An affiliate program is an agreement between a business and another business or influencer (the affiliate) in which the affiliate receives a commission for sending traffic and/or sales to the business. The affiliate promotes the businesss product or service to persuade consumers that it is valuable or beneficial to them and convince them to purchase the product. If the consumer does end up buying the product, the affiliate receives a portion of the revenue made.

Affiliate programs can be achieved through web content, social media, or a product integration. There are two types of affiliate management methods used by merchants: standalone software or hosted services, typically called affiliate networks. The largest companies run their own affiliate networks, while most merchants join affiliate networks which provide reporting tools and payment processing.

Affiliates can use a variety of methods to generate sales, including organic search engine optimization, paid search engine marketing, e-mail marketing, content marketing, display advertising, organic social media marketing, and more. There are many types of affiliate programs, ranging from online courses to website builders to marketing and business affiliates.

Affiliate marketing can be a rewarding way to add a new revenue stream for little or no money in upfront investment. However, it requires persistence and constant attention, optimization, and work. Some popular affiliate programs include HubSpot, Elementor, and Moosend.