Sub-IDs let you track which traffic source generated each click and each conversion, without creating a separate link for every source. The feature is built in and needs no setup at all.
The Path Format:
Append any identifier after your slug. All of these work straight away on any link you have already created:
- yoursite.com/your-slug/facebook
- yoursite.com/your-slug/google-ad1
- yoursite.com/your-slug/email-march
- yoursite.com/your-slug/youtube-review
- yoursite.com/your-slug/solo-ad-john
The single segment after the slug becomes the Sub-ID. The visitor is redirected to exactly the same destination, the Sub-ID is simply stored alongside the click.
The Query Parameter Format:
If a path segment does not suit you, pass the Sub-ID as a query parameter instead. Three parameter names are accepted and they behave identically:
- yoursite.com/your-slug?sid=facebook
- yoursite.com/your-slug?sub_id=google-ad1
- yoursite.com/your-slug?subid=email-march
Typical Uses:
- Compare ad platforms: /facebook, /google, /bing, /youtube.
- Split test creatives: /fb-ad1, /fb-ad2, /fb-ad3.
- Compare email sends: /email-mar2, /email-apr1, /broadcast-friday.
- Compare solo ad vendors: /solo-john, /solo-mike, /solo-sarah.
- Compare social placements: /twitter-thread, /instagram-story, /tiktok-bio.
Where Sub-IDs Show Up:
- Dashboard: a Sub ID column in the Recent Clicks and Recent Conversions tables.
- Link Stats: a full Sub ID Breakdown table with clicks, conversions, revenue, conversion rate and EPC per Sub-ID. Email addresses used as Sub-IDs are added up into one Email subscribers row, with the people listed underneath.
- Conversions tab: a Sub ID column on the main conversions list.
- The W+ and JVZoo add on pages, when those add ons are installed.
- Every CSV export.
Things To Know Before You Start:
- Sub-IDs are case sensitive. /Facebook and /facebook are two separate rows.
- Keep them short and descriptive, they appear in tables and exports.
- There is no limit on how many Sub-IDs you use per link.
- Use one segment after the slug. An address with more segments, such as /your-slug/a/b, is not treated as a tracking link. If you need a value with slashes or spaces, pass it with the query parameter form instead.
- Clicks with no Sub-ID show as empty in the breakdown. That is normal.
Your Subscriber's Email As The Sub-ID:
In an email broadcast you can put the subscriber's own address in the Sub-ID spot with your email app's merge tag, for example yoursite.com/your-slug/{subscriber email}. Since version 3.574 the click is recorded with that email as its Sub-ID and the visitor is recognised exactly as if the link had used ?email=. With the Audience Vault and WP Sync, that buyer can then be tagged in your email app when they purchase, see the article on tagging affiliate buyers. If the link also carries its own ?email= parameter, that one is used and the Sub-ID stays a plain value.
A Worked Example:
You are promoting one offer on Facebook and by email. Create a single link with the slug my-offer. Share yoursite.com/my-offer/facebook in the ads and yoursite.com/my-offer/email in the broadcast. Open the link's Stats page and the Sub ID Breakdown tells you which source produced more sales and which had the better EPC, from one link and one set of totals.