What Is Affiliate Marketing? Definition and a Concrete Example
A clear definition of affiliate marketing: the roles of advertiser, publisher and network, the commission, and a step-by-step example.
Affiliate Marketing Explained from A to Z
Affiliate marketing lets a website, a blog or a social media account earn a commission when it brings a customer to a brand. This guide lays the groundwork, then helps you choose a program, a link, a commission model and a niche.
8 articles in this section
Affiliate marketing is one of the oldest and simplest mechanisms on the web: a company pays a site that sends it customers. Simple to state, more subtle to practice. Between programs, link types, commission models and niches, it is easy to get lost or to head in a direction that does not fit your audience. This page gathers the essential landmarks and points you to a detailed article for each question.
The basics: who does what
It all starts with vocabulary. A brand (the advertiser) offers a product or service. A website, a blog or a channel (the publisher, also called an affiliate) talks about it to its audience and places a special link. A platform or network connects the two, tracks the clicks and calculates the commissions. Our article on the definition of affiliate marketing details each role with a concrete example.
Choosing your program and your platform
Not all programs are equal. Track record, payment reliability, tool quality and support weigh more than the promise displayed on the home page. We detail the criteria in our guide to choosing an affiliate program, then compare general platforms and niche networks.
Links and measurement
The link is the publisher's central tool. Knowing how an affiliate link works, where to place it and how to disclose it honestly to your readers is essential. A very common variant deserves its own article: the smartlink, a link that adapts its destination to the visitor.
Getting paid: the models
Commission per click, per lead, per action or recurring revenue share: the commission model changes how you work your traffic. Our comparison of CPA, CPL and revshare helps you decide.
A solid niche: online dating
Among the possible themes, dating affiliate marketing has one asset: recurring subscriptions. A member who stays subscribed keeps generating revenue for the publisher who brought them in. Before deciding, learn to choose your niche based on your audience and real demand.
To put it into practice with a specialized network, see our presentation of Prelinker, or go straight to the page to get started. If a question is still open, the frequently asked questions may answer it.
Keep one idea in mind as you read: affiliate marketing does not pay because you place a link, but because an audience trusts you. The work therefore lies in your content, your consistency and the honesty of your recommendations. The articles below are ordered from the most general to the most specific; you can read them in order or pick according to your needs of the moment.
All articles in this section
How to Choose a Reliable Affiliate Program
Track record, payments, tools, tracking, support: concrete criteria to compare affiliate programs and avoid unpleasant surprises.
The Affiliate Link: How It Works and Where to Place It
How tracking works, effective placements and transparency rules (rel sponsored, a notice) for using an affiliate link correctly.
Affiliate Network: General Marketplace or Niche Network?
General platforms or specialized networks: the differences, the advantages of a niche network like Prelinker, and how to decide.
What Is a Smartlink? Definition, Benefits and Limits
The smartlink explained: redirection by country, device or profile, benefits, limits, and an example with the Prelinker network.
CPA, CPL, CPC and Revshare: Choosing Your Commission Model
CPC, CPL, CPA and revshare compared: what each model means, advantages, limits and tips for choosing based on your traffic.
Dating Affiliate Marketing: Understanding the Online Dating Niche
Dating affiliate marketing: why recurring subscriptions interest publishers, which audiences to target and which rules to follow.
How to Choose an Affiliate Niche: A Five-Step Method
Start from your audience, check demand, pair a page with an offer and test before expanding: a clear method for choosing your niche.
Frequently asked questions
Is affiliate marketing reserved for professionals?
No. An individual who runs a blog, a website or a channel can sign up for a program. Depending on the scale of the income, you will then need to consider your status and how to declare it.
Do you need a website to do affiliate marketing?
A site of your own remains the most solid base, because you own it and control the content. Social networks can send traffic, but it is better to use them to bring the audience to your own site.
How long does it take before the first income?
It depends on your audience and your content. Affiliate marketing rewards steady work, not a stroke of luck: count in months rather than days.