5 Affiliate Marketing Terms You Should Know: Part 2

1. Attribution

Definition: Attribution is a way for Merchants to commission Affiliates based on customer behavior leading up to a product purchase. Looking at all the ways a customer interacts with a site prior to a sale allows for Merchants to attribute different commission values based on consumer behavior. Attribution helps Merchants analyze data by showing the what, where, when and why of each customer journey. ShareASale’s Attribution Solution lets Merchants fully customize their payouts to each affiliate channel based on the value that it brings to their brand.

Learn more about Conversion Lines – our Attribution solution!

2. Cookies

Definition: Cookies are delicious baked goods….just kidding! In reference to the internet, cookies are small text files sent from a website to the user’s web browser and are stored there to help record activity. Cookies allow affiliate networks or tracking solutions, such as ShareASale, to get information about each sale, by sending the date, time, and user. Cookies allow us to determine if and when a sales goes through because of an affiliates’ efforts, and therefore helping us to commission the correct Affiliate for the transaction.

3. Co-branded Page

Definition: In order to easily recruit new Affiliate partners, each Merchant on the ShareASale network is encourage to take full advantage of their co-branded page. This page is a custom landing page for Merchants to put onto their website or send directly to influencers. Along with program bios, the co-branded page is your first impression to potential partners. It allows Affiliates to quickly and easy join a Merchant’s Affiliate Program.

Set up your co-branded page!

4. OPM

Definition: OPM stands for Outsourced Program Manager and is also referred to as an Agency or Affiliate Manager. When brands aren’t able to manage their affiliate program in-house or if they want the added expertise, hiring an OPM is the perfect solution. Letting an agency handle the day-to-day of your affiliate program can have tons of added benefits – they often already have relationships with affiliate partners, they are familiar with network platforms, and they can provide insights from past experiences and successes with other clients.

Learn more about the benefits of working with an OPM.

5. API

Definition: Application Programming Interface is a way for one website or software to interact easily with another. With ShareASale, both Merchants and Affiliates can use the API to update or grab new creatives, edit/void/insert/locate past transactions, or request any report that would normally require a login. Automating these tasks will free up time to focus on other tasks!