Here are the most common types of affiliate partnerships:
- Content partner: The partner creates content, such as blog posts or product guides, to tell consumers about a brand’s products or services.
- Coupons and deals: The partner promotes a brand by offering discount codes or highlighting promotional deals.
- Affiliate tools: Tools that act as sub-affiliate networks and give sub-affiliate partners ways to easily monetize their content (e.g., VigLink, Skimlinks, etc.).
- Mobile app affiliate: The partner uses their app to drive traffic to a brand’s website/app.
- Email marketer: The partner engages with its email audience to promote a brand.
- Social media influencers and communities: These partners use social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to tell their audience about a brand.
- Directories: These partners have data-feed-driven websites and usually surface product or price comparisons.
- Loyalty, rewards, and cashback: These partners give consumers a cut of their affiliate commissions in the form of cashback or loyalty rewards.
- Paid search affiliate: The partner bids on paid search terms to drive traffic to a brand’s website.
- Pay-per-call partners: These partners prompt consumers to call a brand. The brand tracks the calls and accordingly awards the partners credit.
- Toolbars: Toolbar partners have browser extensions that allow consumers to apply promo codes or automatically check for cashback.
- Vloggers: Video bloggers promote a brand in their video blogs. Examples include product unboxings or product video reviews.
- B2B: Brands may partner with other brands to form strategic brand-to-brand