How Affiliate Marketing Works

Understand merchants, affiliates, links, attribution and commissions without unnecessary jargon.

The basic transaction

A merchant runs an affiliate program. The affiliate receives a trackable link or identifier. A visitor follows that link and may complete a qualifying action. If the program credits that action to the affiliate, a commission can be recorded.

Tracking and attribution

Programs can use cookies, account IDs, coupon codes or other methods. Attribution windows and rules differ, so never assume every click or sale will be credited in the same way.

Where content fits

Content gives the visitor context before the click. Tutorials, comparisons and reviews work best when they help someone make a real decision rather than simply inserting a link.

The next decision

Once the mechanics make sense, move to how to start affiliate marketing and choose a realistic first traffic method.