Through its integrated end-to-end solution, impact.com accelerates business growth by automating the full partnership life cycle, including discovery, recruitment, contracting, engagement, fraud protection, optimization, and payment processing impact.com is the leading global partnership management platform and has been transforming the way enterprises manage and optimize all types of partnerships — including affiliates, influencers, commerce content publishers, B2B, and more — since its founding in 2008

1. Getting started on impact.com
A walk-through on what is affiliate marketing and how
to set up your partner account. A walk-through on
how to set up your partner account.
Influencer and Content Creators,companies

2. What is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing platform solutions
How to get started with affiliate marketing as an affiliate
Understanding how an affiliate marketing program works
1
2
3
4
5
6
C
o
n
t
e
n
t
s
How do I earn with impact.com?
Account registration
●Sign up for an impact.com account

3. C
o
n
t
e
n
t
s
Tips and resources
Account review
●Complete your marketplace profile
and submit your application
7
8

4. Overview
Affiliate marketing is a $12 billion industry1 globally,
with $6.8 billion of that figure coming from the United
States alone. Even during uncertain times, affiliate
marketing remains a top performance channel. And
for marketers, affiliate marketing also recently
ranked as a top in-demand skill.2 That’s because of
its high earnings potential for advertisers and
affiliates alike.
For brands, affiliate marketing can deliver up to 30
percent or more of total revenue, with an impressive
average return on investment (ROI) of $15 for every
dollar spent.
Meanwhile, affiliate publishers with lucrative
partnerships can earn up to $10,000 a day.3 Or, at
the very least, they can diversify and level up their
earnings through brand partnerships.
Whether you’re a new or aspiring advertiser or
affiliate, this ultimate guide to affiliate marketing will
set you on the right path.

5. W
h
a
t
i
s
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
?
6
How does affiliate marketing work?
The concept of affiliate marketing may be difficult to understand at first, so let’s break it
down.
When an affiliate (partner or publisher) joins a brand’s affiliate program, the brand provides
the affiliate with access to unique tracking links. The affiliate then promotes the brand using
these links. The affiliate can add the links to its website, social profiles, email campaigns,
and other promotional opportunities.
Consumers click on these links, which bring them directly to the brand’s website to make a
purchase. The affiliate receives a commission from the brand for any purchase a consumer
makes.
Example: Let’s say the affiliate is a vlogger (video blogger) who hosts a sneaker review series. A consumer clicks
on the vlogger’s recommendation link to buy a pair of sneakers. The vlogger secures a sale for the sneaker
brand and receives a commission in return.
Vlogger hosts a sneaker
review series
Consumer clicks on
vloggers recommendation
Vlogger secures a sale for
the brand and receives a
commission

6. W
h
a
t
i
s
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
?
How do affiliate payments work?
How do affiliate marketing commissions work?
In the past, affiliates were only paid when
they generated the last click to sale, i.e., the
click that guaranteed the sale. Now, many
enterprises customize payouts and decide
which actions to compensate — and how.
Affiliate marketing operates on a performance-based model. Affiliates gain commission
payments when specific “conversion events” take place. A conversion event could be any
number of actions a user takes on-site, for example, a product sale, a newsletter sign-up, or
an account registration.
The affiliate performance-based model generally uses a set of standard payment
structures, including:
●Cost per action (CPA)
●Cost per lead (CPL)
●Cost per click (CPC)
7

7. W
h
a
t
i
s
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
?
The affiliate marketing channel has been around since
the late 1990s, but it's gone through some serious
changes in recent years. Strategies that worked just
a few years ago are no longer ideal. But affiliate
partnerships offer a viable new way to think
about relationships with affiliate publishers.
Affiliate partnerships today nurture long-term
relationships with affiliates, and include full life
cycle management — from recruitment to
reoptimization — with meaningful insights. The
affiliate partnership approach enables advertisers
to gain a deeper understanding of performance.
Brands also can analyze customer value and view the
full consumer journey.
Meanwhile, affiliates can partner with brands that align with their own values. All an affiliate
needs to do is to share a link on its website and across its social channels. In return, the
affiliate will enjoy uncapped earnings potential for traffic it sends to the brand’s website —
whether that’s payment on first click or for any converting sales. Joining a brand’s affiliate
program is usually free, so there’s little to no risk for the affiliate.
What are affiliate partnerships?

8. W
h
a
t
i
s
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
?
8
website/app.
For a complete overview of the partner’s ultimate Guide to getting started on
impact.com in 2024 visit: www.medium.com
The partner engages with its email audience to promote a brand.
Each affiliate partner type reaches its audience in a different way, such as a blog post,
coupon website, or email campaign. Each partner type engages with customers at different
stages of the consumer journey. For example, a social media influencer could raise
awareness at the beginning of the consumer journey, while a coupon publisher may help
close a sale at the end of it.
Here are the most common types of affiliate labels:
●Content partner: The partner creates content, such as blog posts or product guides,
to tell consumers about a brand’s products or services.
●Coupons and deals: The partner promotes a brand by offering discount codes or
highlighting promotional deals.
●Affiliate tools: Tools that act as sub-affiliate networks and give sub-affiliate partners
ways to easily monetize their content (e.g., VigLink, Skimlinks, etc.).
●Mobile app affiliate: The partner uses their app to drive traffic to a brand’s
What are the different types of affiliate marketing partners?
● Email marketer:

9. W
h
a
t
i
s
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
?
9
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
website.
Pay-per-call partners: These partners prompt consumers to call a brand. The brand
tracks the calls and accordingly awards the partners credit.
Toolbars: Toolbar partners have
browser extensions that allow
consumers to apply promo codes or
automatically check for cashback.
Vloggers: Video bloggers promote a
brand in their video blogs. Examples
include product unboxings or product
video reviews.
Other brands: Brands may partner
with other brands to form strategic
brand-to-brand partnerships.
Social media influencers and communities: These partners use social media
platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to tell their audience about a
brand.
Directories: These partners have data-feed-driven websites and usually surface
product or price comparisons.
Loyalty, rewards, and cashback: These partners give consumers a cut of their affiliate
commissions in the form of cashback or loyalty rewards.
Paid search affiliate: The partner bids on paid search terms to drive traffic to a brand’s

10. Whether you plan to create an affiliate program or
join one, it’s a good idea to learn how affiliate
programs work. Let’s dive into the basics.
An affiliate program is the process or system a brand
creates to manage affiliate marketing relationships.
Brands create and manage programs that affiliates
can join.
The goal is to support the relationship between a
brand and its affiliate partners. This includes
onboarding (recruitment), contracts, payments, and
sharing opportunities.
An affiliate program includes three parties:
●The affiliate
●The brand or enterprise
●The affiliate network/software as a service
(SaaS) solution
What is an affiliate program?
Each affiliate program has its
own set of terms and
conditions.
Understanding how an affiliate marketing program works
CHAPTER 2

11. 11
U
n
d
e
r
s
t
a
n
d
i
n
g
h
o
w
a
n
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
p
r
o
g
r
a
m
w
o
r
k
s
An advertiser gives affiliates access to tracking links that track their clicks. Some affiliate
programs allow partners to customize the look of these links. Many brands also create
specific landing pages on their websites that affiliates can link to.
Advertisers can use a SaaS solution to manage their partners or an affiliate network. We’ll
cover this more in-depth later. The best way to describe the way an affiliate program works
is to break down the affiliate’s journey and look at the road to payout.
The road to payout
How does affiliate tracking work?
Referral
Merchant’s
Website
Conversion Tracking Reporting Payout
Customer clicks
the ad or link
Customer is sent
to the merchant
site through
tracking link
Customer makes
a purchase on
merchant’s
website
Platform records
the purchase and
details of the
transaction
Purchase is
confirmed by
merchant as a
valid sale
Affiliate gets
paid its
commission

12. 12
To track specific conversion events, brands may use one of the following tracking
methods:1
●Javascript tags — the most common tracking method. Javascript tags capture a
wide variety of data points, which enhances reporting and commissioning
capabilities. Javascript tags enable real-time tracking of clicks, conversions, and
website behavior.
●Image pixels — a less robust tracking method used to track clicks and conversions.
Image pixels still allow for real-time tracking, but with fewer data points.
●API calls — also known as server-to-server tracking, application programming
interface (API) calls submit conversion data via a web service API call to a SaaS
platform or affiliate network. API calls do not need cookies to operate, and can work
in real time or in delayed intervals. This is the most futureproof methodology2
available today.
●FTP tracking — another version of server-to-server tracking. This method uses an
FTP server to either receive or push tracking data. Advertisers create a “.CSV” file
of all the conversions that have occurred on their website, and submit them to
impact.com via FTP.
U
n
d
e
r
s
t
a
n
d
i
n
g
h
o
w
a
n
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
p
r
o
g
r
a
m
w
o
r
k
s

13. U
n
d
e
r
s
t
a
n
d
i
n
g
h
o
w
a
n
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
p
r
o
g
r
a
m
w
o
r
k
s
Advertisers can communicate with tech platforms
through APIs. APIs do not rely on browsers as
intermediaries, which reduces the amount of
data shared. API tracking also improves
attribution (i.e., the ability to attribute user
activity in the full consumer journey).
They don’t rely on third-party cookies and
enable brands to circumvent browser
policies.
1.

14. Affiliate marketing platform solutions
CHAPTER 3
Every affiliate program needs the right technology behind it. If you want to
grow an affiliate program you have two main options:
1.Affiliate networks. Networks give advertisers access to a
large pool of affiliates. It's easy to find relevant affiliates,
and onboarding is straightforward. However, you will
be limited to the affiliates within the network.
networks frequently bundle services into their
offering.
2.Software solutions. SaaS solutions or
partnership platforms offer brands flexibility
and control by allowing them to work with
anyone they want, not just publishers within a
network. SaaS platforms help brands
automate their program management across
the entire partnership life cycle: discovery,
recruitment, contracts, payouts, tracking,
engagement, protection, monitoring, and
optimization.

15. It’s not just brands that enjoy the benefits of affiliate
marketing technology. There are so many great
affiliate programs, networks, and platforms affiliates
can join, too. But before you take that step, it’s worth
considering your own goals and values as an affiliate.
Consider:
●What types of products or services do you want
to promote?
●Do you want to promote smaller niche brands
— or more popular ones?
●Do you have in mind specific brands for
partnerships?
●Do you aspire to any affiliates that you can learn
from?
●Do you have the traffic, engagement, or
appeal to attract brand partnerships?
●Do you only want to support sustainable or
ethical brands?
If you’re yet to acquire a large following or
significant website traffic, work on that first. Create
regular content and posts to drive engagement, and
learn from affiliates that you aspire to as well. You
can find many tutorials and resources online,
including these tips on how to generate high-quality
traffic for your website.2 If you have the audience,
the engagement, and feel ready to dive in, your next
step is research!
How to get started with affiliate marketing as an affiliate
CHAPTER 4

16. The impact.com platform helps you manage your relationships with enterprise partners,
and monetize your audience and content
Support and automate every stage of successful
partnerships:
●Discover and apply: Find new brand partners
to work with; apply directly to their programs
●Contract and join: Negotiate contract terms
and begin referring valuable traffic
●Engage: Communicate directly with brand
partners; know when new content, products, or
promotions are extended; make specific
requests for creatives or promotions
●Optimize: Maintain a system of record for all
tracked sales; understand your performance so
you can replicate success, efficiently allocate
your resources, and win more opportunities
●Profit: Get paid reliably — how and when you
choose
CHAPTER 1
How do I earn with impact.com?

17. Sign up for an impact.com account
STEP 1
CHAPTER 2
STEP 2
Registration link: impact.com partner account sign
up
STEP 3 STEP 4
Account registration
17
Choose to sign up via
email, using one of your
social profiles, or with an
existing account
Verify your phone number
with the code sent to your
phone
Select your primary
business model and tell
us how you promote
Fill in the information
about yourself and click
continue

18. Complete your marketplace profile
Account review
CHAPTER 3
Complete your profile and submit your application to join the marketplace — a step that’s required before
you apply to brands.
18
1
.
2
.
3
.
4
.
5
.
Verify your email if you haven’t done so already
Complete your tax information (required
for non-US partners)
Enhance your profile
Modify your media properties
Submit your marketplace application for
review

19. 1. Verify your email address
Start by validating your email.
1.
2
.
3
.
Check your inbox for an email with the subject line “Let’s verify your email to activate
your account!” from notifications@app.impact.com (please note it may be in your
spam folder)
Click “Verify my email”
If you need us to resend the email, click “verify your email” in the left navigation bar
of the impact.com platform and then click “Resend validation email”
A
c
c
o
u
n
t
r
e
v
i
e
w
19

20. 4. Modify your media properties
Almost done! Enter any additional media properties and then verify your ownership
1
.
2
.
3
.
Click “Modify your media properties” in the left navigation bar
Enter any missing properties
Verify each of your web and social properties by clicking “verify” and then following
the steps outlined
20
A
c
c
o
u
n
t
r
e
v
i
e
w

21. 5. Submit your marketplace application
All set! Submit your marketplace profile and application for review.
1
.
2
.
3
.
Click “Submit your marketplace application!” in the left navigation bar
Once you’re ready to submit, click the “submit application” button
All done! Our team will review your application as soon as possible. You’ll be notified
by email once your application is reviewed.
21
A
c
c
o
u
n
t
r
e
v
i
e
w

22. 5. Submit your marketplace application
All set! Submit your marketplace profile and application for review.
1
.
2
.
3
.
Click “Submit your marketplace application!” in the left navigation bar
Once you’re ready to submit, click the “submit application” button
All done! Our team will review your application as soon as possible. You’ll be notified
by email once your application is reviewed.
22
A
c
c
o
u
n
t
r
e
v
i
e
w

23. Notification settings
Tips and resources
CHAPTER 4
STEP 1
Configure your notifications:
STEP 2
Modify notifications:
23
Notification frequency (i.e., daily, weekly, or
monthly)
Mobile device via SMS
Custom notifications (i.e., click performance,
account balance, etc.)
After your application is approved, you can update your notification settings. The impact.com notifications keep
you informed about events happening in your account. Set them to your desired specifications and you’ll never
miss a beat.
On the left navigation bar, select the bell to
view your notifications
Select the gear (top right corner) to edit
notification settings
●
●
●
●
●

24. H
o
w
t
o
g
e
t
s
t
a
r
t
e
d
w
i
t
h
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
m
a
r
k
e
t
i
n
g
a
s
a
n
a
ffi
l
i
a
t
e
24
If your fan base is Gen Z, you’re not
going to get much from a partnership
with a 50+ brand. Think about the
brands that aspire to reach your
audience. If you have no idea who
your audience is, find out. Use website
and social media analytics to run
reports. This will help you build your
proposition as an affiliate and reach
the right brands.
Before you dive in and sign up with every single network and platform you can find, ask
yourself:
Are your fans likely to buy on that first click, or will they return and purchase later?
Do you seek a basic commission structure through an affiliate network? Or
customized payments that pay for first click or awareness through a platform? (We
talked a bit about the different types of affiliate payment models earlier.)
●
Does my audience match the type of
products or services I plan to
promote?
Which payment model would I find the most beneficial?
●

25. © 2021 impact.com. All rights reserved.
Follow them for all the latest news and insights:
About impact.com
impact.com is the leading global partnership
management platform and has been transforming the
way enterprises manage and optimize all types of
partnerships — including affiliates, influencers,
commerce content publishers, B2B, and more —
since its founding in 2008. Through its integrated
end-to-end solution, impact.com accelerates
business growth by automating the full partnership
life cycle, including discovery, recruitment,
contracting, engagement, fraud protection,
optimization, and payment processing.
To learn more about how impact.com’s technology
platform and partnerships marketplace is driving
revenue growth for global enterprise brands such as
Walmart, Uber, Shopify, Lenovo, L’Oreal, Fanatics,
Levi’s and 1-800-Flowers, visit now