Affiliate Marketing & Ad Tech Glossary
Your complete reference for digital advertising, performance marketing, and ad tech terms. Understand key concepts like CPA, Domain Traffic, and Push Ads — all explained simply and updated regularly.
A(6 terms)
Ad Exchange
A digital marketplace where advertisers and publishers buy and sell ad inventory through real-time auctions.
Ad Network
A company that connects advertisers with publishers, offering aggregated inventory and targeting options.
Ad Serving
Technology that delivers ads to users and tracks metrics like impressions and clicks.
Affiliate Marketing
A performance-based marketing model where affiliates earn commissions by promoting products or services and driving actions like sales, leads, or installs.
API (Application Programming Interface)
Connects different advertising systems or tracking tools through code integration.
Audience Segmentation
Grouping users based on behavior, GEO, or intent for more precise targeting.
B(4 terms)
Blacklist
A list of websites, apps, or placements where you do not want your ads to appear, used to protect brand reputation and optimize spend.
Bot Traffic
Non-human traffic generated by automated systems; filtered to prevent budget waste.
Brand Safety
Ensuring ads appear in appropriate, non-offensive contexts to protect brand reputation.
Budget Capping
Setting a maximum daily or total spend limit for campaigns.
C(10 terms)
Call to Action (CTA)
The element prompting users to act, such as "Start Campaign."
Click Fraud
Artificial clicks from bots or malicious users that drain ad spend.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of users who complete a desired action (purchase, signup, install) after clicking an ad. Essential for measuring campaign effectiveness.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
Improving landing pages and creatives to increase conversions.
CPA (Cost Per Action)
A pricing model where advertisers pay only when a user completes a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up, or installing an app.
CPA vs CPC GuideCPC (Cost Per Click)
A pricing model where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad, regardless of whether a conversion happens.
CPA vs CPC GuideCPM (Cost Per Mille)
A pricing model where advertisers pay for every 1,000 impressions (views) of their ad. Commonly used for brand awareness campaigns.
Creative Fatigue
When audiences become less responsive to the same creative over time.
Cross-Device Tracking
Measuring user actions across multiple devices for accurate attribution.
CTR (Click-Through Rate)
The percentage of users who click on an ad after seeing it. Calculated as (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100. A key metric for ad performance.
D(6 terms)
Data-Driven Advertising
Using analytics and behavior data for smarter ad decisions.
Dayparting
Scheduling ads at specific hours for better results.
Deep Link
A link that opens a specific in-app screen.
Demand Partner
An advertiser or DSP seeking inventory from publishers.
Domain Traffic
Users who type a domain directly into their browser or are redirected from expired/parked domains. Known for high intent and quality conversions.
Domain Traffic GuideDSP (Demand-Side Platform)
An advertising technology platform that allows advertisers to buy ad inventory from multiple sources through a single interface using real-time bidding.
E(2 terms)
eCPM (Effective Cost per Mille)
Average earnings per 1,000 impressions across campaigns.
Engagement
User interactions such as clicks or views that indicate interest.
F(4 terms)
First-Party Data
Data collected directly from your users (e.g., website visits or sign-ups).
Floating Push Ads
Non-intrusive push notification-style ads that appear on websites without requiring user subscription. Highly visible and effective for conversions.
Floating Push GuideFrequency
How often a single user sees your ad.
Frequency Cap
A limit on how many times the same user sees your ad within a specific time period, preventing ad fatigue and wasted impressions.
G(3 terms)
Geo-Fencing
Targeting users in specific physical areas using GPS or Wi-Fi.
Geo-Targeting
The practice of delivering ads to users based on their geographic location (country, region, city) to improve relevance and conversion rates.
Gross Profit Margin
The percentage difference between revenue and cost.
I(4 terms)
iGaming
Online gambling and betting activities, including casino games, sports betting, poker, and lottery. A highly profitable vertical for affiliates.
iGaming Ads GuideImpression
A single instance of an ad being displayed to a user. Impressions are counted regardless of whether the user interacts with the ad.
In-App Advertising
Serving ads within mobile applications.
Inventory
The total ad placements available for sale.
K(1 term)
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
The main metric for campaign success (e.g., CPA, ROI).
L(3 terms)
Landing Page
A standalone web page designed specifically for a marketing campaign where users 'land' after clicking an ad. Optimized for conversions.
Lifetime Cap
The maximum total spend for a campaign's lifetime.
Lookalike Audience
Users who resemble your best converters.
M(3 terms)
Machine Learning Bidding
AI-based optimization of bids in real time.
Monetization
Turning website or app traffic into revenue.
Multi-Touch Attribution
Crediting multiple touchpoints in the user journey.
N(3 terms)
Native Ads
Ads that match the look, feel, and function of the platform they appear on, blending naturally with content for higher engagement and trust.
Native Ads GuideNative Advertising
Ads that blend into a platform's content design.
Network Fill Rate
Percentage of ad requests filled with paid impressions.
O(3 terms)
Offer
The product or service being promoted.
OpenRTB (Open Real-Time Bidding)
Standard protocol for automated programmatic buying.
Optimization
Adjusting bids, targeting, and creatives to improve results.
P(6 terms)
Payout
The amount an affiliate earns for each conversion or action completed. Can be fixed (e.g., $5 per lead) or percentage-based (e.g., 30% revenue share).
Pixel
A tracking code used to record conversions.
Popunder Ads
Ads that open in a new browser window behind the current page. Discovered when the user closes or minimizes their active window.
Popunder Campaign GuidePostback URL
Server-to-server tracking link for affiliate conversions.
Programmatic Advertising
Automated ad buying via software platforms.
Push Notifications
Browser-based notifications sent to users who have opted in. Appear directly on desktop or mobile devices, even when the browser is closed.
Push Ads GuideR(5 terms)
Reach
The total number of unique users who see an ad.
Retargeting
Showing ads to users who have previously visited your website or interacted with your content, increasing the chance of conversion.
ROI (Return on Investment)
A measure of profitability calculated as (Revenue - Cost) ÷ Cost × 100. Essential metric for evaluating campaign success.
RTB (Real-Time Bidding)
An automated auction process where ad impressions are bought and sold in real-time, typically in milliseconds as a page loads.
S(3 terms)
Segmentation
Dividing audiences by device, GEO, or OS for precise optimization.
Smart Bidding
Automated bid adjustment based on performance signals.
SSP (Supply-Side Platform)
Technology that allows publishers to sell their ad inventory to multiple ad exchanges, networks, and DSPs simultaneously.
T(5 terms)
Telegram Ads
Sponsored messages displayed in large public Telegram channels. Emerging ad format with high engagement rates in specific markets.
Telegram Ads GuideTime to Conversion (TTC)
How long it takes a user to convert after clicking an ad.
Tracking Template
A structured URL for analytics tracking.
Traffic Arbitrage
Buying low-cost traffic and redirecting it to higher-paying offers.
Traffic Source
The platform or network where ad impressions originate, such as search engines, social media, ad networks, or direct navigation.
U(2 terms)
User Acquisition (UA)
Getting new app or platform users through paid campaigns.
UTM Parameters
URL tags for tracking campaign data in analytics tools.
V(4 terms)
Vertical
Offer category or niche (e.g., Dating, VPN, Finance).
Video Ads
Promotional content in video format, including in-stream, out-stream, and pre-roll placements. Highly engaging for storytelling and demonstrations.
Video Ads Marketing GuideViewability
Percentage of ad impressions actually visible on screen.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
Privacy and security software that encrypts internet connections. A popular vertical for affiliate marketers promoting utility software.
VPN Traffic GuideW(3 terms)
Whitelist
A curated list of approved websites, apps, or placements where your ads can appear. Used to ensure quality and brand safety.
Win Rate
Ratio of successful ad bids to total bids submitted.
Workflow Automation
Using scripts or AI to manage campaigns automatically.
Z(1 term)
Zero-Click Traffic
Direct visitors from parked domains who reach offers without clicking ads — high intent and conversion-ready.
Zero-Click GuideReady to apply these terms in action?
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