Tracking = knowing what works. Beginner essentials: track clicks (UTMs), opt-in rate, email-to-sale rate, and EPC (earnings per click). Tools: Google Analytics (free), Bitly or Pretty Links (UTM-friendly), your email tool's built-in analytics. Without these, you cannot optimize anything.
The Four Metrics That Matter
- Clicks — how many people clicked your link, broken down by source.
- Opt-in rate — % of clicks that became email subscribers.
- Email-to-sale rate — % of subscribers who eventually buy.
- EPC (Earnings Per Click) — total revenue ÷ total clicks. The master metric.
UTM Tracking In One Minute
UTMs are tags appended to your link that let you see where clicks come from. Example:
yoursite.com/offer?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=reel&utm_campaign=hook-3
Now Google Analytics will show you exactly how many clicks came from that specific Instagram reel.
The Minimum Tracking Stack
| Tool | Purpose | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | Click tracking + traffic source | Free |
| Bitly / Pretty Links | Shortened UTMs | Free–$10/mo |
| Your email tool | Opt-in + sale tracking | Included |
| OLSP dashboard | Affiliate commission tracking | Included |
| ClickMagick (advanced) | Click + conversion attribution | recurring monthly |
5-Minute Tracking Setup For Day 1
- Create UTM-tagged links for each platform you post on (one per platform is enough to start).
- Set up Google Analytics on whatever landing page you control.
- Track opt-ins in your email tool (most do this automatically).
- Track commissions in your affiliate dashboard (OLSP shows this automatically).
- Make a simple spreadsheet: Date · Platform · Clicks · Opt-ins · Sales · Revenue.
Why EPC Is The Master Metric
EPC tells you what one click is worth, on average. If your EPC = $1.50, you can:
- Profitably pay up to $1.49/click on paid ads
- Know which content is generating the most valuable traffic
- Compare offers — promote the one with the highest EPC
EPC math: $300 in commissions ÷ 250 clicks = $1.20 EPC. Now you know.
For tracking inside the OLSP affiliate dashboard see OLSP affiliate marketing. For the full traffic ecosystem see traffic tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do beginners really need tracking?
Can I track for free?
What's a good EPC?
Do I need ClickMagick or similar?
How do I track sales back to specific posts?
Can OLSP commissions be tracked by source?
Decide from inside the system, not from a sales page
Free 35-minute training first. If it's not for you, you've lost nothing but the time.
