Affiliate marketing is evolving, driven by diverse partners like influencers and tech providers, broadening its scope beyond traditional ROI and measurability. As marketers move away from big tech, the channel's flexibility and control are increasingly valued for driving growth and customization.

Spending in the US affiliate marketing ecosystem will exceed $10 billion for the first time in 2024. But content distribution changes, advertiser focus on first-party data, and shifting consumer behavior will push the channel into a new phase.

“The holiday season really starts October 1,” Megan Gaffey, senior director of publisher partnerships at Rakuten Advertising, said on our Tech-Talk webinar Performance Marketing Playbook for Q4 Holiday Success. “And you see a lot of advertisers launch Black Friday promotions the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to get ahead of the noise.”

The creator economy, plus CTV and commerce media more recently, have made affiliate marketing more visible among marketers.

Our survey found that consumers have a broadly favorable view of affiliate marketing. However, there are significant differences in how each generation encounters and considers affiliate ads.

The creator economy is maturing. While brand deals are still the No. 1 revenue stream for creators, more are going directly to consumers to monetize.

Many creators are reporting a deal drought, even as marketers are increasing their influencer budgets. That’s because the dynamics of the influencer-brand deal landscape are evolving.

The company is trying to cut costs as it focuses on profitability ahead of going public

From Goop and the New York Times to TikTok creators, everyone is putting out a gift guide this year, trying to get a piece of this year’s holiday sales pie, which we forecast to reach $1.31 trillion in the US.

Dramatic shifts are in the works for 2024, as genAI, changing media norms, and innovative commerce redefine the business landscape. Our top nine trends explore what’s in store.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the ongoing antitrust trial between Google and the Department of Justice, why Google should be looking over its shoulder at Amazon, and what to make of YouTube's most recent performance. "In Other News," we talk about why Google Maps is becoming more like Search and the most important thing going on in affiliate marketing. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Max Willens.

One of the oldest advertising channels on the internet continues to expand, attempting to break through from its current marginal position.

A multidimensional influencer strategy calls for the integration of affiliates and ambassadors. However, it also begs the question: How can marketers effectively work with influencers in the affiliate channel?

Affiliate marketing is maturing into a multidimensional, full-funnel channel. But not everyone is convinced of its potential, said Alexandra Forsch, president of Awin Americas. For senior decision-makers, affiliate marketing is “considered a very tactical channel and not a strategic one, and as such, it’s not as attractive,” Forsch said on a “Behind the Numbers” podcast episode.

tvScientific aims to make CTV a performance marketing channel: The CPO model integrates with affiliate platforms, offering advertisers a low-risk, high-reward option.

For luxury brands, tapping into the partnership channel presents a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and maximize brand awareness. The pay-for-performance partnership model mitigates risk by allowing luxury brands to work with partners that can curate rich stories all the way down the purchase funnel for an established community.

Affiliate marketing investment hit $9.1 billion in 2021, but the channel is not widely embraced or recognized for its value. In order to ease hesitations and increase the channel’s profile, a few things need to change.

Affiliate marketing is getting a fresh look from advertisers that want to boost ecommerce businesses and create more direct digital connections with customers.

The surge in consumer time and money spent online because of the pandemic led to a significant boom in the affiliate marketing ecosystem.

In 2021, affiliate marketing investment drove $71 billion in ecommerce sales and a 12-to-1 return on ad spend, illustrating that this area is still booming for creators and the brands that support them.