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

# Using the SimpleTix Affiliate Marketing Center

> Learn how to create, manage, and track affiliate partners who promote your events, with detailed steps for generating unique tracking links and analyzing performance.

<Info>
  The Affiliate Marketing Center allows you to track sales generated by your promotional partners, influencers, or affiliates through unique tracking links and QR codes.
</Info>

# Affiliate Marketing Center Guide

## Overview

The SimpleTix Affiliate Marketing Center helps you build, manage, and track a network of partners who promote your events. With this feature, you can:

* Create and manage affiliate partners
* Generate unique tracking links and QR codes for each affiliate
* Optionally associate affiliates with specific promo codes
* Track attributed sales (revenue, tickets, orders)
* Download detailed affiliate performance reports

## Accessing the Affiliate Marketing Center

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to the Marketing Menu">
    Click this [link](https://manager.simpletix.com/promote/affiliate) or log in to the [SimpleTix Manager Portal](https://manager.simpletix.com) and locate the **Marketing** menu in the top navigation rail.

    <Tip>
      The Marketing menu replaces the previous "Promo Codes" button, now providing access to both Promo Codes and the Affiliate Center.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Affiliate from the Dropdown">
    Click on **Marketing** to open the dropdown menu, then select **Affiliate**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Creating a New Affiliate

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start the Creation Process">
    From the Affiliate Marketing Center, click the **+ Create New Affiliate** button.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Affiliate Details">
    Fill in the required fields:

    * **Name**: Enter the affiliate's name (e.g., "Influencer Jane," "Partner Organization")
    * **Category**: Select an existing category or create a new one (e.g., "Influencers," "Sponsors," "Partners")
  </Step>

  <Step title="Associate with a Promo Code (Optional)">
    Decide if you want to associate this affiliate with a discount:

    * **Yes**: The affiliate's unique links will automatically apply a promo code. Select an **existing** Promo Code from the dropdown.

    <Warning>
      If you want to link a promo code to an affiliate, you must create the promo code first (under Marketing → Promo Codes) before creating the affiliate.
    </Warning>

    * **No**: The affiliate will have tracking links without an automatic discount. This is useful for tracking referrals without offering a public discount.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete the Creation">
    Click **Create Affiliate** to finalize.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Managing Existing Affiliates

The main Affiliate Center page displays all your affiliates in a searchable, filterable list with the following information:

| Column         | Description                                           |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Affiliate Name | The name you assigned to the affiliate                |
| Category       | The group you've assigned the affiliate to            |
| Promo Code     | The associated discount code (if any)                 |
| Revenue        | Total revenue from sales attributed to this affiliate |
| Tickets Sold   | Total number of tickets from attributed sales         |
| Orders         | Total number of orders placed via affiliate links     |
| Created Date   | When the affiliate was added to your system           |
| Last Sale      | Date of the most recent attributed purchase           |

### Available Actions

For each affiliate in your list, you can:

* **Edit (Pencil Icon)**: Modify the affiliate's name, category, or promo code association
* **Get Shareable Link (Link Icon)**: Access tracking links and QR codes for sharing
* **Download Report (Down Arrow Icon)**: Generate a detailed report of the affiliate's attributed sales

## Getting and Sharing Affiliate Links & QR Codes

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access Shareable Links">
    Click the link icon next to any affiliate in your list to open the "Get Shareable Link" modal.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use the Generic Link">
    In the modal, you'll see a **Generic Link** section:

    * This is the base tracking link for the affiliate
    * It includes the affiliate ID and optional promo code parameter (e.g., `?utm_source=partner123&promocode=50OFF`)
    * Click the **Copy to Clipboard** button to copy the link

    <Tip>
      The generic link can be used for general promotion, but event-specific links often drive better conversion.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use Event-Specific Links">
    Scroll down to see the **Get Event Link** section:

    * This lists all your active events with pre-configured tracking links for this affiliate
    * For each event, you can:
      * Click **Download QR Code** to get an image file of the QR code linking to that event with affiliate tracking
      * Click **Copy to Clipboard** to get the direct event URL with affiliate tracking
  </Step>

  <Step title="Share with Your Affiliate">
    Provide these links or QR codes to your affiliate for their promotional activities. When customers use these links to make purchases, sales will be attributed to the affiliate.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Event-specific links and QR codes are particularly effective for printed materials, social media posts, or email campaigns targeted at specific events.
</Tip>

## Understanding Affiliate Tracking Data

Sales are attributed to an affiliate when a customer uses the affiliate's unique link or QR code to complete a purchase. The metrics displayed on the main Affiliate Center page (Revenue, Tickets Sold, Orders) are summary statistics for all sales attributed to each affiliate.

<Info>
  A sale will only be attributed to an affiliate if the customer clicks on the affiliate's unique tracking link or scans their QR code before completing their purchase.
</Info>

## Downloading Affiliate Reports

SimpleTix offers two types of affiliate reports:

### Summary Report (All Affiliates)

* Click the **Download Report** button at the top of the Affiliate Center page
* This downloads a spreadsheet with summary statistics for all your affiliates (the data shown in the main table)
* Useful for a quick overview of performance across your entire affiliate network

### Detailed Report (Single Affiliate)

* Click the **Download Icon** (down arrow) next to a specific affiliate
* This generates a detailed report for that individual affiliate
* Includes a breakdown of all attributed orders, tickets, and revenue
* Particularly useful for calculating commissions based on specific sales data

## Filtering and Searching Affiliates

As your affiliate program grows, use these tools to manage your list:

* **Search Bar**: Find affiliates by name or promo code
* **Category Filter**: View only affiliates from specific categories
* **Date Range Filter**: Show affiliates active within a certain period (e.g., "Past 3 Months")

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can an affiliate have multiple tracking links?">
    Yes, each affiliate has one generic link and separate links for each of your active events.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does the customer have to use the affiliate's link for a sale to be tracked?">
    Yes, tracking relies on the customer using the unique link or QR code. If they go directly to your event page without using the affiliate link, the sale won't be attributed to the affiliate.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if an affiliate is linked to a promo code, but the customer doesn't use the link?">
    If the customer doesn't use the affiliate's tracking link, the discount won't automatically apply, and the sale won't be tracked back to the affiliate.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does SimpleTix calculate commissions automatically?">
    No, SimpleTix provides tracking data, but you'll need to determine commission structures and handle payouts outside the system. The detailed reports make it easy to calculate commissions based on your agreements.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I delete an affiliate?">
    If you need to remove an affiliate completely, please contact SimpleTix support at [support@simpletix.com](mailto:support@simpletix.com).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best Practices

* **Categorize Your Affiliates**: Create meaningful categories to organize larger affiliate programs
* **Use Event-Specific Links**: Provide affiliates with event-specific links rather than generic ones when promoting particular events
* **Regular Reporting**: Share performance data with your affiliates to keep them motivated
* **Clear Expectations**: Establish clear commission structures and promotional guidelines for your affiliates

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Managing Promo Codes" icon="ticket" href="/docs/promos-discounts/managing-promo-codes-in-simpletix">
    Learn how to create and manage the promo codes you can associate with your affiliates
  </Card>

  <Card title="Guide to SimpleTix Reports" icon="chart-line" href="/docs/reports/guide-to-simpletix-reports">
    Understand other reporting capabilities within SimpleTix
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Card title="Sharing Event Ticket Purchase Links" icon="share-nodes" href="/docs/social-and-sharing/sharing-event-ticket-purchase-links">
  Explore additional ways to share your event links beyond the affiliate program
</Card>