What Is Affiliate Marketing?
· 3 min read
A simple explanation of affiliate marketing, the people involved and how affiliates are paid.
The basic idea
Affiliate marketing is a model where a business pays partners (affiliates or publishers) for bringing customers or specific actions. The affiliate shares a tracking link; when a user acts through that link, the affiliate earns a commission.
Who is involved
- Advertiser: the brand that wants customers.
- Publisher: the website, creator, app or community promoting the offer.
- Affiliate network: the platform that tracks activity and manages payments.
- User: the person who clicks and completes the action.
Common payout models
Popular models include CPA (cost per action), CPL (cost per lead) and revenue share. Learn more in our guides on CPA networks and CPL networks.