Sneha Jasrasaria Quick answer
In affiliate marketing, partners such as deal sites, cashback apps, content sites, creators and communities promote your brand using tracked links or codes, and you pay them a commission per sale, lead or sign-up. It is low risk because you pay for results, and it scales quickly during launches and sale seasons.
Key takeaways
- You pay for results, not impressions
- Tracked links and codes show what each partner drives
- Daily optimisation moves budget to the best partners
- Watch for low-quality or fraudulent traffic
How it works
- You set the offer and commission.
- Partners promote with unique links or codes.
- Every sale or lead is tracked to a partner.
- You pay only for verified results.
Types of affiliate partners
| Partner | Good for |
|---|---|
| Coupon and cashback sites | E-commerce sales |
| Deal and tech review sites | Launches |
| Content and recipe sites | FMCG and food |
| Creators and communities | Trust and niche reach |
| Education networks | Contests and courses |
| Auto and finance portals | Test drives and loans |
Our affiliate campaigns
- Nescafe: 25,000+ affiliate-driven orders, 4.2x return on ad spend, 38% new-to-brand buyers.
- OnePlus: 9,000+ units sold via affiliates in a launch window.
- Tata contest: 55,000+ registrations at ₹22 per registration.
- Nissan: 6,000+ test-drive leads, 72% verified.
Running it well
- Clear commission and payment terms.
- Landing pages built for each offer.
- Lead verification before payment.
- Daily partner reviews and budget shifts.
Pitfalls
- Coupon leaks to unintended sites.
- Fake leads or bot traffic.
- Paying for sales that would have happened anyway.
Setting commission rates
Your commission must leave profit after the sale. Work backwards:
- Average order value.
- Gross margin.
- Other costs: shipping, returns, payment fees.
- The share you can give partners while staying profitable.
Higher commissions attract better partners, but only if the maths works. Some brands pay more for new customers than for repeat ones.
Tracking basics
- Unique links and codes per partner.
- A tracking window, such as sales within a set number of days of a click.
- Clear rules on which partner gets credit when several are involved.
- Regular reconciliation before payouts.
Fighting fraud
Watch for sudden spikes, many leads from one device or location, fake phone numbers, coupon codes on unapproved sites and high return rates. Verify before paying and remove partners who break the rules.
Related
Read performance marketing vs digital marketing and see our performance marketing service.