Affiliate marketing glossary
EPC (earnings per click)
In one sentence
EPC is the average commission earned per click sent to an advertiser, calculated as total commission divided by total clicks over a given period.
EPC is the single most useful number for comparing two programs, because it folds commission rate, conversion rate and average order value into one figure. A program paying 4% can have a higher EPC than one paying 10% if it converts better or sells more expensive products.
EPC is usually quoted over 7, 30 and 90 days. Short windows are noisy; the 90-day figure is the one to plan against. It is also traffic-dependent, a network's published EPC reflects all its publishers, not what your specific audience will produce.
Worked example
Why the lower rate can win
Program A pays 10% on a $50 average order and converts at 2%. On 1,000 clicks that is 20 sales at $5 commission, so $100, an EPC of $0.10. Program B pays 4% on a $400 average order and converts at 1.5%. On the same 1,000 clicks that is 15 sales at $16, so $240, an EPC of $0.24. The program advertising less than half the rate earns two and a half times as much.
Common questions
EPC (earnings per click), answered
What is a good EPC?
There is no universal figure, because EPC is denominated in whatever the category sells. An EPC of $0.20 is strong in fashion and weak in travel or furniture. The only comparison that means anything is between two programs you could realistically send the same traffic to.
Why is my EPC lower than the network's published figure?
A network's published EPC is an average across every publisher on the program, including coupon and cashback sites whose traffic arrives at checkout with the purchase decision already made. Editorial and social traffic almost always converts below that blended figure. Treat the published number as a ceiling rather than a forecast.
How many clicks do you need before EPC means anything?
Enough that a single sale does not move it. In a category converting at 2%, a hundred clicks produce two sales on average, so one refund swings your EPC by half. A few hundred clicks is the point at which the figure starts to be worth acting on, and even then the 90-day window is the one to plan against.
Does EPC include reversed commission?
It depends on the network, which is exactly why the figure is easy to misread. Some publish EPC on pending commission and some on validated commission, and in a high-return category such as fashion the difference between the two is routinely 15% to 30%. Check which one you are looking at before comparing two programs.
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.
Cookie window
The cookie window is the length of time after a click during which a resulting purchase is still credited to the affiliate, commonly ranging from 24 hours to 90 days.
Last-click attribution
Last-click attribution credits the entire commission to the final affiliate link clicked before a purchase, which is the default model across almost all affiliate networks.
Attribution
Attribution is the process of determining which marketing touchpoint receives credit for a conversion, and therefore which affiliate is paid.
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.
Apply what you just read
Join free and check the commission, cookie window and revenue share on every program before you commit content to it.