What it means
In affiliate marketing, impression a single instance of an affiliate link or banner being displayed to a visitor. Impressions are the broadest metric and the starting point for calculating CTR.
Why it matters
Whether you're launching a new affiliate program or scaling an existing one, understanding impression helps you make better decisions about commission structures, partner recruitment, and growth tactics. Most SaaS founders run into this concept early and benefit from a clear mental model before they start building.
See also
Related terms in the affiliate marketing glossary that connect to impression:
- In-App Referral -- A referral mechanism built directly into a product's user interface, allowing existing customers to share referral li...
- Last-Click Attribution -- An attribution model that credits the last affiliate whose link a customer clicked before converting. This is the mos...
- Lead -- A potential customer who has shown interest by taking a qualifying action, such as submitting a form, signing up for ...