Your first lead, end to end

This guide takes you from a new Datahubb workspace to one confirmed test sale. Follow the steps in order. Each section links to a deeper article when you need more detail.

Datahubb is lead distribution software for pay-per-lead and related programs. Suppliers send leads in, a campaign validates and routes them, and buyers purchase the ones that qualify. Everything hangs off the campaign, so most of your setup happens there.

Most teams finish a first dry run in about 30 minutes.

Who this is for

• New workspace admins onboarding a first campaign
• Operators migrating from another lead platform
• Anyone who wants the short path before reading every feature article

If you prefer a longer tab-by-tab trial tour, see Trial walkthrough: first 30 minutes.

What you will build

By the end of this guide you will have:

• At least one Buyer user account
• One campaign with fields and a distribution method
• One buyer attached to that campaign
• One supplier with credentials ready to share privately
• One successful test lead visible on the lead timeline

Prerequisites

• Admin access to your Datahubb workspace
• An email address for the buyer you will sell to
• A place leads will come from (your form, a publisher, or a temporary test sender)

Key concepts in one minute

For fuller definitions, see Key concepts: campaigns, buyers, and suppliers.

Step 1 — Invite your team and create the buyer user

Open Manage Users from the sidebar.

1. Invite teammates and assign roles (Admin, Traffic Source, or Buyer).
2. Create the Buyer user account for the client or partner you will sell to.
3. Complete the invite so the account exists before you configure the campaign.

Important: you cannot attach a buyer inside a campaign until the Buyer user account exists.

Step 2 — Create the campaign

1. Go to Campaigns → + Add.
2. Enter a clear Name (for example Auto Insurance Brand).
3. Enter the Campaign URL — the page that collects leads for this program.
4. Click Create.

You land on the campaign Overview tab. Configure the rest on the editor tabs after create. Work left to right the first time, and use Save (top right) when you change settings.

See Create and configure a campaign.

Step 3 — Define campaign fields

On the Fields tab, add every piece of data a lead must carry — for example name, email, phone, zip, and state.

For each field set:

• Name — the exact key suppliers will send
• Type — string, email, phone, integer, date, and similar
• Required — on only when you cannot sell the lead without that value

Keep required fields tight. Extra required fields create avoidable rejects on day one.

See Set up campaign fields.

Step 4 — Choose how leads are distributed

Open the Distribution tab and pick a method:

Every method sells a lead to one winning buyer for that run.

See Choose how leads are distributed.

Step 5 — Add a buyer

1. Open the campaign Buyers tab → Add Buyer.
2. Select the Buyer user from Step 1.
3. Set buyer type (usually cost per lead for a first setup), delivery method, and price.
4. Save.
5. On the buyer page, run Test Buyer Integration and confirm the response looks right.

See Add your first buyer and Buyer delivery methods.

Step 6 — Add a supplier and copy credentials

1. Open the campaign Suppliers tab → Add Supplier.
2. Choose Internal (your own traffic) or External (a third-party publisher).
3. Save, then open the supplier.
4. Copy the credentials shown on that page.
5. Use the supplier's in-app API documentation for request examples.

Share credentials only with the party that submits leads. Do not paste them into public tickets or shared chats.

If the supplier is Internal and you track affiliates separately, add them on the Traffic Sources tab.

See Add a supplier and connect traffic and Traffic sources for affiliates.

Step 7 — Send a test lead

Test before you share live credentials widely.

1. Confirm the campaign has required fields, one active buyer, and one active supplier.
2. Re-run Test Buyer Integration if anything changed.
3. Send a test lead using the supplier credentials and the examples from the supplier's in-app API docs.
4. Open Leads, find the test lead, and read the timeline end to end.

Success looks like: the lead appears, status matches what you expect, and the timeline shows who was tried and who won.

See Test before you go live.

Step 8 — Run the go-live checklist

When the dry run looks clean, work through Go-live checklist before pointing real traffic. At minimum confirm:

• Campaign is active
• Buyer delivery was verified
• Caps and schedules will not accidentally stop daytime volume
• Credentials were shared privately with the right people only

Expected result

You have one active campaign with at least one buyer and one supplier, a successful test lead on the timeline, and a clear path to turn on real traffic.

Frequently asked questions

How long does setup usually take? Most teams complete a first dry run in about 30 minutes. Complex buyer integrations or multi-buyer bidding take longer.

Do I need ping/post on day one? No. Many programs start with simple direct delivery to one buyer. Add bidding when buyers are ready to compete on price.

Where do I see why a lead rejected? Open the lead in Leads and read the timeline. For patterns across many leads, use Rejection Reasons overview.

What if Overview shows setup health warnings? Fix the missing pieces it flags (often no active buyer, incomplete fields, or unset distribution) before live traffic.

Is there a longer walkthrough? Yes — Trial walkthrough: first 30 minutes covers every major tab in more depth.

Related articles

• Key concepts: campaigns, buyers, and suppliers
• Create and configure a campaign
• Test before you go live
• Go-live checklist
• Onboarding checklist