Affiliate Marketing Statistics in 2023 (Data & Trends)

In this article, we will discuss Affiliate Marketing Statistics 2023

In the past few years, affiliate marketing has grown very quickly.

If you have a website or want to make one, you should know about affiliate marketing programs and how to use them to your advantage.

But I’m sure you have many questions.

Which industries have the best programs for affiliate marketing? What kind of content works best for affiliate marketing? How much money can a person who does affiliate marketing make?

Let’s look at some numbers to find out the answers to these questions. This article has 17 statistics about affiliate marketing and what you can learn from them.

Table of Contents

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate Marketing

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Affiliate marketing is when a brand works with affiliates, who promote the brand’s products. A publisher or affiliate can also be called an affiliate marketer. When a sale comes from an affiliate’s promotion, the brand pays the affiliate.

Blogs are often used to make money through affiliate marketing. If you have a blog on WordPress, you can make money from it by writing about related products. When a person who visits your site clicks on a link in a blog post and buys the product, you get a commission.

Through our affiliate program, you could even make money by telling people about Kinsta.

Affiliate marketers sometimes also use social media, email lists, and videos to promote products.

Who Can Be an Affiliate Marketer?

Brands want affiliates with a lot of followers. They want to sell their products to your audience, so you have to have one.

To become an affiliate for some programs, you need a website with a lot of visitors or a lot of clout in your field.

Others will let anyone join, but if no one reads your blog, social media posts, or emails, you won’t be very successful. To become an affiliate marketer, the first thing you need to do is get people to visit your website.

Affiliate marketing can help you make money if you already have a successful website. You can make money by doing a lot of the same things you were already doing.

Affiliate marketing is so powerful that you can even use it to build a whole business.

The Benefits of Affiliate Marketing

Why should you think about becoming a marketer for affiliate programs? Is it really the best way to make money from your website?

Here are some of the most important things you can get out of affiliate marketing.

It’s cheap and not very dangerous: All you have to do is add content and links to your site. You don’t have to pay anything upfront, other than what it costs to run the website. And if you never sell anything through your affiliate links, you don’t lose anything.

You can build up a steady stream of passive income over time with little work.

There are many ways to do it: Every kind of website, whether it’s about cooking, traveling, or reviewing software, has an affiliate marketing program.

You can do the following: Affiliate marketing is becoming more popular as more people find ways to make money from home.

If your website makes money, you can have a flexible schedule and way of life.

You don’t have to know a lot about it. You don’t have to know anything special or have any special skills to become an affiliate marketer. Just try out different ways to promote affiliate products and see what works.

If you already have a blog, a presence on social media, or an email list, you may be doing a lot of the work. For example, you can just add a blog post reviewing a product to the ones you already have planned.

It makes money. We’ll talk about income statistics in a moment. Affiliate marketers have the chance to make a lot of money, that much is clear.

Featured Affiliate Marketing Statistics and Trends

  • The affiliate marketing business is worth more than $17 billion around the world.
  • Affiliate marketing is one of the main ways that 31% of publishers make money.
  • Affiliate marketing is the best way for 20% of brand marketers to reach their customers.
  • According to estimates, 56% of affiliate programs earned more money during Covid-19.
  • Eighty-one percent of affiliates earn more than $20,000 per year

17 Affiliate Marketing Statistics 2023

In this article, we’ll look at 17 affiliate marketing statistics for 2021.

1. There are over $17 billion in global affiliate marketing revenues

Affiliate marketing has a market size of more than $17 billion around the world right now. That’s more than 2016’s $13 billion. The affiliate marketing market in the United States is worth more than $6 billion by itself.

The Takeaway

There is a huge market for affiliate marketing.

If you have an audience-driven website, you can make a lot of money from affiliate marketing.

2. For 31% of publishers, affiliate marketing is their top revenue source

The most common source of revenue for publishers is affiliate marketing, which represents 31% of revenue. It is the top revenue source for 9% of businesses.

The Takeaway

One of the best ways to make money off of your content is through affiliate marketing.

In the same survey, 62% of publishers said that eCommerce is one of their top sources of income, which doesn’t come as a surprise.

Ecommerce and affiliate marketing are related, and the work you put into one can help you make more money with the other. Both involve advertising products on your website or through other methods.

Affiliate marketing is when you sell someone else’s products, while eCommerce is when you sell your own.

3. 20% of brand marketers report success with affiliate marketing

20% of brand marketers say that affiliate marketing is the most important way for them to get new customers. 54% of them put it in their top three.

This is more than paid/organic search (16%) and display ads (15%).

The Takeaway

There is a mutual benefit to affiliate marketing. Publishers and brands benefit from it as it is one of the top revenue sources.

4. Searches for “Affiliate Marketing” on Google more than doubled between 2015 and 2021.

According to Google Trends, affiliate marketing searches are increasing monthly.

The Takeaway

Publishers are increasingly turning to affiliate marketing to monetize their content.

There are others as well.

5. “Creating Content for Affiliate Marketing” ranks high on Google

“How to Create Content Marketing” is among the top Google searches related to content marketing.

The Takeaway

Affiliate marketing is a way for people who make content to make money.

Highlights include:

  • Putting links and banners in the footer and sidebar of your site
  • Leaving reviews or sharing reviews you’ve already written
  • Using email and social networking sites
  • Putting the product in a blog in the form of a list
  • Adding the product to your old blog posts (where it makes sense)

6. The Covid-19 lockdown increased revenue for 56% of affiliate programs

As of the end of March 2020, 56% of affiliate advertisers and agencies were able to increase their affiliate channel revenue.

The Takeaway

During the pandemic, there was a lot of growth in eCommerce. In 2019, 16% of all sales in stores were made online. This went up to 19% in 2020.

Affiliate marketing is no different. During the lockdown, more than half of affiliate marketing programs made more money.

Many changes in how people act are likely to stick around after the pandemic is over. Now is a great time to build a following and start making money through affiliate marketing.

7. Fashion affiliate programs account for 19% of affiliate programs

Affiliate marketing is mostly used in the fashion industry, which makes up 19% of all programs. At 15% and 11%, sports and outdoor products and health and wellness come in second and third, respectively.

The Takeaway

If you have a popular fashion website, you can choose from a number of affiliate programs.

However, you can still be an affiliate marketer in a niche that is less popular. Affiliates are people who help spread the word about a brand’s products.

You can search for [product type] affiliate programs on Google to find affiliate programs in your chosen industry.

Spying on your competitors is another good idea. Check out sites that are like yours to see if they have any affiliate links.

8. The Toy Industry Saw 109% Growth in Affiliate Marketing Last Year

With a growth rate of 109% in the last year, toys are the product category for which affiliate marketing is growing the fastest. After this comes software (103%), and after that comes home improvement (86%).

The Takeaway

Are you still searching for your niche?

Several industries, such as toys and software, are on the rise in affiliate marketing. You can grow your revenue in these industries.

9. In the retail sector, affiliate marketing generates 43 percent of revenue

The retail industry brings in 43% of all affiliate marketing income, which is the most of any industry. Then come telecom and media (24%), and travel (16%).

The Takeaway

Most of the big affiliate marketing opportunities come from retail.

Some websites, like fashion blogs, are clearly about selling things. Sometimes it’s not as clear what the link is. You might still be able to find retail products to sell on your website, though.

Think about who your typical customer is and what they might buy.

10. Influencer marketing accounts for 59% of affiliate marketing for companies

Affiliate marketing and influencer marketing are not exactly the same. Many influencer marketing campaigns aren’t just about making sales, but also about making people aware of the brand.

But 59% of brands and marketing firms also use affiliates who are influencers.

The Takeaway

Companies with affiliate programs are looking for affiliate marketers who already have a large audience that trusts them. This sometimes means people who have a lot of power.

Affiliate marketing doesn’t require you to be an influencer in the usual sense of the word, but you can learn some sales tips from successful influencers in your niche.

Take a look at:

  • The type of content they produce
  • Followers’ engagement with them
  • Their website or social media keywords or hashtags

11. Consumers have been influenced by influencers 88% of the time

88% of people say that what they saw from an influencer made them decide to buy something. Both men (83%) and women (89%) have had this happen to them in a big way.

The Takeaway

You can also get the people who follow you to buy something.

Many people are open to suggestions about products. If you can build a group of shoppers who trust you, you can make money by sharing affiliate links.

12. Video is the preferred form of interaction with influencer content by 64% of consumers

Video is preferred by 64% of consumers when interacting with influencer content. Consumers prefer written content only 38% of the time. Consumers prefer images 61% of the time.

The Takeaway

People love videos. Another fact that supports this is that the average person spends 2.5 hours a day watching online videos.

You might want to use video to promote your affiliate links. You can put them on your blogs or landing pages or share them on social media, for example.

13. Reviews influence 77% of consumers’ purchasing decisions

Customer reviews are considered by approximately 77% of consumers before making a purchase.

The Takeaway

Smart people buy things today. They don’t just look at an ad or read a description of a product and think it’s great. They want to hear about it from people who have actually used it.

So, one of the best ways to get people to click on your affiliate links is to write reviews of the products you sell.

Your review needs to be honest. You’re not just trying to get people to buy something; you’re also trying to earn their trust.

You can write your own review for your website, but you can also use reviews written by other people to back up your own. Embedding or screenshotting these reviews is possible if you ask permission, or you can link to them (which could result in someone not using your affiliate link to purchase something).

14. The affiliate market share of Amazon Associates is 43%

Amazon Associate Program dominates 43% of affiliate marketing.

The Takeaway

The most important player is Amazon.

Affiliates can also make money through the Amazon Associate Program. You can advertise any of the millions of products that Amazon sells, which is pretty cool.

So, you can choose products that fit your niche and that you know your audience will love.

15. Affiliate programs offer CPA payment models in 99% of cases

As an affiliate marketer, you can get paid in different ways, but 99% of programs use a CPA model.

Cost-per-action is what CPA stands for. It means that you get paid each time a customer does something, which is almost always a sale.

The Takeaway

If you become an affiliate marketer, every time someone buys something after clicking on your affiliate link, you’ll probably get a commission.

But there are other ways to pay for some programs as well.

For example, instead of getting paid for sales, you could get paid per click on your link (CPC).

16. Some Affiliates Make Millions

Pat Flynn, a publisher, grew his business from $8,000 to $100,000 per month, and Adam Enfroy, who is also a publisher, makes $200,000 per month.

The Takeaway

Affiliate marketing can be a highly successful career for some affiliate marketers. What are your chances of becoming the next millionaire in affiliate marketing?

17. The average affiliate marketer earns more than $20,000 a year, according to 81.2% of them.

A poll of STM forum users found that 81.2% of affiliate marketers make more than $20,000 a year.

A lot of people say they are making millions.

The Takeaway

Affiliate marketers who want to join STM Forum, a popular online community, have to pay.

In other words, most of the people on the forum are experienced affiliates who are serious about making money through affiliate marketing.

That will change a little bit how this survey turns out.

Still, the fact is that affiliate marketing is a good way for a lot of people to make a good living. As affiliate marketing grows, you have the chance to be one of those who do it.

Trend Forecasts: Affiliate Marketing 2023

You want to start doing affiliate marketing. But what does the future hold for a partner?

Will the trends in affiliate marketing shown in the above statistics keep going? Is it still worth it to do affiliate marketing?

Here’s what we can expect in the coming year from affiliate marketing.

Affiliate Marketing Will Continue to Grow

Affiliate marketing and eCommerce as a whole are on the rise, and that’s not likely to change soon.

Online shopping is more popular than ever, and brands will rely more and more on networks of affiliates to sell their products. As a result, each year there will be more affiliate marketing programs.

Influencers Will Take on a Bigger Role

You just read number 11, which shows that influencers are very good at getting people to buy things.

Influencers have a lot of fans and are seen by those fans as trustworthy and knowledgeable. Influencers will be used as affiliates by more affiliate programs because of this.

Seasonal sales will become more important to affiliate marketers

You must have heard of Christmas or Thanksgiving-themed holiday specials. But what about National Cheesecake Day or Cat Day?

Customers respond well to deals based on these fun “holidays” as well as the more traditional ones, and online retailers are taking advantage of this more and more.

Additionally, affiliate marketers focus on campaigns based on specific events or seasons.

There Will Be More Affiliate Programs Based on Subscriptions

What’s better than making a sale and getting a commission? How about getting payments over and over again?

There are more and more affiliate programs for products and services that you have to pay for on a regular basis. You’ll have more chances to join these in the future as an affiliate publisher.

Cookies from third parties will be used less

Historically, affiliate programs have used third-party cookies to track successful conversions. Some browsers are working on removing these cookies, including Google Chrome.

In the near future, affiliate programs will have to use other ways to keep track.

Benefits of Using AdsEmpire as an affiliate marketer

Adsempire reviews

If you’re in the affiliate marketing game, then you know that there are a ton of networks to choose from. So, how do you know which one to go with? In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at AdsEmpire and showcasing the top 10 reasons why they’re the best affiliate network out there. From their exclusive dating offers to their amazing payouts, there’s a lot to love about AdsEmpire. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

  1. They have a huge selection of dating exclusive offers. 
  2. Their advanced smartlink technology ensures that you’re making money on 100% of your traffic. 
  3. They offer a variety of payout models, including CPL (SOI, DOI), PPS, and RevShare. 
  4. Their payouts are some of the highest in the industry with great EPCs to match. 
  5. They have an experienced team of affiliate managers who know the ins and outs of the dating industry. 
  6. They offer weekly or monthly payouts starting at $250. 
  7. They’re available worldwide with a focus on Tier1 and Europe countries. 
  8. They offer a wide range of payment methods, including wire transfer, Paypal, Paxum, Bitcoin, Paysera, and Genome. 
  9. They often sponsor various meetups and conferences related to affiliate marketing. 
  10. They have a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to keep track of your campaigns and earnings. 

AdsEmpire constantly run contests to pamper their partners with valuable prizes and solid bonuses. And now they are holding their Contest of the Fall! The rules are simple: the more traffic you run, the more profit you get. Sign up to get up to $15K during the promotional period and receive an invitation to the Private Yacht party in Bangkok! Everything is detailed in the link.

P.S. Hurry up and join by November 30th! But better do it right now to harvest more bonuses!

As you can see, there are a lot of great reasons to use AdsEmpire as your affiliate network of choice. From their extensive selection of offers to their competitive payouts, they’re definitely a force to be reckoned with in the affiliate marketing space. So if you’re looking for a new affiliate network to try out, be sure to give AdsEmpire a shot!

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Conclusion: Affiliate Marketing Statistics 2023

The affiliate marketing industry is booming and shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re not already taking advantage of this powerful marketing strategy, now is the time to start. By 2022, global affiliate marketing spending will reach $13.8 billion, so there’s plenty of potentials for your business to grow.

We hope these statistics have helped give you a better understanding of the affiliate marketing landscape and shown you just how lucrative this field can be. Are you ready to get started? Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you succeed in affiliate marketing.

Andy Thompson
This author is verified on BloggersIdeas.com

Andy Thompson has been a freelance writer for a long while. She is a senior SEO and content marketing analyst at Digiexe, a digital marketing agency specializing in content and data-driven SEO. She has more than seven years of experience in digital marketing & affiliate marketing too. She likes sharing her knowledge in a wide range of domains ranging from e-commerce, startups, social media marketing, making money online, affiliate marketing to human capital management, and much more. She has been writing for several authoritative SEO, Make Money Online & digital marketing blogs like ImageStation.

Affiliate disclosure: In full transparency – some of the links on our website are affiliate links, if you use them to make a purchase we will earn a commission at no additional cost for you (none whatsoever!).

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