Affiliate Programs or Affiliate Networks

As an Affiliate Manager, I’ve seen countless incorrect Google queries that do not provide the correct information when it comes to what an Affiliate Program is and what an Affiliate Network is.  They are both very different in the eye of the marketing channel and so in order to best understand and do what's best for your business, take a look at some information below that show the exact difference in terms!

Affiliate Programs are BRAND/SERVICE/APP hosted Affiliate Links and Commissioning opportunities.

For example:  Target.com has an Affiliate Program where you earn commission when you successfully refer customers

Affiliate Networks host MULTIPLE BRANDS and you apply to work with the brands within these networks.

For example:  Impact.com is an Affiliate Network that hosts Target.com, Walmart, Coinbase, and thousands more.  If you are a creator or a website owner looking to promote more than one businesses like Target.com, then you should look into Affiliate Networks.

Please do not confuse this simple, yet wildly incorrect marketing phrase as you may confuse yourself with a network and program and potentially lose out on new opportunities.  Many blogs I’ve seen produce the wrong information here.  This can lead to producing incorrect content, or setting yourself up for failure within the Affiliate and Partnership realm!

All of the above in this particular blog post are Affiliate NETWORKS and not PROGRAMS.  This is simply done a lot because SEO sites know that people search for Programs more than Networks.  The one that loses the most recognition is the reader who really wants to start their business and do Affiliate.