Affiliate Marketing vs Performance Marketing
· 3 min read
How affiliate marketing relates to performance marketing and where they differ.
Related, not identical
Affiliate marketing is one type of performance marketing. Performance marketing also includes paid search, social ads and app campaigns optimised for conversions. Affiliate marketing specifically relies on partners who are paid per result.
Main differences
- Channel: affiliates are independent partners; performance ads can be run in-house.
- Payment: affiliates are paid per result; ad platforms often charge per click or impression.
- Reach: affiliates bring niche audiences and trust; ads bring scale.
Using both
Many brands combine both. An affiliate network handles the partner side with tracking and payouts.