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Getting started with DiscoAds (Non-Shopify)

DiscoAds puts your brand in front of verified shoppers at the moment they've just bought something from another store, when the card is still warm and attention is high. This guide walks brands on any platform through setup, from creating your account to your first offer going live.

On Shopify? Follow Getting started with DiscoAds on Shopify instead. The Disco Shopify app handles conversion tracking for you.

Your setup at a glance​

Six steps to go live. Most happen in the platform; conversion tracking is the one to start early.

  1. Create your account and brand profile.
  2. Set up your first offer.
  3. Set up conversion tracking with postback. This is the one step that usually needs your developer, so start it early.
  4. Set your bid.
  5. Add billing details.
  6. Pass account review, then you're live.

How DiscoAds works​

  1. A shopper checks out from one of the stores in the Disco network.
  2. Disco's matching engine decides, in that moment, whether your brand is a strong fit for that shopper based on what they actually buy.
  3. If it is, your offer is shown as a recommendation, not an interruption.
  4. The shopper clicks through to your site. When they convert, your site tells Disco through conversion tracking.

You're reaching people who just demonstrated they buy in your category, not browsers. Conversion tracking is how Disco learns which shoppers convert for you, so it's what makes the matching get better over time.

Step 1: Create your account​

  1. Sign up. From the login page, choose Get started and create your account with your work email.

  2. Choose DiscoAds. On the "Where would you like to go?" screen, pick DiscoAds (advertise across the network). You can enable DiscoOffers (earn as a publisher) later too; start with one and add the other anytime. Many brands do both.

    The account chooser

  3. Tell us about your brand. Enter your website URL and Disco scans it to build your brand profile: name, logo, colors, tagline and a short description.

    Brand Discovery: Disco scans your site and fills in your profile

  4. Review your Brand Profile. Check what the scan pulled and fix anything that's off, such as the logo or tagline. Your description also gives the matching model context, so keep it clear.

    Reviewing your Brand Profile

  5. Select your categories. Choose the categories that describe your company, set a primary category, and pick at least one subcategory. Verify these carefully: they're the basis for where our recommendation model shows your offers.

  6. Confirm your brand visual assets. In your brand section, check that your logo was captured correctly and add a 16:9 banner image. We ask every advertiser for one; it's not required to launch. See Ad specs and creative guidelines.

Step 2: Set up your first offer​

See Setting up your offer.

Step 3: Set up conversion tracking with postback​

Postback is how your site tells Disco a conversion happened. Your server (or the affiliate or tracking platform you already use) calls a Disco URL each time someone converts. It's the recommended method for every non-Shopify advertiser: it runs server to server, so browser settings and ad blockers can't interfere with it.

Usually your developer does this part. The steps below are written so you can forward this section to them.

  1. Tell your Disco account team what to track. List the events you want counted (for example Purchase, Trial Start or Subscription Renewal) and which one is your main conversion.
  2. We send you two things: your account_id and the exact event names to use.
  3. Your developer sets up the postback using the postback integration guide. Each request needs your account_id, the event name and a click_id. The click_id is passed on the URL when a shopper clicks your Disco offer; capture it on your landing page and send it back with the conversion. It gives the most accurate attribution.
  4. Send us your setup before you test. Share the postback URL you've configured, the identifier you're sending and your event names with your account team. We'll check them against your account so problems surface now, not after launch.
  5. Run a test conversion with your account team. A test conversion can take up to about 30 minutes to show up.

Already use Impact or AppsFlyer? Those integrations are supported too. Tell your account team which one you use.

Can't use postback? Browser-based options (the Web SDK or Google Tag Manager) exist for setups that can't support it. Talk to your account team before choosing one. See Setting up conversion tracking.

Step 4: Set your bid​

Cost-per-click, or CPA/CPO once your conversion tracking is live. See Setting your bid.

Step 5: Add billing details​

DiscoAds bills through Stripe. Add your payment method in the Stripe billing portal, or see Managing your account, team, and billing (DiscoAds).

Step 6: Review and go live​

  1. The last onboarding step shows your Brand Profile and offer for a final check. Agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, then hit Go Live.

    Review & Terms: the final onboarding step before your account is submitted for review

  2. Account review. Once everything above is done, our support team reviews your account before your offers go live. Every advertiser goes through this review, and you'll see a banner in the platform while it's underway.

    The in-review banner: you'll see this until your account is verified

What to expect once you're live​

Once you're approved, your offer shows as active in your Offers list:

An active offer in your Offers list

  • Your campaign starts with a learning period while the model calibrates, so expect early numbers to move around.
  • Reporting is under the Reporting tab. See Reading your DiscoAds reporting.
  • Copy is the fastest lever on performance. If results are soft early, add a new offer with a fresh heading and creative. Don't edit the live one. See Improving creative performance.