The world of affiliate marketing is vast and can often feel overwhelming, especially for newcomers. One way to simplify the learning curve is by understanding the jargon. Here’s a handy A-Z glossary of common affiliate marketing terms to keep in your back pocket.
A. Affiliate
A person or entity that promotes products or services of a company and earns a commission for every sale or action completed through their unique referral link.
B. Banner Ad
A visual advertisement (typically in the form of a rectangle or square) displayed on websites, promoting a product, service, or affiliate program.
C. Conversion Rate (CR)
The percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, after clicking on an affiliate link.
D. Data Feed
A file containing detailed information about products, often used by affiliates to display large quantities of products.
E. Earnings Per Click (EPC)
The average earnings an affiliate receives for every click sent to the advertiser’s website.
F. First-Click Attribution
A commission model where the affiliate responsible for the initial click that brought a customer to the product receives the commission for the sale.
G. Geo-Targeting
Displaying content or promotions based on the geographical location of the user.
H. Hoplink
A unique URL provided to affiliates, tracking sales and ensuring appropriate commission allocation.
I. Impressions
The number of times an ad, banner, or link is displayed.
J. JV (Joint Venture) Partners
A partnership where two or more affiliates or businesses collaborate on a promotion, often sharing revenues.
K. Keyword
Specific terms or phrases users type into search engines. Crucial for SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
L. Landing Page
A specific web page designed to convert visitors into leads or customers, often used in conjunction with affiliate promotions.
M. Merchant
The company or individual offering products or services, seeking affiliates to promote them.
N. Niche
A specialized segment of the market with a specific target audience.
O. Offer
The product or service being promoted by the affiliate.
P. Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
An advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked.
Q. Query
The actual word or string of words that users type into a search engine.
R. Referral
The act of directing a visitor to the merchant’s platform via the affiliate’s unique link.
S. Super Affiliate
An affiliate who has demonstrated high performance and generates a significant portion of the sales for a merchant or affiliate program.
T. Tracking Code
A unique string of code added to URLs to monitor user behavior and source of traffic.
U. Upsell
Encouraging the purchase of more expensive items or additional items at the point of sale.
V. Vanity URL
A custom URL that’s more readable and branded for promotional purposes, often used in affiliate marketing for better tracking and user trust.
W. Whitelist
A list of pre-approved affiliates who are permitted to promote a particular product or service.
X. XML Feed
A type of data feed, structured in XML format, providing product information or content in a structured manner.
Y. Yield
The amount of profit or revenue produced from a particular promotion or campaign.
Z. Zero-Click
A situation where a user’s query is resolved without them having to click on a search result, often due to displayed ads or rich snippets.
Conclusion
With this glossary in hand, navigating the intricate alleys of affiliate marketing becomes significantly easier. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or a newbie, keeping this list close will ensure you’re never lost in translation!