The 5 Foundational Affiliates You Need to Know About

Foundational affiliate partners form the cornerstone of successful marketing strategies. These are the most well-established affiliate channels, consistently creating reliable revenue for brands.

So, it’s a smart move to kick off your affiliate program by exploring each of the five types of foundational affiliates: coupon, deal, loyalty, sub-affiliate networks, and content partners.

While we categorize them as separate affiliates, there’s a lot of overlap in how they operate. Once you’ve got a healthy mix of foundational affiliates, you can begin to explore other models. But, for now, let’s break down how each of these foundational affiliates can give your brand that extra boost.

Coupon affiliates

Coupon affiliates hold sway over a vast customer base, making them perfect for broadcasting your brand’s approved coupons to their extensive audience. You'll find their promotions scattered across various platforms like mobile apps, websites, and email lists. And when they share your brand’s approved coupons, you can expect a significant rise in revenue and traffic to your website.

Deal partners

Deal and coupon partners often walk hand in hand, with plenty of similarities in their modus operandi. Deal partners operate through platforms or newsletters where they showcase special deals, discounts, or limited-time offers.

Consider them as expert curators of compelling content, bundling complex coupon arrangements, or shining a spotlight on inventory offers. Their meticulous approach drives customer intent, making them a formidable force in promoting brands’ products and services.

Loyalty affiliates

Named for their reward-based models, loyalty affiliates are all about building brand loyalty and engaging with customers through cashback, points, or other rewards.

Within this category, you’ll encounter cashback loyalty partners, who offer cash back on each purchase customers make; savings loyalty partners, who shower shoppers with points for an investment account or alternative currency; and points/rewards publishers, who provide customers with redeemable tokens.

Now, when it comes to coupon, deal, and loyalty affiliates, there’s a fair amount of overlap. They tend to offer similar perks. Brands should be strategic in choosing partners based on their specific objectives and pay extra-close attention to the upsides and downsides associated with working with each type of loyalty affiliate partner.

Sub-affiliate networks

These networks streamline partners’ process for joining programs, providing access to links and utilizing program tools — all in one place.

This simplifies collaboration for brands working with multiple partners, and it’s a game changer for content creators (like blog writers), who can access and manage all their links with a single log-in.

Content partners

These affiliates are the maestros of crafting authentic and integrated content in specific verticals such as travel, food, or lifestyle. From bloggers and podcasters to media companies, content partners shine in producing content like product reviews and how-to guides, making them a fantastic choice of partner for brands focusing on building awareness.

The bottom line

It's clear that every foundational affiliate brings its unique touch to connecting with consumers.

But while their approaches may differ, one thing’s for sure: they all exceed in carving paths for brand visibility, fostering consumer trust, and broadening market reach — and that’s what makes them pivotal players in shaping the landscape of affiliate marketing.