How Affiliate Marketing Works
Affiliate marketing generally involves a publisher, an advertiser or merchant, an affiliate program and a tracking mechanism. The publisher receives a commission when specified conditions are met. Programs differ, so always review current program terms.
Choose Relevance Over Hype
A useful affiliate article answers a real question before presenting a recommendation. Avoid claims about guaranteed income, guaranteed rankings or guaranteed results unless a claim can be substantiated and is permitted by the applicable rules.
Disclose Material Connections
When a link may generate compensation, readers should be able to understand that relationship. Disclosure should be clear, conspicuous and close enough to the recommendation to be meaningful.
Create Comparison-Friendly Content
Tutorials, explainers, checklists and balanced comparisons can help readers make informed decisions. State limitations as well as benefits when appropriate.
Track Performance Responsibly
Use tracking to learn which pages and channels generate meaningful activity. Do not collect unnecessary personal information or imply that analytics prove causation when they do not.
Explore Related Resources
Use the resources below as starting points for further research. Review each provider's current terms and disclosures before participating.
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More reading: Traffic Generation · Lead Generation · Affiliate Marketing · Tracking & Analytics · Related Blog Resource · Free Affiliate Guide