Reference/Glossary

Affiliate marketing, defined.

Plain-language definitions of the terms creators actually run into. Two paragraphs each, no jargon, internal links to the deeper coverage.

5 terms

Affiliate link

A URL that contains a tracking parameter identifying you as the referrer, so the merchant can credit you a commission when the click converts to a sale.

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A platform that aggregates affiliate programs from many merchants in one place. Acts as the intermediary tracking clicks, attributing sales, and paying out commissions. Examples: Awin, Amazon Associates, Daisycon, Impact, ShareASale.

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Affiliate tag

The unique identifier inside an affiliate URL that tells the network which publisher to credit. Different networks call it different names but the function is the same.

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ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)

The 10-character product identifier Amazon uses internally for every product. Found in product URLs as amazon.com/dp/B0XXXXXXXX. ASINs are supposed to be permanent but get reassigned more often than creators expect.

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Attribution window

The full timeframe during which a conversion can still be attributed to an earlier touchpoint. Broader than the cookie window in that it includes server-side and cross-device attribution mechanisms that operate beyond browser cookies.

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2 terms

Click ID

A unique identifier the affiliate network assigns to each click on your affiliate link. Used for server-to-server (S2S) postback tracking when browser cookies are unreliable, and for forensic debugging of missed conversions.

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Cookie window

The timeframe between a visitor clicking your affiliate link and completing a purchase, during which the network will credit you the commission. Varies by program, from 24 hours (Amazon) to 30+ days (most other networks).

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1 term

EPC (earnings per click)

A standard affiliate-marketing metric: total commissions earned divided by total clicks sent. Used to compare program profitability or content effectiveness across affiliate links.

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1 term

FTC Endorsement Guides

The US Federal Trade Commission rules governing how creators must disclose paid relationships, including affiliate partnerships. Last major update was June 2023, with significant tightening on hashtag-only disclosures.

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2 terms

Last-click attribution

The model affiliate networks use to credit commissions: whoever was the last affiliate to send a visitor before they purchased gets the commission, regardless of who introduced them to the product.

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Link cloaking

The practice of replacing an ugly affiliate URL with a clean, brand-friendly URL on your own domain that redirects to the affiliate destination. Originated in WordPress plugins like ThirstyAffiliates and Pretty Links.

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1 term

Managed URL

A redirect URL on a domain you control that points to your underlying affiliate URL. Update the destination in one place; every platform using the managed URL reflects the change instantly.

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3 terms

SiteStripe

Amazon Associates' browser-toolbar tool that generates an affiliate link for any Amazon page you're viewing while logged into the Associates dashboard. The standard way US/EU Amazon affiliates create new links in 2026.

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Soft 404

A page that returns HTTP status 200 OK but actually shows error content. "currently unavailable," "out of stock," or similar. Looks healthy to status-code checkers; doesn't convert for buyers.

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Sub-ID

An optional label appended to an affiliate URL that lets you attribute conversions to a specific placement, content piece, or campaign. Every major network supports them; almost no creators use them well.

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1 term

UTM parameters

A set of query-string tags (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content, utm_term) that Google Analytics and similar tools use to attribute traffic to specific marketing efforts. Layered on top of affiliate tracking, not in place of it.

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1 term

Zero-click search

A search where the user gets the answer they need directly inside the search results page (or AI chatbot interface) without clicking through to any external website. The dominant pattern in 2026, accounting for ~60% of all search sessions.

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1 term

301 vs 302 redirect

Two HTTP redirect status codes with different caching implications. 301 = permanent (browsers cache it and skip the redirect on future requests). 302 = temporary (browsers re-fetch every time). For affiliate redirects, always use 302.

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Affiliate marketing, defined.

Affiliate link

Affiliate network

Affiliate tag

ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)

Attribution window

Click ID

Cookie window

EPC (earnings per click)

FTC Endorsement Guides

Last-click attribution

Link cloaking

Managed URL

SiteStripe

Soft 404

Sub-ID

UTM parameters

Zero-click search

301 vs 302 redirect

Have 10 affiliate links? Start monitoring them free.