What test deposit amount should I use to check a postback?

Usually the minimum amount the network treats as a valid test action — confirm the exact figure with your manager beforehand so you do not spend more than needed. Some networks support a test mode without a real deposit at all, which is also worth asking about.

How do I know a postback did not reach Facebook?

The conversion simply will not show up in the ad account's event-testing tools, even if it is visible in the tracker's or the network's logs. That points to a problem on the second hop, between the tracker and the ad network, not between the offer and the tracker.

What if the postback arrives with a delay?

Check the conversion wait window configured in your tracker — if it is shorter than the network's actual delay, some conversions will simply be dropped. Confirm the real delay with the network directly and adjust the tracker's window to match.

Do I need to test the postback for every new offer?

Yes — even within the same network, different offers can use different postback parameters, and a working setup on one offer does not guarantee another is configured correctly. A full test before launching a new offer takes little time and rules out spending budget blind.

How to Test a Postback

Knowing how to test a postback before spending real budget saves money before the first click ever runs. An unnoticed postback error means real conversions are happening while the optimization system stays blind to them and keeps spending on guesswork. Here is the sequence for checking, from a test click through to confirming the signal actually reached the ad network.

Why test a postback before launch

Without a working postback, conversions still happen, but the ad network's algorithm never sees them and cannot optimize delivery toward real buyers instead of plain clickers. The error usually surfaces late, after budget is already spent and the stats show clicks with zero confirmed conversions. Testing the postback before launch takes a few minutes and removes most of that risk.

A step-by-step test: from click to conversion

Run a controlled visit through your own link, through the PWA, to the offer, and complete the minimal test action — a small deposit or whatever action the network treats as the test target. Confirm that the click parameters, clickid and sub-IDs, passed through correctly; they should show up in the tracker's logs right after the click. Once the test action completes, check the network's dashboard: the conversion should appear within the stated window, usually anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.

Checking S2S delivery to your tracker and ad network

First confirm that Keitaro, or whichever tracker you use, actually received the postback from the offer — visible in the tracker's conversion logs against your test click. Next, confirm the tracker forwarded it onward, a Facebook CAPI event for example, using the ad account's event-testing tools, which show whether the event arrived and with what parameters. This second hop is where conversions most often go missing — the tracker got the signal but did not forward it due to a mapping error.

Common reasons a postback does not arrive

The most common cause is a missing or incorrect clickid macro in the postback URL, which leaves the tracker unable to match the conversion to a specific click. The second most common is a URL encoding issue or a firewall or whitelist rule blocking the postback on the receiving end. A third is timing mismatch — the network sends the postback outside the wait window configured in the tracker, and the conversion simply does not get counted.

How APEX helps you keep postbacks under control

APEX supports postbacks and S2S integrations, including a Keitaro-to-Facebook-CAPI setup, with a clear log for every event, so you are not guessing whether a signal arrived or vanished en route. Custom domains with free HTTPS cut the risk of a postback failing because of a certificate problem on the receiving end. Reliable clickid persistence through the PWA install step matters especially for mobile traffic, where attribution most often breaks between the click and the conversion.

FAQ

What test deposit amount should I use to check a postback?: Usually the minimum amount the network treats as a valid test action — confirm the exact figure with your manager beforehand so you do not spend more than needed. Some networks support a test mode without a real deposit at all, which is also worth asking about.
How do I know a postback did not reach Facebook?: The conversion simply will not show up in the ad account's event-testing tools, even if it is visible in the tracker's or the network's logs. That points to a problem on the second hop, between the tracker and the ad network, not between the offer and the tracker.
What if the postback arrives with a delay?: Check the conversion wait window configured in your tracker — if it is shorter than the network's actual delay, some conversions will simply be dropped. Confirm the real delay with the network directly and adjust the tracker's window to match.
Do I need to test the postback for every new offer?: Yes — even within the same network, different offers can use different postback parameters, and a working setup on one offer does not guarantee another is configured correctly. A full test before launching a new offer takes little time and rules out spending budget blind.

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