Yes, when tracking clicks for affiliate products, it's beneficial to keep both a combined list of all clicks and a separate product-specific list. This allows for comprehensive analysis of overall performance and detailed insights into individual product performance.

Here's why you need both:

Combined Click List:

  • Overall Performance:

    A combined list provides a holistic view of your affiliate marketing efforts. You can see the total number of clicks generated, which can be a key indicator of your overall reach and engagement.

  • Traffic Trends:

    By tracking clicks over time, you can identify trends and patterns in your traffic. For example, you might see a spike in clicks during certain promotions or periods.

  • Platform-Wide Effectiveness:

    If you're promoting products across different platforms, a combined list helps you see which platforms are most effective in driving traffic. 

Product-Specific Click List:

  • Product Performance:

    This list allows you to see how each individual product is performing. You can see which products are generating the most clicks and, ideally, sales.

  • Targeted Optimization:

    By understanding which products are performing well, you can optimize your content and promotions to focus on those products.

  • Content Strategy:

    Knowing which products are popular can inform your content strategy. You can create more content around those products to capitalize on their popularity. 

How to Implement:

  1. Dedicated Tracking: Use a tracking system (e.g., Google Analytics, a dedicated affiliate tracking tool) that allows you to track clicks at both the combined and product level.
  2. Affiliate Links: Use unique affiliate links for each product you promote.
  3. Data Analysis: Regularly analyze the data from both lists to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth. 

By combining these two approaches, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your affiliate marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions to improve your results.