Affiliate marketing relies on a relationship between a merchant (retailer) and you, the affiliate, as well as between you and consumers. When you promote the merchant's product or service and a consumer purchases through your link, you earn a share of the sale. Compensation can include incentives, discounts, giveaways, bonuses, and commissions.

• Content/blogging sites
• Coupon sites (e.g. RetailMeNot)
• Deal sites (e.g. Slickdeals)
• Loyalty/reward sites (e.g. Ebates)
• Influencer networks

Affiliate programs are run on networks, which act as intermediaries between affiliates and merchants. Networks provide creatives, handle tracking/reporting, and manage commission payouts. Common networks include ShareASale, Commission Junction, and Impact Radius.

Commission rates are usually a percentage of the total sale (e.g. 10%), but may also be a flat fee. The rate is set by the merchant.

Merchants use different compensation models: pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-click. Affiliates only earn when results are generated. Payments are processed through the affiliate network hosting the program.

Not necessarily. While merchants prefer established blogs or sites with loyal audiences, social media accounts with strong followings are also accepted by many programs. It’s recommended to have relevant traffic and content before applying.