How to start an affiliate program
What you'll learn
- →Affiliate vs. influencer vs. referral
- →Commission structures that don't kill margin
- →Tracking tech that actually works
- →How to recruit your first 10 affiliates
Before you start
- □A product or service with a clear conversion event
- □Margin that supports 10–30% commission
An affiliate program is performance marketing on autopilot — you only pay when sales happen. Setup is straightforward once you make a few key decisions.
The steps
- Step 01
Pick your commission structure
Flat fee per sale, % of revenue, or recurring. Most SaaS does 20–30% recurring; e-commerce 10–15% flat.
- Step 02
Choose a tracking platform
Rewardful, Tapfiliate, Refersion, PartnerStack. Pick based on your platform (Stripe, Shopify, WooCommerce).
- Step 03
Set program rules clearly
Cookie window, attribution model, prohibited promotion methods (coupon sites, brand bidding). Write a 1-page T&C.
- Step 04
Build a simple affiliate landing page
What you sell, commission, how to apply, FAQs. Linked from your footer.
- Step 05
Create affiliate assets
Logos, banner images, sample copy, swipe emails. Lower friction = more sales.
- Step 06
Recruit your first 10 affiliates personally
Reach out to existing happy customers and bloggers in your niche. Personalized > public application.
- Step 07
Pay reliably and on time
Monthly is standard. Late payments = dead program.
- Step 08
Run a quarterly affiliate sprint
Bonus commission, new creative, limited-time. Spike performance every 90 days.
Common questions
+Affiliate vs. influencer?
Affiliates earn on actual sales tracked via links. Influencers usually paid for posts.
+What's a good commission?
10–30% depending on margin. Higher for digital, lower for physical.
+Do I need a coupon code?
Optional. Codes work great for offline conversions but cannibalize organic discounts.
+Legal disclosures?
Yes — FTC requires affiliates to disclose. Include it in your terms.
+Best platform for Shopify?
Refersion, Goaffpro, or UpPromote integrate well.
What to do next
Social Perks turns happy customers into a marketing team. Free 14-day trial. No card required.
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