Create an Affiliate Program with Circle
Step-by-step guide to integrating affiliate tracking with your Circle community platform
Circle is a popular community platform that helps creators build engaged communities and monetize through memberships. If you're using Circle to host your community and want to grow your membership base through affiliate marketing, AffiliateBase provides seamless integration.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about setting up an affiliate program with Circle, from webhook configuration to tracking membership sign-ups, subscription purchases, and member upgrades.
Whether you're running a paid community, offering tiered memberships, or selling access to exclusive content, an affiliate program can help you acquire new members while rewarding your partners for successful referrals.
Follow these steps to integrate AffiliateBase with Circle:
Set Up Circle Webhooks
https://api.affiliatebase.com/webhooks/circle
Select Webhook Events
Add Webhook Secret to AffiliateBase
Configure Commission Rules
Pass Affiliate IDs to Circle
Test the Integration
Circle Webhook Handler Example
Here's an example of how to handle Circle webhooks for affiliate tracking:
// Example: Next.js API route for Circle webhooks
import { headers } from 'next/headers';
import crypto from 'crypto';
import { AffiliateBase } from '@affiliatebase/sdk';
const affiliateBase = new AffiliateBase({
apiKey: process.env.AFFILIATEBASE_API_KEY!,
});
export async function POST(request: Request) {
const body = await request.text();
const signature = headers().get('x-circle-signature')!;
// Verify webhook signature
const expectedSignature = crypto
.createHmac('sha256', process.env.CIRCLE_WEBHOOK_SECRET!)
.update(body)
.digest('hex');
if (signature !== expectedSignature) {
return new Response('Invalid signature', { status: 401 });
}
const event = JSON.parse(body);
// Handle different event types
switch (event.type) {
case 'member.created':
// Only track if member has a paid subscription
if (event.data.member.subscription_id) {
await affiliateBase.trackConversion({
affiliateId: event.data.member.metadata?.affiliateId,
type: 'membership_signup',
amount: event.data.member.subscription?.price,
currency: event.data.member.subscription?.currency,
customerId: event.data.member.id,
subscriptionId: event.data.member.subscription_id,
metadata: {
community_id: event.data.member.community_id,
membership_tier: event.data.member.membership_tier,
},
});
}
break;
case 'subscription.created':
await affiliateBase.trackConversion({
affiliateId: event.data.subscription.metadata?.affiliateId,
type: 'subscription',
amount: event.data.subscription.price,
currency: event.data.subscription.currency,
customerId: event.data.subscription.member_id,
subscriptionId: event.data.subscription.id,
metadata: {
community_id: event.data.subscription.community_id,
plan_name: event.data.subscription.plan_name,
},
});
break;
case 'subscription.updated':
// Track subscription upgrades/downgrades
if (event.data.subscription.previous_price !== event.data.subscription.price) {
await affiliateBase.trackConversion({
affiliateId: event.data.subscription.metadata?.affiliateId,
type: 'subscription_upgrade',
amount: event.data.subscription.price - event.data.subscription.previous_price,
currency: event.data.subscription.currency,
customerId: event.data.subscription.member_id,
subscriptionId: event.data.subscription.id,
});
}
break;
}
return new Response(JSON.stringify({ received: true }), { status: 200 });
}
Why Use AffiliateBase with Circle?
AffiliateBase is the perfect solution for Circle community owners who want powerful affiliate tracking without complexity.
Native Circle Integration
Built-in integration with Circle webhooks. Automatically tracks membership sign-ups, subscriptions, and upgrades without custom code.
Subscription Lifecycle Tracking
Tracks subscription renewals, upgrades, downgrades, and cancellations. Ensures affiliates receive commissions for recurring revenue.
Multiple Membership Tiers
Support for different commission rates based on membership tier or plan. Perfect for communities with multiple membership levels.
Real-Time Tracking
Track conversions in real-time as members join or upgrade. No delays or batch processing.
Affiliate Dashboard
Give your affiliates a professional dashboard to track their performance, view commissions, and generate affiliate links for your community.
Webhook Security
Built-in webhook signature verification ensures only legitimate Circle events are processed, protecting your affiliate program from fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AffiliateBase work with Circle? ▼
Yes! AffiliateBase integrates seamlessly with Circle through webhooks. It automatically tracks membership sign-ups, subscription purchases, and membership upgrades.
How are membership sign-ups tracked? ▼
AffiliateBase tracks Circle memberships through webhooks. When a member joins your community via an affiliate link, the member.created or subscription.created webhook triggers affiliate tracking and commission calculation.
Can I track subscription renewals? ▼
Yes! AffiliateBase tracks Circle subscription renewals automatically. When a member's subscription renews, the original affiliate receives commission for the renewal, ensuring they're rewarded for recurring revenue.
What happens when a member upgrades or downgrades? ▼
AffiliateBase tracks membership changes through the subscription.updated webhook. The original affiliate maintains attribution, and commissions can be calculated based on the upgrade amount or new subscription level.
Can I set different commission rates for different membership tiers? ▼
Yes! You can configure different commission structures in AffiliateBase based on membership tier, plan, or price. This gives you full control over your affiliate program.
How do I add affiliate tracking to my Circle community URLs? ▼
Add affiliate tracking parameters to your Circle community sign-up URLs (e.g., ?ref=AFFILIATE_ID). AffiliateBase will capture these parameters and attribute conversions correctly when members join.
Do affiliates get their own dashboard? ▼
Yes! Affiliates get access to a professional dashboard where they can view their conversions, commissions, performance metrics, and generate affiliate links for your community.
Related Platform Guides
Create an Affiliate Program with Next.js
Complete guide to setting up an affiliate program in Next.js. Step-by-step integration with code examples and best practices for Next.js developers.
Create an Affiliate Program with Nuxt
Complete guide to setting up an affiliate program in Nuxt. Step-by-step integration with Nuxt 3, server routes, and composables for Vue developers.
Create an Affiliate Program with WordPress
Complete guide to setting up an affiliate program in WordPress. Step-by-step integration with plugins, themes, and Stripe for WordPress SaaS and membership sites.
Create an Affiliate Program with Webflow
Complete guide to setting up an affiliate program in Webflow. Step-by-step integration with Webflow CMS, custom code, and forms for no-code developers.
Create an Affiliate Program with React
Complete guide to setting up an affiliate program in React. Step-by-step integration with React hooks, context, and components for React developers.
Ready to Launch Your Circle Affiliate Program?
Get started with AffiliateBase today and start growing your Circle community through affiliate marketing.