Partner Link Validation: Ensuring Referrer Accuracy
Validate that partner and affiliate links have correct utm_source matching actual referring domains
Your affiliate partner sends traffic with utm_source=partner_a. But the HTTP referrer shows partner-network.com. Attribution is fragmented.
Here's how to validate and fix partner link tracking for accurate commission attribution.
Table of contents
- The Problem: Partner Link Misalignment
- Why Partner Links Break
- Reason 1: Redirect Networks
- Reason 2: Link Shorteners
- Reason 3: Incorrect UTM Source
- Validation Process
- Step 1: Get Partner Tracking Links
- Step 2: Test Each Link
- Step 3: Check GA4 Alignment
- Partner Link Requirements Checklist
- Fix Common Issues
- Issue 1: Redirect Stripping Parameters
- Issue 2: Multiple Partners, Same Source
- Issue 3: Missing UTMs Entirely
- Partner Link Generator
- Monitoring Partner Performance
- GA4 Partner Report
- Automated Validation
- Commission Attribution
- Accurate Commission Calculation
- Multi-Touch Attribution
- FAQ
- How do I handle partners who refuse to use UTMs?
- What if partner and UTM source don't match?
- Should I use utmsource or custom parameters for partners?
- How often should I validate partner links?
- Can I track partner performance in real-time?
- What if two partners share the same utmsource?
- How do I handle partner link shorteners?
- Should utmmedium be "affiliate" or "referral"?
- How do I prevent partner link fraud?
- What if partner changes their tracking link without telling me?
🚨 Not sure what's breaking your tracking?
Run a free 60-second audit to check all 40+ ways UTM tracking can fail.
Scan Your Campaigns Free✓ No credit card ✓ See results instantly
The Problem: Partner Link Misalignment
Partner Agreement: "Partner A" drives traffic
Partner-provided tracking link:
yoursite.com/shop?utm_source=partner_a&utm_medium=affiliate
Actual traffic in GA4:
Source: partner-network.com
Medium: referral
Campaign: (not set)
Why? Partner uses redirect network, UTMs lost in redirect
Why Partner Links Break
Reason 1: Redirect Networks
Many affiliate platforms route through redirect networks:
User clicks partner link →
Redirects through tracking.affiliatenetwork.com →
Lands on yoursite.com
Result:
- Referrer: tracking.affiliatenetwork.com
- UTMs: Often stripped during redirect
- Attribution: Lost or misattributed
Reason 2: Link Shorteners
Partners use shorteners for clean links:
Partner shares: bit.ly/abc123
Behind shortener: yoursite.com?utm_source=partner_a
If shortener doesn't preserve parameters:
- UTMs lost
- Shows as bit.ly referral
Reason 3: Incorrect UTM Source
Partner uses wrong source value:
Agreed source: utm_source=partner_a
Partner actually uses: utm_source=affiliates
Result: Can't match traffic to specific partner
😰 Is this your only tracking issue?
This is just 1 of 40+ ways UTM tracking breaks. Most marketing teams have 8-12 critical issues they don't know about.
• 94% of sites have UTM errors
• Average: $8,400/month in wasted ad spend
• Fix time: 15 minutes with our report
✓ Connects directly to GA4 (read-only, secure)
✓ Scans 90 days of data in 2 minutes
✓ Prioritizes issues by revenue impact
✓ Shows exact sessions affected
Validation Process
Step 1: Get Partner Tracking Links
Request actual links from each partner:
Partner A: yoursite.com?utm_source=partner_a&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=summer_promo
Partner B: yoursite.com?utm_source=partner_b&utm_medium=affiliate
Partner C: yoursite.com?partner=c (missing UTMs entirely!)
Step 2: Test Each Link
// Validation script
function testPartnerLink(url, expectedSource) {
window.open(url, '_blank');
// After landing, check:
const params = new URL(location.href).searchParams;
const actualSource = params.get('utm_source');
console.log(`Expected: ${expectedSource}`);
console.log(`Actual: ${actualSource}`);
console.log(`Referrer: ${document.referrer}`);
return {
match: actualSource === expectedSource,
source: actualSource,
referrer: document.referrer
};
}Step 3: Check GA4 Alignment
For each partner:
1. Click partner link
2. GA4 → Realtime → Traffic acquisition
3. Verify source matches agreement
Expected: source = partner_a
If shows: source = (direct) or something else → BROKEN
Partner Link Requirements Checklist
For every partner/affiliate:
✅ UTM Parameters Present
- utm_source: Partner identifier
- utm_medium: affiliate (or referral, partner)
- utm_campaign: Campaign/product identifier
✅ Parameter Preservation
- Test link through partner's system
- Verify parameters survive redirects
- Check both desktop and mobile
✅ Source Consistency
- Matches partner agreement
- Unique per partner
- No conflicts with other sources
✅ Referrer Alignment
- Referrer documented
- Expected referrer known
- Mismatches documented
✅ Documentation
- Partner name
- Tracking link format
- Expected source/medium values
- Commission structure
Fix Common Issues
Issue 1: Redirect Stripping Parameters
Problem: Affiliate network strips UTMs during redirect
Fix: Use parameter-preserving redirects or append UTMs AFTER redirect:
Option A: Request network preserve query parameters
Option B: Add UTMs to final destination
Partner redirect → yoursite.com
Configure final URL: yoursite.com?utm_source=partner_a
Issue 2: Multiple Partners, Same Source
Problem: All partners use utm_source=affiliate
Fix: Require unique source per partner:
❌ ALL PARTNERS:
utm_source=affiliate (can't differentiate)
✅ UNIQUE SOURCES:
Partner A: utm_source=partner_a
Partner B: utm_source=partner_b
Partner C: utm_source=partner_c
Issue 3: Missing UTMs Entirely
Problem: Partner shares plain URLs without tracking
Fix: Generate tracked links for partners:
Provide partners with pre-tagged links:
- Partner A gets: yoursite.com?utm_source=partner_a&...
- Partner B gets: yoursite.com?utm_source=partner_b&...
Use link generator or create portal for partners
Partner Link Generator
Create a self-service portal:
<!-- Partner Link Generator -->
<form id="partner-link-gen">
<label>Partner ID:
<input type="text" id="partner-id" placeholder="partner_a">
</label>
<label>Destination Page:
<input type="text" id="dest-page" value="https://yoursite.com">
</label>
<label>Campaign (optional):
<input type="text" id="campaign" placeholder="summer_promo">
</label>
<button type="button" onclick="generateLink()">Generate Link</button>
</form>
<div id="result"></div>
<script>
function generateLink() {
const partnerId = document.getElementById('partner-id').value;
const destPage = document.getElementById('dest-page').value;
const campaign = document.getElementById('campaign').value;
const url = new URL(destPage);
url.searchParams.set('utm_source', partnerId);
url.searchParams.set('utm_medium', 'affiliate');
if (campaign) url.searchParams.set('utm_campaign', campaign);
document.getElementById('result').innerHTML =
`<p>Your tracking link:</p><code>${url.toString()}</code>`;
}
</script>Monitoring Partner Performance
GA4 Partner Report
GA4 → Explore → Blank Exploration
Dimensions:
- Session source (filter: contains "partner")
- Session medium
- Session campaign
Metrics:
- Sessions
- Transactions
- Revenue
- Conversion rate
Segments:
- Session source matches regex: partner_.*
Export weekly for commission calculation
Automated Validation
// Weekly partner link audit
async function auditPartnerLinks(partners) {
const issues = [];
for (const partner of partners) {
// Test link
const response = await fetch(partner.link, {redirect: 'follow'});
const finalUrl = response.url;
// Check UTMs present
const url = new URL(finalUrl);
const source = url.searchParams.get('utm_source');
if (source !== partner.expectedSource) {
issues.push({
partner: partner.name,
expected: partner.expectedSource,
actual: source,
link: partner.link
});
}
}
return issues;
}
// Usage
const partners = [
{name: 'Partner A', link: 'https://...', expectedSource: 'partner_a'},
{name: 'Partner B', link: 'https://...', expectedSource: 'partner_b'}
];
const issues = await auditPartnerLinks(partners);
if (issues.length > 0) {
console.warn('Partner link issues:', issues);
// Alert team
}Commission Attribution
Accurate Commission Calculation
GA4 data:
source=partner_a, revenue=$5,000
Partner agreement: 10% commission
Commission owed: $500
WITHOUT proper tracking:
Revenue attributed to wrong source
Commission disputes
Partner relationship issues
Multi-Touch Attribution
If partner drives initial visit but conversion happens later:
Setup GA4 conversion windows:
Admin → Data Settings → Attribution Settings
Set conversion window: 30 days (or per agreement)
This credits partner even if user returns directly later
✅ Fixed this issue? Great! Now check the other 39...
You just fixed one tracking issue. But are your Google Ads doubling sessions? Is Facebook attribution broken? Are internal links overwriting campaigns?
• Connects to GA4 (read-only, OAuth secured)
• Scans 90 days of traffic in 2 minutes
• Prioritizes by revenue impact
• Free forever for monthly audits
Join 2,847 marketers fixing their tracking daily
FAQ
How do I handle partners who refuse to use UTMs?
Create unique subdomain or path for each partner (site.com/partner-a) and use server-side tracking to tag sessions appropriately.
What if partner and UTM source don't match?
Document expected mismatches. If partner uses redirect network, referrer won't match utm_source. That's acceptable if UTMs are correct.
Should I use utm_source or custom parameters for partners?
Use utm_source for GA4 attribution. You can also add custom parameters (partner_id=123) for your own tracking needs.
How often should I validate partner links?
Monthly for active partners. Immediately before new campaigns. After any partner platform changes.
Can I track partner performance in real-time?
Yes. GA4 Realtime → Filter by source. Shows live traffic from each partner.
What if two partners share the same utm_source?
You can't differentiate them in GA4. Require unique sources per partner in agreements.
How do I handle partner link shorteners?
Test that shortener preserves UTM parameters. If not, request partners use parameter-preserving shorteners or provide pre-shortened links.
Should utm_medium be "affiliate" or "referral"?
Use "affiliate" to differentiate from organic referrals. Consistent across all partners.
How do I prevent partner link fraud?
Monitor for unusual patterns (sudden spikes, suspicious referrers), use server-side validation, implement click fraud detection, require partner approval process.
What if partner changes their tracking link without telling me?
Set up automated monitoring to detect source/medium changes. Alert when new partner sources appear unexpectedly.
Related guides:
- Referrer-Source Alignment Best Practices
- Fix Referrer-UTM Source Mismatch Errors
- Referrer Domain Mismatch in UTM Tracking
✅ Fixed this issue? Great! Now check the other 39...
You just fixed one tracking issue. But are your Google Ads doubling sessions? Is Facebook attribution broken? Are internal links overwriting campaigns?
• Connects to GA4 (read-only, OAuth secured)
• Scans 90 days of traffic in 2 minutes
• Prioritizes by revenue impact
• Free forever for monthly audits
Join 2,847 marketers fixing their tracking daily