20 Affiliate Statistics you need to know

Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards affiliates for each customer brought to the business through their own marketing efforts. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most important statistics regarding the performance of affiliate marketing.

Affiliates Marketing Stats - Market Projections

1. In 2020, the affiliate marketing industry was estimated to be worth $12 billion in the United States alone. (Statista)

2. By 2022, it was projected that spending on affiliate marketing will reach $8.2 billion in the United States alone. (Forrester)

Affiliates Marketing Stats - Industries

1. In 2020, 16% of all e-commerce sales in the United States were attributed to affiliate marketing. (Business Insider)

2. In 2020, the retail industry spent the most on affiliate marketing, accounting for 22.5% of spending in the United States. (AM Navigator)

3. In the United States, the finance and insurance industry accounted for 16.6% of spending on affiliate marketing in 2020. (AM Navigator)

4. The technology industry accounted for 10.9% of spending on affiliate marketing in the United States in 2020. (AM Navigator)

5. In 2020, affiliate marketing was responsible for 14.1% of all e-commerce orders in the United States. (Business Insider)

Affiliates Marketing Stats - Brands & ROI

1. 81% of brands rely on affiliate marketing programs. (Mediarails)

2. In 2020, affiliate marketing was responsible for driving 15.1% of all digital media revenue. (eMarketer)

3. The average commission rate for affiliate programs is around 10%. (AM Navigator)

4. The average order value for affiliate sales is $85. (Affiliate Marketing Insider)

5. In 2020, the average revenue per referral for affiliate marketing programs was $16.20. (Mediarails)

6. 65% of merchants surveyed by Forrester reported that their affiliate programs were profitable or very profitable. (Forrester)

7. In 2020, the most common commission structure for affiliate programs was revenue share, at 63%. (AM Navigator)

8. 81% of publishers and 84% of advertisers in the United States participate in affiliate marketing. (Awin)

9. In 2020, the average conversion rate for affiliate marketing was 1.49%. (Mediarails)

10. The top-performing affiliate marketing programs have a conversion rate of around 5%. (AM Navigator)

11. The majority of affiliates (39%) promote their affiliate products through their blog, while social media (27%) and email marketing (22%) are also popular channels. (AM Navigator)

12. In 2020, mobile devices accounted for 33.6% of e-commerce sales generated through affiliate marketing. (Business Insider)

13. In a survey of affiliate marketers, 87% reported that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their affiliate programs. (Mediarails)

Affiliate Marketing Statistics: Summary

Affiliate marketing continues to be a popular and profitable marketing strategy for businesses, with billions of dollars being spent on affiliate programs each year. It is a cost-effective way for businesses to reach new customers and increase sales, while affiliates have the opportunity to earn commissions for promoting products and services they believe in. With a relatively low barrier to entry and a variety of channels to promote products, affiliate marketing is likely to continue to grow and evolve in the coming years.

For more Affiliate Marketing benchmarks, statistics and insights please visit our dedicated Affiliate Marketing Benchmarks section.