Affiliate Marketing

---
name: affiliate-marketing
description: "Affiliate: commissions, recruitment, compliance."
version: 1.0.0
author: Hermes Agent
license: MIT
platforms: [linux, macos, windows]
metadata:
  hermes:
    tags: [affiliate, marketing, commissions, partnerships, passive-income]
    related_skills: [ecommerce-store-setup, personal-brand-building, legal-and-compliance-basics]
---

# Affiliate Marketing

## Overview
A dual-side guide to affiliate marketing — as a merchant (creating/managing programs) and as an affiliate (selecting programs, integrating promotions). Covers commission structures, cookie windows, recruitment, tracking, FTC compliance, and content strategies.

## When to Use
- Launching an affiliate program for your product/service
- Recruiting and managing affiliate partners
- Joining affiliate programs as a content creator
- Creating reviews/comparisons/tutorials with affiliate links
- Ensuring FTC/GDPR compliance for affiliate disclosures
- Auditing and optimizing existing programs

## Body

### 1. Program Creation (Merchant)

**Commission models:**

| Model | Rate | Best For |
|-------|------|----------|
| Percentage | 5–30% physical, 20–50% digital | Products/services |
| Fixed fee | $25–$200 per signup | Subscriptions/SaaS |
| Tiered | 10% → 15% at volume | Scaling affiliates |
| Lifetime/recurring | 20–30% first + 5–10% ongoing | Retention-driven |
| Two-tier | 5–10% of referred commissions | Network building |

**Cookie windows:** SaaS 30–90d, physical 30–60d, digital course 60–90d, consumable 24–48h.

**Program terms:** Commission %, cookie days, $X payout threshold, Net-30/45/60 schedule, payment methods, prohibited practices (PPC on branded terms, coupon stacking, spam).

### 2. Recruitment & Outreach

| Type | Pros | Recruit Via |
|------|------|------------|
| Bloggers/Reviewers | SEO authority | Email pitch, networks |
| YouTube Creators | Visual demos | Sponsorship platforms |
| Newsletter Curators | High engagement | Sponsor pages |
| Social Creators | Viral potential | DM, marketplaces |
| Coupon/Deal Sites | Volume traffic | Apply directly |
| Comparison Sites | Purchase-intent traffic | Site contact form |

**Outreach formula:** Specific compliment → Brand intro → Offer details (commission, cookie, free sample, exclusive code) → CTA.

### 3. Management Cadence

- **Weekly:** Check performance, share creatives, answer questions < 24h
- **Monthly:** Process payments, top performer spotlight, remove inactives (no clicks 90d)
- **Quarterly:** Evaluate rates vs ROI, recruit 5–10 new affiliates, update terms

### 4. Program Selection (Affiliate)

**Score 1–10 each (50+ = good):** Commission rate, cookie duration, product quality, conversion rate, brand reputation, affiliate support, payment reliability, EPC.

**Find programs:** ShareASale, CJ, Impact, Rakuten, PartnerStack, direct "[Brand] + affiliate program" search.

### 5. Content Integration

| Format | Conversion | Best For |
|--------|-----------|----------|
| Product Review | 2–8% | Consideration-stage traffic |
| Comparison Post | 3–10% | Buyers choosing between options |
| "Best of" Roundup | 2–5% | Top-of-funnel SEO traffic |
| Tutorial / How-To | 4–12% | Problem-solving intent |
| Newsletter Mention | 5–15% | Engaged subscribers |
| Video Review | 3–10% | YouTube search traffic |

**Review template:** Quick verdict → Context → What it does → The Good/Not-So-Good → Who it's for → Pricing → Final score + disclosure.

### 6. FTC Compliance

**Rules:** Clear disclosure BEFORE any affiliate link. Verbal + written for video. #ad on social media. "I may earn a commission" language.

**Templates:**
```
Blog: "Some links are affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you."
YouTube: "Includes affiliate links. I may earn from qualifying purchases."
Social: "Paid partnership with @brand #ad"
```

### 7. Link Management

Use cloaked links (`domain.com/recommends/product`). Tools: ThirstyAffiliates (WP), Pretty Links, Post Affiliate Pro. Add `rel="sponsored"` for SEO. Audit links regularly for dead/expired offers.

### 8. Performance Metrics

**Track:** EPC (earnings per 100 clicks), Conversion Rate %, AOV, cookie-to-sale time, refund rate.

**Levers:** Test in-content vs sidebar placement, comparison tables, exclusive bonuses, retargeting pixels, seasonal content updates.

## Common Pitfalls

- **Hidden disclosures**: FTC fines are real. Disclose clearly and early.
- **Promoting unused products**: Audiences detect inauthenticity. Only promote what you use.
- **Link over-density**: 1–2 links per post max. 10+ destroys trust.
- **No tracking**: Without link management you can't attribute or optimize.
- **One-program dependency**: Diversify across 3+ programs.
- **Skipping affiliate nurture**: They need resources and communication. Neglected programs die.

## Verification Checklist

- [ ] Program terms defined (commission, cookie, payout structure)
- [ ] Tracking system set up (self-hosted or network)
- [ ] FTC-compliant disclosure templates ready
- [ ] Recruitment outreach template ready
- [ ] Link management system configured
- [ ] 3+ affiliates recruited OR 3+ affiliate content pieces published
- [ ] Performance tracking dashboard created
- [ ] Monthly review cadence set