---
title: "Affiliate marketing industry best practices"
slug: "affiliate-marketing-industry-best-practices"
updated: 2026-05-20T14:16:59Z
published: 2026-05-20T14:16:59Z
canonical: "help.awin.com/affiliate-marketing-industry-best-practices"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.awin.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Affiliate marketing industry best practices

Running a successful program takes time, consistency, and the right foundations. The following outlines industry best practices to help you build, grow, and protect your program over the long term.

You’ll learn how to keep your program healthy, what makes a strong commission strategy and how to effectively work with partners to drive engagement.

## Key considerations

Affiliate marketing is a long‑term growth channel. Results improve as your program matures and partnerships develop.

- **Start with achievable goals** and scale them as performance grows.
- **Allow partners enough time** and notice to adapt to program changes.
- **Treat affiliate marketing as a performance-based model**where dollar or pound spent should help bring in clear, measurable results.
- **Stay responsive and patient** in your partner communications.
- **Test new partnerships** and analyze results regularly.

## Build a strong foundation and grow

### Keep your program healthy

To keep your program compliant, attractive to partners, and easy to manage, it’s important to complete regular housekeeping tasks. These actions help maintain partner trust and support long-term performance.

> [!NOTE]
> **Tip**
> 
> Utilize our helpful [housekeeping checklist](https://resources.awin.com/launch-steps/en-checklist/housekeeping)****to keep your program running smoothly.

### Commission strategy best practices

A well‑designed commission strategy attracts partners and rewards the outcomes that matter most to your business.

- Benchmark against similar programs in your industry.
- Review commission levels regularly to stay competitive.
- Creating multiple [commission groups](/advertisers/docs/commission-groups) gives you greater control over how commission is paid. It allows you to offer higher rates for priority outcomes, such as new customer sales or selected products, and makes your program more attractive to partners.
- Use temporary [publisher commission increases](/advertisers/docs/publisher-commission-rates) or [exclusive voucher codes](/advertisers/docs/using-the-my-offers-tool#how-to-add-a-voucher-with-voucher-attribution)****to boost visibility during key periods.
- Combine strong base rates with performance‑based incentives.
- Use [tiered commission structures](/advertisers/docs/commission-by-basket-value)****to reward higher basket values and increase AOV.

#### Implement commission flexibility

Use the [commission flexibility tools](/advertisers/docs/commission-flexibility) to tailor commission by:

- Customer type
- Product category
- Voucher code
- ClickRef
- Publisher tags
- Custom parameters

### Partnership strategy best practices

A healthy program includes a diverse mix of partners aligned with your commercial goals.

- Create a [welcome pack](/advertisers/docs/creating-a-welcome-pack) to help you make a strong first impression with new partners.
- Review [publisher approvals](/advertisers/docs/managing-partner-applications) frequently.
- [Test and learn](/advertisers/docs/diversify-your-partner-mix)****by working with different partner types.
- Expect performance to vary by partner and audience.
- Use the [partnerships pages](/advertisers/docs/finding-partners) and our [smart search functionality](/advertisers/docs/searching-for-partners-in-the-new-awin-platform) that delivers high-quality matches and insights to discover and manage your partners.
- Track performance regularly.
- Adjust commission and budget allocation for top‑performing partners.

#### Nurture partnerships

- Review partner quality and performance trends regularly.
- Use [automation](/advertisers/docs/automation-features-overview) where possible to save time on housekeeping tasks, such as commission validations.
- Use [Publisher Performance reports](/advertisers/docs/publisher-performance-reports) to identify and scale high‑performing partners.
- Offer tailored [campaigns](/advertisers/docs/finding-partners) or [incentives](/advertisers/docs/my-offers)to unlock further growth.

#### Exposure and negotiations

Partners may offer additional exposure opportunities in exchange for:

- Increased commission
- Exclusive offers
- Tenancy (fixed‑fee) placements

Request media packs to review placement options and pricing before committing.

### Voucher code strategy best practices

- Use [voucher codes](/advertisers/docs/understanding-voucher-codes) to attract new customers and increase conversions.
- Keep promotional windows short to reduce misuse.
- Use [single‑use or personalized codes](/advertisers/docs/voucher-code-strategies) when appropriate.
- Enable [voucher attribution](/developers/docs/voucher-attribution) to prevent code leakage.
- Automatically applied vouchers can simplify redemption and support conversion.

#### Voucher code recommendations

- Communicate clearly and highlight time-sensitive promotions.
- Monitor sales daily to identify misuse early.
- Test all voucher codes before they go live and monitor performance daily.
- Clearly distinguish authorized and unauthorized codes in:
  - Program terms
  - Partner communications
- Decline transactions only when partners knowingly promote clearly communicated unauthorized codes.
- Avoid penalizing partners for sitewide codes outside of their control.

## Turn partnerships into performance

### Creative assets best practices

Strong, up‑to‑date creatives help partners promote your brand effectively.

- Provide industry‑standard [banner sizes](/advertisers/docs/using-my-creative-tool#choosing-the-right-size).
- Include a transparent‑background logo.
- Use GIF or JPG formats for lightweight assets.
- Offer at least six animated banners with clear offers and CTAs.
- Refresh creatives seasonally or for major launches.

### Communication and offers best practices

- Keep [My Offers](/advertisers/docs/my-offers) and the [Campaign builder](/advertisers/docs/understanding-campaigns-how-to-create-manage-and-track-them) updated with current and upcoming promotions.
- Always maintain at least one evergreen offer.
- Build a [communication strategy](/advertisers/docs/how-to-use-the-communication-center) that includes:
  - New offers
  - Updated creatives
  - Key program updates
- Use [triggered communications](/advertisers/docs/how-to-use-the-communication-center#triggered-communications) to automate outreach and re‑engage inactive partners.

### Program optimization best practices

- Keep your [product feed](/advertisers/docs/checking-your-product-feed-health) up to date to support accurate promotion.
- Be open to working with multiple [Google Shopping](/advertisers/docs/google-shopping-affiliates) (CSS) partners to broaden reach.
- [Diversify your partner mix](/advertisers/docs/diversify-your-partner-mix) to test different strategies and build a more resilient program.
- Use Plugin Store [technology partners](/advertisers/docs/technology-partners) to:
  - Improve conversion
  - Increase AOV
  - Support acquisition with minimal integration effort