Conversion

A Conversion is the trackable event a program rewards — a sale, sign-up, deposit, install or lead. Defining exactly what counts as a conversion (and when it 'locks' after validation) is fundamental to how and when affiliates get paid.

A conversion is the specific action a program agrees to pay on, defined precisely in the offer terms rather than left to interpretation. Depending on the model it might be a completed sale, a submitted lead form, a free-trial signup, an app install, or a first deposit. Everything in tracking exists to detect this moment and tie it to the click that produced it.

Each conversion type carries its own definition of done, and the details determine whether a commission is owed: a sale may only count once payment clears and the return window passes, a lead may require validated contact details, a trial may pay only if the user is not a duplicate. Advertisers set these conditions to make sure they pay for genuine value, and they often distinguish gross conversions from approved ones after fraud and cancellation checks. The gap between the two is where affiliate expectations and payouts frequently diverge.

For affiliates the exact conversion definition is the most important line in an offer, because it dictates how hard the action is to earn and how much of their traffic will qualify. A high payout on a difficult conversion, such as a funded account, can be worth less than a modest payout on an easy one, such as an email signup. Reading the qualifying conditions, hold periods, and reversal rules matters more than the headline commission rate.

Conversions are typically counted at a confirmation event via pixel or postback, then reconciled against the advertiser's records before approval, which is why reported and approved numbers differ over time. Common friction includes reversals for refunds, duplicate or fraudulent submissions being voided, and delays between a conversion firing and being confirmed. Tracking the approval rate, not just raw conversions, gives affiliates a truer read on what a program actually pays.