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Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing rewards a partner for sending visitors or customers who complete a defined action.
Start with email. Share the page or your question, and we will answer clearly.
A recommendation, a sale, and a commission.
A book reviewer links to a novel in an online bookshop. A reader follows the link and buys it. If that purchase qualifies under the shop’s affiliate agreement, the reviewer earns a commission.
The shop supplies the product, the reviewer introduces it to readers, and the programme records which purchases qualify. A referral link alone does not establish that every later purchase will earn a commission; the programme’s rules decide that.
Five checks before a partner starts
1. Define a qualifying sale
Write down which orders qualify, how the commission is calculated, when it becomes payable, and how cancellations or returns affect it. For the bookshop, distinguish an order placed from an order accepted for commission.
2. Read the partner’s work
Read several reviews and follow their links. Check whether the writer explains who a book suits, supports opinions with specific details, and corrects outdated availability. A large audience alone does not show a good fit.
3. Test the referral path
Use the programme’s test method to follow a partner link to the intended product and check the recorded referral. Confirm what happens with a discount code or a later visit. Explain any limits the programme has documented.
4. Reconcile the orders
Compare the affiliate report with actual order records. Investigate duplicate entries, cancelled purchases, and unexplained differences before approving commissions.
5. Review the recommendation
Check the visible recommendation and its payment disclosure together. For the book example, do not let a partner imply they read a book they have not read, invent an award, or promise delivery the shop cannot provide.
Common questions about affiliate marketing
Back to the dictionary.
Is an affiliate the seller?
In the book-review example, the bookshop takes the order and supplies the book. The reviewer introduces the customer. Make clear who handles delivery, returns, and customer questions so readers do not have to guess.
How should the commission be disclosed?
Use plain words close to the recommendation, for example: “If you buy through this link, this site may earn a commission.” Readers should understand the payment relationship before they act.
For US-facing endorsements, the FTC’s affiliate-link guidance explains clear, conspicuous disclosure and why “affiliate link” alone may be unclear. Check the advertising rules that apply to your audience; this example is not a universal disclosure template.
What if two partners refer the same customer?
Check the programme’s attribution rules: these determine which referral receives credit. Agree how referral links, discount codes, later visits, and the qualifying time period interact before partners promote the offer. Do not promise a payment that the programme cannot record.
Do more reported sales prove the programme is working?
First match the reported sales to valid orders and remove cancellations or returns according to the agreement. Then compare commissions and programme fees with what remains from those orders after fulfilment costs. Referral credit does not by itself prove that a customer would otherwise have bought nothing.
Can customers follow the recommendation with confidence?
Send the partner page and the product page it links to. We can check whether the recommendation, payment disclosure, and purchase details give readers the information they need.