Guide to affiliate influencer marketing: Boost your brand and bottom line

What happens when you combine the trust-building power of influencer marketing with the performance-driven results of affiliate marketing? You get affiliate influencer marketing: a high-impact strategy for boosting brand awareness and sales.

There are so many nuances to consider with influencer affiliate marketing, from tracking and attribution to finding the right partners to handling compliance. This guide will peel back the curtain on affiliate influencer marketing and walk you through everything you need to know, including its unique benefits and step-by-step tips for building your affiliate influencer program.

What is affiliate influencer marketing?

Affiliate influencer marketing, or influencer affiliate marketing, is a type of brand partnership where influencers earn a commission for driving product or service sales through their content.

Here’s how it typically works:

• A brand partners with influencers to promote their product or service through social media content.
• The influencer gets a unique affiliate link or discount code to share with their audience.
• Each time someone uses the link or code to purchase, the influencer earns a percentage of the sale.

Retailer Temu recently launched an affiliate influencer program. Approved creators get a unique affiliate link, code to share and free products for selected campaigns.

Influencers who meet Temu’s posting requirements can earn cash, Temu credit, a $5 reward per referral download and up to 20% commission. And the more loyal their following, the better the rewards as there is no limit to potential affiliate earnings.

Brands like Amazon and Walmart also offer affiliate influencer marketing programs with tools to track sales and commissions through custom links and landing pages.

With its built-in affiliate platform, TikTok Shop helps brands connect with influencers and incentivize them. Creators can also easily find products and brands to promote.

Combining influencer marketing with affiliate marketing enables brands to tap into influencers’ authenticity and trust. Influencers don’t have a purely transactional relationship with their audience, so when they talk about a product or service, it feels more like a friend sharing a helpful recommendation than an advertisement.

This rapport translates into sales because people are likelier to buy from someone they already know, like and trust. Plus, seeing how the product or service fits into the influencer’s life makes it easier for followers to see how it could work for them.

Incorporating affiliate marketing into the mix also drives sales by further incentivizing and rewarding influencers who deliver the most conversions. They will be more motivated to create unique and engaging content for your brand to maximize their earning potential.

Benefits of influencer affiliate marketing

Influencer marketing builds trust and awareness, so it can be tricky to quantify the overall value of their work (especially without the right tools). On the other hand, affiliate marketing is great for tracking sales but can lack the personal touch that creates loyal customers. Influencer affiliate marketing combines both approaches’ strengths and offers other benefits you might not have considered.

Performance-driven strategy

Thanks to its commission-based payment structure, affiliate influencer marketing is a cost-effective way to partner with creators and influencers. Instead of paying flat fees upfront, brands can opt only to cover the cost of product samples and sales commissions.

This allows brands to test the waters of affiliate marketing with minimal risk. If a handful of your affiliates consistently generate a lot of sales, you could reward them with extra perks or higher commission rates. This approach ensures your budget goes toward the people who deliver measurable value, which is great for building long-term influencer-brand partnerships.

Repurpose content to maximize reach

Creating ad creatives takes a lot of time and effort. Polished ads can also feel too promotional and, therefore, easy to ignore. In contrast, affiliate influencers’ user-generated content (UGC) feels more authentic and relatable, which is exactly why audiences trust and connect with it more.

Affiliate influencer content can be a valuable asset when you secure usage rights. Post the highest-performing creative on your social media channels or use it as ad creative for paid campaigns. Short-form videos, in particular, can be reposted to multiple platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

Build brand awareness

More is more when it comes to affiliate influencers. More influencers means more opportunities for people to discover your brand. Giving your affiliates free samples enables you to collect reviews, which builds trust and strengthens your brand’s reputation.

Plus, you’re not limited to social media. If an affiliate influencer you’re working with has a newsletter, blog or podcast, they could promote your brand to those marketing channels and audiences. Taking a more holistic approach to your marketing can unlock more conversion opportunities than you might expect.

Even if they don’t all convert customers, having a network of affiliate influencers consistently sharing your brand helps create a sense of community among your customers. Over time, these influencers can even evolve into genuine brand ambassadors. They won’t just promote your products because they’re paid to; they genuinely love your brand and want to share it with the world.

How to build an affiliate influencer marketing program

Launching a successful affiliate influencer marketing program isn’t as simple as handing out discount codes and hoping for the best. You need a strategy to attract the right influencers, motivate them with fair compensation and guide them in creating compelling content.

Here’s how to build a program from the ground up, step by step.

Determine your compensation model

There are four common compensation models for affiliate influencers:

• Flat fee: Affiliates receive a set amount upfront for their work. Influencers and creators like the guaranteed payment and brands get predictable costs but sales aren’t guaranteed.
• Commission-only: Influencers earn a percentage of each sale they generate through their unique affiliate link or discount code. This arrangement is low-risk for brands but less appealing to experienced creators who take on all the risk.
• Hybrid (flat fee + commission): Influencers get an upfront payment for their content and earn commissions on sales they generate. This balanced model offers creators guaranteed income while motivating them to produce results.
• Product exchange and commission: In exchange for content, influencers receive free products or services and a commission on sales. This model reduces the risk for the influencers, as they still receive samples, even if their content doesn’t perform.

Each compensation model has advantages, depending on your brand’s goals, budget and the influencer or creator’s reach and performance. Still, being generous with your compensation and commission offer is always a smart move. Clear and timely payment terms, along with open communication, are also key to keeping influencers interested in your brand by showing them you value their contributions.

The more you reward your affiliates, the more loyal and motivated they’ll be. A higher commission will encourage them to post more frequently about your brand, leading to increased organic impressions, reviews and sales. Plus, the more content they create, the more high-quality creative you’ll have to repost and scale through paid media, amplifying your brand’s reach even further.

Choose the right marketing platforms and ad formats

Any digital marketing platform allowing affiliate links or discount codes can support affiliate influencer marketing. This could include podcasts, blog content, email newsletters or online marketplaces like Etsy. The platform and format will depend on the influencer or creator and how they can best engage their audience.

But social media is often at the core of any integrated affiliate marketing strategy because it’s where most influencers already connect with their audiences and create content. Plus, these networks integrate well with influencer marketing platforms, making it easier for you to track engagement, sales and commissions.

Here are the most popular choices:

• TikTok: Influencers and creators can post short-form video content with affiliate links in captions or profiles. TikTok Shop’s native affiliate platform allows influencers and brands to collaborate directly in the app. Although, the use of TikTok in the US is uncertain, the platform is still a viable option internationally.
• Instagram: Influencers and creators can add affiliate links and discount codes to Posts, Stories, Reels and Highlights. Shoppable tags in Posts or Stories can track product purchases.
• YouTube: Affiliate links can be included in video descriptions and shared as product placements.
• Facebook: Influencers and creators can add affiliate links or stories to Posts, Stories and Facebook Groups. They can also share third-party links during Facebook Live events.
• X (formerly known as Twitter): Share affiliate links or promo codes in posts.
• Pinterest: Use affiliate links in Pins or create visual guides and collections featuring affiliate products.

When it comes to ad formats, here are four to consider:

• Short-form videos: Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Short are great for creating attention-grabbing and highly shareable content.
• Story ads: Use swipe-up links or stickers on Instagram and Facebook Stories to track affiliate links.
• Shoppable posts/ads: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest support direct purchases through shoppable tags and ads.
• Live shopping streams: TikTok, Instagram and Facebook allow influencers to showcase affiliate products and share affiliate links in real-time during live sessions.

The best platform and ad format depend on your brand and goals. Trying to reach Gen Z? TikTok or Instagram Reels are great for quick, eye-catching videos. For detailed product reviews or how-tos, YouTube is a better fit. Pinterest works especially well for lifestyle or home decor brands.

Choosing the right mix helps you connect with your audience and get the most out of your affiliate campaigns.

Create a shortlist of potential influencers

Now, you need to find the right affiliate influencers—ones that align with your brand, have an active audience and speak to your target audience.

Some social networks make this easier with built-in tools. TikTok’s Creator Search Insights helps brands find trending influencers with strong followings and high engagement. If you’re using TikTok Shop, the “open collaborations” feature lets creators discover and promote your products, while “target collaborations” allow brands to connect directly with specific creators.

For the most strategic approach, platforms like Sprout Social Influencer Marketing (formerly Tagger) are your best bet. The Creator Discovery feature uses over 50 filters to help you find the perfect influencer match. The Content Health tool lets you compare influencer marketing key performance indicators (KPIs), while the Affinity Engine uses machine learning to automatically identify the right creators or influencers for your brand.

Create ‘getting started’ materials for your influencers

Set your influencers up for success with clear, helpful onboarding resources. These materials will make it easier for them to promote your products while staying on-brand and compliant.

These guides should cover the basics, like how affiliate links work and how to track performance and payments. You should also give them a creative brief with talking points, product details and unique selling points to highlight. Also, provide detailed instructions on how to tag your brand and clearly label content as sponsored to comply with FTC influencer guidelines.

Lastly, give them tips on creating content for the platform of choice. Suggest popular hashtags or trending music to add or intriguing hooks or editing styles to try.

Track performance

Before you go live, create tracking links or UTMs to measure each influencer’s conversions. Tools like Sprout can generate these links for campaigns. Instruct your influencers to include their unique links in their posts for easy monitoring.

Beyond conversions, focus on key metrics like:

• Clicks: The number of people clicking on affiliate links.
• Engagement: Likes, comments, shares and views that show how well content resonates with audiences.
• Revenue generated: Total sales driven by specific influencers.

Clicks and engagement show the impact of your influencers on brand awareness, while revenue helps you identify your best and worst performers. Use this data to refine your approach. Reward and motivate top influencers with higher commissions. For underperformers, share examples of successful content to help them improve and get better results.

How to attract and hire the right influencers

You’ve created a shortlist of potential influencers, but now you need to seal the deal.

To secure and hire influencers who will deliver real results for your brand, ask yourself: what’s in it for them? Influencers, especially experienced ones with highly engaged audiences, put a lot of effort and care into their content. If you want to attract the best influencers, you need an offer they can’t ignore.

Here are a few tips to help you win them over.

Create a compelling offer

Start with competitive commission rates or hybrid models that include upfront payments. For example, a generous 20% commission is far more motivating than a standard 5-10%. Plus, upfront payments can help attract more experienced influencers and build trust, as they will have guaranteed compensation.

Also, consider offering additional compensation for content usage rights. This step would allow you to repurpose their posts for your social media channels or paid media efforts.

Offer coupon codes

Coupon codes are a win-win. Influencers get to share an exclusive deal with their audience. Followers are more likely to purchase when they get a deal. Plus, unique discount codes make their content more actionable and trackable.

To maximize results, offer an enticing limited-time discount or promotion. In their brand partnership with interior design YouTuber Alexandra Gater, the remote personal training app Trainwell offered her followers a free 14-day trial and $25 off their first month for the first 100 people who signed up with her unique link.

Seek out micro or nano-influencers in specific niches

Don’t underestimate micro or nano-influencers. With follower counts ranging from under 10,000 to 100,000, they may have smaller audiences, but those audiences are highly targeted and loyal. Adopting a niche marketing approach by partnering with these creators or influencers will get your brand in front of people genuinely interested in your product.

For example, if you’re a beauty brand launching a clean makeup line, you could focus on skincare creators specializing in clean beauty.

Micro and nano-influencers often have higher engagement rates than mega-influencers. They’re also more affordable and open to flexible payment options. Remember that follower count doesn’t limit reach. Content can go viral regardless of their audience size.

Giveaway free samples or services

Who doesn’t like free stuff? Giving your influencers product samples or services will get them excited about your brand and allow them to test and showcase the product naturally. Just ensure they clearly disclose that the product was gifted to stay compliant with FTC guidelines.

Clothing retailer Knix has an ambassador program where affiliate influencers get free products, VIP access to exclusive events and a 10% commission on all sales generated through affiliate links.

Collaborate with influencers on content

Work with influencers to create content that aligns with your brand’s vision and unique style. Influencers know their audiences best, so give them creative freedom to make your product or service shine authentically.

Encourage them to create a “how-to” tutorial, a “day-in-the-life” video featuring your product or an unboxing with their honest first impressions. A fitness influencer might incorporate your protein powder into a “what I eat in a day” TikTok video, while a fashion creator could style your clothing line in an “X ways to wear it” Reel. To preserve brand safety, let the influencers known upfront that you will review these posts before publishing. Setting expectations like review processes early ensure there are no surprises from both parties.

Why affiliate influencers are worth the investment

Sales are the obvious benefit, but affiliate influencers bring a lot more to the table. They spread the word about your brand and create valuable UGC content, which you can repurpose for organic posts, ads, social proof—you name it.

To make the most of your investment, match their energy. Offer competitive compensation, fun perks and resources to support content creation and build strong partnerships.

If you’re starting out and need to prove return on investment, start with one or two micro-influencers and creators who align with your brand’s values and track their impact. These folks often have higher engagement and stronger connections that can yield promising results. Plus, the more you have on board, the wider your reach (and the better your shot at going viral).

Ready to get started? Use our Influencer Marketing Brief Template to kick off your next campaign.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is affiliate marketing the same as influencer marketing?

Affiliate marketing and influencer marketing are not the same. Affiliate marketing focuses on conversions. Affiliates earn commissions by driving sales through unique links, landing pages or discount codes. Influencer marketing has a broader scope that can include affiliate marketing and building brand awareness. Partnering with influencers whose audiences align with yours can help brands increase visibility among target customers. When combined, affiliate influencer marketing becomes a powerful strategy that drives measurable sales through engaging, authentic content.

What are examples of affiliate influencer marketing networks?

LTK, Awin and Sprout Social Influencer Marketing are all examples of influencer marketing networks. These platforms connect brands with influencers and equip them with affiliate links to earn commissions from product sales. However, Sprout Social Influencer Marketing is a more comprehensive solution, offering advanced influencer discovery, integrated campaign management and in-depth reporting and analysis—all in one place.