The Complete Affiliate Marketing Glossary

Affiliate marketing has its own language of platforms, models, and tools. This glossary defines every essential term, from commission models and compliance requirements to major networks and technologies powering the ecosystem.

A

• Above the Fold

  • The part of a webpage visible without scrolling, typically delivering higher CTR.

• Account Manager (AM)

  • Point of contact at a network, agency, or platform who manages day-to-day affiliate relationships.

• Acquisition

  • When a new customer completes a defined action, such as a purchase or funded account.

• Advertiser

  • The brand or merchant running the affiliate program.

• Affiliate (Publisher, Partner)

  • Individual or business promoting an advertiser’s products or services for commission.

• Affiliate Link

  • A trackable URL unique to each affiliate, containing IDs and query strings for attribution.

• Affiliate Manager

  • Person responsible for recruitment, optimization, and compliance in an affiliate program.

• Affiliate Network

  • A platform connecting advertisers with affiliates, handling tracking, payments, and reporting.

• Awin

  • One of the largest global affiliate networks, with strong coverage in retail, travel, and finance. Awin supports advanced features like card-linked offers and flexible commissioning.

• API (Application Programming Interface)

  • A method of connecting systems, such as passing conversion data from an ecommerce platform to a tracking solution.

• Attribution

  • The process of crediting a conversion to the correct channel or partner.

C

• Card-Linked Offers (CLOs)

  • Offers tied directly to consumer payment cards. When a purchase occurs, the transaction is tracked through the card network, feeding data back to the affiliate platform.

• CJ (formerly Commission Junction)

  • A global affiliate network with strength in retail, tech, and finance verticals, providing tracking, payments, and partner recruitment.

• Compliance

  • Adhering to program rules, FTC guidelines, and data regulations.

• Consent Management Platform (CMP)

  • Tool for handling user consent around cookies and tracking.

• Cookie

  • A tracking mechanism.

    • First-party cookies are set by the visited site.

    • Third-party cookies are set by external domains and increasingly blocked by browsers.

• Cookie Duration

  • How long a cookie remains valid for attributing conversions.

• Cost Models

  • CPA, CPL, CPI, CPS, CPC, CPM, and Revenue Share structures that define affiliate payouts.

• Conversion Pixel

  • Snippet of code that records a successful action.

E

• Earnings per Click (EPC)

  • Average earnings affiliates receive per 100 clicks.

• Everflow

  • A popular SaaS partner tracking platform used for affiliate programs, sub-affiliate networks, and performance campaigns. Known for advanced reporting, postback tracking, and API flexibility.

• Exclusivity Clause

  • Contractual restriction preventing affiliates from working with competitors.

I

• Impact (Impact.com)

  • A leading partnership automation platform for affiliate, influencer, and B2B partnerships. Known for flexible commissioning, partner discovery, and enterprise integrations.

• Incrementality

  • Measuring whether affiliate traffic adds incremental value beyond what other channels would deliver.

• Influencer Affiliate

  • A creator or social personality driving conversions via affiliate links.

• Insertion Order (IO)

  • A contract outlining campaign-specific terms.

N

• Network

  • A third-party platform connecting advertisers and publishers. Examples include Awin, CJ, Rakuten, ShareASale, Partnerize, and TradeDoubler.

P

• Partnerize

  • A global affiliate and partner management platform, strong in finance, travel, and enterprise verticals.

• Postback (S2S Tracking)

  • Server-to-server tracking method that passes conversion data directly between systems, bypassing cookies. Considered more secure and privacy-friendly.

• Program Migration

  • Transitioning a program from one network or platform to another.

• Publisher

  • Another name for affiliate or partner.

R

• Rakuten Advertising

  • One of the longest-standing affiliate networks, with strengths in global retail and brand partnerships.

• Refersion

  • Affiliate and influencer platform often used by ecommerce and DTC brands for referral and influencer-driven campaigns.

• Rewardful

  • A SaaS affiliate platform focused on subscription and SaaS business models, often tied to Stripe.

S

• Sale

  • A completed purchase that triggers a commission payout.

• SaaS Tracking Platforms

  • Independent affiliate platforms (such as Everflow, TUNE, Impact, Cake, Refersion) offering flexibility outside traditional networks.

• Server-to-Server (S2S)

  • A postback method of sending conversion data directly between servers for reliable tracking.

• ShareASale

  • A long-established affiliate network widely used by small to mid-size merchants across retail and lifestyle verticals.

• Sub-Affiliate Network

  • An affiliate who operates their own network of sub-partners, such as Honey or Skimlinks.

T

• TradeDoubler

  • European-based affiliate network with broad coverage across retail and digital services.

• TUNE

  • Partner marketing SaaS platform known for customizable tracking and advanced attribution.

• Tracking Platform

  • Software that records affiliate clicks, sales, and conversions.

• Traffic Source

  • Where affiliate traffic originates, such as paid search, social, or email.

U

• UTM Parameters

  • Tags added to URLs for analytics tracking, often combined with affiliate query strings.

V

• Vanity Coupon

  • A branded coupon code tied to a specific affiliate for attribution.

• Vertical

  • The industry category a program operates in, such as retail, finance, SaaS, or gaming.

W

• White Label Program

  • Affiliate or referral platform branded for the advertiser or partner.

• Winback Campaign

  • Targeted affiliate offers used to re-engage churned customers.

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