> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.partnero.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Affiliate & referral program terminology

> Learn essential affiliate marketing terms, referral program concepts, and partner tracking terminology. Understand commissions, attribution, cookies, and more.

Understanding key terminology helps you get the most out of your affiliate and referral programs. This guide covers the essential concepts for partner management, referral tracking, and commission structures.

## Affiliate & Referral Program Types

A **Program** is the foundation of everything in Partnero. It represents a partner, affiliate, or referral program that you create and manage.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Affiliate Program">
    A program where external partners (affiliates) promote your product and earn commissions for referred sales. Partners are typically bloggers, influencers, or professional marketers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Referral Program">
    A program where your existing customers refer friends and earn rewards. Also known as "Refer-a-Friend" programs. Both the referrer and the referred customer can receive incentives.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Newsletter Referral Program">
    A program where newsletter subscribers earn rewards for referring new subscribers.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Partners, Customers & Leads

| Term                   | Description                                                                                                                                                             |
| ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Partner**            | Someone who promotes your product in an affiliate program. Also called an affiliate.                                                                                    |
| **Customer**           | A person who signs up or purchases using a referral link. Customers are linked to the partner who referred them.                                                        |
| **Referring Customer** | In referral programs, a customer who shares their referral link with others.                                                                                            |
| **Referred Customer**  | A customer who signed up using someone else's referral link.                                                                                                            |
| **Lead**               | A potential customer manually submitted by a partner. Requires lead submission to be enabled. Leads can be converted to customers when they sign up or make a purchase. |

<Note>
  In affiliate programs, you work with **Partners**. In referral programs, you work with **Customers** who become referrers.
</Note>

## Referral Tracking & Attribution

| Term                        | Description                                                                                                      |
| --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Referral Link**           | A unique URL containing a partner's or customer's tracking code. When clicked, it sets a cookie for attribution. |
| **Referral Key**            | The unique identifier in a referral link (e.g., `?ref=PARTNER123`).                                              |
| **Cookie**                  | A small piece of data stored in the visitor's browser to track which partner referred them.                      |
| **Cookie Duration**         | How long the referral cookie remains valid (e.g., 30 days).                                                      |
| **Attribution**             | The process of crediting a partner for a referral or sale.                                                       |
| **First-click Attribution** | Credit goes to the first partner whose link was clicked.                                                         |
| **Last-click Attribution**  | Credit goes to the most recent partner whose link was clicked.                                                   |

### Referral Link Formats

```
https://yoursite.com/?ref=PARTNER_CODE
https://yoursite.com/?via=PARTNER_CODE
https://yoursite.com/PARTNER_CODE (custom path)
```

## Commissions & Payouts

| Term                     | Description                                                                               |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Transaction**          | A recorded sale or purchase linked to a referred customer.                                |
| **Commission**           | The reward a partner earns from a referred sale. Can be percentage-based or fixed amount. |
| **Recurring Commission** | Commission earned on subscription renewals, not just the initial sale.                    |
| **Payout**               | The process of paying earned commissions to partners.                                     |
| **Payout Threshold**     | Minimum balance required before a partner can request a payout.                           |

### Commission Structures

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Percentage Commission">
    Partner earns a percentage of the sale amount (e.g., 20% of $100 = $20)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fixed Amount Commission">
    Partner earns a fixed amount per conversion (e.g., \$50 per sale)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Tiered Commission">
    Commission rates increase based on performance thresholds
  </Card>

  <Card title="Recurring Commission">
    Partner earns on all future payments from referred customers
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Coupon & Promo Code Tracking

| Term               | Description                                                                                               |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Coupon**         | A discount configuration (e.g., 20% off for 3 months).                                                    |
| **Promotion Code** | A redeemable code that applies a coupon's discount (e.g., `SAVE20`). Multiple codes can share one coupon. |
| **Partner Coupon** | A promotion code linked to a specific partner for tracking and attribution.                               |

<Tip>
  When a customer uses a partner's promo code, the sale is attributed to that partner even without a referral link click.
</Tip>

## Technical Terms

| Term                 | Description                                                                        |
| -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **PartneroJS**       | Partnero's JavaScript snippet that tracks referral visits and handles attribution. |
| **Program ID**       | The unique identifier for your Partnero program, used in tracking scripts.         |
| **API Key**          | A secret token used to authenticate API requests to Partnero.                      |
| **Webhook**          | An HTTP callback that sends real-time notifications when events occur.             |
| **Outgoing Webhook** | Notifications sent from Partnero to your server when events happen.                |
| **Incoming Webhook** | Data sent to Partnero from external services to create records.                    |
| **Partner Portal**   | A dedicated dashboard where partners can view their stats, links, and earnings.    |

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is the difference between an affiliate and a partner?">
    The terms are often used interchangeably. In Partnero, a **Partner** refers to anyone in an affiliate program who promotes your product for commissions—whether they're a blogger, influencer, or business.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long do referral cookies last?">
    Cookie duration is configurable per program. Common durations are 30, 60, or 90 days. During this period, any purchase by the referred visitor is attributed to the partner.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the difference between first-click and last-click attribution?">
    **First-click** credits the partner whose link was clicked first. **Last-click** credits the most recent partner. Most affiliate programs use last-click attribution.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can partners earn recurring commissions?">
    Yes. With recurring commissions enabled, partners earn on every subscription renewal—not just the initial sale. This is ideal for SaaS and subscription businesses.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is a lead vs a customer?">
    A **Lead** is a potential customer manually submitted by a partner (requires lead submission to be enabled). A **Customer** is someone who signed up or purchased using a referral link. Leads can be converted to customers when they sign up or make a purchase.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Set up your first partner program
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Explore the API documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>