With an increasing number of new followers recently, I thought it’s a good time to start with some basics. In the world of affiliate marketing, it’s essential to understand the terminology used. So, let’s dive into some common terms and their meanings and implications.
- Advertiser: These are the “bosses” who publish advertising tasks. They can be called by various names on different platforms, such as brand, merchant, or retailer.
- Publisher: In affiliate marketing, this is the role you and I play. Publishers bring customers and conversion orders to advertisers. You can also be directly referred to as an affiliate or associate.
- AM (Affiliate Manager): An affiliate manager or account manager is the person designated by the affiliate program to assist you in various matters. Building a good relationship with your AM can be crucial when dealing with an affiliate platform.
- Offer: An offer, or advertising task, typically includes details such as the advertising brand, promotion URL, targeted region, commission rate, and traffic requirements. It’s crucial to carefully read and choose offers that suit your needs.
- Coupon: This refers to discount coupons, like the “get $5 off on orders over $20” deals you find on platforms like amazon. Some platforms may not allow third-party coupons, and orders using coupons might not count for commissions, so be cautious.
- Cashback: Similar to cashback platforms on popular e-commerce sites. This is a vast topic and deserves a separate discussion. Some advertisers don’t accept orders from cashback sites, so be aware of this.
- Return Days (Cookie Duration): This is often expressed as a number of days (e.g., 30). If it’s set at 30, it means that any repeat purchases made by customers you referred within 30 days will still be credited to you.
- Payout: It simply means payment. Different platforms and offers have different payment cycles, which affect when you receive your money and your cash flow. Remember, you spend money on ads first and then wait for commissions.
- Transaction: The number of orders—no need for further explanation.
- Revenue: Your income, typically visible in most foreign affiliate programs, represents the monetary value in your account.
These are the fundamental terms you should familiarize yourself with as a beginner. However, the best way to learn is to register or purchase an affiliate account, log in, explore, and follow the process.
In my previous article about testing offers, I mentioned running two offers related to luggage e-commerce websites and blind-box clothing e-commerce platforms. Unfortunately, neither of them has generated orders or commissions so far. This weekend, I plan to increase the budget and run them again. If they still don’t perform, I’ll pause them and prepare for the next batch of offer testing.
Remember, success in media buying and affiliate ads marketing doesn’t come easy. It requires continuous testing, experimentation, embracing failures, and a never-ending cycle of learning and improvement.
Have a great weekend!