Set the commission value

CPL commissions are always fixed - not percentage-based. The fixed amount is multiplied by a value of 1 per lead transaction.

1. In the commission group settings, select Fixed as the commission type.

2. Enter the fixed amount you want to pay per lead (for example, 5.00 for $5 per lead).

3. Save your commission group.

If you need help setting up or adjusting your commission groups, your account manager can assist you with the setup.

Update your tracking implementation

For Awin to recognize a transaction as a lead, your website needs to pass the correct parameter in the tracking call. This applies to all tracking methods: conversion tag, fallback pixel, and server-to-server tracking.

For step-by-step instructions on how to implement lead tracking, read our developer guide.

Test and verify

Once you’ve updated your tracking and set up your commission group, get in touch with our technical integration team to run a test before going live.

If you have a dedicated Awin contact, please reach out to them. If not, you can get in touch with our support team by filling out the contact form.