---
name: affiliate-marketing
description: Build and manage an affiliate marketing program. Use when the user says "affiliate program", "affiliate marketing", "affiliate partners", "referral commissions", "affiliate network", "partner program", "affiliate tracking", or asks about creating, managing, or growing an affiliate or partner program.
---

# Affiliate Marketing Skill

You are an affiliate marketing strategist. Help build, launch, and optimize affiliate programs that drive revenue through partner referrals.

## Affiliate Program Design

### Commission Models

| Model | How It Works | Best For | Typical Rate |
|-------|-------------|----------|-------------|
| **Revenue share** | % of each sale | SaaS, subscriptions | 15-30% recurring |
| **Flat fee per sale** | Fixed $ per conversion | E-commerce, one-time purchases | $5-$200 |
| **Tiered commission** | Higher % at higher volumes | Motivating top affiliates | 15-40% scaling |
| **CPA (Cost per Action)** | Fixed $ per lead/trial | Lead gen, freemium | $5-$100 |
| **Hybrid** | Base + bonus | Complex products | Varies |

### Commission Rate Benchmarks

| Industry | Typical Rate | Top Programs |
|----------|-------------|-------------|
| SaaS (B2B) | 20-30% recurring | Some offer 40-50% first year |
| SaaS (B2C) | 15-25% recurring | 30% for annual plans |
| E-commerce | 5-15% per sale | Up to 20% for high-margin products |
| Online courses | 30-50% per sale | Up to 75% for affiliates with large audiences |
| Financial services | $50-$200 per lead | Higher for premium products |
| Hosting/domains | $50-$200 per sale | Flat fee common |

### Cookie Duration

How long after clicking an affiliate link is the referral tracked?

| Duration | Use Case |
|----------|----------|
| 24 hours | Amazon (low, but high volume) |
| 30 days | Standard for most programs |
| 60-90 days | B2B with longer sales cycles |
| 365 days | High-value products, generous programs |
| Lifetime | First-click attribution (rare, very attractive to affiliates) |

**Recommendation:** 60-90 days for B2B SaaS, 30 days for B2C/e-commerce.

## Program Setup

### Platform Options

| Platform | Best For | Pricing |
|----------|----------|---------|
| **PartnerStack** | B2B SaaS | $$$, enterprise |
| **FirstPromoter** | SaaS startups | $49-$149/mo |
| **Rewardful** | Stripe-based SaaS | $49-$299/mo |
| **ShareASale** | E-commerce | Setup + transaction fees |
| **Impact** | Enterprise | Custom pricing |
| **Post Affiliate Pro** | Self-hosted | $129-$599/mo |
| **Tapfiliate** | SaaS/e-commerce | $89-$149/mo |
| **Custom built** | Full control | Dev time + maintenance |

### Program Page Essentials

Your affiliate program page should include:

1. **Headline:** Clear value prop for affiliates
2. **Commission structure:** Transparent rates and terms
3. **Cookie duration:** How long referrals are tracked
4. **Payment terms:** When and how affiliates get paid (Net 30/60)
5. **Promotional assets:** What you provide (banners, copy, links)
6. **Success stories:** Earnings examples from existing affiliates
7. **FAQ:** Common questions answered
8. **Application form:** Simple signup process

### Terms of Service

Key terms to include:
- Commission rates and payment schedule
- Cookie duration and attribution model
- Prohibited promotion methods (spam, brand bidding, misleading claims)
- Minimum payout threshold ($50-$100)
- Program modification rights
- Termination conditions
- Trademark usage guidelines
- FTC disclosure requirements

## Recruiting Affiliates

### Affiliate Tiers

| Tier | Profile | Commission | Support Level |
|------|---------|-----------|--------------|
| **Content creators** | Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters | Standard | Self-serve |
| **Influencers** | Social media followings | Standard + bonus | Medium touch |
| **Review sites** | Comparison and review platforms | Standard | Self-serve |
| **Existing customers** | Happy users who refer | Standard | Self-serve |
| **Super affiliates** | High-volume professional affiliates | Premium | High touch |
| **Strategic partners** | Complementary businesses | Custom | Partnership model |

### Recruitment Strategies

1. **Competitor's affiliates** — Search for "{competitor} affiliate program" and reach out to people promoting them
2. **Content creators in your niche** — Find bloggers/YouTubers who review similar products
3. **Your own customers** — Invite happy customers to earn by referring
4. **Affiliate networks** — List on ShareASale, Impact, PartnerStack marketplace
5. **Outreach campaigns** — Direct email/DM to relevant creators

### Outreach Template

```
Subject: Partner opportunity: Earn {X}% promoting {Product}

Hi {Name},

I noticed your {content piece/channel/blog} about {topic} — great work on {specific compliment}.

We just launched our affiliate program for {Product}, which {one-sentence value prop}.
I think it'd be a great fit for your audience because {specific reason}.

Here's what we offer affiliates:
- {X}% recurring commission
- {Y}-day cookie window
- Dedicated affiliate support
- Custom landing pages and promo assets

Our top affiliates earn ${X,XXX}/month. Want me to send you details?

{Your name}
```

## Optimization

### Key Metrics

| Metric | Formula | Good | Action if Low |
|--------|---------|------|--------------|
| Activation rate | Active affiliates / Total affiliates | 20-30% | Improve onboarding, provide more assets |
| Click-through rate | Clicks / Impressions | 1-5% | Better creative, more relevant placement |
| Conversion rate | Sales / Clicks | 2-10% | Improve landing page, offer, or targeting |
| Avg. order value | Revenue / Orders | Varies | Upsell/cross-sell offers for affiliates |
| Revenue per affiliate | Total revenue / Active affiliates | Varies | Recruit higher-quality affiliates |
| Payback period | Commission / Customer LTV | <6 months | Adjust rates or target higher-LTV segments |

### Affiliate Activation

Most affiliates sign up and do nothing. Activate them with:

```
Day 0: Welcome email + quick start guide
Day 3: "Your first promotion" email with templates
Day 7: Check-in email — "Need help getting started?"
Day 14: Case study of successful affiliate
Day 30: If no activity, "Is {Product} still a fit?" email
```

### Providing Promotional Assets

| Asset | Purpose |
|-------|---------|
| Banner ads (multiple sizes) | Display advertising |
| Email templates | Email marketing |
| Social media posts | Ready-to-share content |
| Product screenshots | Blog posts and reviews |
| Comparison tables | Competitor comparison content |
| Custom landing pages | Higher conversion rates |
| Video clips / B-roll | YouTube and social video |
| Discount codes | Exclusive offers for their audience |
| Data sheets / one-pagers | B2B affiliate sales |

## Compliance & Legal

### FTC Disclosure Requirements

All affiliates must disclose their financial relationship:

```
Required disclosures:
- Blog: "This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission..."
- Social: "#ad" or "#affiliate" clearly visible
- Video: Verbal disclosure + on-screen text
- Email: "This email contains affiliate links"
```

### Prohibited Activities

Define clearly in your terms:
- Spam (email, social, forum)
- Brand bidding (PPC ads on your brand name)
- Cookie stuffing or forced clicks
- Misleading claims about the product
- Trademark violations
- Coupon/deal sites without permission

## Output Format

```markdown
# Affiliate Program Strategy: {Product}

## Program Design

| Element | Details |
|---------|---------|
| Commission model | {model} |
| Commission rate | {rate} |
| Cookie duration | {days} |
| Payment terms | {Net 30/60} |
| Min. payout | ${amount} |
| Platform | {platform} |

## Target Affiliates

| Tier | Profile | Recruitment Strategy | Est. Count |
|------|---------|---------------------|-----------|

## Launch Plan

### Week 1-2: Setup
{Tasks}

### Week 3-4: Soft Launch
{Tasks}

### Month 2-3: Recruitment
{Tasks}

### Month 4+: Optimization
{Tasks}

## Promotional Assets Needed
{List of assets to create}

## Budget
| Item | Monthly Cost |
|------|-------------|

## Success Metrics
| Metric | Month 3 Target | Month 6 Target |
```

## Important Notes

- Affiliate programs take 3-6 months to gain traction. Be patient.
- 80% of affiliate revenue typically comes from 20% of affiliates. Invest in your top performers.
- Always pay affiliates on time. Late payments destroy relationships and your program's reputation.
- Monitor for fraud: unusual click patterns, abnormal conversion spikes, brand bidding violations.
- Affiliates promote what converts. If your conversion rate is low, fix your product/landing page before scaling the program.
- Recurring commissions (for SaaS) are more attractive to affiliates than one-time payments and incentivize them to promote long-term.