Payment models:
how much to pay publishers and what for?
A payment model is a condition under which a publisher gets rewarded by a target action performed by a user who followed the publisher's affiliate link. The general model is called CPA (Cost per Action); models differ in the advertiser's segment and target action required.
1. CPS (Cost per Sale)
A target action here is a purchase made by a user. It includes them making an order, paying, receiving the goods, and not returning within the return period. If a reward is a purchase amount interest, the publisher gets the share of the cart amount (rather than of the cost of one product they promoted). For instance, the publisher promoted a new lash mascara, but a user also bought a powder on the advertiser's website. Therefore, the publisher will get a percentage of the overall purchase amount rather than of the mascara's cost. Works for online stores distributing tangible goods, travel agencies (flight tickets, hotel booking), and online services whose target actions is a one-time sale of a service or intangible product (e.g. event tickets, e-books, and other digital content).
2. CPL (Cost per Lead)
A lead may be called registration or request (though in some cases a lead is a purchase made). Under the CPL model, a user is required to provide personal details on the website. A registration must be qualified — i.e. a user needs to pay for the services or have an intent to do so. Most common among online services (e.g. language courses), finance programs (e.g. loan application, card issue), and subscription-based services (e.g. PC software, photo stocks, carriers).
3. CPI (Cost per Install)
Used in mobile programs: an advertiser pays for every user who installs the advertiser's app. The model implies every user is qualified. To verify user qualification, advertisers may use tracking systems to check how and how often the user interacted with the app after installation.
4. CPP (Cost per Player)
This model is used by online games: a reward is paid for every user having signed up to the game. An active player is a qualified player: the advertiser monitors how often the user enters the game after installation and what they do.
5. CPC (Cost per Click)
An advertiser pays for every visit. Data portals (e.g. online magazines) and marketplaces use it to boost website traffic. Rarely used in affiliate marketing.
6. CPM (Cost per Mille)
An advertiser pays for every thousand banner impressions (such a banner may lead to the advertiser's store or service). Rarely used in affiliate marketing.
The advertiser may pay a fixed amount for every order (e.g. $2 per loan application) or order amount interest (e.g. 10% of the purchase amount).
To determine how much to pay the publisher, the advertiser needs to evaluate their costs on attracting a customer across various channels and calculate the average value. It's required to realize how average bill affects profitability. In some cases, it's more profitable to pay a fixed amount for every target action performed. Also, the advertiser needs to compare the value against the rewards their rivals pay to publishers. The higher the reward you offer, the more publishers you will be able to involve. However, if you suppose you won't be able to compete giants in terms of lead cost, set the reward rate on — or slightly below — the market level and take advantage of other affiliate program terms.

In affiliate marketing, not just quantity of leads matters but also their quality. The advertiser's call is to offer appealing terms so the publishers lead traffic of higher quality. Usually, if these requirements and conditions are not fulfilled, the advertiser pays nothing to the publisher. Program rules are designed to protect the advertiser from publishers' fraud. What can the advertiser do to protect themselves?
The hold period finishes
After the hold period finishes, the advertiser needs to approve or decline orders. This process is called verification. During verification, the advertiser only approves the orders made in compliance with the affiliate program rules (led with the use of allowed traffic sources, bought out, not returned). The advertiser can only decline an order if the user canceled it or the publisher violated the program rules when leading the user (e.g. used prohibited traffic types or ad spaces not connected to the program). The faster the advertiser performs verification, the faster the publisher ramps up the ad program (allocating a share of space's incomes to advertising budgets).

The process when the advertiser declines qualified orders is called shaving. Shaving violates partner network rules and may lead to the disconnection of such an advertiser. The same concerns delaying verification and rewards to publishers for too long. As a result, relations with publishers will be spoiled and the program disconnected from the network due to non-fulfillment of obligations.
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Which model would best suit a children's apparel store?
Correct! If the advertiser pays an order amount interest, the publisher will be motivated to do their best to increase the average bill.
Incorrect. If the advertiser pays an order amount interest, the publisher will be motivated to do their best to increase the average bill.
Incorrect. If the advertiser pays an order amount interest, the publisher will be motivated to do their best to increase the average bill.
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What is the best publisher reward option if the target action is granting a major loan?
Miss. The most optimal option is paying for a qualified loan application. Sometimes advertiser pay for a qualified application, regardless of whether the user decided to get a loan from a specific bank (as the bank gets a qualified lead that can be converted in sales of other products).
Miss. The most optimal option is paying for a qualified loan application. Sometimes advertiser pay for a qualified application, regardless of whether the user decided to get a loan from a specific bank (as the bank gets a qualified lead that can be converted in sales of other products).
Bingo! The most optimal option is paying for a qualified loan application. Sometimes advertiser pay for a qualified application, regardless of whether the user decided to get a loan from a specific bank (as the bank gets a qualified lead that can be converted in sales of other products).
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Results
What target action should be tracked in KPIs in a game program?
Right! A KPI-tracked action must be simple and effortlessly attainable as it should reflect the user's intent to continue playing.
Incorrect! A KPI-tracked action must be simple and effortlessly attainable as it should reflect the user's intent to continue playing.
Incorrect! A KPI-tracked action must be simple and effortlessly attainable as it should reflect the user's intent to continue playing.
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What should be specified in a program that helps book a doctor appointment?
Incorrect. The user can find the full list of physicians and specialties on the advertiser's website. The average bill doesn't matter so much (as the reward is usually fixed and paid for an appointment). Meanwhile, cities of operation should be specified, otherwise, some users won't be able to get a service.
Right! The user can find the full list of physicians and specialties on the advertiser's website. The average bill doesn't matter so much (as the reward is usually fixed and paid for an appointment). Meanwhile, cities of operation should be specified, otherwise, some users won't be able to get a service.
Incorrect. The user can find the full list of physicians and specialties on the advertiser's website. The average bill doesn't matter so much (as the reward is usually fixed and paid for an appointment). Meanwhile, cities of operation should be specified, otherwise, some users won't be able to get a service.
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In which case publishers (and sometimes an affiliate network) can withdraw from cooperating with the advertiser?
Right! What traffic types to allow and how much integration will take are the advertiser's decisions which affect vaguely their performance in affiliate networks. On the other hand, approving qualified orders and paying publishers who led them, timely, are their obligation.
Incorrect. What traffic types to allow and how much integration will take are the advertiser's decisions which affect vaguely their performance in affiliate networks. On the other hand, approving qualified orders and paying publishers who led them, timely, are their obligation.
Incorrect. What traffic types to allow and how much integration will take are the advertiser's decisions which affect vaguely their performance in affiliate networks. On the other hand, approving qualified orders and paying publishers who led them, timely, are their obligation.
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