What is CPA marketing?
Q: What is CPA marketing? I've heard people talk about it, but I don't know what it means.
A: No, we're not shopping for accountants. The "CPA" in CPA marketing is an acronym for Cost-Per-Action, which, alongside Cost-Per-Click and Cost-Per-View advertising, is one of the major methods of advertising on the Internet. In fact, as Internet marketing has evolved, CPA marketing has become the predominant form of advertising out there, as it is typically the type of marketing that gets the best return for the advertiser.
Essentially, when you're participating in a CPA marketing program, you're getting paid for getting someone else to complete a defined action. You might get paid every time someone fills out a form, like a credit card application or a free membership to something. Most often, though, you will get paid when you lead someone to making a sale on behalf of the advertiser.
The vast majority of CPA marketing is based on getting a sale made, which makes the vast majority of it affiliate marketing, which we have discussed elsewhere on this site. The important thing to remember, though, in separating the two, is that while all affiliate marketing is also CPA marketing, not all CPA marketing is affiliate marketing. Got it?