Reference
Affiliate Glossary
Every affiliate marketing term, in plain language.
Every industry has its own language, and affiliate marketing is no exception. When you're just starting out, it can feel like everyone around you is speaking in abbreviations and jargon. This glossary is your translation guide. Keep it handy.
AffiliateThat's you. The person or creator who promotes a brand's products in exchange for a commission when someone buys through your unique link.
Affiliate linkA special URL that contains your unique tracking ID. When someone clicks it and takes the qualifying action (usually a purchase), the sale gets credited to your account.
Affiliate networkA platform that hosts many different brands' affiliate programs in one place. Examples: ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Rakuten Advertising, Impact. You join the network once and then apply to individual programs inside it.
Affiliate programAn arrangement where a brand pays creators a commission for driving sales or actions. Some programs are managed directly by the brand. Others live inside affiliate networks.
AttributionThe process of crediting a sale to the right affiliate. If multiple affiliates are promoting the same product, attribution determines who gets paid for a given sale.
Click through rate (CTR)The percentage of people who click your affiliate link out of everyone who sees it. A higher CTR usually means your content is compelling and your link placement is working.
CommissionThe money you earn for a successfully tracked referral. It's usually a percentage of the sale price, but some programs pay a flat fee per sale or per lead.
ConversionWhen a visitor takes the action that earns you a commission. Usually a purchase, but it can also be a free trial signup, a form fill, or an account creation depending on the program.
Conversion rateThe percentage of clicks that turn into conversions. If 100 people clicked your link and 2 bought, your conversion rate is 2%.
CookieA small file saved in someone's browser when they click your affiliate link. It records your affiliate ID and stays active for the cookie duration window, allowing you to get credit if they buy later.
Cookie duration (also called cookie window)How long the tracking cookie stays active after someone clicks your link. Common windows are 24 hours, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. Longer is better for you.
CPA (Cost Per Action)A commission model where you earn money when someone takes a specific action, like signing up for a free trial or filling out a form. You don't need them to purchase anything.
Direct programAn affiliate program run directly by the brand itself, not through a network. These programs usually pay higher commissions because there's no network taking a cut.
EPC (Earnings Per Click)The average amount you earn every time someone clicks one of your affiliate links. Calculated by dividing your total earnings by your total clicks. EPC helps you compare the efficiency of different programs.
Evergreen contentContent that stays relevant and useful over a long period of time. A blog post published three years ago that still gets search traffic today is evergreen. This type of content is extremely valuable for passive affiliate income.
Lead magnetA free resource (a guide, checklist, mini course, template) that you offer in exchange for someone's email address. Used to grow your email list.
Minimum payout (also called payment threshold)The minimum amount you need to earn before a program will send you a payment. Some programs send payments at $10. Others hold until $100 or more.
Net 30 / Net 60Common affiliate payment terms. Net 30 means you get paid 30 days after the end of the earning period. Net 60 means you wait 60 days. Some programs pay weekly or biweekly. This is much better for cash flow.
NicheThe specific topic or audience your content focuses on. A defined niche makes it easier to attract the right audience, rank in search results, and convert affiliate recommendations.
Passive incomeIncome that keeps coming in without ongoing active work. A blog post with affiliate links that keeps getting search traffic and generating commissions months after you wrote it is passive income. It's the most powerful long term benefit of affiliate marketing done right.
Pay Per Click (PPC)A commission model where you earn a small amount every time someone clicks your link, regardless of whether they buy. This model is less common and usually pays less per click.
Pay Per Lead (PPL)You earn a commission when someone takes a specific action, like signing up for a free trial or creating an account. No purchase required.
Pay Per Sale (PPS)The most common model. You earn a commission when someone makes a purchase through your link.
Recurring commissionA commission you earn on a monthly basis for as long as the person you referred remains a customer of a subscription product. This is one of the most powerful income models in affiliate marketing because one referral keeps paying you over and over.
ROI (Return on Investment)How much you earn relative to what you spend. In affiliate marketing, tracking ROI helps you understand whether the time and money you put into a piece of content or a traffic channel is actually paying off.
Tracking linkSame as an affiliate link. A unique URL with your affiliate ID embedded in it that allows the brand to attribute any resulting sales to your account.
UTM parametersExtra bits of code added to a URL that help you track where your traffic is coming from in analytics tools like Google Analytics. Useful for more advanced tracking once you've grown beyond the basics.