The 2024 Affiliate Marketing Trends that will accelerate in 2025.
Posted on 23rd December 2024 at 14:36
Read Time: Approx. 8 Minutes 17 Seconds
Author: Dave Trolle & Cerie Waudby
Introduction
Affiliate marketing is a cornerstone of digital advertising, and its growth has never been more spectacular, than what we have seen over the past 12 months. With the success there has also come many challenges. Customer First Digital (CFD) explores these pressing challenges and offers actionable strategies to help brands and agencies adapt effectively, as we move into 2025.
A growing and more valued marketing channel than ever before
Affiliate marketing has often been tarnished with negative connotations, linked to the lack of incrementality along with fraudulent activity. In 2024, we’ve seen more brands than ever bring affiliate marketing into their mix. This is backed up by this year’s APMA’s survey, where we are seeing affiliate marketing …
Tracked sales worth £21 billion.
Grew 50% faster than overall digital ad spending.
The travel sector experienced 160% growth, largely due to recovery from the pandemic.
Many reports suggest the growth is being driven from the true multi-channel role that affiliate marketing can provide, allowing the marketer to target customers at every touchpoint in the journey. This new reality not only raises the status, but also the commercial value of the channel.
How Should Agencies and Brands Adapt in 2025
Partner onboarding: with more partners than ever to work with, make sure you have clear plan for which ones will make the difference and is aligned to your target audience … don’t drown your programme with non-click active publishers.
Budgets wider than commission: with more upper funnel paid for opportunities than ever and some paid for partner integrations required, tenancy budget should be made available.
The tracking nightmare … who gets attributed the sale?
Whether it’s the ongoing battle with different reporting views across platforms, inconsistency in how conversions are tracked, loss in customer journeys from cross device journeys, users opting out of cookies and wider industry changes, understanding the true value of a sale has never been more challenging.
Tracking and attribution issues undermine the integrity of affiliate marketing. Key consequences include:
Loss of Trust: Affiliates may lose confidence in networks and brands when commissions are not accurately attributed.
Inadequate ROI Analysis: Without accurate tracking, brands struggle to measure campaign success and allocate budgets effectively.
Stalled Growth: The lack of reliable systems discourages new entrants and stifles innovation within the ecosystem.
We’ve seen some big changes made and announced in 2024 which will certainly transcend into 2025. Adam Ross's CEO of Awin’s Call for Reform in Affiliate Marketing at this year’s PI Live, has raised many questions around the right approach for tracking. In his announcement, he brought attention to critical flaws in affiliate tracking systems. He emphasized how inaccuracies and outdated practices compromise trust between brands and affiliates, hampering long-term sustainability. His push for innovative solutions highlights the urgent need for industry-wide reforms to enhance transparency and efficiency.
How Should Agencies and Brands Adapt in 2025
Invest in Advanced Tools: Implement systems that monitor the entire customer journey to ensure accurate attribution.
Partner with Networks: Collaborate with affiliate networks like Rakuten and Awin to adopt cutting-edge tracking solutions.
Clarify Attribution Policies: Ensure affiliates understand how commissions are calculated and attributed.
How much Can Influencers & Content Creators make their mark in Affiliate Marketing
Influencer marketing and the role of content creators has never been more omnipresent in the affiliate channel. We’ve seen many new Facebook and Instagram publishers join affiliate networks, as the barriers have been lowered to onboard and launch as an affiliate. The APMA survey backed this up, showing a 42% year-over-year increase, reinforcing its importance.
TikTok has emerged as a vital platform for brands, with its stellar user growth, but its product link integration has posed some unique obstacles for the affiliate marketing channel:
Decreased Conversions: Broken or poorly integrated links interrupt the user journey, reducing sales opportunities.
Brand Perception Risks: Substandard experiences on TikTok can negatively impact consumer trust.
Missed Potential: Ineffective link management prevents brands from fully leveraging TikTok’s reach and engagement capabilities.
However, there is potentially good news on the horizon, with TikTok trialling integrations with major affiliate networks such as Rakuten Advertising and influencer networks such as LTK.
How Should Agencies and Brands Adapt in 2025
Make it easy for influencers to sign up to the programme: for some creators, it will be the first time that they have worked as an affiliate. Have collateral available to walk them through the sign-up process.
Break down the barriers between teams: Foster an open collaborative relationship between your influencer and affiliate teams. Whether it’s internal teams, external agencies, or a hybrid, both will play a critical role in identifying and activating and should not be treated as a threat.
Focus on engaging content: Give creators a reason to authentically promote your brands. Create short, compelling videos that incorporate product links naturally.
Give creators the confidence in your tracking.
Enhance link functionality: Work with TikTok’s support team to resolve technical challenges and streamline user experiences.
Regularly test links: Ensure product links are fully operational and optimized for conversions.
How Can PR and Affiliate Marketing Work Together to Redefine Success in 2025
In 2025, the lines between PR and affiliate marketing are blurring, creating new opportunities for agencies and brands to amplify their visibility and credibility. Affiliates, especially influencers, bloggers, and content creators, are becoming integral to shaping a brand’s story and building emotional connections with audiences. By combining PR strategies with affiliate marketing, businesses can deliver authentic storytelling, drive engagement, and enhance trust, positioning affiliates as both revenue generators and brand ambassadors.
How Should Agencies and Brands Adapt in 2025
To fully harness the synergy between PR and affiliate marketing, agencies and brands must adopt strategies that bridge these disciplines effectively:
Select Affiliates with PR Potential: Collaborate with affiliates who align with your brand values and have a strong voice within their communities to amplify your key messages.
Focus on Storytelling: Work with affiliates to create narratives that go beyond transactions, showcasing your brand’s purpose, values, and unique offerings.
Align with Broader Campaigns: Integrate affiliate efforts into larger PR initiatives, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints and marketing channels.
Set Clear Guidelines: Provide affiliates with brand messaging frameworks while allowing them creative freedom to maintain authenticity and audience trust.
Measure Reputation Impact: Go beyond sales metrics to evaluate how affiliate-driven PR efforts enhance brand perception, awareness, and customer loyalty.
By merging PR strategies with affiliate marketing, brands can create a dynamic ecosystem that not only drives sales but also strengthens their reputation and emotional connection with audiences. At Customer First Digital, we specialize in helping brands integrate these elements, ensuring a unified approach that delivers long-term success in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Is AI the ultimate game-changer for Affiliate Marketing in 2025?
AI is set to revolutionize affiliate marketing in 2025, offering unparalleled tools to enhance efficiency, precision, and engagement. AI-driven technologies enable hyper-personalized recommendations, dynamic pricing strategies, and predictive analytics to anticipate consumer behaviour. Machine learning algorithms optimize campaigns in real time, ensuring maximum ROI and seamless user experiences. Moreover, AI redefines attribution by analysing multi-touchpoints with unmatched accuracy, helping businesses reward the right partners and build trust within their networks. By integrating AI, affiliate marketing becomes smarter, faster, and more resilient, giving brands and agencies a decisive edge in the digital marketplace.
How Should Agencies and Brands Adapt in 2025
To unlock AI’s potential, agencies and brands must adopt innovative strategies tailored to this technological evolution:
Invest in AI Infrastructure: Equip teams with AI-powered platforms to optimize campaign performance, track results, and analyse data with precision.
Leverage Predictive Analytics: Use AI insights to forecast trends, identify high-performing affiliates, and make data-driven decisions that maximize ROI.
Prioritize Ethical Data Practices: Ensure compliance with privacy regulations and maintain transparency with customers and affiliates to foster trust.
Focus on Personalization: Utilize AI to create tailored experiences that resonate with target audiences, enhancing engagement and loyalty.
By embracing AI’s growing influence, brands can future-proof their strategies and deliver unparalleled value to customers and affiliates alike.
Who will survive Google’s Site Reputation Abuse Policy Algorithms in 2025
Google algorithm updates are not new, however 2024 has seen affiliate marketing take a sucker punch, with many sites which advertisers rely on for sales take an SEO rankings hit. Google’s Site Reputation Abuse Policy is designed to maintain the integrity of its search ecosystem by penalizing websites that engage in manipulative practices.
These practices include, but are not limited to:
Cloaking: Displaying different content to users and search engines to manipulate rankings.
Keyword Stuffing: Overloading pages with irrelevant keywords to boost visibility artificially.
Deceptive Redirects: Misleading users by redirecting them to unintended destinations.
This policy primarily targets bad actors but can inadvertently affect legitimate businesses if:
Affiliate Links Are Mismanaged: Overuse or improper implementation of affiliate links can trigger scrutiny.
Content Quality Is Compromised: Pages that prioritize search rankings over user experience risk being flagged.
Technical Errors Occur: Misconfigured redirects or site errors may lead to unintended penalties.
How Should Agencies and Brands Adapt in 2025
Publisher reliance: whilst publishers have lost out on commissions, brands have also lost out on sales, leaving a hole in their weekly trading performance. Ensuring the team managing your programme isn’t reliant on only a few publishers.
Publisher quality: when reviewing new publishers to onboard, you could do a mini-SEO review, to evaluate the risk.
Conclusion: Building a resilient future for Affiliate Marketing
The shifting landscape of affiliate marketing, shaped by evolving technologies and stricter platform regulations, presents both challenges and opportunities. For brands to thrive in this new era, adaptability and strategic foresight are essential. Google’s policies, such as the Site Reputation Abuse Policy, demand a refined approach, one that prioritizes compliance, enhances user experience, and fosters transparency across all aspects of affiliate marketing.
At Customer First Digital, we understand that success lies in proactive adaptation rather than reactive measures. By leveraging our expertise, we help brands build resilient affiliate programs that not only withstand industry changes but also capitalize on emerging opportunities. Through meticulous attention to compliance, an unwavering focus on content quality, and the adoption of innovative solutions, we enable brands to navigate these complexities with confidence.
Affiliate marketing in 2025 is about more than just driving sales, it’s about building trust, maintaining credibility, and creating value for all stakeholders. With our tailored strategies, we ensure your program remains agile, effective, and aligned with the latest industry standards. Let us help you turn challenges into opportunities and establish a foundation for sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem. Together, we can redefine success in affiliate marketing. Get in touch
Share this post: