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Growth of ecommerce and compelling return on investment credited for surge in affiliate marketing

Written by 1 minute read

US affiliate and partner marketing industry account for more than $9bn of advertising spend, reveals new study by the Performance Marketing Association.

The US affiliate and partner marketing channel has grown to account for more than $9bn of advertising spend, according to a release by the Performance Marketing Association and PwC.

Supported by Awin and ShareASale, the study shows the channel has expanded by close to 50% since the last time it was conducted three years ago.

Where measured, the industry generated $71bn in advertiser revenue. This accounts for roughly $1 for every $10 spent online in the US and underpins the channel’s ability to drive guaranteed sales for brands.

The study also revealed a combination of ecommerce's rapid ascent during the pandemic and increased awareness of the 'pay on performance' model among advertisers have helped expedite the growth of the affiliate and partner marketing channel.

Undoubtedly, the compelling return on spend numbers of around $12 for every single dollar spent also helped generate advertiser interest.

Among those publishers driving sales, traditional models like cashback, reward and coupon and rebate sites account for approximately half of all revenue which is an uptick on the last survey in 2018.

Content sites contributed to the 27% that made up the next largest publisher segment.

Awin and ShareASale are two of seven businesses that contributed revenue numbers for the study that consisted of both submitted and modeled data. The study also interviewed a handful of publisher businesses driving revenue through their innovative business models that connect consumers with brands.

Access your copy of the PMA's 2022 Performance Marketing Industry Study of the US here