> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://clickflare.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AdMaven as a Traffic Source

> Track AdMaven campaigns in ClickFlare: pass the click ID, cost and source data with the AdMaven template and send conversions with payout back by S2S postback.

![AdMaven traffic source template](https://mintcdn.com/clickflare/oNlhH4HxR5JFsOiP/images/integrations/covers/templates/admaven.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=oNlhH4HxR5JFsOiP\&q=85\&s=a959b771e6bd457842698177cfb747eb)

AdMaven is a performance ad network selling pop, push, in-page push, interstitial and content locker traffic, with smart links and direct links for affiliates. This guide sets up AdMaven as a traffic source in ClickFlare. It covers passing AdMaven's click, cost and source data into your reports and sending conversions, with payout, back to AdMaven so its optimization and your stats agree.

You do everything from the **campaign editor**. The AdMaven traffic source is created inline, without leaving the campaign.

## At a glance

| | |
| - | - |
| **Ad formats** | Pop (popunder, new tab), push, in-page push, interstitial, content locker |
| **Click ID macro** | `{:click_id}`, mandatory for conversion tracking |
| **Conversion tracking** | S2S postback to `xml.ad-maven.com`. The template includes it, ready to use. |
| **Payout passed back** | Yes, in the `value` parameter |
| **Multiple events** | Not documented. Send one event. |
| **Cost** | Passed per visit by `{:cost}`. Set the cost model to **Not Tracked**, which reads the cost from the URL. |
| **Conversion API** | No |

## How it works

**1. AdMaven sends the click**

A visitor clicks your ad. AdMaven opens your ClickFlare campaign URL and fills in its macros: the click ID in `clickid`, the cost in `cost`, plus the campaign, creative, source and sub-source.

**2. ClickFlare stores the AdMaven click ID and cost**

ClickFlare saves the value of `clickid` as the visit's **External ID**, records the cost for the visit, and redirects the visitor to your lander or offer.

**3. The conversion reaches ClickFlare**

Your affiliate network or store posts the conversion back to ClickFlare, matched on the ClickFlare click ID.

**4. ClickFlare posts it back to AdMaven**

ClickFlare fires the AdMaven postback, replacing `{external_id}` with the stored AdMaven click ID and `{payout}` with the revenue. AdMaven matches it to the original click.

> [!NOTE]
>
> The mirror to keep straight: in the **campaign URL** you write *ClickFlare's* parameter (`clickid`) and *AdMaven's* macro (`{:click_id}`). The template does this for you. In the **postback URL** you write *AdMaven's* parameter (`c`) and *ClickFlare's* token (`{external_id}`). AdMaven's macros have a colon after the opening brace. ClickFlare tokens never do.

## Before you start

* **Set up your own tracking domain.** Run the campaign and the postback on your own custom domain. Shared domains get flagged by networks and blocked by browsers. See [Custom Domains](/docs/en/settings/custom-domains.md).
* **Have an offer ready in ClickFlare**, and its affiliate network set up to post conversions back to ClickFlare. See [Creating an Offer](/docs/en/tracking/creating-an-offer-1.md) and [Adding an Affiliate Network](/docs/en/tracking/adding-an-affiliate-network.md).
* **Have access to your AdMaven advertiser panel.** You use its **Conversion Tracking** page to test the setup, and its **Tracking URL** page shows the postback for your account.
* **Decide which conversion AdMaven should receive.** AdMaven optimizes on what you send it. If your funnel has several steps (lead, then sale), choose the one that best predicts profit. See [Sending the right event](#sending-the-right-event).

***

## Step 1 – Create the campaign and the AdMaven traffic source

1. Go to **Campaigns** and click **New**.
2. In **Traffic Source**, open the dropdown and click **+ New Traffic Source**.
3. Type `admaven` in the search box and select the **AdMaven** template.
4. Enter a **Name**, for example `AdMaven`.
5. Leave **Cost currency** on **USD** unless your AdMaven account is billed in another currency.

The template fills in the **Parameters** table for you:

| Name | TS Parameter | TS Token (AdMaven macro) | ClickFlare Token | What it carries |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| external\_id | `clickid` | `{:click_id}` | `{external_id}` | AdMaven's click ID. Required for the postback. |
| Cost | `cost` | `{:cost}` | `{cost}` | The cost of the visit. See [Cost](#cost). |
| Campaign Name | `campaign_name` | `{:campaign_name}` | `{trackingField1}` | The name of your AdMaven campaign |
| Campaign ID | `campaign_id` | `{:campaign_id}` | `{trackingField2}` | The ID of your AdMaven campaign |
| Creative ID | `creative_id` | `{:creative_id}` | `{trackingField3}` | The creative that was clicked |
| Source ID | `source_id` | `{:source_id}` | `{trackingField4}` | The traffic source (site or partner) |
| Sub Source ID | `sub_source_id` | `{:sub_source_id}` | `{trackingField5}` | The sub-source (site, widget or publisher) |

![The AdMaven template's Parameters table in ClickFlare, with AdMaven's macros pre-filled](https://mintcdn.com/clickflare/nZP6EuFBEVoKPMxM/images/integrations/templates/admaven/parameters.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=nZP6EuFBEVoKPMxM\&q=85\&s=96377ceec7b027b09332f9986fa178f0)

Source ID and Sub Source ID are the columns you will use most. They tell you which publishers convert, so you can block or bid up sources in AdMaven. Campaign ID and Creative ID let you split one ClickFlare campaign's stats by AdMaven campaign and by ad.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Don't change or remove the `external_id` row or the Cost row. Without `{:click_id}` in the campaign URL, AdMaven cannot match conversions to clicks. Without `{:cost}`, ClickFlare has no cost for your AdMaven visits. Keep the colon inside the braces exactly as the template writes it.

### Add more AdMaven data

Five tracking fields are free. To pass more AdMaven data, click **Add Parameter**, give it a name and parameter, and enter the AdMaven macro as the **TS Token**. ClickFlare assigns the next free tracking field.

AdMaven's macro list includes these. Use the macro exactly as written, with the colon:

| Suggested name | TS Parameter | TS Token |
| - | - | - |
| Country | `country` | `{:country_code}` |
| OS | `os` | `{:os_type}` |
| OS version | `os_version` | `{:os_version}` |
| Browser | `browser` | `{:browser}` |
| ISP | `isp` | `{:isp}` |

## Step 2 – Set up the postback

The postback is what sends conversions to AdMaven. It lives on the traffic source, so every campaign that uses this AdMaven traffic source sends conversions the same way.

The AdMaven template includes the postback URL. When you turn on **Traffic source postback URL**, the field is already filled in:

```text theme={null}
http://xml.ad-maven.com/conversion?c={external_id}&count=1&value={payout}
```

![The Traffic source postback URL switched on, showing the AdMaven template's postback](https://mintcdn.com/clickflare/nZP6EuFBEVoKPMxM/images/integrations/templates/admaven/postback.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=nZP6EuFBEVoKPMxM\&q=85\&s=ecb11f2a8531a9579377c53eeaed3d21)

It has no placeholders to replace. ClickFlare fills in both tokens when the postback fires.

| Parameter | Value | Meaning |
| - | - | - |
| `c` | `{external_id}` | AdMaven's click ID, stored by ClickFlare from `{:click_id}` |
| `count` | `1` | The number of conversions. Keep it at `1` unless one action counts as several conversions. |
| `value` | `{payout}` | The conversion's payout |

### Turn it on in ClickFlare

1. Back in the **New Traffic Source** form, scroll to **Passing conversion info to traffic source**.
2. Turn on **Traffic source postback URL**. The template's URL appears in the field. Leave it as it is.
3. In the dropdown on the left, choose the ClickFlare event that should fire the postback. Keep **Conversions** to send every conversion. If your final action is a custom conversion (for example `purchase`), choose that instead.
4. Click **Save**. You are back in the campaign editor with the AdMaven traffic source selected.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Keep `{external_id}` in the `c` parameter. If you paste in a postback from AdMaven or another tracker and leave its placeholder there (for example `{clickid}`), ClickFlare sends it as literal text and AdMaven cannot match the conversion.

AdMaven's **Tracking URL** page (click the **Profile** icon, then **Tracking URL**, then **Other**) shows the postback AdMaven generates for your account. If that URL carries an account value the template's URL doesn't, such as an `info` parameter, use AdMaven's URL instead and put ClickFlare's `{external_id}` and `{payout}` in its click ID and value parameters.

Send `{payout}` unless you have a reason not to. AdMaven then reports the value of your conversions, not just their count. If your offers pay in a currency other than your AdMaven account currency, convert in ClickFlare first. See [Multicurrency in ClickFlare](/docs/en/tracking/multicurrency-support-in-click-flare-how-it-works.md).

To learn what each postback token does, see [How to Configure a Traffic Source S2S Postback URL](/docs/en/tracking/how-to-configure-a-traffic-source-s2s-postback-url.md).

## Step 3 – Finish the campaign and copy its URL

1. Name the campaign.
2. Set the **Cost Model** to **Not Tracked**. The template passes cost per visit. See [Cost](#cost).
3. Choose **Redirect** or **Direct** tracking. Redirect is the usual choice for AdMaven's pop and push traffic.
4. Click **Next** and, on **Destination**, add your lander (optional) and your offer.
5. Save, open **Tracking**, select your own tracking domain and copy the **campaign URL**.

The campaign URL already contains every AdMaven macro from the template, for example `clickid={:click_id}` and `cost={:cost}`.

If you use a lander, its call-to-action must link to the ClickFlare **click URL**, not to the offer directly. Otherwise the visit reaches the offer without a ClickFlare click ID, and the conversion cannot be traced back to AdMaven.

See [Creating a Campaign in ClickFlare](/docs/en/campaigns/creating-a-campaign-in-click-flare.md).

## Step 4 – Create the campaign in AdMaven

1. In AdMaven, go to **Campaigns** and create a campaign.
2. Choose the campaign type, name it and set the budget.
3. Set the GEO and other targeting.
4. Turn on conversion tracking for the campaign, so AdMaven can optimize on the conversions you send.
5. Paste the ClickFlare campaign URL into the campaign's destination URL field.
6. Add your creatives and submit the campaign.

Paste the URL exactly as ClickFlare gives it. AdMaven replaces each macro when the ad is clicked. The URL must be HTTPS and must not pass through a URL shortener, which can strip the parameters.

## Step 5 – Test the integration

AdMaven can verify the setup before you spend anything.

1. In AdMaven, click the **Profile** icon and open **Conversion Tracking**.
2. In the first field, paste your ClickFlare campaign URL. It must contain `{:click_id}` in the `clickid` parameter. The template already puts it there.
3. Click **Test Conversion**. A new window opens your campaign URL with a valid test click ID.
4. In that window, complete the offer the way a real visitor would.
5. Return to the **Conversion Tracking** page and click **Refresh**. The test conversion appears in the list below the test section.
6. In ClickFlare, go to **Logs → Postback Status** and filter by the campaign. You should see a request to `xml.ad-maven.com` with the test click ID in `c` and your payout in `value`.

***

## Sending the right event

AdMaven's postback carries no event name, so each conversion it receives counts the same. Send the event you want AdMaven to optimize on.

> **Sending only one event**
>
> If AdMaven should only learn from your final sale, keep a single postback and map it to that event. Earlier steps (leads, add to carts) still show in ClickFlare. They just don't reach AdMaven.
>
> To send a postback only for some conversions, for example only those above a certain payout, use **Event filter** under the postback to add conditions.

> **Why not send every step**
>
> If you add a postback per event with **+ Another postback URL**, all of them go to the same AdMaven URL. AdMaven cannot tell a lead from a sale and counts each one as a conversion, which inflates your AdMaven conversion count.

## Cost

The template's Cost row maps AdMaven's `{:cost}` macro to ClickFlare's `{cost}` token. AdMaven fills in the cost of each click or view when the ad is clicked, and ClickFlare records it against that visit. In the campaign URL, `{:cost}` is AdMaven's macro, and AdMaven replaces it before the visit reaches ClickFlare.

To use it, set the campaign's **Cost Model** to **Not Tracked**. ClickFlare then reads the cost from the campaign URL instead of a fixed value, so your Cost, Profit and ROI follow what AdMaven actually charged.

Check the cost in ClickFlare against AdMaven's own statistics for the first days. If they drift, correct the totals with a [manual cost upload](/docs/en/settings/manual-cost-upload.md). ClickFlare has no AdMaven cost API integration. See [Cost Models](/docs/en/core-platform-concepts/cost-models.md) and [Traffic Source Cost Tracking](/docs/en/tracking/how-to-setup-traffic-source-cost-tracking.md).

## Delayed revenue

If you run search arbitrage (RSOC or AFD) behind AdMaven, the feed reports revenue hours or days after the click. To pass that revenue to AdMaven once it arrives, see [Sending Delayed Revenue to Traffic Sources](/docs/en/advanced-tracking-configuration/how-to-send-delayed-revenue-to-traffic-sources.md).

***

## Troubleshooting

> **The AdMaven test conversion doesn't appear**
>
> * The campaign URL is missing `clickid={:click_id}`, or the macro was edited (for example, the colon was removed). Copy the URL from ClickFlare again.
> * The postback contains another placeholder instead of ClickFlare's `{external_id}`, usually because a URL from AdMaven or another tracker was pasted over the template's.
> * The `external_id` row was removed from the traffic source.

> **Conversions show in ClickFlare but not in AdMaven**
>
> * **Traffic source postback URL** is off on the AdMaven traffic source.
> * **Disable sending postbacks to traffic source** is on in the campaign.
> * The postback is mapped to a different event than the one the conversion logged. Check **Logs → Event Logs** to see which event was recorded.
> * Check **Logs → Postback Status**: a failed request shows the status code AdMaven returned.

> **AdMaven shows conversions with no value**
>
> The postback has no payout. Make sure the `value` parameter carries `{payout}`.

> **Cost is zero in ClickFlare**
>
> * The campaign's **Cost Model** is not **Not Tracked**, or a fixed value overrides it.
> * The Cost row was removed or edited, so `cost={:cost}` is missing from the campaign URL.
> * The URL was pasted somewhere AdMaven doesn't replace macros.

> **Tracking columns show the macro name, or are empty**
>
> AdMaven didn't recognize the macro, usually because it was edited or written without the colon. Paste the campaign URL from ClickFlare unchanged. See [Traffic Source Tokens Arriving Empty](/docs/en/troubleshooting/tokens-arriving-empty.md).

For the general checklist, see [Conversions not showing](/docs/en/troubleshooting/conversions-not-showing.md).

***

**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS**

> **Q1:** Can I use the same AdMaven traffic source for all my AdMaven campaigns?

**A1:** Yes. The postback is set once on the traffic source and every campaign using it sends conversions the same way. Create a second AdMaven traffic source only if a campaign needs a different postback or event.

> **Q2:** AdMaven lists several trackers, but not ClickFlare. Is that a problem?

**A2:** No. You don't need AdMaven's tracker list: the ClickFlare template already has the postback, with `{external_id}` and `{payout}` in place. If you do open AdMaven's **Tracking URL** page, choose **Other**.

> **Q3:** Why is the parameter `clickid` in the campaign URL and `c` in the postback?

**A3:** They are two halves of the same value. ClickFlare reads AdMaven's click ID from its own `clickid` parameter. AdMaven expects it back in its own `c` parameter. Keep the names as they are.

> **Q4:** Should I use Redirect or Direct tracking with AdMaven?

**A4:** Redirect is the usual choice and works with every AdMaven format. Use Direct only if AdMaven must see your lander's domain as the destination. See [Direct Campaign Tracking](/docs/en/campaigns/direct-campaign-tracking.md).

> **Q5:** Why does AdMaven's macro have a colon, like `{:click_id}`?

**A5:** That is AdMaven's current macro format, as listed in AdMaven's help center. ClickFlare's own tokens, like `{external_id}`, have no colon. Keep each one exactly as the template writes it.

## Related

> **[Traffic source postbacks](/docs/en/tracking/how-to-configure-a-traffic-source-s2s-postback-url.md)**
>
> Every token you can use in a postback.

> **[Custom conversions](/docs/en/settings/custom-conversions.md)**
>
> Choose which event AdMaven receives.

> **[Cost models](/docs/en/core-platform-concepts/cost-models.md)**
>
> How Not Tracked, CPC and CPA costs are calculated.

> **[Conversions not showing](/docs/en/troubleshooting/conversions-not-showing.md)**
>
> The general checklist when postbacks don't arrive.


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