Do you know the affiliate marketing industry will be worth $27.78 billion by 2027?
Pretty interesting.
You know, affiliate marketing has become a buzzword in online business, and for good reason.
It’s a powerful way for companies to expand their reach and for individuals to earn a passive income.
But just how effective is affiliate marketing?
The answer is in this article, where we cover 80 affiliate marketing statistics that will give you a comprehensive understanding of this dynamic industry.
We’ll cover everything from popular affiliate networks to the top-performing niches.
So, whether you’re a seasoned affiliate marketer or starting, get ready to be captivated, engaged, and informed!
General Affiliate Marketing Statistics
1. Affiliate marketing has a global market value of approximately $17 billion.
(Warmy)
That is a rise from the $13 million in 2016. Over $6 billion is spent on affiliate marketing in the United States alone.
This impressive figure indicates the industry’s significant growth and potential as more businesses recognize the value of affiliate marketing in reaching new audiences and driving sales.
Affiliate marketing allows businesses to partner with publishers, influencers, and other affiliates who promote their products or services in exchange for a commission on any resulting sales.
A performance-based marketing model gives businesses a low-risk, high-reward opportunity to expand their reach and increase revenue.
2. The global Affiliate Marketing Industry’s market size will rise to $27.78 billion by 2027.
(Proficient Market Insights)
3. Global Affiliate Marketing Spending was expected to reach $14.3 billion in 2023.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
This represents a significant increase from the $12 billion market size in 2022.
As businesses shift their marketing budgets to digital channels, affiliate marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of the marketing mix.
4. Over 80% of brands have affiliate programs in place.
(Affise)
Affiliate marketing is a significant part of many businesses’ digital marketing strategies, contributing to customer acquisition and revenue growth.
Even as over 80% of brands adopt affiliate marketing, the number is expected to grow.
More brands are realizing that affiliate marketing is an excellent way to increase their reach. Through affiliates, companies can reach a larger audience and grow their customer base.
Every profit-making company’s dream is to make more sales, drive more traffic, and build customer loyalty.
Affiliates are just the right people to help them reach that target.
5. The “last click” attribution method is used by 61% of affiliate marketers in Australia.
(Digital Scholar)
Last-click attribution is a method for determining credit for a conversion based on the last marketing touchpoint a customer interacted with before making a purchase.
In this method, the marketing channel or touchpoint that immediately preceded the conversion is given 100% of the credit for the conversion.
For example, if a customer clicked on a paid search ad and then made a purchase, the paid search ad would receive all the credit for the conversion.
It doesn’t matter if the customer had interacted with other marketing channels beforehand.
6. 78.3% of affiliate marketers rely on SEO as their main traffic source.
(Authority Hacker)
SEO involves optimizing online content to make it more visible in search engines’ organic search results.
Most affiliate marketers understand the stability and reliability of organic traffic.
Unlike paid advertising, which can be costly and variable, SEO-driven traffic is more consistent over time.
This stability allows affiliate marketers to build a sustainable flow of visitors to their content or website.
And more visitors mean higher chances of conversions.
By implementing good SEO practices, such as keyword optimization, link building, and creating high-quality content, affiliate marketers can attract organic traffic to their websites.
7. The U.S. accounts for a 39% share of the global affiliate marketing sector.
(Authority Hacker)
The US has a strong e-commerce industry and a high level of internet penetration and online shopping behavior among American consumers.
In fact, affiliate marketing is responsible for 16% of all online orders in the US.
The affiliate marketing industry is also growing rapidly in the US, with a 10% year-over-year growth rate.
One of the largest players in the US affiliate marketing industry is Amazon, which generated a staggering $1.28 billion in revenue through its affiliate programs in just the first quarter of 2023
8. 35% of affiliate marketers primarily rely on organic social media for traffic generation.
(Authority Hacker)
Recently, social media has become the new search engine.
Thousands of people use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, etc, to search for products and services daily.
But what makes social media stand out is that these social platforms offer advanced targeting options.
As such, affiliate marketers can tailor their content to their specific audience segments.
9. 34.28% of affiliate marketers utilize PPC marketing to increase visitor traffic.
(Digital Scholar)
10. As of 2021, Amazon Associates boasts more than 900,000 affiliates, making it the largest network globally.
(Statista)
But then they lost popularity after changing their payout schedules. This opened up opportunities for competitors.
11. With more than 700,000 affiliates, ShareASale is by far Amazon’s largest rival in the affiliate marketing space.
(Statista)
12. Most affiliate marketers (57.55%) reported earning less than $10,000 via affiliate marketing efforts.
(Statista)
This means that more than half of affiliate marketers did not make a substantial income from this source.
However, it’s important to note that many affiliate marketers do not work full-time in this field, which could contribute to lower earnings.
Approximately one out of every six affiliates earned up to $50,000, while approximately 4% made more than $150,000.
13. The average affiliate website RPM, as determined by cross-referencing profits and visitors, is $149.76.
(Authority Hacker)
This means that for every 1,000 page views, an affiliate website earns an average of $149.76 in revenue.
The revenue is generated through commissions earned from sales made through affiliate links on the website.
14. Affiliate marketers with three or more years of expertise earn 9.45 times more than newbies.
(Authority Hacker)
15. Out of 19 general niche categories, the three most lucrative affiliate marketing niches are education/e-learning, travel, and beauty/skincare.
(Authority Hacker)
Thanks to online education, more people are interested in educational products. Affiliates can market courses, tutoring services, and other educational resources.
The travel industry offers diverse opportunities for affiliates, from hotel bookings and flight reservations to travel gear.
The constant interest in exploring new destinations fuels the profitability of this niche.
Finally, the beauty and skincare niche is very popular among the ever-growing interest in personal care.
Affiliates in this category often promote cosmetics, skincare products, and beauty tools, benefiting from the continuous consumer focus on wellness and self-care.
16. 82% of high-earning websites monetize with both affiliate marketing and display ads.
(Authority Hacker)
17. In 2021, over 28% of brands used bloggers for affiliate marketing, making blogs the most popular platform employed by these companies.
(Statista)
It’s the 2020s, and blogs are still becoming more popular than ever.
Blogs offer a personalized and authentic way for brands to connect with their target audience.
Gone are the days when blogs are like an online diary where you share what people don’t care about.
Right now, the blogs with the most visitors are those that actually offer value to their readers. Even companies now have blogs on their website to reach more of their target audience.
Many companies use blogs to generate engagement, provide value to their audience, and position themselves as authorities.
18. 18.7% of brands use review sites for affiliate marketing, while 14.8% use coupon sites.
(Statista)
Coupon sites like Coupons.com, TopCashback, Advanced Coupons, Local Flavor, and DealTaker offer affiliate programs with commission rates ranging from 3% to $1 per signup.
19. By 2033, the United States is projected to hold a market share of more than US$ 1.1 billion in the worldwide affiliate marketing software industry.
(Future Market Insights)
The global affiliate marketing software industry is expected to experience strong growth in the coming years, reaching $7.72 billion by 2033.
The United States is expected to account for a significant portion of this growth, as its affiliate marketing software market is projected to reach over $1.1 billion by 2033.
Amazon, one of the largest players in the affiliate marketing industry, has played a significant role in driving this growth, despite some initial controversy surrounding its affiliate program.
The company’s success in the US has also helped to increase the global reach of affiliate marketing, as its products and services have broad appeal to consumers around the world.
20. 31% of marketers say affiliate marketing is part of their top 3 revenue sources.
(eMarketer)
21. For the first time in 20 years, global digital ad spending growth dropped to single digits in 2023, indicating the industry’s relative maturity.
(Awin)
22. 79% of retailers use affiliate marketing to boost brand engagement and consumer loyalty.
(Affise)
Consumers often trust recommendations from people (experts) they follow. Hence, affiliates advocate for the brand by providing authentic and credible recommendations.
Also, affiliates often have niche audiences that align with the brand’s target market.
These audiences already have a common problem and are looking for a solution your business can provide.
23. In 2021, the number of firms offering or specializing in Affiliate Marketing services grew by 26%, reaching 10,000 globally.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
24. Between 2020 and 2022, interest in affiliate marketing increased by about 264%.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
25. Search engine requests for affiliate marketing grew by nearly 30% over 2021.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
This significant increase in search volume indicates a growing interest in affiliate marketing as a potential source of income, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With more people working from home and looking for alternative income streams, affiliate marketing has emerged as an attractive option for those seeking to earn money online.
26. 94% of publishers use multiple affiliate networks at once.
(Affise)
A vast majority of affiliate marketers are signed up with more than one affiliate network, such as Amazon Associates, AWIN, or eBay Partner Network.
There are several reasons why publishers may choose to work with multiple affiliate networks.
For example, different networks may offer access to different types of products or services, allowing publishers to diversify their offerings and reach a wider audience.
Additionally, working with multiple networks can help publishers optimize their revenue by allowing them to compare commission rates and promotional tools across different platforms.
27. Forrester’s survey indicated that around 40% of affiliates work with three networks.
(Affise)
Affiliate marketing is their full-time job for some affiliates, so working with multiple networks diversifies their income streams.
Affiliate marketing is risky.
But then again, which lucrative business isn’t?
Smart affiliates do not rely on just one network. They spread out and receive commissions from as many networks as possible.
In affiliate marketing, you don’t need to put all your eggs in one basket.
28. 20% of affiliates deal with five or more networks.
(Affise)
These networks offer access to a wide range of merchants, from big brands to smaller, niche companies, and can provide marketers with a diverse income stream.
Affiliate Marketing Revenue Estimate
29. Approximately 86% of publishers believe that their affiliate marketing revenue will either stay the same or increase in the future.
(LinkedIn)
30. 73% of retailers claim that affiliate marketing campaigns help them reach their revenue targets.
(LinkedIn)
Affiliate marketing involves partnering with individuals or organizations to promote products, earning a commission for each sale.
By leveraging the reach of affiliates, businesses can expand their customer base and increase revenue.
Affiliate marketing is cost-effective, as it pays commissions based on performance.
It also allows businesses to tap into new customer segments without a heavy advertising budget.
31. 35% of affiliates make at least $20,000 in yearly revenue from affiliate marketing.
(LinkedIn)
32. 15% of affiliate marketers earn between $80,000 to $1 million annually as of 2023.
(LinkedIn)
33. Yearly affiliate marketing revenue of up to 20% is reported by 65% of retailers.
(LinkedIn)
A significant portion of retailers’ annual income comes from affiliate marketing.
This reflects the growing importance of affiliate marketing in the retail industry, with more brands and businesses using it to boost their sales and brand awareness.
34. The conversion rate of affiliate marketing initiatives is about 1%.
(Bloggers go to)
For every 100 clicks on an affiliate link, only one sale is typically made.
While this conversion rate may seem low, affiliate marketing is often a numbers game.
By driving a high volume of traffic to their affiliate links, publishers can still generate significant revenue even with a relatively low conversion rate.
35. The most lucrative affiliate marketing niche is health and wellness.
(Hostinger)
36. 41% of affiliates promote computers and electronics.
(Refersion)
This is because the consumer electronics market is projected to be worth $464 billion in the US and $838 billion globally, with the average person spending $250 per year on electronics.
Affiliate Marketing Failure Rate
37. According to an article published in October 2022 by Dynu In Media, 95% of affiliate marketers cannot establish a profitable Internet business.
(Ippei)
38. Fraud poses a significant challenge to the industry, with estimated losses of $1.4 billion in 2020.
(Cheq)
39. According to University of Illinois estimates, 38.1% of partners in the Amazon affiliate program were involved in fraud.
(Cheq)
This high rate of fraud highlights the challenges that companies face in managing affiliate programs and ensuring that their partners are acting in good faith.
Amazon has taken steps to combat this issue, including filing lawsuits against fraudulent affiliates and working to educate consumers about how to recognize and avoid scams.
Companies and consumers should be vigilant about affiliate marketing fraud and take steps to protect themselves.
40. More than 67% of brands worry about affiliate fraud, and less than 30% have been affected by it.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
Affiliate fraud can take many forms, including cookie stuffing, click fraud, and unauthorized discount codes.
To combat these issues, brands can implement measures such as strict vetting processes for affiliates, monitoring of affiliate activity, and the use of fraud detection software.
41. Affiliate marketers paid more than $4 million to settle allegations that they had promoted a fraudulent business coaching and investment scheme.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
42. Uber suffered $70 million of affiliate fraud.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
This fraud, known as attribution fraud, occurs when fraudsters steal credit for app installs that they did not generate.
In 2019, Uber’s former head of performance marketing, Kevin Frisch, conducted an investigation and turned off $100 million out of $150 million in annual spend on mobile app installations to acquire new drivers.
Despite this significant reduction in advertising spend, Uber saw no change in the number of rider app installs, indicating that a significant portion of their previous installs were attributed to fraudulent sources.
Frisch discovered that fraudsters were using malware to modify records and change the attribution of otherwise organic installs to appear as if they came from paid channels.
43. Given that an affiliate program may pay up to 30% of a user’s purchase to an affiliate marketer, it presents a prime opportunity for fraud.
(Future Market Insights)
Affiliate Marketing Success Rate
44. Affiliate marketing programs are used by over 80% of brands to increase revenue and generate leads.
(Propeller ads)
45. 54% of brand marketing experts rank affiliate marketing as one of the top three channels for customer acquisition.
(Impact my biz)
46. 20% of brand marketing professionals report that affiliate marketing is the number one position channel for customer acquisition.
(Impact my biz)
Affiliate Marketing Growth Statistics
47. In 2019, affiliate marketing reached $6.4 billion in turnover.
(Kiflo)
48. The U.S.’s affiliate marketing spend reached $8.2 billion by 2022.
(Statista)
49. Affiliate marketing programs are expected to rise by 10% each year over the next two years.
(Partnerize)
50. The global affiliate marketing platform market size was valued at USD 15773.09 million in 2021.
(Proficient Market Insight)
It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.89% during the forecast period, reaching USD 27780.09 million by 2021.
51. According to a recent Awin Report, advertisers spent $13 billion on affiliate marketing globally in 2017.
(Awin)
52. The global affiliate marketing software market expanded at a CAGR of 15.6% from 2018 to 2022.
(Future Market Insights)
53. During the analysis period, the United States will remain the greatest user of affiliate marketing software, contributing over $7.72 billion in absolute dollar opportunity over the next ten years.
(Future Market Insights)
54. North America accounts for 2/5th of the global affiliate marketing Software market.
(Future Market Insights)
Affiliate Marketing Demographics
55. According to recent statistics, 32% of affiliate marketers are aged between 35-44.
(Direct Selling News)
Moreover, ages 25-34 comprise 28%, and ages 45-54 comprise 22%.
56. 57% of affiliate marketers are situated in the United States, 10% in Canada, and 2% in India.
(Dramatic Digital)
57. 54% of affiliate marketers are males, while 43% are females.
(LinkedIn)
58. More than 60% of affiliate marketers connect with potential clients on social media.
(LinkedIn)
59. A one-second pause in a website’s loading speed results in 7% less sales.
(LinkedIn)
60. The most popular payment method for affiliate networks is cost per action.
(LinkedIn)
61. 90% of affiliate system revenues are accounted for by 10% of marketers on average.
(LinkedIn)
62. The speed at which a website load affects sales significantly.
(LinkedIn)
63. Almost half (50%) of affiliate marketers prefer direct payment methods.
(LinkedIn)
64. Of affiliate marketers, 55% are married, and 34% are single.
(LinkedIn)
65. Websites that load in less than two seconds are preferred by 47% of users.
(LinkedIn)
Affiliate Marketing Networks & Platforms
66. Amazon is the largest global online retailer, with 58.5% of affiliate marketers opting for it.
(Being Guru)
67. SaaS-based products pay out 20% to 70% commissions.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
68. 48.9% of affiliate marketing programs pay a flat rate.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
69. 42.4% of affiliate marketing programs provide affiliates with a percentage of sales.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
70. Almost 75% of marketers prefer using SaaS platforms for affiliate marketing rather than networks.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
71. More than 250,000 publisher accounts are on Peerfly.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
One of the biggest affiliate marketing networks in the world is called Peerfly. It has about 250k publisher accounts in 165 countries, of which 75k are active.
Peerfly also boasts over 2,000 users and 8,000 offers overall.
72. B2C products are promoted by 59.32% of affiliates.
(Thrive Cart)
This implies that your chances of finding an associate partner are very equal whether you’re reaching out to B2B or B2C clients.
73. 24.46% of affiliate marketers find affiliate programs via the merchant’s website.
(Digital Scholar)
74. Currently, ShareASale is the preferred affiliate marketing network for around 4,500 retailers.
(Authority Hacker)
75. 24.6% of affiliate marketers use Clickbank as their affiliate network. However, Amazon Associates is still the most popular affiliate network, with 58 5% using it.
(Authority Hacker)
76. 21.8% of affiliate marketers use the ShareASale affiliate network, and 20.5% use CJ.
(Authority Hacker)
By partnering with CJ Affiliate, affiliate marketers can work with world-class publishers and influencers to promote brand products and services, earn commissions, etc.
CJ Affiliate offers real-time reporting on performance and flexible commission strategies aligned with desired outcomes and performance.
77. 15.7% of affiliate marketers use the Impact affiliate network.
(Authority Hacker)
Impact is a platform that manages and optimizes all types of partnerships, including traditional affiliate programs.
It offers a CPS (Cost Per Sales) model and a 3% commission rate, provides promotional materials, and accepts traffic from worldwide sources.
Affiliate Marketing Supplementary Statistics
78. According to 40% of online marketers, affiliate marketing is an important skill.
(Direct Selling News)
79. Affiliate marketing accounts for 16% of total online orders.
(Direct Selling News)
80. 83.1% of affiliate marketers believe that affiliate marketing will continue to grow.
(Authority Hacker)
81. 66% of affiliate marketers who make $10,000 or more a month have completed courses in affiliate marketing.
(Authority Hacker)
82. Affiliate marketers with less than 10,000 followers make up 85.8% of those who use social media to increase traffic.
(Authority Hacker)
83. Of affiliate marketers making six figures or more, 31.3% thought about giving up at some point.
(Authority Hacker)
84. 25.1% of affiliate marketers claim that recent changes to the search algorithm have hurt them.
(Authority Hacker)
85. A whopping 77.1% of affiliate marketers work alone as solopreneurs without a team.
(Authority Hacker)
While it may seem daunting to run a business alone, being a solopreneur has its advantages.
For example, you have complete control over your business and can make decisions quickly without consulting with anyone else.
Additionally, you get to keep all the profits for yourself!
86. Affiliate marketers are using AI-driven content generation at a rate of 79.3%.
(Authority Hacker)
They’re letting AI help them write, design, and share content more efficiently.
It’s like having a super-smart assistant who can generate ideas, craft engaging posts, and even predict what your audience wants to see.
My Final Thoughts on Affiliate Marketing Statistics 2024
Affiliate marketing is a dynamic and ever-evolving industry that offers endless opportunities for growth and success.
With its ability to drive sales, increase brand awareness, and reach a global audience, it’s no wonder that this industry is thriving and shaping the digital landscape.
So, whether you’re a seasoned affiliate marketer or just starting out, there’s never been a better time to get started and make your mark.
Here’s the current affiliate marketing industry worth by years:
| Year | Global Market Size (USD Billion) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $13 billion |
| 2017 | $14.1 billion |
| 2018 | $15.3 billion |
| 2019 | $16.6 billion |
| 2020 | $17.2 billion |
| 2021 | $20.3 billion |
| 2022 | $23.6 billion |
| 2023 | $27.8 billion |
| 2024* | $32.3 billion |
| 2025* | $37.3 billion |
| 2026* | $42.6 billion |
| 2027* | $48.0 billion |
The years with asterisks haven’t been verified yet.
FAQs
What Percentage of Affiliate Marketers Succeed?
According to various sources, affiliate marketers’ success rates vary widely. However, PepperJam reports that 33% of US directors consider affiliate marketing programs “highly successful.”
What Is The Growth Rate Of Affiliate Marketing?
The growth rate of affiliate marketing stands at an impressive 10% year-over-year, with a projected market size of $27.78 billion by 2027, showcasing a substantial 63% surge from the current $17 billion.
What 3 Industries are the Largest Users of Affiliate Marketing?
The three largest industries using affiliate marketing are e-commerce, travel, and financial services.
What is the projected affiliate marketing industry worth by 2025
The affiliate marketing industry will be worth $37.3 billion in 2025.
What Is The Average ROI For Affiliate Marketing?
The average return on investment (ROI) for affiliate marketing is an impressive $15 for every dollar spent, yielding an exceptional 1400% return.
Who is the King of Affiliate Marketing?
Some notable figures in the industry include Pat Flynn, John Chow, Missy Ward, and Mark Ling. They’ve all made significant contributions to the field and have large followings.
Sources:
