When I worked network side I would email new starters a list of sites and content I found useful to help them navigate the often confusing maze of affiliate marketing.
There’s plenty of great content out there but it’s not always easy to find. So, I’ve pulled together a list of some sites, pages and links that you can bookmark. While this list is by no means comprehensive, it’s hopefully a good starting point for affiliate marketers in the UK:
- Affiliate tracking explained: a bunch of affiliate businesses put their heads together and produced this handy entry-level guide that aims to take the jargon out of affiliate tracking.
- Voucher code, code of conduct: Remains the cornerstone effort from the IAB’s Affiliate Marketing Council. Sadly now overlooked and ignored, but watch this space in 2024 as we look to relaunch and publicise.
- Downloadable software, code of conduct: Toolbars and downloadable software have grown in importance over the years. This code of conduct was a pre-emptive attempt to regulate the UK space.
- Subnetworks explained: Subnetworks can be a bit of a minefield. While a little out of date, this includes a very useful matrix about what you can expect from a variety of companies.
- Digiday: one of the few trade press publications that ‘gets’ affiliate marketing. They do a great job at interviewing publisher heavyweights. Most of the content is free to access.
- HelloPartner: An APMA partner, HP is the new face of PerformanceIn and is always good for affiliate and wider performance marketing news, events, research and other content formats. Some content is behind a paywall but they offer the first 14 days for free.
- Affiverse: Another APMA member, Affiverse are prolific in posting content aimed at helping account managers to navigate the affiliate world. Founder LeeAnn Johnstone also hosts a weekly podcast.
- 2022 Advertier Survey: Taking the pulse of advertisers running affiliate programmes, this survey contains loads of useful nuggets
- 2023 Publisher Survey: And the same again, but from a publisher POV.
- Partnerize/eMarketer Report: Download this useful report for free, highlighting key affiliate trends.
- IAB handbooks: the most recent guide is from Australia but includes universal themes. The most up to date UK handbook is from 2014(!)
- The Advertising Standards Authority: it’s a general rule that we don’t take advertising regulation seriously enough in the affiliate industry. The ASA occasionally updates its advice to affiliate marketers and every Wednesday publishes their latest rulings. It’s worth checking these to see if any affiliate activity has been investigated.
- Awin Report: Slight bias here as I worked on this over the years. Awin publishes an annual guide about aspects of the affiliate industry. The last two years they’ve focused on higlighting 100 publisher partners who are driving the industry forward.
- Affiliate audits: Do you need to give your affiliate programme a healthcheck? This guide gives some handy pointers
- An affiliate guide for brands: This is a great starting point for anyone wanting to launch an affiliate programme in the UK, especially smaller brands. Written by an industry veteran, it’s a worthwhile investment as so much other content is written from an American perspective.
Don’t forget many APMA member companies post a ton of handy content, so make sure you visit their sites. We’ll update the list as we find new resources.
