What is an affiliate marketing program?

This form of marketing goes by several names; it is also called Affiliate Marketing, Advertising, Performance Marketing, Partner Marketing, CPA, or Associate Program.

In an affiliate marketing program, a publisher receives a commission for generating a transaction, such as a lead or sale, for an advertiser that the publisher is promoting.

The advertiser provides its ads to publishers and assigns a commission for each action it wants to accomplish.

Publishers place the tracking code for these ads on their web sites, in their email campaigns, or in search listings. Whenever a visitor uses these links to generate an action on the advertiser site, that transaction is tracked online.

If a product or service is purchased, the customer pays the advertiser directly, and the publisher is paid a commission for that transaction.

Who provides this service?