Cookie

What is a cookie?

We are not talking about the sweet snack here. In affiliate marketing, a cookie is a small tracking file or browser-based identifier that helps connect a customer’s activity back to the affiliate who referred them.

When someone clicks an affiliate link, the affiliate tracking system usually places a cookie in that person’s browser. That cookie stores information about the referral, such as which affiliate sent the visitor, when the click happened, and sometimes which campaign or link was used.

The purpose of the cookie is simple: if the visitor makes a purchase or completes another desired action, the business can credit the correct affiliate.

How cookies work in affiliate marketing

Let’s say an affiliate shares a link to an ecommerce store. A potential customer clicks that link, visits the store, looks around, but does not buy right away.

If a cookie is placed in the customer’s browser, the affiliate program can still recognize that the visitor originally came from that affiliate. If the customer comes back later and makes a purchase within the allowed tracking window, the affiliate may receive commission for the sale.

For example:

• An affiliate shares a product link
• A customer clicks the link
• A tracking cookie is stored in the customer’s browser
• The customer returns two days later and buys
• The affiliate gets credit for the sale, if the cookie is still valid

Cookies are one of the main ways affiliate programs track referrals, especially for ecommerce brands, digital products, and online services.