Valid — refers to working, valid data, while invalid — refers to non-working data. The terms come from English: valid means «legitimate», while invalid means «not valid». They are used for anything that can be checked: leads, accounts, email addresses, proxies and bank cards. In conversations, these words are often used on their own: «an invalid lead came in», «lots of invalid leads». When referring to a specific lead or account, people say «valid» or «invalid».
In marketing, for example, valid email addresses are those in a mailing list that actually exist and can receive emails. Invalid ones contain typos, have been deleted or don't exist. Emails sent to these addresses aren't delivered, and if a mailing list contains too many of them, the sender's reputation suffers and their emails are more likely to end up in spam.
Valid and invalid in traffic arbitrage
In traffic arbitrage, these terms are used in two situations: when discussing leads and when purchasing consumables.
Valid and invalid leads
In affiliate program statistics, leads are divided into valid and invalid even before the advertiser decides whether to pay for them.
Valid lead — a lead that has passed the initial verification: the phone number is real, the information is filled in correctly, and it isn't a duplicate submission from the same person. Such leads move on to the next stage. In nutra and physical product offers, for example, they are forwarded to a call center, where an operator calls the customer and confirms the order.
Invalid lead — a lead that cannot be processed. This could be a nonexistent phone number, a test lead or a duplicate. These leads are filtered out immediately, and the webmaster doesn't get paid for them. In many affiliate networks, they are classified as trash.
Keep in mind that a valid lead — is not necessarily a paid lead. It has only passed the initial screening, and the webmaster receives a payout after approval, when the advertiser confirms that the customer has completed the required action.
Valid and invalid accounts
When purchasing accounts, an account is considered valid if you can log in using the provided credentials. The username and password work, the profile isn't blocked, and the service doesn't require verification that the buyer cannot complete.
An invalid account is one that cannot be accessed. There can be different reasons:
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incorrect username or password, for example, if the credentials have been changed;
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the account has been blocked or deleted;
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the service requires phone, email or 2FA verification, but access to these is unavailable.
The same terms are used for other consumables. An invalid proxy fails to connect, and an invalid card fails to process payments.
If there are only a few accounts, they are checked manually: logging into each one through an antidetect browser with a suitable proxy. For large volumes, a checker is used — a program that automatically goes through the data and shows which entries are working.
Important: a valid account — describes its status at the time of verification, not a guarantee that it will remain active for a long time. That's why you should check a purchased account immediately after receiving it. Many stores have a limited period during which invalid accounts can be replaced. Once that period expires, you won't be able to get a replacement.
