With affiliate marketing you let other parties (affiliates or publishers) promote your products or services and pay them per result: usually per sale, sometimes per lead or click. So you don't buy reach upfront; you pay afterwards for what partners deliver.
That sounds risk-free, but it isn't quite. You pay commission, often a fee to the affiliate network too, and you deal with partners who can 'count' at any point in the customer journey. Good affiliate marketing is about the right partners, clear agreements and oversight.
How it works
- Advertiser (you) — offers a commission for a desired action.
- Affiliate network — handles tracking, reporting, payouts and the connection with publishers. Widely used in the Netherlands and Belgium: Awin, Daisycon, TradeTracker and Tradedoubler. You can also run your own programme with software like Impact or PartnerStack.
- Publisher — places links, banners or content and earns commission on results.
- Tracking — a click on an affiliate link is recorded; if a purchase follows within the agreed period, the publisher earns commission.
Payment models
- CPS / CPO (cost per sale / order) — percentage or fixed amount per sale. Common for webshops.
- CPL (cost per lead) — payment per enquiry, quote or sign-up. Common in energy, insurance, education and services.
- CPC (cost per click) — less common, because the risk shifts back to you.
- Hybrid — a fixed placement fee plus commission, for example for a featured spot in a newsletter.
Types of publishers
| Type | What they do | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Cashback and loyalty sites | Return part of the commission to the buyer | Often sit at the end of the journey |
| Voucher code sites | Collect discount codes | May claim sales that would happen anyway |
| Comparison sites | Compare providers side by side | Strong for comparative purchases |
| Content sites and blogs | Reviews, guides and top lists | Often valuable early in orientation |
| Creators and influencers | Promote via their own channels | Agreements on disclosure as advertising |
| Newsletters and email | Mail their own list | List quality and consent |
What to watch
- Added value. The question isn't just whether a partner delivers sales, but whether the sale would have happened without them. Voucher and cashback partners often appear right before purchase.
- Attribution and paying twice. If a customer came via Google Ads and searched a voucher code just before checkout, who gets the sale? Agree how you handle it (for example last click within affiliate) and deduplicate with your other channels.
- Cookie duration and tracking. Agree how long a click counts. Because of browser cookie restrictions, networks increasingly use server-to-server tracking; check your integration supports it.
- Cancellations and returns. Agree that commission lapses on returns or cancellations, and approve or reject transactions on time.
- Brand bidding. Ban or restrict publishers bidding on your brand name in Google; otherwise you pay commission on traffic that was already coming to you.
- Advertising rules. Publisher and creator content must be recognisable as advertising; in the Netherlands the Advertising Code for Social Media & Influencer Marketing (RSM) sets rules for that.
- Fraud. Watch for unusual patterns, such as many transactions without real clicks or low-quality leads.
When affiliate marketing fits
Affiliate marketing works well for webshops with a broad range, subscriptions and services where people compare (such as insurance, energy, telecom, travel and software). You do need a competitive offer and enough margin: publishers choose programmes that pay off for them. It works best as a complement to your own advertising channels, not a replacement.
Frequently asked questions about affiliate marketing
What is affiliate marketing?
A partnership in which partners (affiliates) promote your products or services and earn a fee per result, such as a sale or lead. Tracking via a network or your own software records which partner delivered the result.
What is an affiliate network?
A platform connecting advertisers and publishers and handling tracking, reporting and payouts. Widely used in the Netherlands and Belgium are Awin, Daisycon, TradeTracker and Tradedoubler, among others.
What does affiliate marketing cost?
You pay commission per result, and usually a fee to the network (such as a setup fee, a percentage on top of commission, or both). Commission levels vary widely by sector and margin.
Is affiliate marketing the same as influencer marketing?
Not quite. Influencers can be affiliates if they are paid per sale via a link or code. Many influencer collaborations, however, use a fixed fee.
How do I avoid paying twice for one sale?
Agree a clear attribution model, deduplicate affiliate sales with your other channels and approve or reject transactions after review. Also limit publishers that only count at the last moment before purchase.
Is affiliate marketing suitable for B2B?
Sometimes, mainly for software and subscription services, via partner programmes and comparison sites. It fits less well with complex B2B deals with long sales cycles.
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