Set up affiliate tracking

In this article: Two ways to track which partners are driving course enrollments, how to export data for commission payments, and practical tips for running an affiliate program. All Plans

Affiliates promote your course to their audience in exchange for a commission on each sale. It's one of the most effective ways to grow your enrollments, because someone your potential students already trust is recommending your course.

Ruzuku doesn't have a built-in affiliate dashboard with automatic commission payouts. Instead, you track referrals using a unique coupon or price point per affiliate, then export the data and pay commissions yourself. The setup takes about 5 minutes per affiliate.

Two tracking methods

You have two options. Both give you a clear record of which students came through which affiliate.

Method

How the affiliate shares

Best when

Unique coupon per affiliate

Affiliate tells their audience to enter a coupon code at checkout

You want affiliates to share a code through email, podcasts, blog posts, or social media

Unique price point per affiliate

Affiliate shares a direct checkout link

You want a seamless one-click experience with no code to type

You can mix both methods across different affiliates. Some people prefer sharing a link, others prefer a code. Use whichever makes the most sense for each partner.

Method 1: Track with coupons

Each affiliate gets a unique coupon code. When a student uses that code during checkout, you know which affiliate sent them.

Go to Manage Course → Coupons.
Click Create Coupon.
Name the coupon something that identifies the affiliate. For example: SARAH20 or PARTNER-JONES.
Set the discount amount. You have a few options:
- A real discount (like 10% or $20 off) to sweeten the deal for the affiliate's audience. This can increase conversions.
- A $0 or 0% discount if you just need tracking and don't want to discount the price.
Save the coupon and share the code with your affiliate.

When students enroll using that coupon, their enrollment records show which coupon they used. You can filter and export this data to calculate commissions.

Tip: Giving affiliates a real discount code (even a small one like 10% off) gives them something tangible to offer their audience. "Use my code SARAH10 for 10% off" is more compelling than "Here's a link to a course I like." It also makes the affiliate feel they're providing genuine value to their followers.

Method 2: Track with dedicated price points

Each affiliate gets their own price point with a unique checkout link. When a student enrolls through that link, you know which affiliate referred them.

Go to Manage Course → Price Points.
Click Add Price Point.
Create a price point for the affiliate. Keep the price the same as your regular price point (or adjust it if you want to offer a discount through the affiliate).
Name it so you can identify the affiliate in your records. For example: "Enrollment via Sarah" or "Partner - Jones Coaching."
Save the price point.
Go to Manage Course → Sales Page or see Find links for your sales page and price points to get the direct checkout link for this price point.
Share that link with your affiliate.

Students who enroll through the affiliate's link show up under that specific price point in your student records.

Note: Dedicated affiliate price points appear on your sales page alongside your regular price points. If you don't want students to see the affiliate price points when browsing your sales page directly, consider using the coupon method instead, or share the direct checkout link only (not the sales page link).

Calculate and pay commissions

To see which students each affiliate has driven:

Go to Manage Course → Students.
Click Download CSV to export your full student list.
Open the CSV in a spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel, etc.).
Filter by coupon used or price point name to see each affiliate's referrals.
Count the enrollments and calculate commissions based on your agreed terms.

For example, if you promised Sarah a 20% commission on a $200 course and she drove 8 enrollments, her commission is $320 (8 x $200 x 20%).

Pay affiliates through whatever method works for both of you: PayPal, Venmo, bank transfer, or a check. Ruzuku doesn't handle commission payments, so you handle this directly with each affiliate.

Tip: Set a regular payment schedule with your affiliates (monthly or quarterly). This keeps things predictable for both sides and avoids the hassle of one-off payment requests.

Tips for running an affiliate program

Start small

Begin with 2-3 trusted partners who already know your work and believe in your course. A small, motivated group of affiliates will outperform a large, disengaged one. You can always add more as you get comfortable with the process.

Set clear terms before you start

Put your commission structure in writing (even a simple email works). Cover:

Commission rate. A flat fee per enrollment (like $50 per sale) or a percentage of the course price (like 20-30%) are both common.
Payment schedule. Monthly? Quarterly? After each sale?
Cookie/attribution window. How long after someone clicks the affiliate's link do you still credit the sale? With coupon tracking, this is straightforward since the student actively enters the code. With price point tracking, the student uses the link at the time of purchase.
Refund policy. What happens if a student the affiliate referred requests a refund? Most programs deduct the commission.

Give affiliates what they need to succeed

The easier you make it for affiliates to promote your course, the more they'll do it. Share:

A short description of your course (2-3 sentences they can copy)
The key benefits and outcomes for students
Their unique coupon code or checkout link
Any images or graphics they can use in their promotions
A sample email or social post they can adapt

Track results and communicate

Send your affiliates a quick update each month showing how many enrollments they've driven and what they've earned. Transparency builds trust and keeps affiliates motivated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ruzuku have a built-in affiliate dashboard?

Not currently. You track affiliates using unique coupons or price points, then review enrollments in your student list or CSV export. This gives you all the data you need to calculate commissions. It's a lightweight approach that works well for programs with up to a few dozen affiliates.

Can I set different commission rates for different affiliates?

Yes. Since each affiliate has their own coupon or price point, you track them independently. Your commission agreements with each affiliate are handled outside of Ruzuku, so you can set whatever rates make sense for each partner.

Can affiliates see how many referrals they've made?

Affiliates don't have a self-service dashboard to check their stats. You'll need to share this information with them directly, either from your student list or CSV export. A monthly email with their numbers keeps things transparent.

Should I use coupons or price points for tracking?

Coupons work well when affiliates promote through content (blog posts, emails, podcasts) where sharing a code feels natural. Dedicated price points work well when you want a clean, direct link with no code to enter. If you're not sure, start with coupons. They're simpler to manage and don't add extra entries to your sales page.

Can I use this for a referral program with existing students?

Yes. The same approach works for student referral programs. Give each referring student a unique coupon code, and offer them a reward (like a discount on another course or a small cash bonus) for each new enrollment they drive.