What is Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a collaboration model in which another person or company promotes your products or services and receives a commission for every conversion they generate.
Typical remuneration models:
- CPL (Cost per Lead) – payment for completing a form or registering
- CPS (Cost per Sale) – commission on a completed purchase/service
- CPA (Cost per Action) – reward for a specific action (e.g. a scheduled meeting)
Partners may include:
- content creators, bloggers, influencers
- industry portals and media
- comparison sites or B2B platforms
- technology partners, freelance salespeople
Affiliate marketing is fully measurable – it uses tracking links, cookies and dedicated systems (e.g. Post Affiliate Pro, Tapfiliate, AffilBox or custom solutions).
Why is affiliate marketing important for B2B companies
- A low-risk
performance model You only pay for results – not for impressions or clicks. - Expands sales channels without the need for internal resources
External partners do the work for you – you scale without hiring staff. - It boosts trust and reach through third parties
A recommendation from a respected blogger or website carries more weight than an advert. - Can be targeted very precisely at a narrow segment
E.g. an affiliate partner focused solely on IT managers in manufacturing companies. - Supports synergy with content and SEO
Many partners create reviews, comparisons and links – which also benefits your organic traffic.
Practical applications and examples
- B2B SaaS tool
Launched an affiliate programme with a commission for every active user → 40% of new customers via affiliates within 6 months. - AITOM Digital
Collaborates with consultants and freelancers who recommend its services to their clients – they receive a commission for each referral. - Technology company
Affiliate network of specialist bloggers → articles on using the technology, with links → measurable 27% increase in conversions. - Consultancy firm
Used an affiliate programme to attract visitors to a conference → partners promoted the event on their networks in exchange for a commission on tickets sold. - B2B e-shop
Collaboration with an industry directory → 5% commission for every purchase generated → a new channel accounting for 12% of revenue.
5 tips for setting up an effective affiliate programme in B2B
- Choose the right remuneration model
In B2B, CPL or CPS are most commonly used – depending on the stage of the funnel and the customer’s lifetime value. - Choose the right partners
It’s not about quantity, but quality – better to have 10 relevant experts than 100 inactive affiliate websites. - Prepare materials for partners
Banners, sample emails, articles – make their job easier. - Track performance and optimise
What works? Who is generating leads? Who is just registered but inactive? - Build relationships with top partners
Communicate, motivate, reward – a good affiliate partner is like your external sales representative.
Related terms
- Performance Marketing – the broader category to which affiliate marketing belongs
- Lead Generation – affiliate marketing is one of its tools
- Referral Programme – a similar model, often targeted at existing customers
Further resources
- Post Affiliate Pro – What is Affiliate Marketing?
- HubSpot – The Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing
- AffilBox – How to launch your own affiliate programme
Summary
Affiliate marketing is a smart way to scale B2B marketing and sales without increasing costs for your in-house team. Thanks to the performance-based model, you only pay for results, whilst also expanding brand awareness through trusted partners. Would you like to set up your own affiliate programme for your business? Please don’t hesitate to contact us