Pay per Lead (PPL) - Sales Glossary - Upnify
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Pay per Lead (PPL)


Pay per Lead (PPL), also known as Cost per Lead (CPL), is a compensation model used in digital marketing in which an advertiser pays an affiliate, publisher, or partner for each potential customer or lead generated through a specific action, such as completing a form, subscribing to a newsletter, or downloading a resource.


In Pay per Lead, the advertiser sets a fixed price for each lead received, instead of paying for impressions or clicks on an ad. This form of compensation is based on concrete and measurable results, allowing advertisers to obtain a more direct and clear return on their marketing investment.


To implement a Pay per Lead program, the advertiser and the affiliate or partner must agree in advance on the terms and conditions of the agreement, including the price per lead, lead qualification criteria, tracking and reporting method, and any other relevant details.


Pay per Lead is beneficial for advertisers because it allows them to control and optimize their marketing expenses based on tangible results. Additionally, by paying only for qualified leads, the risk of investing in audiences that are uninterested or unlikely to become customers is minimized.


For affiliates or partners generating leads, Pay per Lead offers the opportunity to effectively monetize their audience or traffic. By focusing on generating quality leads, affiliates can maximize their earnings and build strong and lasting relationships with advertisers.


The success of the Pay per Lead model largely depends on the quality of the leads generated and the ability of both sides to collaborate effectively. It is essential to establish clear and transparent communication, as well as to implement robust tracking and analysis systems to assess performance and make adjustments as necessary.


In summary, Pay per Lead is an effective digital marketing strategy that benefits both advertisers and affiliates by focusing on tangible and measurable results. By paying only for qualified leads, companies can maximize their return on investment, and affiliates can effectively monetize their audience.



The Sales Glossary is a compendium of all the most commonly used terminology in sales strategy. Many of the concepts listed here are used when implementing a CRM system or a digital sales funnel, no matter if they are legacy systems or an online CRM. See also our blog that deals with sales techniques, marketing and sales culture.