They say that the military love acronyms and Def Con has become part of the language. But they are not a patch on the affiliate marketing boys who are definitely in love with initials.
Now, okay, you might be all familiar with the latest terms, but the problems with acronyms, is that much can get lost in translation.
Take SEO and SEM. They seemed to vie some years ago in becoming the term to best describe digital marketing. Search engine marketing has a nice ring to it and has indeed, become a catch-all for many people in the industry. But, arguably, search engine marketing has a wider reach although for many people, this actually refers to pay per click (mostly Adword campaigns).
Okay, that’s fair enough, but when you stray into the world of the affiliate marketing executive, then things really hot up. Take the trio of acronyms which are commonly banded around by these guys: CTR, CPL and CPA.
The first, Click Through Rate, refers to the number of clicks and the number of impressions. Cost Per Lead is a rate by which a client will pay to an affiliate for every lead generated. Whereas, Cost Per Acquisition is a rate based on a commission for an actual sale. Confused, well don’t worry, you’re not alone!
By the way, for those of you who don’t know what Def Con means (I admit it, I had to Google it), it refers to a state of readiness in terms of a nation’s defense. Or, to be more precise, a definition of the readiness of the United States Armed Forces. So there you are, you learn something new every day!