Glossary of Terminology

Brian - Technical Writer

Last edited: August 07, 2024 14:12

1x1 pixel
A pixel (short for Picture Element) is a single point in a graphic image. A 1x1 pixel is a tracking device that is one pixel long by one pixel wide and records the number of impressions generated by a particular site. We use 1x1 pixels to track all text link impressions and banners not served by us.
ACH
Automated Clearing House (ACH) is the name of an electronic network for financial transactions in the United States. We use the ACH service for its direct deposit transactions.
Active publisher
An active publisher is one who has clicked on the network in the past 30 days. Each affiliate program may be defined as active using its own criteria.
Actual commissions
The net commissions earned by a publisher after adjustments such as cancellation and returns.
Ad Network/Sub Affiliate Network
A publisher with its own network of distribution partners.
Adjusted Commissions
Commissions that are revised due to cancellations, returns, manual bonuses, paid placement fees, or other reasons.
Ad tracking
Calculating the number of impressions and click-throughs generated by ads, typically banner ads. Companies like DoubleClick serve ads on thousands of websites track those ads and then provide that information to their clients. We also track ads through to a sale so that advertisers can determine their customer-acquisition cost.
Advertiser
This is a company or organization selling products or services online that participates in affiliate marketing. Formerly known as merchant or brand.
Advertiser Dashboard
The interface that advertisers see when they sign into their account. Advertisers use the dashboard to manage every aspect of their affiliate program.
Affiliate
A person or organization running a website that partners with one or more online advertisers. The affiliate places links on its site to promote the advertiser's products or services. In exchange, the affiliate receives a commission for all valid transactions it has referred. Also referred to as a publisher.
Affiliate ID
The 11-character alphanumeric code is unique to a publisher. This can be found in your linking code, following “id=” and before “&offerid=”. Also known as the encrypted ID or tracking ID. The tracking code is not your username or SID.
Affiliate link
A special URL that contains a publisher's tracking information. When a consumer clicks on a link on a publisher's site it directs the user to an advertiser's site. It may be represented as a text link, banner, or product image.
All products offer
A commission structure in which all referred orders are paid out at the same rate. Formerly known as an All Goods offer.
Amount
The sum of the transaction.
Approval
The acceptance of a publisher into an advertiser's affiliate program. Once a publisher has been accepted into an advertiser's program, the publisher will have access to links and can start placing links on the publisher's site. In the Publisher Dashboard that advertiser’s name appears on the publisher’s Links and My Programs pages. Advertisers may choose to either automatically accept a publisher's application or manually review it before approval.
Auto-approve
A method of allowing publishers to join an advertiser's affiliate program without waiting for site review and manual acceptance.
Auto-Redirect
A method of sending a user or redirecting the user through another website or link without the user's consent. This is often associated with downloadable software applications (DSAs). This practice is not acceptable.
Automatic Approval
"See Auto-Approve"
Average Order Size or Average Order Value (AOV)
A reporting metric that represents the sum of sales divided by the number of orders.
Banner
A link type in the form of a digital ad that is available in many sizes, that publishers place on their site to promote an advertiser's product or brand.
Baseline Commissions
Baseline commissions represent commissions you have earned from the advertiser’s baseline programs. These do not include special offers and other adjustments such as cancellations and returns.
Black Hat Tactics
Techniques for violating eCommerce processes or internet security, including cookie stuffing and bidding on keyword search terms against a company's policy.
Brick and mortar
A store that exists in physical reality as opposed to an e-commerce website, which exists in virtual reality. A retail store is constructed of brick and mortar.
Browser
A software application such as Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari is used to view websites.
Cache
An area of space on a computer that temporarily stores web pages for display. This speeds up page viewing because pages are downloaded from a local computer instead of from the Web.
CAN-SPAM Act of 2003
The CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) Act of 2003 makes it legal to send certain unsolicited commercial email communications, provided that they meet all the criteria of the Act. Unsolicited commercial emails must include certain information about the sender, include an opt-out mechanism, not be deceptive or misleading, and meet other criteria.
Cancellation
Reversal of a processed transaction. Advertisers can either send these via their tracking method or manually through the Advertiser Dashboard. Cancellation reasons vary by advertiser.
Channel email
Email address associated with a publisher's marketing channel
Click-through
When a website user clicks on a link on a publisher's site and is taken to an advertiser's site.
Click-through rate
Also known as CTR, the number of visitors who click an ad on a publisher's web page (click-throughs) divided by the number of times the ad is delivered to them (impressions). For example, if a banner ad is delivered 100 times and one person clicks on it, the CTR is 1 percent. This is a common performance metric.
Clickstream
The electronic path a user takes while navigating from site to site, and within a site, from page to page.
Commission
The amount of compensation paid to a publisher participating in an advertiser's affiliate program for referring leads or generating sales.
Commissionable Transaction
A customer action, generated by a publisher, that meets an advertiser's affiliate offer terms.
Consumer promotion
Promotions that are ultimately directed to the consumer: coupons, free shipping, etc.
Conversion rate
The number of orders is divided by the number of clicks. For example, if you received 1000 clicks and 10 orders, the conversion rate is 1 percent. This metric is found in several reports and is a good way to measure program performance. Also known as orders/click.
Cookie
A small file on a consumer's computer that records information such as where the user has been on the web. We use cookies to track a customer's purchase and identify the publisher involved in a specific transaction in order to receive the commission, as well as determine whether the action occurred during the return day window.
Cookie Stuffing
The action of publishers setting tracking cookies on a site causes the web browser to produce a click on a link and set a return day cookie on the computer regardless of the (known or unknown) action taken by the user to generate fraudulent affiliate transactions. Also known as Forced Clicks. This activity may be cause for removal from the network.
Cost per action (CPA)
Also known as CPA. A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher every time a visitor to their site makes a purchase signs up for a service or completes some other commissionable action on the advertiser's site.
Cost per click (CPC)
A commission structure that compensates a publisher whenever their referred customer clicks on a link for an advertiser's offer. CPC is also an internet marketing formula used to price banner ads. Some advertisers will pay publishers based on the number of clicks a banner gets. Also known as CPC.
Cost per form (CPF)
A commission structure in which publishers are paid a set amount every time a customer fills out a form, essentially paying them for a qualified lead. Also known as CPF
Cost per lead (CPL)
A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher for every qualified lead delivered to the advertiser. Typically, the commission is set as a flat fee for each lead delivered. Also known as CPL.
Cost per mille (CPM)
Cost per mille (mille is the Latin word meaning thousand) is a commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher for banner impressions. The amount paid per impression is calculated by dividing the CPM by 1,000. For example, a 10 CPM equals .01 per impression. Also known as CPT (cost per thousand).
Cost per sale (CPS)
A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher by giving them a percentage of each sale that they drive to the advertiser's site. Also known as CPS.
Cost per thousand impressions
A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher for banner impressions. The amount paid per impression is calculated by dividing the CPM by 1,000. For example, a $10 CPM equals $.01 per impression. Also known as CPT or CPM (mille is the Latin word meaning thousand).
CPA
A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher every time one of their site's visitors makes a purchase signs up for a service or completes some other commissionable action on the advertiser's site. Also known as cost per action.
CPC
A commission structure that compensates a publisher whenever their referred customer clicks on a link for an advertiser's offer. CPC is also an internet marketing formula used to price banner ads. Some advertisers will pay publishers based on the number of clicks a banner gets. Also known as cost per click.
CPF
A commission structure in which publishers are paid a set amount every time a customer fills out a form, essentially paying them for a qualified lead. Also known as cost per form.
CPL
A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher for every qualified lead delivered to the advertiser. Typically, the commission is set as a flat fee for each lead delivered. Also known as cost per lead.
CPM
A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher for banner impressions. The amount paid per impression is calculated by dividing the CPM by 1,000. For example, a 10 CPM equals .01 per impression. Also known as CPT or cost per thousand.
CPT
A commission structure in which an advertiser pays a publisher for banner impressions. The amount paid per impression is calculated by dividing the CPM by 1,000. For example, a $10 CPM equals $.01 per impression. Also known as CPM or cost per thousand.
Creative categories
Groupings created by advertisers to help publishers better find banners, text links and other creative in both the Publisher Dashboard and through the Product Catalog data feed.
Credit Card Fraud
Any theft or fraud implemented using a credit card or any other payment method that is not approved by the true user. Advertisers are responsible for implementing measures to verify transactions. We immediately terminate any publisher that it identifies as being a conduit for credit card fraud.
CTR
The number of visitors who click an ad on a publisher's web page (click-throughs) is divided by the number of times the ad is delivered to them (impressions). For example, if a banner ad is delivered 100 times and one person clicks on it, the CTR is 1 percent. This is a common performance metric. Also known as click-through rate.
Deep Link
Links that direct visitors of a publisher's site to a specific page on an advertiser's site beyond the advertiser's homepage. An advertiser must enable this feature for a publisher to be able to build deep links.
Default creative
Creative that is displayed if an advertiser's links expire in order to avoid a poor user experience. We require advertisers to have one text link and one banner in place.
Direct Deposit
Direct deposit is a method of payment allowing publishers to receive their commission through a direct transfer into their banking account.
Downloadable Software Application (DSA)
A program that is downloaded onto a user's computer and is designed to help promote an advertiser’s offers to the user. This can include a toolbar, a bookmarklet, or a browser plug-in that is installed on a user’s computer to remind the user to take a specific action when arriving at a website.
Dynamic Rich Media (DRM)
A link type that supports advanced technologies such as HTML JavaScript, video, and more. Advertisers can automatically update this link across all publisher sites as often as needed.
Earnings per Click (EPC)
This is how much a publisher earns based on the number of click-throughs on links. EPC is determined by dividing the commissions earned by the number click throughs that generated these commissions.
Email Link
Text links with special tracking code that allows publishers to place unique links in their email communications to consumers. From a user experience perspective, there is no difference between a text link and an email link.
Encrypted ID
The 11-character alphanumeric code is unique to a publisher. This can be found in your linking code, following “id=” and before “&offerid=”. Also known as the affiliate ID or tracking ID. The tracking code is not your username or SID.
Encryption
The encoding of data in order to prevent anyone but the intended recipient from reading it. We encrypt all sensitive transmitted data, such as the numeric string of the site ID.
EPC
A metric that is used for measuring the revenue potential and link conversion. It is calculated by dividing the commissions earned by the number of clicks (click-throughs) that generated these commissions. We use earnings per hundred clicks as it is easier to read. For example, if a link received 1000 clicks, and generated 5.00 in commissions, EPC would be shown as 0.50. Also known as earnings per click.
Forced Clicks
The action of publishers setting tracking cookies on a site causes the web browser to produce a click on a link and set a return day cookie on the computer regardless of the (known or unknown) action taken by the user to generate fraudulent affiliate transactions. Also known as cookie stuffing. This activity may be cause for removal from the network.
GIF
Graphic Interchange Format, a common format for image files, is especially suitable for images containing large areas of the same color. GIF is the most common file compression format for banner ads and most other pictures on the web. Most graphic images on our website are in GIF (or ".gif") format.
Hosting/Hosted
The business of housing, serving, and maintaining files for one or more websites. Banners may be hosted by us or on the advertiser’s servers. Also known as website hosting, web hosting, and web hosting.
HTML
HyperText Markup Language - the coding language used to create webpages. The advertiser recruitment page, homepage, and newsletters support HTML.
IAB standard sizes
The sizes for banners and other creative that have been standardized by the Internet Advertising Bureau. See the IAB Web site for a list of sizes. We support all IAB-size creative as well as creative that is nonstandard in size.
Image URL
Web address of any image which can be found in the affiliate link code. This is usually different from the URL of the page where the image is found. Publishers have the ability to replace the advertiser's image URL with their own hosted banner.
Impression
An impression is a single instance of a link shown to a user.
JPEG
Joint Photographic Experts Group; JPEG is most commonly mentioned as a format for image files. JPEG format is preferred to the GIF format for photographic images.
Landing page URL
The web address of a specific web page a visitor reaches after clicking on an affiliate link.
Marketing Channel
A method for publishers to manage multiple sites as independent publisher programs. Each channel has a unique SID as well as unique website attributes, reports, and user permissions.
MID
Merchant identification number, a unique ID that is assigned to each advertiser in the network.
Nexus laws
Laws passed in a number of states that require advertisers to charge a tax on internet retail sales. Though the law differs by state, typically they require advertisers to collect sales tax when sales from publishers reach a certain level. For more information visit the Performance Marketing Association's website. Also known as affiliate tax laws and internet tax laws.
Non-Commissionable Transaction
A transaction that is ineligible to earn a commission. This may occur for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to: a transaction that is not associated with an offer, an invalid affiliate ID is detected, or if return days have been exceeded.
Offer
An offer represents the terms of an advertiser program available to publishers. Advertisers set their own offers, and these offers vary from one advertiser to the next. Offers can include commissions based on a set percentage of sales, on the number of impressions or click-throughs, or on a combination of these. You can review an advertiser’s offer terms by clicking on an advertiser’s name, from the Programs or Links area.
Order ID
The unique identifier is used to refer to a specific order. It is usually an alphanumeric value. Each advertiser uses their own order ID format.
Orders per click
The number of orders is divided by the number of clicks. For example, if you received 1000 clicks and 10 orders, the conversion rate is 1 percent. This metric is found in several reports and is a good way to measure program performance. Also known as conversion rate.
Organic Search Results
Links that appear on a search results page because of their relevance to the terms searched (placement varies by search engine), as opposed to paid search (or pay-per-click) ads.
Pay per Click (PPC)
A payment method where an advertiser compensates a publisher each time a link or banner ad is clicked.
Paid Search Ads
Links that appear on a search engine results page because an advertiser paid for placement in those spaces, as opposed to appearing organically.
Pixel
A pixel (short for picture element) is a single point in a graphic image. A 1x1 pixel is a tracking device that is one pixel long by one pixel wide and records the number of impressions generated by a particular site. We use 1x1 pixels to track all text link impressions and banners not served by us.
Pixel tracking
A browser-to-server tracking method using a 1x1 pixel.
PNG
Portable Network Graphics - PNG, like GIF and JPEG, is a file format for images. PNGs are used in a similar manner as GIFs (eg, banners), but offer greater color precision than GIFs. Older browsers, notably IE6, offer limited support for PNG files.
Premium Advertiser
Advertisers who satisfy a set of best practice benchmarks are denoted with a star symbol next to their name throughout the publisher interface.
Private Offer
An offer that is available only to a select publisher or group of publishers in an advertiser program. Typically, a private offer includes a higher percentage of sale or CPC, or other more favorable terms than the baseline offer.
Process Date
The date a transaction is received.
Product Image URL
The web address where the image of a product is located.
Product Link
A type of creative that features a product in an advertiser's inventory and takes a user to the page on which it is featured on an advertiser's site.
Public offer
An offer that is available to all the publishers in an advertiser's program.
Publisher
A site managed either by an individual or organization that partners with one or more online advertisers and earns a commission for all valid clicks, leads, or sales it has referred. Also known as an affiliate.
Report
A document showing the performance of various data points such as impressions, clicks, sales, and earnings, used to identify trends and patterns, and to improve campaigns effectiveness.
Return Days
Return days are the number of days that can elapse between a referred customer's initial visit and a return visit in which they make a purchase. If a customer makes a purchase within the return days period, the referring publisher receives a commission on the sale, even if the visitor returns directly to the advertiser’s site.
RSS Feeds
RSS stands for real simple syndication, which is a computer-readable format for syndicating information on the web. The feed itself is written using XML, which can be read by an RSS reader or application server (e.g., a PHP server) and parsed into a user-readable form or database.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Also known as paid search. The process by which advertisers increase their visibility in search engine results. This includes bidding on and winning placement for the links that appear on the top or right-hand side of a search results page.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Also known as organic search. The process by which website owners improve their ranking in a search engine's unpaid search results.
Search Overlay
Icons on a search engine results page (SERP) that are designed to flag and present offers on search results. Often this feature is activated by a publisher's downloadable software.
SEM
Acronym for search engine marketing. Also known as paid search. The process by which advertisers improve their visibility in search engine results. This includes bidding on and winning top placement for the links that appear in the paid ad sections of a search results page.
SEO
Abbreviation for search engine optimization. Also known as organic search. The process by which advertisers improve their ranking in a search engine's unpaid search results; the links that appear in the center of a search page.
Signature
Signature is an API that allows publishers to track and generate detailed reports on the commerce activity generated by its site down to the transaction level of each individual member, organization, or sub-site. Using Signature makes tracking, managing, and optimizing internal programs efficient and cost-effective for publishers.
Site ID
The site ID (SID) is a unique number used to identify different marketing channels. Our support team can use your site ID to locate your record, so include it in any communications you send us.
SKU List
A list of product SKU numbers in text format that a merchant uploads in order to keep track of publisher referrals, products, and commissions. Publishers should be sure to study the SKU list linked to product-specific offers and become aware of which products are included.
SKU number
Stock keeping unit (SKU) number is a unique identifier, used most commonly to refer to a specific product in inventory. It is usually an alphanumeric number set by advertisers.
Special Offer
Special offers can be public or private offers that are available for a limited time, or at increased commission, or for a particular product, or some combination of these.
Terms and Conditions
The agreement between an advertiser and its publishers will differ from advertiser to advertiser. publishers are bound by each advertiser’s terms when they enter into the agreement, so it is important to review these terms in each instance when joining an advertiser’s program.
Text Link
A text link is a hot link that is not accompanied by a graphical image. Publishers can use text links rather than graphical links on their sites. They are easy to use, they save download time, and they are the best-performing type of link available.
Tiered Offer
A tiered offer (or progressive tier) is a commission structure where the commission rate increases as the total transaction amount increases. Only the portion that is over the threshold of each tier is subject to a higher commission rate.
Tracking Code
The 11-character alphanumeric code is unique to a publisher. This can be found in your linking code, following “id=” and before “&offerid=”. Also known as the affiliate ID or encrypted ID. The tracking code is not your username or SID.
Trademark Bidding
When publishers attempt to gain revenue by bidding on specific words or phrases via search engine marketing that are protected by an advertiser’s trademark.
Transaction
An agreement between a buyer and a seller to exchange a product or service for a payment. Usually, this refers to placing an online order or performing a qualifying event, such as registering or completing a form.
Transaction Date
The date the customer purchased the product or service.
Typo-squatting
Purchasing misspelled domain names of an advertiser to redirect traffic. This is dependent upon a hand-typed URL being misspelled.
Web Service or API
An application program interface (API) that can be accessed over a network, such as the internet, and executed on a remote system hosting the requested services. Web services typically communicate using XML messages that follow the SOAP standard.

Glossary of Terminology

Articles in this section

1x1 pixel

ACH

Active publisher

Actual commissions

Ad Network/Sub Affiliate Network

Adjusted Commissions

Ad tracking

Advertiser

Advertiser Dashboard

Affiliate

Affiliate ID

Affiliate link

All products offer

Amount

Approval

Auto-approve

Auto-Redirect

Automatic Approval

Average Order Size or Average Order Value (AOV)

Banner

Baseline Commissions

Black Hat Tactics

Brick and mortar

Browser

Cache

CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

Cancellation

Channel email

Click-through

Click-through rate

Clickstream

Commission

Commissionable Transaction

Consumer promotion

Conversion rate

Cookie

Cookie Stuffing

Cost per action (CPA)

Cost per click (CPC)

Cost per form (CPF)

Cost per lead (CPL)

Cost per mille (CPM)

Cost per sale (CPS)

Cost per thousand impressions

CPA

CPC

CPF

CPL

CPM

CPT

Creative categories

Credit Card Fraud

CTR

Deep Link

Default creative

Direct Deposit

Downloadable Software Application (DSA)

Dynamic Rich Media (DRM)

Email Link

Encrypted ID

Encryption

EPC

Forced Clicks

GIF

Hosting/Hosted

HTML

IAB standard sizes

Image URL

Impression

JPEG

Landing page URL

Marketing Channel

MID

Nexus laws

Non-Commissionable Transaction

Offer

Order ID

Orders per click