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NewsBreak Postback Integration FAQ

  • Updated
Metric Requirement
Estimated Time 5–10 mins (verification) | 30–90 mins (full implementation)
Required Tools
  1. NewsBreak Ad Manager
  2. Tracking Platform (e.g., Voluum, RedTrack) or backend logs
  3. Google Chrome (Recommended)
Goal Enable Server-to-Server (S2S) communication to report conversion data.

What is a Postback?

A postback is a server-to-server method for sending conversion events from your backend or tracking platform back to NewsBreak. It’s used to track web conversion events and support optimization. 

1. Pre-Setup Checklist

Before you begin, ensure you have the following three components ready:

  1. A NewsBreak Postback Event: Created in Ad Manager → Tools → Event Management. Choose "Postback" as the tracking type.

  2. The Callback Macro: You must append __CALLBACK_PARAM__ to your landing page URL so NewsBreak can inject a unique Click ID. Additional information can be found in Section 2 (below).

  3. A Supported Tracker: A system to store that Click ID and "fire" it back to NewsBreak upon conversion (e.g., RedTrack, Voluum, Everflow, Clickflare, ClickBank, or a custom backend).

2. Understanding the "Callback Parameter"

The __CALLBACK_PARAM__ is a placeholder (macro). When a user clicks your ad, NewsBreak replaces this placeholder with a unique string (e.g., nvss_12345).

Where to put it:

Add it to your Landing Page URL in the Ad Manager. Most advertisers use the key newsbreak_cid.

Example URL Format:

https://yourdomain.com/?newsbreak_cid=__CALLBACK_PARAM__&campaign_id=__CAMPAIGN_ID__

[!IMPORTANT]

Your tracking platform must be configured to capture the value passed via newsbreak_cid and store it for later use.

Another example landing page URL : https://test.yourdomain.com/landing-page/?newsbreak_cid=__CALLBACK_PARAM__&OS=__OS__&CAMPAIGN_ID=__CAMPAIGN_ID__&CAMPAIGN_NAME=__CAMPAIGN_NAME__&FLIGHT_ID=__FLIGHT_ID__&FLIGHT_NAME=__FLIGHT_NAME__&CREATIVE_ID=__CREATIVE_ID__&CREATIVE_NAME=__CREATIVE_NAME__

3. The Postback Endpoint & Parameters

When a conversion occurs, your server must send a request to the NewsBreak endpoint.

Base URL:

https://business.newsbreak.com/tracking/attribute?callback=<CLICK_ID>&event_type=<EVENT_TYPE>&nb_value=<CONVERSION_VALUE>

Parameter Required? Description
callback= Yes The unique Click ID captured from the initial click (e.g., nvss_abc123).
event_type= Yes Must match the event name created in Ad Manager exactly (e.g., complete_payment).
nb_value= Optional The numeric value of the conversion. Use only if "Event Value" is enabled. This parameter must be a numeric value. Text or string values are not supported.

You should use the value generated from __CALLBACK_PARAM__after the click occurs, not hardcode the macro itself.

Different tracking platforms use different parameter names or macros to reference the click ID. Be sure to follow the instructions in the NewsBreak Help Center, which provide platform-specific guidance on how to map and pass the correct click ID macro for each supported tracking platform.

 

4. Testing Your Integration

The NewsBreak test tool verifies that your server can successfully talk to ours. The testing tool is located in the NewsBreak ads manager. To access: NewsBreak Ad Manager → Tools → Event Management → Web Events/App Events → Create/test event → Postback (bottom of the page).

 

 

Note: The test will continue to show “loading” or “not passed” until NewsBreak successfully receives a postback request containing a valid test click ID.

How to Run the Test

  1. Enter URL: Paste your landing page URL (including the macro) into the test field and click "Go test."

    • The test landing page URL includes the callback macro: newsbreak_cid=__CALLBACK_PARAM__
    • The landing page URL entered in the test field contains no spaces.
    • The postback setup in your tracking platform is complete, and the event_type exactly matches the event configured in NewsBreak (event names are case-sensitive).

  2. Trigger Event: NewsBreak will open your link with a test ID. You must then:

    • Perform the conversion action on the page (e.g., buy something), OR

    • Manually trigger the postback from your tracker using that specific test ID.

  3. Verification: The test will status will change from "loading" to "passed" once NewsBreak receives the signal.

[NOTE]

If your tracker cannot fire test API calls, you can use a tool like Postman to manually send the request as a last resort.

5. Troubleshooting: Why is my test not passing?

If the test remains in the "loading" state, NewsBreak has not yet received a valid request. Check these common issues:

  • Macro Errors: Ensure __CALLBACK_PARAM__ is spelled correctly and not double-encoded.

  • Hardcoded Macros: Ensure your tracker is sending the resolved value (the ID) and not the literal text __CALLBACK_PARAM__.

  • Case Sensitivity: event_type must match your NewsBreak settings exactly. Purchase is not the same as purchase.

  • URL Formatting: Ensure there are no spaces in the URL field. Spaces will break the test generation.

  • Persistence: Verify that your tracker is actually saving the Click ID when the user first lands on your site.

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