Creating an affiliate link report means gathering click, conversion, and revenue data from your affiliate platforms and analytics tools, then organising it into a clear format that shows which affiliates, campaigns, and creatives are driving results.
You’ve got affiliate links spread across multiple programs, campaigns, and partners, but when it’s time to report on performance, you’re drowning in spreadsheets and dashboards. Without a structured reporting process, you can’t see which affiliates deserve higher commissions, which campaigns to scale, or which ones to cut.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to create affiliate link reports that give you actionable insights, from gathering data to calculating key metrics and presenting your findings.
TL;DR
Start by defining your reporting goals and timeframe, then gather data from your affiliate dashboard, Google Analytics, and any link tracking tools you use. Export the raw data, calculate key performance metrics like EPC, conversion rate, and ROI, and organise your findings in a spreadsheet. Identify top performers and underperformers, then create a summary report with visualisations and actionable recommendations. Most affiliate platforms offer built-in reporting with export capabilities, which is the easiest place to start .
Key Takeaways
- Most affiliate platforms have built-in reporting dashboards that show clicks, conversions, commissions, and conversion rates for each affiliate and campaign .
- Key metrics to include in every report: clicks, conversions, revenue, commissions, conversion rate, and earnings per click (EPC) .
- Exporting data to CSV or Excel is essential for creating custom reports and performing analysis that built-in dashboards don’t support .
- Conversion rate is calculated as (Conversions ÷ Total Clicks) × 100 — this tells you how effectively each affiliate’s traffic converts .
- Comparison reports — week-over-week, month-over-month, and period-over-period — help you spot trends and measure progress against goals .
Step 1: Define Your Reporting Goals and Timeframe
Before you pull any data, decide what you want to learn from the report and what period it will cover.
Common reporting goals include:
- Identifying top-performing affiliates
- Comparing campaign performance across channels
- Tracking commissions owed and paid
- Measuring ROI and profitability of the program
- Evaluating creative performance (banners, landing pages, email copy)
- Benchmarking against previous periods
Choose a timeframe that makes sense for your program: last 7 days, last 30 days, quarter-to-date, or a custom date range. Most platforms default to the last 30 days . For trend analysis, compare the current period to the previous period (e.g., this month vs. last month) to see what’s changing .
Step 2: Gather Data From Your Sources
Affiliate link reports typically pull data from multiple sources. The most common ones are:
Your Affiliate Platform Dashboard
This is the most important source. Most affiliate platforms — including Kajabi, Tapfiliate, Axi, and Affilae — provide built-in reporting dashboards that show clicks, conversions, commissions, conversion rates, and revenue . These dashboards often allow you to filter by date range, affiliate, campaign, or creative.
For example, Kajabi’s Affiliates report includes the following columns :
- Rank — affiliate ranking based on sales amount
- Affiliate Name — clickable to see referred customers
- Commission — total commission earned
- Conversions — number of successful transactions
- Total Clicks — tracked clicks from affiliate links
- Conversion Rate — (Conversions ÷ Clicks) × 100
In Affilae’s reporting module, you can see six key KPIs at a glance: Clicks, Conversions, Conversion Rate, Commissions, Revenue, and ROI . The platform also offers a performance curve that plots selected KPIs over time, and the ability to save custom reports for later use .
Google Analytics (or Other Analytics Tools)
If you’ve added UTM parameters to your affiliate links, Google Analytics will show campaign-level traffic data, including clicks, session duration, and conversion events. This is especially useful for comparing affiliate traffic quality to other channels.
Link Shortener Analytics
If you’re using a URL shortener like Bitly or a branded short link solution, these tools provide click data that may not appear in your affiliate dashboard.
Amazon Attribution (for Amazon Associates)
If you’re tracking Amazon affiliate links through Amazon Attribution, you can access metrics including clicks, detail page views, add-to-cart events, purchases, units sold, sales value, conversion rate, and commission amounts . Amazon Attribution data is typically delayed by 24–48 hours, and metrics only appear after a minimum threshold of 10 clicks and the first sale .
Step 3: Export and Organise Your Data
Once you’ve gathered data from your sources, export it to a format you can work with — usually CSV or Excel. Most platforms support CSV export with a single click .
Create a master spreadsheet with the following columns:
- Affiliate Name or ID
- Campaign or Tracking ID (if you’re reporting on campaigns)
- Clicks
- Conversions (sales, leads, or other goals)
- Conversion Rate (calculated)
- Revenue (total sales value)
- Commissions (earned by affiliates)
- EPC (Revenue ÷ Clicks)
- ROI (Revenue − Costs ÷ Costs × 100)
- Notes — any context about affiliate activity or campaign changes
Use the export feature to pull data for your selected time period and any filters you’ve applied. For example, when you export from Kajabi, the resulting file includes the same columns reflected in the displayed report .
Step 4: Calculate Key Performance Metrics
With your raw data in a spreadsheet, calculate the metrics that will help you assess performance:
Conversion Rate
Formula: (Conversions ÷ Clicks) × 100
This tells you what percentage of clicks turned into a sale or lead. A high conversion rate indicates quality traffic.
Earnings Per Click (EPC)
Formula: Total Revenue ÷ Total Clicks
EPC is the most useful metric for comparing profitability across affiliates and campaigns. If one affiliate has an EPC of $5 and another has $2, the first is generating more value per visitor .
Return on Investment (ROI)
Formula: (Total Revenue − Total Program Costs ÷ Total Program Costs) × 100
Program costs include commission payments, platform fees, and any advertising spend. ROI tells you whether the program is profitable .
Revenue Share
Formula: (Program Revenue ÷ Total Revenue Across All Programs) × 100
This shows which affiliates or campaigns contribute the most to your overall revenue .
For affiliate reporting, the most common mistake is relying solely on clicks and commissions. Add EPC and conversion rate to compare performance and prioritise high-impact affiliates.
Step 5: Identify Winners and Underperformers
Once your metrics are calculated, sort and categorise your data. One helpful framework is to segment your affiliates into four categories :
- Stars — High EPC + high volume. Double down on these partners.
- Cash Cows — Moderate EPC + high volume. Maintain the relationship.
- Question Marks — High EPC + low volume. Explore ways to increase their visibility.
- Dogs — Low EPC + low volume. Consider discontinuing or replacing them.
You can also look at campaign performance directly. For example, if you’re running Amazon Attribution campaigns, you can view real-time metrics in your Campaign Performance tab and export detailed reports for internal analysis .
Affilae’s Reporting module lets you split performance across four dimensions :
- Partnerships — ranks affiliates by overall performance
- Ads — analyses the performance of each banner or creative
- Rules — breaks down revenue by commission type (new customers, total sales, etc.)
- Products — shows which products convert best
Step 6: Present Your Findings
A good affiliate report doesn’t just list numbers — it tells a story and provides actionable recommendations. Here’s how to structure it:
Executive Summary
Start with a brief summary: the key takeaway, top performers, and your main recommendation. Keep this to one paragraph.
KPI Dashboard
Display the most important metrics for the period: total clicks, conversions, conversion rate, revenue, commissions, EPC, and ROI. Use tables or simple charts to make the data digestible.
If you have access to business intelligence tools or advanced platforms like CAKE Insights, you can build custom dashboards with visualisations that update dynamically .
Affiliate Rankings
List your affiliates by performance, showing clicks, conversions, revenue, and EPC for each. Highlight your top performers and note any significant changes from previous periods.
Campaign Performance (if applicable)
If you’re tracking multiple campaigns, show which ones drove the most clicks, conversions, and revenue. This helps with budget allocation and creative decisions.
Trend Analysis
Compare the current period to the previous period to show what’s improving, declining, or staying flat. Period-over-period reporting helps you spot trends early .
Actionable Recommendations
End with clear, specific recommendations :
- Increase commission for top performers
- Reach out to underperformers to offer support
- Scale winning campaigns or creatives
- Pause or replace low-ROI programs
“Data without analysis is just noise. This skill transforms raw affiliate numbers into insights — which programs are worth your time, which are dragging your portfolio down, and where to focus next.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What metrics should I include in an affiliate report?
The most important metrics are clicks, conversions, conversion rate, revenue, commissions, earnings per click (EPC), and ROI . Also include affiliate names or IDs, campaign tracking IDs, and any notes on activity.
How do I export an affiliate report from my platform?
Most platforms have an “Export” button in the reporting section. This typically generates a CSV file that you can open in Excel or Google Sheets .
How is conversion rate calculated in affiliate reports?
Conversion rate = (Conversions ÷ Total Clicks) × 100 .
What does EPC (Earnings Per Click) tell me?
EPC = Total Revenue ÷ Total Clicks. It shows the average value generated per click and is the best metric for comparing affiliate profitability .
Why does Amazon Attribution data sometimes show $0 for new links?
Amazon Attribution does not display data until a minimum threshold is met: 10 recorded clicks and the first sale. Data is also delayed by 24 to 48 hours .
Sources
- Upfluence — Amazon Attribution Performance Tracking
- Kajabi — Affiliates Report Guide
- Affilae — Reporting Module Overview
- Axi — Reports Tab Overview
- Affitor — Performance Report Generation
- CAKE — Insights Business Intelligence Dashboards
Have a reporting challenge or a specific platform you’d like help with? Drop your question in the comments — we’re here to help you build better reports.
