Resources & tools
Affiliate marketing glossary
Understand the terms used to evaluate affiliate programmes, measure performance and manage partnerships, with what each means for publishers and what to check in programme documentation.
Commissions and earnings
Affiliate commission reversal (clawback)
A commission reversal occurs when a previously recorded commission is cancelled or deducted under programme rules. Reasons may include a refund, cancelled subscription, invalid lead, chargeback or policy violation.
Cost per action (CPA)
Cost per action (CPA) is a pricing or compensation model where a defined action—such as a purchase, lead or approved signup—triggers payment. The qualifying action and amount are set by the programme.
Earnings per click (EPC)
Earnings per click (EPC) expresses earnings relative to the number of clicks measured. The exact calculation can vary by network or report: some use total commission divided by clicks, while others report a network-specific EPC over a defined period.
Recurring commission
A recurring commission is a reward that may be paid repeatedly while a referred customer continues to meet qualifying conditions, often for subscription products. Some programmes pay only for the initial conversion or a limited number of billing periods.
Two-tier affiliate programme
A two-tier programme may reward a participant for their own qualifying referrals and for qualifying activity generated by affiliates they refer into the programme. The second-tier reward and eligibility rules vary.
Attribution and tracking
Affiliate link leakage and tracking loss
Publishers sometimes use “affiliate link leakage” or “EPC leakage” informally for possible loss of attributed revenue when links break, tracking parameters disappear, redirects fail or conversions are not credited. It is not a universally standardised metric.
Cookie duration
Cookie duration is the period for which a tracking cookie may help attribute a later action to an affiliate click, subject to programme rules and browser or device settings.
Deep linking
Deep linking in affiliate marketing directs a user to a specific page, product or destination rather than a general homepage. An affiliate deep link should preserve the tracking information required by the programme.
First-click vs last-click attribution
Attribution assigns credit for a conversion to one or more marketing interactions. In a first-click model the first eligible interaction receives credit; in a last-click model the last eligible interaction does.
Server-to-server tracking and postbacks
Server-to-server (S2S) tracking sends conversion or event information between systems through a server-side request. A postback is one way a tracking platform notifies another system that an event occurred.
Sub-ID tracking
Sub-ID tracking lets a publisher attach an identifier to an affiliate link so results can be grouped by source, placement, campaign or content item. Platforms may call the field a SubID, click reference or tracking ID.
Payments and programme terms
Commission locking period
A commission locking period is a programme-defined period during which transactions may remain pending or subject to validation before becoming approved or payable. Terminology and workflows vary.
Minimum payout threshold
A minimum payout threshold is the balance or other requirement a participant must meet before a programme initiates payment, subject to its terms.
Net-30 and Net-60 payment terms
Net-30 and Net-60 generally indicate payment is due 30 or 60 days after a defined starting point, such as invoice receipt or approval. Affiliate programmes may define the starting point differently.
Promotion rules and compliance
Ad hijacking
Ad hijacking in affiliate marketing can refer to deceptive or unauthorised advertising that uses a brand's identity, display URL or search terms in ways that mislead users or violate programme rules.
Affiliate disclosure
An affiliate disclosure tells an audience that a publisher may earn compensation when someone clicks a link or makes a qualifying purchase. Requirements depend on jurisdiction, platform and circumstances.
Affiliate link cloaking
Affiliate link cloaking usually means presenting a shorter or branded URL that redirects to an affiliate tracking destination. Implementations range from simple redirects to link-management tools.
Brand bidding
Brand bidding generally means bidding on a brand name or trademark in paid-search advertising. Programmes may restrict bidding on brand terms, misspellings, combinations or related branded keywords.
Direct linking
Direct linking can mean sending traffic straight to an advertiser or affiliate destination without an intermediate content or bridge page. In paid search, it may have a more specific meaning.
Networks, platforms and management
Putting terms into practice? Try our publisher resources or read the FAQ.