Marketing Terms

Pay Per Lead

Definition

Online advertising payment model in which payment is based solely on qualifying leads.

Information

In a pay per lead agreement, the advertiser only pays for leads generated at their destination site. No payment is made for visitors who don’t sign up.

A lead is generally a signup involving contact information and perhaps some demographic information; it is typically a non-cash conversion event. A lead may consist of as little as an email address, or it may involve a detailed form covering multiple pages.

One risk to the advertiser is the potential for fraudulent activity by incentivized 3rd-parties or marketing partners. Some false leads are easy to spot. Nonetheless, it is advisable to make a regular audit of the results.

see also: Digital Marketing Tools

Related Terms

cost-per-action (CPA), pay per click (PPC), pay per sale (PPS)

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