Reading your publisher reports
This guide explains how to read the results of your lead gen traffic and turn them into decisions. By the end you will know what each lead status means, how to break results down by tracking link and sub ID, how to join them with your ad platform spend in one sheet, and which questions to ask of that sheet before you change a campaign.
Published 5 October 2026. How we write and check guides: editorial standards.
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How Summit reports your leads
Leads are reported by tracking link. Every lead that comes through your link is tied to that link and to the sub ID values you added to it. How reports are delivered to you is agreed during onboarding, so ask then about the format and timing that apply to your account.
Because reporting is by tracking link, your sub IDs decide how much detail you get. A link with no sub IDs gives you one line of results for everything. A link with sub IDs for source, campaign, state group, ad set and ad lets you see each of those on its own. Set them up before you launch. See tracking links and sub IDs explained.
Name sub IDs so the report reads itself
A report is only as readable as the values you put into your sub IDs. Pick one naming scheme, write it down, and use it on every link. A consistent scheme means you can sort and filter the report without a lookup table for every row.
| Sub ID slot | What it holds | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| First | Traffic source | "meta", "goog", "nat" or "seo" |
| Second | Offer and campaign | "car-c01" for the first car accident campaign |
| Third | State group | "tx-ok" or "southeast-1" |
| Fourth | Ad set or ad group | "as03" |
| Fifth | Ad or creative | "ang-time-v2" |
- Use lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens only, so values stay readable in any export.
- Keep each value short. Long values get cut off and are hard to scan.
- Never reuse a value for a different ad. Retire old values and start new ones.
- Keep a mapping sheet that lists every value with its campaign, ad set, ad and start date.
Ask during onboarding how many sub ID values your tracking link supports. If you have fewer slots than levels, combine the levels you compare least often into one value.
What each lead status means
Lead gen reports in this market generally sort leads into three outcomes. Here is what each one means for your payout.
| Status | What it means | Effect on your payout |
|---|---|---|
| Sold | A buyer took the lead through ping/post | Paid as rev share on the sold lead |
| Unsold | No buyer took the lead | Not paid |
| Returned | The lead sold, then a buyer sent it back | Deducted under the return terms agreed during onboarding |
Your report may use its own labels or add detail to these, for example a reason for a return. Ask during onboarding if a label is unclear. For the full payout picture, see how payouts work. Payment terms are agreed during onboarding.
Step 1: Build one sheet from two sources
Your Summit report knows what happened to each lead. Your ad platform knows what you spent. Neither one alone tells you whether a campaign pays. Join them by sub ID.
- Export your leads for the period with their status and every sub ID value.
- Export spend, impressions and clicks from your ad platform for the same period, at the same level as your sub IDs (campaign, ad set, ad).
- Make one row per sub ID combination.
- For each row, fill in leads, sold, unsold and returned from the Summit report, and spend and clicks from the ad platform.
- Add your own calculated columns: share of leads sold, share of sold leads returned, and spend per sold lead.
- Add what you earned on sold leads from your report, less returns, if your report shows it, so you can compare it with spend.
| Column | Comes from | Used to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Sub ID values | Your tracking link | Which campaign, state group, ad set and ad |
| Spend and clicks | Ad platform | What the segment cost |
| Leads | Summit report | How many people completed the form |
| Sold, unsold, returned | Summit report | How many leads paid and stayed paid |
| Share sold | Your calculation | Whether the segment matches buyer demand |
| Share returned | Your calculation | Whether sold leads hold up |
| Spend per sold lead | Your calculation | Whether the segment pays for itself |
Step 2: Check that the numbers line up
Before you read results, check that the two sources agree well enough to trust the join.
- Every active ad has leads under its own sub ID. An ad with clicks and no leads at all may have a broken or missing link.
- No leads sit under a blank or unknown sub ID. If they do, find the ad that sends them and fix its link.
- Clicks in the ad platform and visits you can see in your own tracker are in the same range. A wide gap points to tracking problems or invalid clicks.
- Both exports use the same date range and the same time zone.
- Recent days are marked as still maturing, since returns arrive after the sale.
If a check fails, fix the tracking before you read any results. A broken link can make a good ad look like it produced nothing, and leads under an unknown sub ID can make a weak ad set look better than it is.
Step 3: Read the sheet in a fixed order
Reading results the same way every time stops you from reacting to whatever number catches your eye. Work from the top down:
- 01
Total
Is the whole account paying? Compare what sold leads earned, less returns, with total spend.
- 02
Source and offer
Which sources and offers carry the result, and which drag it down?
- 03
State group
Within each offer, which state groups sell best? See geo-targeting by state.
- 04
Ad set and ad
Within each state group, which ad sets and ads produce sold leads that stay sold?
- 05
Change log
Do any shifts line up with a change you made? Check your log before you blame the market.
Ready to run traffic you can track to the ad? Apply with your sources and states.
Apply as a publisherStep 4: Turn patterns into actions
Each pattern in the sheet points to a guide with the next steps.
| Pattern in your sheet | What it usually means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Many leads, low share sold | Traffic does not match buyer demand for the offer or states | How to increase your sold rate |
| Good share sold, high share returned | Leads sell, then fail the buyer's checks | Why leads get returned |
| One ad far ahead of the rest | The angle qualifies readers well | How to test ad creative |
| Results differ by hour or day | Buyer demand changes over time | Day-parting for lead gen campaigns |
| A segment pays steadily over full weeks | You may have a winner | How to scale a winning campaign |
Common mistakes
- Reading lead count as the result. Unsold leads are not paid. Sold leads, less returns, are the result.
- Reading the latest days as final. Returns arrive after the sale, so recent days look better than they will end up.
- Leaving sub IDs blank or reusing them. Two ads with the same sub ID cannot be told apart.
- Comparing periods of different length or with different time to mature. Compare like with like.
- Judging from ad platform conversions alone. The platform counts form fills. Only your Summit report shows which leads sold.
- Changing a campaign every time you look at the sheet. Set a regular review rhythm and keep a change log.
Frequently asked questions
How are my leads reported?
Leads are reported by tracking link, broken down by the sub IDs you add to it. How reports are delivered is agreed during onboarding.
What is the difference between unsold and returned?
An unsold lead never sold, so it is not paid. A returned lead sold and was later sent back by the buyer, and it is deducted under the return terms agreed during onboarding.
Why do my ad platform conversions not match my sold leads?
The ad platform counts form submissions. Your Summit report shows which of those leads sold, went unsold or were returned. The gap between the two is what this guide helps you read.
How often should I review my results?
Pick a regular rhythm that fits your spend and stick to it, so each review covers a comparable period. Avoid changing campaigns between reviews unless something is clearly broken, such as a link with no leads.
Can I use other tracking options besides sub IDs?
This guide covers tracking links and sub IDs. Ask during onboarding which other tracking options apply to your account.
Related guides
Set up the IDs your report depends on.
Act on a low share of sold leads.
Act on a high share of returns.
Grow the segments your report shows are working.
Sold leads, unsold leads and returns.
Track your traffic to the ad
Every publisher is reviewed before going live. Email us your sources, target states and how you plan to use sub IDs.
Apply as a publisherOr write to team@summitleads.ai. We reply by email.
Already generating leads on your own forms? Sell your leads instead.