Attribution Window
TL;DR – An attribution window is the defined period of time during which a conversion can be credited to a publisher after a user interacts with their affiliate link. If a qualifying action — a purchase, a sign-up, an install — happens within this window, the publisher earns a commission. If it happens outside the window, no commission is earned. In affiliate marketing, the attribution window and the cookie period are closely related — and often refer to the same thing.
What Is an Attribution Window?
An attribution window is the time boundary that determines whether a conversion is credited to a particular marketing touchpoint — in affiliate marketing, to the publisher whose link the user clicked.
When a user clicks an affiliate link, a window opens. If the user completes the qualifying action before the window closes, the conversion is attributed to that publisher and a commission is earned. Once the window expires, any subsequent action by the same user — even if directly influenced by the original click — is no longer counted.
The concept of an attribution window comes from the broader marketing world, where it is used across all performance channels: paid search, display advertising, social media ads, and email. In affiliate marketing specifically, the attribution window is most commonly implemented via cookie duration — the lifespan of the tracking cookie placed on the user’s browser at the moment of the click.
In practice on Involve Asia: For most offers, the attribution window and the cookie period are the same number — both refer to how long after a click a conversion can be attributed. A 30-day cookie period means a 30-day attribution window. The terms are used interchangeably in the context of standard cookie-based tracking.
Related Terms: Cookie Period · Conversion · Validation · CPS (Cost Per Sale) · Affiliate Link · EPC (Earnings Per Click)
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