Affiliate marketing glossary
Conversion window
In one sentence
A conversion window is the period an advertiser allows between a tracked click and a completed action for that action still to count, and on most retail programs it is the same as the cookie window.
The two terms are used interchangeably often enough that the distinction rarely matters, but it can. Some advertisers run a cookie that persists longer than the period in which they will actually credit a conversion, particularly on lead and subscription programs where the qualifying event happens after signup.
Where the two differ, the shorter figure is the one that governs your earnings. The program pages here publish the attribution window that actually applies rather than the raw cookie lifetime.
Common questions
Conversion window, answered
Is a conversion window the same as a cookie window?
On most retail programs, yes, and the terms are used interchangeably. They come apart where the advertiser runs a cookie that outlives the period in which it will credit a conversion, which happens most often on lead and subscription programs where the qualifying event occurs after signup.
Which window should I plan against?
The shorter one, always. If a program sets a 30-day cookie but only credits conversions within 14 days, 14 is the number that decides your earnings. Program pages here publish the attribution window that applies rather than the raw cookie lifetime.
Does the conversion window restart on a new click?
On most programs a fresh tracked click restarts the window, which is also what overwrites an earlier affiliate's claim under last-click attribution. Where a program does not reset, it will say so, and it is one of the few terms worth checking rather than assuming.
Keep reading
More from the glossary
Every term here is written to answer one question completely, then point at the next one worth asking.
Sub-affiliate network
A sub-affiliate network is a company that holds approved relationships with affiliate programs on major networks and lets smaller publishers and creators promote those programs under its account, sharing the commission it receives.
Affiliate network
An affiliate network is a platform that connects advertisers running affiliate programs with publishers who promote them, handling tracking, reporting and payment between the two.
EPC (earnings per click)
EPC is the average commission earned per click sent to an advertiser, calculated as total commission divided by total clicks over a given period.
Cross-device tracking
Cross-device tracking links a click on one device to a purchase on another, so an affiliate is credited when a customer discovers a product on mobile and buys on desktop.
Deep link
A deep link is a tracked affiliate link that points to a specific product or category page on an advertiser's site rather than to its homepage.
Sub-ID
A sub-ID is a custom parameter appended to an affiliate link that lets a partner segment their reporting by campaign, platform, post or placement.
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