referral URL

A referral URL is a referring Internet address. It is the Internet address (URL) from which the link to the current web page is switched.

The referral Internet address (URL) differs from the actual URL and is used for web advertising control and tracking and for affiliate marketing. Since the URL differs in extension, the advertiser can determine how high the click-through rate or the number of sales that occurred through the referral URL. Thus, the URL of a banner can refer towww.amazon.com/ref=affiliate.