Promo codes that actually attribute
Discount codes are everywhere in affiliate marketing — but most platforms either ignore them or attribute them poorly. We do them properly.
What you can do with promo codes
Inside any campaign, you can:
- Mint custom promo codes with your own naming (e.g.
ALICE10,LAUNCH20). - Set a per-code discount (percent or flat amount).
- Set per-code limits: total uses, per-customer uses, expiry date.
- Pin a code to a specific affiliate so every redemption attributes to them automatically.
- Attach a tracking sub-ID to the code so the conversion arrives with the right attribution context.
- Set bonus rules — e.g. extra +10% commission on the first 50 conversions through this code, or a flat $5 bonus on every conversion using this code.
How tracking works end-to-end
- The affiliate promotes the code (or a tracking link with the code embedded).
- The customer enters the code at checkout on your site.
- Our pixel / your integration reports the conversion to us with the code attached.
- We look the code up, confirm it's valid + within limits, attribute to the right affiliate, and apply any bonus rules.
You see every promo's performance on the Performance Hub → Promo breakdown card: conversions, revenue, redemptions left, top affiliates using it, and the calculated effective commission rate.
What this solves
- "Which influencer code is actually driving revenue?" — Side-by-side data, no spreadsheets.
- "Can I give my biggest affiliate their own personal code?" — Yes, with one click.
- "Can I cap the discount before it eats my margin?" — Yes, with per-code total + per-customer limits.
- "Can I stack bonuses on top of base commission?" — Yes, with bonus rules.
Sharing with your affiliates
When an affiliate joins a campaign that has promo codes attached, the codes show up in their own portal automatically. They can copy the code, the tracking link, or the deep-link to your landing page with everything baked in.
Related reading
- How affiliate marketing works on Merkle Tree Affiliates
- The Advertiser Performance Hub
- Capturing leads, not just clicks
New in 2026: real-time alerts on promo activity
You can now get a real-time alert the moment a promo code is about to expire, or when redemption activity spikes (good or bad). Configure it once from the new Notifications & Alerts page in the advertiser portal — choose your channel (in-app, email, Slack, or weekly digest) and we'll take it from there.
It pairs well with the new Performance Hub alerts (low-performing campaign, fraud spike, A/B winner declared, weekly digest ready) so you stay on top of everything that matters without living in the dashboard.

