Overview
Every Publisher onboarding follows the same core steps:
Step 1 - Create the publisher in Swaarm
Step 2 - Configure publisher postback
Step 3 - Choose how the publisher accesses offers
Step 4 - Test the publisher integration
Step 5 - Go live
Step 1 - Create the publisher
Go to Publishers → +Create and fill in the required fields.
FIELD | NOTES | REQUIRED? |
Name | Publisher Company name | YES |
Account Type | Choose account type (for internal use) | YES |
Status | Set to Active before going live | YES |
Account Manager | Assign the AM responsible for this publisher | YES |
Sales Manager | Assign the SM responsible for this publisher | NO |
Country | Select Publisher's entity origin | YES |
Address | Add entity address | NO |
Phone | Add phone | NO |
Tax Number | Add tax number | NO |
Tags | Use tags to group Publishers | NO |
Migration ID | Added automatically, if the Publisher was imported via migration | YES (if migrated) |
Note | Add internal note | NO |
Send notifications | Select, if you'd like to send offer updates notifications | NO |
Step 2 - Configure the publisher postback
The publisher postback is how Swaarm notifies the publisher when a conversion happens. To add it - go to Publishers → [Publisher name] → Postback Links → +Create Postback Link and enter the publisher's postback URL. Detailed publisher postback setting described here →
Common macros to use:
Swaarm macro | What it passes |
#{click.publisher.clickId} | Publisher click id (passed in their tracking link) |
#{offer.eventTypeId} | Event id |
#{payout.theyGetInDollars} | The conversion payout amount |
ℹ️ By default postback is fired only on conversions with status 'approved' and decision 'passed'.
Step 3 - Choose how the publisher accesses offers
Option A - Manual (postback publisher)
You approve publisher to specific offers, generate tracking links, and share those links manually. The publisher runs the traffic and receives postback notifications when conversions occur. No additional configuration needed here - proceed to Step 4 to approve the publisher to an offer and generate their tracking link.
ℹ️ To approve a publisher to an offer, go to Offers → [Offer name] → Publishers → Add Publisher. You can set publisher-specific payouts and caps at this level too.
Option B - API feed publisher
Use this for publishers who want to pull your offer feed automatically and generate tracking links on their own system.
1. Generate an API key
Go to Publishers → [Publisher name] → API → Feed API → Generate API Key.
Share the API key with the publisher. They'll use it to authenticate requests to the offer feed.
2. Share the tracking link parameters
The publisher will append the following parameters to each click:
Swaarm publisher tracking parameter | What it passes | Required? |
pub_click_id | publisher click id | Yes |
pub_sub_id | publisher sub id | Recommended |
app | publisher app id/name | Optional |
gaid | user GAID | Optional |
idfa | user IDFA | Optional |
creative | publisher creative | Optional |
ℹ️ Partner Platform access
Use this to give publishers self-serve access to their own dashboard where they can browse approved offers, view reports, manage postbacks, and request payouts — without needing to contact you directly.
To give access:
Go to Publishers → [Publisher name] → Contacts → Create Contact. Enable Partner Platform access and enter the publisher's email. They'll receive an email with 1-time password and link to the dashboard.
Step 4 - Test the publisher integration
Always test before sending live traffic. The goal is to confirm a click and a conversion is recorded, and the publisher postback fires correctly.
Approve the publisher to a test offer (you can use Test Offer ID 2)
Generate the publisher tracking link from Offers → [Offer name] → Tracking Link
Share the tracking link with the publisher
Go to Tools → Test Publisher Integration, paste the publisher's test link, and fire a test conversion
Check Reports → Conversion Report - the conversion should appear with decision Passed
Confirm the publisher received the postback on their end
✅ Integration confirmed when: the conversion appears in the Conversion Report with decision Passed, and the publisher confirms the postback was received on their side.
⚠️ Postback not firing? The most common causes are a missing or mismatched pub_click_id parameter, or the postback URL not saved correctly.
Before going live
Publisher status is set to Active
Publisher postback URL is saved and confirmed
Publisher is approved on the offer
Tracking link generated and shared (if Publisher is not connected via API)
Test conversion appears in Conversion Report with decision Passed
Publisher confirms postback received on their end