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What Is Affiliate Marketing? A Simple Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

What Is Affiliate Marketing? A Simple Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based digital marketing channel where brands partner with third parties (called affiliates) who promote their products or services online. You only pay these partners a commission when they successfully refer a sale, lead, or other conversion.

Instead of paying upfront for ads that might work, you only pay for results.


How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?

Here’s how a typical affiliate marketing program works:

  1. A publisher, content creator, or website joins your affiliate program.

  2. They promote your product using a unique tracking link.

  3. A customer clicks the link and makes a purchase.

  4. You pay the affiliate a commission—typically a percentage of the sale.

This structure makes affiliate marketing one of the lowest-risk digital marketing channels available to SMBs.


What Are Affiliate Partners?

Affiliate partners (also known as publishers) come in many forms. A successful affiliate program often includes a diverse mix of partner types, such as:

  • Content sites: Blogs, product review sites, and media publications that drive SEO and product discovery

  • Influencers and creators: Promoting products through social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube

  • Voucher and cashback sites: Driving conversions through incentives

  • Comparison engines and shopping tools: Like Google CSS or price comparison platforms

  • Email marketers and loyalty programs: Adding your product into curated email sends or point-based systems

A balanced affiliate program doesn’t rely too heavily on discounts—it creates visibility across the whole customer journey.


Why Is Affiliate Marketing Important for SMBs?

Affiliate marketing is particularly effective for small and medium-sized eCommerce brands, because it:

  • 📈 Only charges you when a sale is made (pay-per-performance)

  • 🚀 Scales with your business as you grow

  • 💡 Increases your online visibility through trusted third-party endorsements

  • 🔍 Reaches new customers who may never have discovered your brand

  • 💰 Delivers a strong ROI with clear attribution and low overhead costs

Done right, affiliate marketing helps SMBs compete with bigger brands—without needing a massive media budget.


Common Affiliate Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Many SMBs launch an affiliate program but see little growth. Why?

Here are a few common mistakes we see when new clients come to us:

  • Over-reliance on voucher and cashback sites that don’t drive new customers

  • No partner recruitment strategy—no one is actively finding high-quality affiliates

  • Poor tracking and attribution, leading to missed revenue opportunities

  • “Set it and forget it” mindset—affiliate marketing requires consistent management and optimisation

A successful affiliate program isn’t about just being live on a network—it’s about being active, strategic, and intentional.


How RevWise Helps SMBs Grow Through Affiliate Marketing

At RevWise, we specialise in helping SMBs grow their revenue through high-performing affiliate marketing programs.

Whether you’re just starting or need to overhaul an underperforming program, we provide:

  • ✅ Affiliate strategy tailored to your goals and industry

  • 🔎 Recruitment of high-quality partners (not just coupon sites)

  • 🤝 Relationship management with publishers, influencers, and media teams

  • 📊 Full tracking, reporting, and performance optimisation

  • 💼 A team of specialists who manage your program day in, day out

We're more than a setup service—we're your affiliate growth partner.


Is Affiliate Marketing Right for Your Business?

If you're a small or mid-sized eCommerce brand looking to drive scalable revenue, affiliate marketing could be the most efficient marketing channel you haven’t fully tapped into yet.

We’ve helped brands across beauty, fitness, alcohol, fashion, and leisure sectors unlock real, measurable growth through smarter affiliate strategies.


Ready to Grow with Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing works—but only when it’s done properly.

If you want to stop wasting time and budget on low-quality partners, and start building an affiliate program that actually drives new customer growth, we’d love to help.

Get in touch today to chat with our team of affiliate marketing experts. No fluff, no jargon—just a clear plan to scale your business through affiliate.

Other Blogs

Masonary image Booking.com Drops Thousands of Affiliates: What It Means for Travel Content Creators

Booking.com Drops Thousands of Affiliates: What It Means for Travel Content Creators

A Major Travel Affiliate Shake-Up Is Underway

In a move that’s caught the travel content world off guard, Booking.com has announced it will be discontinuing affiliate relationships with thousands of smaller partners from June 20, 2025. This sudden change affects a huge number of travel bloggers and content creators—just weeks before the industry’s busiest season begins.

The cutoff reportedly spares only those earning over €1,000 in monthly commission, leaving the majority of content creators without a way to monetise their existing Booking.com links.

At RevWise, we don’t just see this as a one-off event. It’s part of a much broader shift in the travel affiliate marketing landscape—and it carries important lessons for both creators and brands.

Masonary image RevWise Expands with a New International Office

RevWise Expands with a New International Office

We’re thrilled to announce the opening of our new, state-of-the-art office in Varna, Bulgaria! As RevWise continues to grow, this expansion marks a major step in our mission to build the best affiliate marketing agency in the industry. This exciting milestone strengthens our global presence, enhances our affiliate marketing services, and provides a dynamic workspace for innovation and collaboration. Learn more about our growth and future plans!

Masonary image Top Affiliate Marketing Trends of 2025

Top Affiliate Marketing Trends of 2025

Affiliate marketing is evolving fast in 2025, with new technologies, platforms, and strategies reshaping the industry. From AI-driven affiliate management to the explosive growth of TikTok Shop and performance-based influencer partnerships, brands need to adapt to stay ahead. In this post, we explore the key trends that will define affiliate marketing this year—and how brands can maximize ROI with smarter, data-driven strategies.

Masonary image Maximising ROI in Affiliate Marketing: Why Partnering with RevWise Is the Key to Long-Term Success

Maximising ROI in Affiliate Marketing: Why Partnering with RevWise Is the Key to Long-Term Success

Affiliate marketing can be a game-changer for brands, but true success requires strategy and expertise. read how RevWise connects you with high-impact affiliates, offers advanced performance tracking, and adapts campaigns to market trends—all to ensure maximum ROI. Discover how, with RevWise, affiliate marketing becomes a reliable growth engine, driving long-term results for your brand.

Masonary image Affiliate Marketing: All You Need To Know

Affiliate Marketing: All You Need To Know

Affiliate marketing is transforming the way businesses reach new audiences and generate sales. This guide by our experts at RevWise breaks down everything you need to know—from the basics of how affiliate marketing works to best practices and key metrics. Whether you're a business aiming to expand or an affiliate looking to grow, discover how to make affiliate marketing work for you.

Masonary image Affiliate Marketing and TikTok Shop: The Ultimate Guide for E-Commerce Businesses

Affiliate Marketing and TikTok Shop: The Ultimate Guide for E-Commerce Businesses

Discover how to boost your e-commerce sales with TikTok Shop. Learn how affiliate marketing and RevWise can help you succeed on TikTok's fast-growing platform.

Masonary image A Guide to Successful B2B Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing

A Guide to Successful B2B Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing

The world of B2B Partnerships is complex and can be tricky to navigate if you're new to the game. That's why our experts at RevWise have written this guide. Find out what makes a B2B Partnership successful, the key elements of a partnership, and why you should use RevWise's expertise. Read this blog post to find out more...

Masonary image Influencer Campaigns: Best Practices for Affiliate Marketing

Influencer Campaigns: Best Practices for Affiliate Marketing

The influencer marketing industry is expected to grow to $24 Billion by the end of 2024 - So businesses need to dive into the world of affiliate marketing sooner than later. In this blog the RevWise affiliate marketing experts have broken down exactly how you can create a successful influencer campaign to boost engagement and drive sales for your business.

Masonary image Successful Affiliate Marketing Campaigns: What We Can Learn

Successful Affiliate Marketing Campaigns: What We Can Learn

Affiliate marketing is set to thrive in 2025, with brands increasingly turning to performance-based models and influencer collaborations. RevWise stays ahead of the curve, crafting strategies that boost engagement and drive sales through targeted partnerships and high-quality content. Explore our insights and see how we can help your business succeed in his dynamic landscape.

Masonary image Influencer Collaboration for Affiliate Marketing Success

Influencer Collaboration for Affiliate Marketing Success

Influencer collaboration is key to successful affiliate marketing. By fostering ongoing relationships, strategically selecting influencers, and utilising multi-channel promotion, you can improve brand reach and drive sales. Monitoring performance and adapting strategies based on data are crucial for sustained success in this dynamic field.

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Gary Winter avatar

Gary Winter

Head of Growth - Co-Founder

Angelina Daneva avatar

Angelina Daneva

Affiliate Marketing Team Leader

Jamie Brusey avatar

Jamie Brusey

Head of Operations - Co-Founder

Silvena Hristova avatar

Silvena Hristova

Affiliate Marketing Team Leader

Maria Picornell avatar

Maria Picornell

Account Director

Dan Hull avatar

Dan Hull

Senior Account Director

Veronica Garcia avatar

Veronica Garcia

Account Director

Edward Dare avatar

Edward Dare

Commercial Manager

Olivia Drage avatar

Olivia Drage

Head of Sales

David Marks avatar

David Marks

Non-executive Chair

Jasmine Ovall avatar

Jasmine Ovall

Digital Marketing Manager

Charlie Culff avatar

Charlie Culff

Credit Control

Vlad Kostyna avatar

Vlad Kostyna

Senior Affiliate Account Manager

Stoyan Yanev avatar

Stoyan Yanev

Senior Affiliate Account Manager

Raya Georgieva avatar

Raya Georgieva

Senior Affiliate Account Manager

Yanitsa Yaneva avatar

Yanitsa Yaneva

Senior Affiliate Account Manager

Milena Stefanov avatar

Milena Stefanov

Senior Affiliate Account Manager

Borislav Nachev avatar

Borislav Nachev

Senior Affiliate Account Manager

Nikolay Dragnev avatar

Nikolay Dragnev

Senior Affiliate Account Manager

Jess Anatasi avatar

Jess Anatasi

Social Commerce Lead

Fabrice Gagneux avatar

Fabrice Gagneux

Lead Developer

Shey Giron avatar

Shey Giron

Head of Data & Research

Gary Winter

Head of Growth

Gary Winter avatar

Starting his career in newspapers and online media 16 years ago, before moving on to build Europe's first content advertising network, featured in The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 fastest growing companies. Gary draws on his vast experience across performance marketing and publisher sales to lead the growth of RevWise as Co-Founder.

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