An affiliate system is a set of software tools that handle the affiliate accounts by tracking which affiliates have referred visitors to the website, and rewards them with a specific commission based on what the referred visitor did on the website (purchases, sign ups, etc). An affiliate system is a key component of most website owners’ marketing strategies, and it’s an increasingly popular way to make money online.
Affiliates use the affiliate referral link or URL to promote your website or products. Specific affiliates are tracked because their IDs or usernames are appended to their URL, therefore the system can track which affiliate link brought a customer to your website. If the customer successfully completes a conversion (i.e. a sale, or a form submission), a referral will be generated and the affiliate will be awarded a commission.
Affiliate marketing is a form of advertising where a person, called an affiliate, receives a commission on sales of products or services they advertise. The affiliate is not the manufacturer of the product orservice, but is typically involved with the marketing of that specific item. This can be done with physical products or services, or even online ads.