The Ultimate List of Affiliate Marketing Statistics 2024
Since its rapid splurge in the 2000s, affiliate marketing has become one of the most popular tactics today to drive sales and generate revenue. Affiliate marketing has been around since the early days of the internet and is only seeing a sudden splurge in interest recently. Trends and statistics show that affiliate marketing is here to stay.
Nowadays, affiliate marketing is used across a wide range of channels. Bloggers often include affiliate links within product reviews posted on sites, while YouTube content creators have affiliate links in video descriptions to bring to light certain products.
In this article, we will share with you some of the most exciting and anticipated statistics in the affiliate marketing industry. Here are the top affiliate marketing statistics for 2024.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a system where an affiliate marketer can earn a commission for marketing someone else’s product or service. The affiliate marketer searches for a product they enjoy and then promotes that product or service to earn a small part of the profit from each sale.
Top Affiliate Marketing Trends for 2024 (Key Statistics)
- It’s estimated that 80% of brands have affiliate programs.
- Affiliate marketing spending is projected to grow by over 10% in the next couple of years.
- Globally, the USA has the largest market share in the affiliate industry, with over 39% share.
- Affiliate marketing accounts for over 16% of all eCommerce orders in the USA and Canada.
- Nearly 65% of affiliate marketers worldwide generate traffic by blogging alone.
- Affiliate marketing accounts for over 15% of all digital media revenue.
- Statistics reveal that 94% of publishers use multiple affiliate marketing networks.
Now that we’ve gone through a few exciting affiliate marketing facts and figures, we’ll go more in-depth and discover just how big the affiliate marketing industry is in 2024. Let’s go!
General Affiliate Marketing Statistics
1. Statistics reveal more than 80 % of brands have affiliate programs.
(Mediakix)
Affiliate marketing requires little to no investment at all to get started. As such, it is trendy among marketers and brands alike. This stat does not come as a surprise that over 80 percent of brands have affiliate programs, according to Mediakix. Marketers have become dependent on affiliate marketing, to make a large profit on little to no investment at att.
2. An astounding 94% of publishers are using multiple affiliate marketing networks.
(Affise)
The latest affiliate marketing trends show that 94 percent of publishers are using multiple affiliate marketing networks, according to Affise. Marketers and publishers alike realize that to be successful, they have to be present on as many networks and platforms as possible to reach a maximum number of affiliates. Subscribing to one network might have worked in the past, but not anymore. Additionally, a recent study from Rakuten Marketing, one of the world’s biggest affiliate networks, revealed that 90 percent of publishers rely on two or more affiliate programs.
3. Nearly 25 percent of all affiliate programs are in the fashion industry.
(AM Navigator)
A study from AM Navigator discovered that the fashion industry accounts for nearly 25 percent of all affiliate programs. Coming in a close second is sports and outdoors with 18 percent, followed by health and beauty with 14 percent. Other industries that have high rankings include home and garden, electronics, and travel. This is important for influencers and bloggers to know which industries are flourishing.
4. 40 percent of marketers worldwide consider affiliate marketing a crucial skill
(BloggingX)
BloggingX reveals that 40 percent of marketers worldwide consider affiliate marketing a crucial skill to learn. For anyone hoping to build an online career, marketers believe that affiliate marketing is a must-have. Other essential skills to consider learning are mobile marketing as well as digital strategy.
5. Almost 79 % of marketers use affiliate marketing to engage existing customers.
(Get Cake)
According to Get Cake, 79 % of marketers use affiliate marketing to engage existing customers. Statistics from the same source further show that 83% of affiliate marketers also use it to increase overall brand awareness. Affiliate marketing is the go-to place for marketers looking to boost their online purchases and improve their conversions.
6. Almost 65% of affiliate marketers generate traffic by blogging
(Awin)
65 % of affiliate marketers rely on content marketing to generate traffic, according to Awin. Affiliate marketers can see just how effective blogging is and can depend on good content to boost their campaigns, as blogging stats reveal. Additionally, it’s vital to know that great content can create 3x more leads than ads and cost 60% less. It has a higher ROI than traditional marketing tactics and has become an integrated part of affiliate marketing strategies.
7. 40% of US merchants report affiliate programs as the top customer acquisition channel
(Backlinko)
Global affiliate marketing statistics from Backlinko reveal that 40% of US merchants report affiliate programs as the top customer acquisition channel. The US is the cradle of affiliate marketing, home to more than two-thirds of affiliate marketers globally.
8. Product relevance, at 18.5%, is the leading factor for marketers to choose a program.
(Social Media Today)
Before choosing a program to work with, it’s important that affiliate marketers choose a lucrative industry. That’s why product relevance, at 18.5%, is the leading factor for marketers to choose a program. The affiliate marketing program’s reputation influences their decision, while merchant reputation has a 10 % impact on the final decision.
9. 50% of affiliate traffic comes from mobile devices.
(5 Minutes SEO)
Fifty percent of all affiliate traffic is coming from mobile devices. This trend shows that mobile devices bring much affiliate-referred traffic as smartphone technology increases to grow. Part of this high figure is due to the widespread use of mobile devices, and as the number of online buyers on mobile continues to rise, so will this trend.
10. Over 65% of affiliate marketers connect with their customers on social media.
(Master Blogging)
Affiliate marketing trends from Master Blogging reveal that over 65% of affiliate marketers connect with their customers on social media. Social media allows affiliate marketers to promote products and services and connect with their ideal clients. They can encourage catchy offers through ads and capture more leads through the power of social media. Furthermore, affiliate marketing trends reveal that at present, 67% of affiliate marketers already use social media such as Instagram and Facebook, and Twitter to connect with their audience.
11. Trends show 74% of US online shoppers check multiple affiliate websites before deciding on a purchase.
(CyberCash Worldwide)
Affiliate marketing research from CyberCash Worldwide indicates that 74% of US online shoppers check multiple affiliate websites before deciding on a purchase. The vast majority of online shoppers in the US check several different affiliate websites before purchasing anything. From this trend, Americans like to play it safe by evaluating their options and avoiding the risk of overpaying for any product or service.
Affiliate Marketing Revenue & Earnings Statistics
12. Over 73% of merchants believe affiliate marketing programs meet their revenue expectations.
(Fetch Profits)
It’s been shown that many merchants are happy with their results from affiliate marketing programs they invested in. This mark is close to 73% of marketers satisfied with the revenue generated through affiliate marketing.
13. Just over 60% of mer chants report an annual affiliate marketing revenue of up to 20%
(BloggingX)
According to BloggingX, 65% of merchants report an annual affiliate marketing revenue of up to 20%. This trend shows that the vast majority of affiliate marketers are happy with the fruits of their investment. Furthermore, affiliate marketing stats reveal that the size of their annual revenue ranges from 5% to 20%, and close to 60% of merchants generated earnings amounting to $5 million or more by investing smartly.
14. More than 80% of marketers expect their affiliate marketing revenue to increase in the future.
(Fetch Profits)
Fetch Profits reported that more than 80% of marketers expect their affiliate marketing revenue to stay the same or increase shortly. This further emphasizes the power and reliability of affiliate marketing. Furthermore, according to the same source, 90% of merchants plan to keep or increase their affiliate marketing budgets. This trends is likely driven by the fact that nowadays affiliates are not limited to only promoting physical products but also can earn by promoting software or even information products such as online courses, memberships, or ebooks which often enjoy higher margins and thus offer more attractive commissions for affiliates.
15. About 9% of affiliate marketers today make more than $50,000 a year.
(Investopedia)
According to Investopedia, just about 9% of affiliate marketers today make more than $50,000 a year. It’s critical to know that there is a significant difference in earnings between the various types of marketers. Those who make more than $50,000 annually comprise as little as 9% of all industry professionals. Some of the most prominent affiliate marketers make millions, according to statistics and trends.
16. Affiliate marketing is a multi-billion dollar industry.
(Statista)
According to Statista, affiliate marketing is a multi-billion dollar industry, and spending in the U.S. alone is expected to reach over $8 billion by the end of 2023. This is more than triple what it was just ten years earlier when it took off. This trend shows that affiliate marketers will likely continue to thrive in 2024 going forward.
Affiliate Marketing Industry Statistics
17. Stats reveal affiliate marketing is estimated to be worth $12 billion globally
(BloggingX)
Affiliate marketing statistics from BloggingX reveal that the industry is currently estimated to be worth $12 billion. This trend is additional proof that affiliate marketing is becoming a massive global industry.
18. ShareASale holds the largest share of the global affiliate marketing market (55%)
(Appsero)
Statistics from Appsero show that ShareASale holds the largest share of the global affiliate marketing market with a 55% market share. Rakuten Linkshare is the second-favorite affiliate network for marketers with a 40% market share, followed by Avangate with a 31% share.
19. The affiliate marketing industry is responsible for over 16% of online orders.
(Uniquodo)
According to Unicode, trends reveal that the affiliate industry is responsible for about 16% of online orders. The number might seem insignificant compared to other marketing techniques; however, this number is still substantial. For example, paid searches drive 20% of online orders, which is nearly the same as other techniques such as email marketing.
20. Affiliate marketing is responsible for 16% of global eCommerce sales.
(Fetch Profits)
Affiliate marketing statistics from Fetch Profits reveal that Affiliate marketing is responsible for 16% of global eCommerce sales globally. Breaking down this stat shows that almost 2 out of 5 eCommerce sales in the world happen because of successful affiliate marketers.
21. Trends reveal that Amazon offers between 1 and 10 percent commissions.
(Investopedia)
Investopedia reported that Amazon offers between 1 and 10 percent commissions from affiliate sales. It’s no secret that Amazon Associates is one of the most popular affiliate programs is Amazon Associates. What’s unique about this program is it offers variable commission rates for specific products. Easy-to-sell items have a lower commission (usually 1 percent), while luxury products that cost more (usually thousands of dollars) come with a much higher rate.
Conclusion
Based on these trends and statistics, it’s clear to see that affiliate marketing is a big industry beaming with opportunities. It has turned the internet into a global sales powerhouse projected to thrive for years to come.
Affiliate marketing has a lot to offer, both for companies and sole entrepreneurs. For website owners, affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to generate passive income. For those new to affiliate marketing, it doesn’t hurt to give it a try. There’s nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain!
If you feel like affiliate marketing might be just the right fit for you – check out our guide on ‘How to Start a Blog‘ which is usually the first albeit the most important step in the affiliate journey.
Want to Learn More?
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