Difference Between Affiliate Marketing and Digital Marketing

October 2022 · 4 minute read

The main difference between affiliate marketing and digital marketing is that digital marketing is conducting marketing activities through digital technologies, while affiliate marketing is a specific type of digital marketing that involves promoting another person’s products on your website or social media and earning a commission.

Digital marketing refers to all types of marketing activities that are conducted through digital technologies. It encompasses various specializations like search engine marketing, content marketing, affiliate marketing, e-mail marketing, and social media marketing. Therefore, affiliate marketing is a type of digital marketing.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Affiliate Marketing 
     – Definition, Features, Process
2. What is Digital Marketing
     – Definition, Features, Types
3. Difference Between Affiliate Marketing and Digital Marketing
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Affiliate Marketing, Digital Marketing, MarketingDifference Between Affiliate Marketing and Digital Marketing - Comparison Summary

What is Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a type of marketing where an affiliate or an affiliate partner earns a commission by promoting another person’s/company’s product or service. What usually happens in affiliate marketing is that one person shares the link of someone else’s products or advertises that product on his or he website, blog, or social media. When the visitors to that website visit the product or buy that product, the affiliate partner also gets a commission. Generally, the expected result of an affiliate link is a sale. But some programs also reward the affiliates for clicks to a website, leads, free-trial users, or app downloads.

We can also describe monetization as a monetization model. There are many affiliate programs that affiliate partners can join. Affiliate programs are basically online platforms where affiliates can connect with online merchant websites (marketplaces like Amazon). Most of these programs are also free to join.

Affiliate Marketing Process

How Affiliate Marketing Works

  • First, the affiliate displays an ad or a link for a product or service of another person/company on his/her website, blog, or social network.
  • A visitor clicks that unique link or ad and gets directed to the site that sells the product.
  • Then that visitor makes a purchase.
  • The affiliate network records the transaction.
  • The purchase is confirmed by the product owner.
  • The affiliate gets paid a commission.

    • Moreover, commission rates vary depending on the merchant website and the offer. Some affiliating marketing programs also offer a flat rate per sale, not a percentage.

    What is Digital Marketing

    Digital marketing refers to all types of marketing activities that are conducted through digital technologies. In day-to-day life, we use the word digital marketing to refer to promotions or marketing activities that appear on computers, phones, tablets, and other devices. Digital media is a broad field and encompasses various specializations such as search engine marketing, content marketing, affiliate marketing, e-mail marketing, and social media marketing. For instance, posts you like and share on social media, display ads you see on websites, online videos, and even the search results you get on Google search are all part of digital media.Types of Digital Media

    It’s very convenient to promote products and services using digital media marketing. Once the promotion has started, the marketers also have the ability to know the thoughts and opinions of the audience and receive their feedback instantly. There are also many tools to measure the effectiveness of social media marketing campaigns.

    Difference Between Affiliate Marketing and Digital Marketing

    Definition

    Affiliate marketing is a type of marketing where an affiliate or an affiliate partner earns a commission by promoting another person’s/company’s product or service, while digital marketing refers to all types of marketing activities that are conducted through digital technologies.

    Relationship

    Affiliate marketing is one type of digital marketing strategy.

    Activities Involved

    While affiliate marketing mainly involves the promotion of products/services and earning a commission, whereas digital marketing involves various activities like identifying customers’ needs and interests, promotion, marketing, and measuring the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

    Conclusion

    The main difference between affiliate marketing and digital marketing is that digital marketing is conducting marketing activities through digital technologies, while affiliate marketing is a specific type of digital marketing that involves promoting another person’s products on your website or social media and earning commissions.

    Reference:

    1. “Affiliate Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide.” Neil Patel, 12 Feb. 2021.
    2. Alexander, Lucy. “The Who, What, Why, & How of Digital Marketing.” HubSpot Blog, 25 May 2021.

    Image Courtesy:

    1. “1626762 – affiliate marketing” (CC0) via Pxhere
    2. “Digital marketing 1” By Ali Zulfiqar – Zakzmarketing  (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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