Affiliate marketing
partner marketingAffiliate marketing is a model where a partner recommends your product and earns a commission on the sales or leads they produce. Tracking runs on unique links, and payment is based on results, not visibility.
Good to know
The model’s appeal is its low risk: the commission is paid only on a realised sale, so the partner network is like a commission-based sales field. The flip side is lighter control: partners choose what and how they promote, so rules, brand guidelines and monitoring must be built into the agreements.
A working programme needs an attractive commission and a converting site: partners send traffic where it turns into money for them too. Typical commissions are 5–20 % of a sale in e-commerce and a fixed sum per lead in services. Partner quality needs watching: bidding on your brand terms and misleading promises are banned in the contract.
IN PRACTICE
The building blocks of an affiliate programme
The commission model
A percentage of the sale or a fixed sum per lead, the cookie window and the rules. The commission must survive the margin maths.
Tracking and platform
Unique links, a network or your own software, and reporting for partners. Reliable measurement is the programme’s backbone.
Partner recruitment
Creators, comparison sites and industry voices whose audience is your buyers. Quality before quantity.
PITFALLS
Two affiliate mistakes
A programme without rules
Without limits a partner can bid on your brand searches and collect commissions on sales that would have come anyway. The rules go in the contract.
Last click rewards wrongly
A coupon site snatches the commission on a sale your other marketing built. Attribution rules and partner-type evaluation belong in the programme.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Frequently asked questions
What does affiliate marketing cost?+
Commissions are paid on results: typically 5–20 % of a sale or an agreed sum per lead. On top come network or software fees and the work of running the programme.
How does affiliate differ from influencer collaboration?+
Affiliate pays for the result, influencer work usually for content and visibility. The models also combine: a fixed fee plus commission for the creator.
Does affiliate suit a service business?+
Lead-based, yes: the partner earns on a quote request or a booked meeting. It requires a clear lead definition and quality control.
Do I need an affiliate network?+
A network brings partners and the technology ready-made for a fee. Your own programme is cheaper but needs recruitment work; starting in a network is usually easier.
How do I prevent commission abuse?+
Contract terms (no brand bidding, no misleading claims), a defined cookie window and attribution, and validating sales before payout.
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Maintained by the VSCY editorial team · Updated 6 Aug 2026 · Part of the marketing glossary (99 terms)
