Marketing
Postback
Definition
A server-to-server notification sent from an operator to an affiliate or tracking platform when a tracked event occurs. The attribution method that survives browser tracking restrictions.
Key takeaways
- A postback is a server-to-server call reporting a conversion, keyed to a click identifier rather than a cookie.
- It survives third-party cookie restrictions, device switching and long click-to-deposit delays.
- The operator controls the reporting, so the affiliate relies on figures it cannot independently verify.
- Postback specifications, deduplication and reconciliation rules are negotiated commercial terms.
Why it matters
A postback reports a conversion from one server to another rather than from the browser. The affiliate sends traffic carrying a unique click identifier, the operator stores it against the resulting registration, and when a tracked event happens, a registration, a first deposit, a qualifying wager, the operator’s server calls the affiliate’s endpoint with that identifier and the event details. Nothing depends on the customer’s browser still holding a cookie at the moment of conversion.
That property is why postbacks became the default in gambling affiliate marketing. Third-party cookie restrictions, tracking-prevention features and the long gap between a click and a first deposit in this vertical all break pixel-based attribution, while a server-to-server call does not care how much time has passed or which device is in use. The trade-offs are operational rather than technical: the operator controls the reporting, so the affiliate is trusting figures it cannot independently verify, which is why postback specifications, deduplication rules and reconciliation periods are negotiated terms rather than implementation details. Disputes in affiliate relationships are far more often about postback configuration than about the commercial rate.
Frequently asked questions
How is a postback different from a tracking pixel?
A pixel fires from the customer’s browser and depends on cookies surviving. A postback is sent from the operator’s server to the affiliate’s server using a stored click identifier, so browser state is irrelevant.
What events are usually reported by postback?
Registration, first deposit, qualifying wager and sometimes ongoing revenue events, depending on the commercial model in place.
Why are postbacks a common source of affiliate disputes?
Because the operator generates the data. Deduplication rules, attribution windows and reconciliation timing all affect what gets reported, and none of it is independently verifiable by the affiliate.