Glossary of Terms

What do we mean by localization, translation, and affiliation? What's an 'ALE'?

Joey White avatar
Written by Joey White
Updated over a week ago

Localization

This is what we call it when we send a click to a specific website based on its location / country. If you share a geni.us link that uses amazon.com as its destination, and someone in France clicks it and ends up at amazon.fr, we've localized that shopper's experience.

Translation

This isn't related to language! Finding the same product in two (or more) storefronts is rarely as simple as matching the product number. We've built out a 5-step algorithm that automates the process of finding a product in another storefront. First we check the product number, then the name, then the product's metadata, followed by a generic search, etc. We call this process translation.

Affiliation

Affiliation is the process of receiving credit for a click or sale to an online store. On our end, affiliation is making sure that your Amazon (or iTunes / Microsoft Store) tracking ID is associated with a click or purchase. 

We support automatic affiliation for Amazon, iTunes, Microsoft, Walmart, B&H Photo Video, and affiliate aggregators like Sovrn/Commerce (formerly Viglink) and Skimlinks. This means that once you connect your tracking IDs to your account (via the Affiliate page) you don't have to include your tracking IDs in the destination URL itself when building links!

ALE / iLE

Amazon Link Engine WordPress Plugin & iTunes Link Engine WordPress Plugin. Once configured on your page, these tools will convert raw product URLs into globalized buy.geni.us links automatically.

Raw Product URL

Our programmatic link converting tools (Link Engine WordPress Plugin & JavaScript Snippet) can only recognize and convert links of a particular format. We convert raw product URLs, which is essentially a direct link to a specific product on the platform in question. Here's some examples:

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Burts-Bees-Moisturizing-Original-Peppermint/dp/B0054LHI5A
https://amzn.to/2L2lkEt

iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/its-gonna-be-me/303171298?i=303171383

JavaScript Snippet

The JavaScript Snippet is a piece of code that contains all the information required to convert raw product URLs into globalized buy.geni.us links. (This process is an automation of the Quick Build Format

The JavaScript Snippet is the machine inside of the ALE / iLE WordPress Plugins. If you're not using WordPress, you would install the JavaScript Snippet on your page to achieve the exact same results. You can generate a JavaScript Snippet from the Tools page of your account.


Okay, you got us. This isn't a true glossary since it's not sorted alphabetically. We wanted to put the most important info at the top!

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