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.
An affiliate link is just a normal product URL with an extra parameter — usually ?tag=, ?awinaffid=, ?clickref=, or similar — that identifies the publisher who sent the visitor. When a buyer arrives via the link, the merchant's system reads the parameter, sets a cookie tied to that publisher, and credits any subsequent purchase within the cookie window.
The mechanism is simple but fragile. The tracking parameter has to survive every redirect between the click and the final destination. If any step in the redirect chain strips the parameter — a common failure that goes unnoticed — the cookie never gets set, and you don't earn the commission.
Related terms
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.
GlossaryManaged 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.
GlossaryCookie 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).
GlossaryLast-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.