Passalong

Passalong is a term used as both a verb phrase and a noun, referring to the act of handing something or information from one person to another, and to the thing that is passed along. In general usage, it describes transmission or redistribution, whether of objects, messages, or media.

In media and marketing, passalong (often written pass-along) denotes the number of additional people who are exposed to content beyond the original recipient. Passalong readership or passalong rate estimates how widely a publication, ad, or digital item is read or viewed beyond its primary purchaser or recipient. For example, a magazine with a high passalong rate has copies that are read by multiple people in households, offices, or waiting rooms. The rate is typically expressed as the ratio of passalong readers to total circulation and is used to gauge overall reach and advertiser value.

In digital contexts, passalong effects describe how content is shared, forwarded, or recommender-driven, increasing reach beyond initial impressions. Marketers track passalong metrics alongside metrics like impressions, clicks, and engagement to assess diffusion and virality.

The term also appears in libraries, nonprofits, and consumer programs to describe the redistribution of donated or promotional items as they move from primary recipients to additional beneficiaries or users.

Etymology: passalong derives from the phrasal verb pass along; the one-word form passalong is common in industry jargon, especially in marketing, publishing, and circulation contexts.