Top affiliate marketing platforms to boost your sales
Affiliate marketing is a powerful tool for businesses looking to expand their reach, drive sales, and boost brand visibility. By partnering with affiliate marketers, businesses can tap into new audiences and generate revenue through commission-based partnerships. Below are some of the best affiliate marketing platforms for businesses to scale, ensuring streamlined operations and profitable collaborations.
Awin (Affiliate Window (Awin’s UK subset))
Awin is one of the leading affiliate marketing platforms offering access to a vast network of affiliates, including bloggers, influencers, and content creators. Awin provides robust tracking tools, real-time analytics, and personalised support, making it easier for UK brands to manage and optimise their affiliate campaigns.
Key features
- Large network of UK and European affiliates across various sectors
- Performance-based payment model to ensure you only pay for successful sales
- Real-time reporting and analytics for campaign optimisation
Client example: Marks & Spencer, one of the UK’s largest retailers, uses Awin to manage its affiliate marketing programme, partnering with influencers and content creators across the fashion and homeware sectors. This strategy drives significant traffic and boosts sales. Through Awin, Marks & Spencer has effectively broadened its digital reach, increasing online sales and strengthening its brand presence, particularly among a younger, more tech-savvy audience.
Our verdict: Awin is a fantastic platform for UK-based businesses looking to scale their affiliate efforts. Its large network and sophisticated tools make it a top choice for driving sales.
Rakuten Advertising
Rakuten Advertising is a globally recognised affiliate platform, offering access to a vast network of publishers and affiliates across multiple industries. The platform is known for its strong partnerships with premium brands, providing advanced tracking tools and cross-channel promotional capabilities, which are ideal for businesses that need a global reach, including the UK.
Key features
- Extensive global affiliate network across diverse industries
- Advanced data insights for optimising performance
- Cross-channel promotion for integrating affiliate efforts with other marketing campaigns
Client example: Debenhams, a leading UK department store, has used Rakuten Advertising to connect with global affiliates. By leveraging Rakuten’s wide network, Debenhams boosts its online visibility and generates additional revenue streams through new affiliate partnerships, which has helped offset declines in footfall to its physical stores.
Our verdict: Ideal for global brands looking to manage multiple affiliate programs across different regions. Its advanced tracking and reporting features are excellent for performance-driven campaigns.
Tradedoubler
Tradedoubler is a well-known affiliate marketing platform with a strong focus on European markets. It offers seamless integration with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Magento, making it easy for businesses to manage multi-channel affiliate campaigns. With advanced tracking and automation tools, Tradedoubler is perfect for companies that need a scalable solution.
Key features
- Integration with leading e-commerce platforms like Shopify
- Advanced tracking and real-time reporting for data-driven decision-making
- Automation features to simplify affiliate management
Client example: Microsoft has used Tradedoubler to manage its affiliate marketing efforts across Europe. The platform’s integration with Microsoft’s e-commerce infrastructure ensures seamless tracking and automation, enabling the tech giant to run targeted campaigns that promote its wide range of products, from software to hardware. By leveraging Tradedoubler, Microsoft has been able to significantly increase its market penetration in Europe, especially in the consumer and small business segments. This has helped the brand drive additional revenue by reaching new audiences and enhancing its digital footprint across diverse regions, all while streamlining the management of its campaigns through automation.
Our verdict: Tradedoubler is an excellent platform for businesses in Europe that require advanced tools and integration capabilities. If you are looking for a scalable solution to manage multi-channel campaigns, Tradedoubler offers everything you need to drive affiliate sales efficiently.
CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate is a well-established name in affiliate marketing, known for connecting businesses with top-tier, premium publishers and influencers making it an ideal choice for brands seeking high-quality, performance-driven collaborations. The platform provides advanced performance tracking and analytics, allowing businesses to optimise their affiliate campaigns effectively.
Key features
- Access to a network of premium affiliates, including top publishers and influencers
- Powerful analytics and reporting tools for data-driven decision-making
- Strong focus on performance marketing, ensuring measurable results
Client example: GoPro, the action camera brand, partners with CJ Affiliate to tap into influential content creators and publishers. CJ Affiliate has played a crucial role in transforming GoPro’s affiliate marketing strategy by connecting the brand with high-quality publishers and influencers. This has led to a significant boost in global sales and heightened brand awareness, particularly within niche outdoor and adventure communities, helping GoPro maintain its position as a leader in the action camera market.
Our verdict: CJ Affiliate is ideal for brands looking to collaborate with premium publishers and influencers. Its strong analytics capabilities make it the go-to platform for businesses focused on performance-driven affiliate marketing.
Partnerize
Partnerize is an advanced affiliate marketing platform that focuses on automation and real-time insights. With AI-powered recruitment, Partnerize enables businesses to automate various aspects of affiliate management, from discovery and onboarding to payment processing. The platform also supports cross-channel tracking, making it easier to manage campaigns across different platforms.
Key features
- AI-powered affiliate recruitment and automation
- Real-time data insights and reporting for quick optimisation
- Cross-channel tracking for comprehensive campaign management
Client example: Uber, the ride-sharing giant, leverages Partnerize to manage its global affiliate program. The platform’s real-time insights and automation tools have enabled Uber to scale its affiliate marketing globally, driving increased bookings and app downloads through highly targeted campaigns. The platform’s automation features have streamlined Uber’s affiliate operations, allowing the company to expand its customer base while optimising performance and reducing manual efforts across multiple markets.
Our verdict: Partnerize is perfect for fast-growing businesses that require automation and real-time analytics. Its advanced tech stack is ideal for brands looking to streamline their affiliate marketing efforts and scale rapidly.
Webgains
Webgains is a well-regarded affiliate platform offering cost-effective solutions for mid-sized businesses. The platform emphasises performance and ROI-driven strategies, helping businesses grow through effective affiliate partnerships. Webgains also provides dedicated account management, making it easier for businesses to navigate the affiliate marketing landscape.
Key features
- Dedicated account management for personalised support
- Data-driven insights and performance tracking
- Scalable solutions designed for growing businesses
Client example: Curry’s, a popular electronics retailer in the UK, uses Webgains to manage its affiliate marketing efforts. The platform’s scalable solutions have helped Curry’s grow its network of affiliates and significantly boost its online sales, particularly during key shopping periods like Black Friday. The platform’s data-driven approach has enabled Curry’s to target the right affiliates, optimising campaigns for maximum ROI and expanding its digital reach, leading to a noticeable uplift in both traffic and conversions.
Our verdict: For mid-sized businesses looking for a cost-effective affiliate platform with strong performance tracking, Webgains is a great choice.
Impact
Impact is a highly customisable affiliate marketing platform designed to meet the unique needs of businesses. It integrates with other marketing tools and provides real-time tracking, allowing businesses full control over their affiliate marketing efforts. The platform is ideal for companies that need flexibility and customisation to manage their affiliate programs effectively.
Key features
- Customisable affiliate marketing solutions
- Integration with other marketing platforms
- Real-time performance tracking and optimisation
Client example: ASOS, one of the UK’s most popular online fashion retailers, uses Impact to customise its affiliate marketing strategies. Impact allows ASOS to tailor campaigns based on region, product categories, and performance metrics, ensuring a highly targeted approach to drive affiliate sales. Through the use of Impact’s customisable tools, ASOS has been able to drive exponential growth in its international markets, enhancing both customer acquisition and retention through strategic affiliate partnerships.
Our verdict: Impact is an excellent choice for businesses that want full control over their affiliate marketing and the ability to customise their solutions to fit specific needs.
ClickBank
ClickBank is a popular affiliate marketing platform, particularly for businesses focused on selling digital products such as online courses, software, and e-books. The platform offers an easy-to-use interface and a vast network of affiliates who specialise in promoting digital products, making it a top choice for UK-based digital entrepreneurs.
Key features
- Focus on digital products and online services
- Large network of affiliates with expertise in digital marketing
- User-friendly platform for creating and managing affiliate programs
Client example: Udemy, a leading online learning platform, uses ClickBank to promote its courses via a network of digital marketing affiliates. This has helped boost enrolments, particularly in niche subjects, and helped expand Udemy’s reach both in the UK and globally. ClickBank has played a key role in growing Udemy’s digital sales, solidifying its position as a leader in online education.
Our verdict: If you’re a business focused on digital products, ClickBank is a top choice. Its user-friendly interface and extensive affiliate network make it easy to connect with partners who can help promote your offerings effectively.
Key features to look for in an affiliate marketing platform
- Automation: Automating affiliate tracking and reporting to save time and reduce manual work.
- Integration: Ensure the platform integrates with your existing e-commerce and CRM tools.
- Real-time reporting: Access data and performance metrics in real-time to optimise campaigns.
Choosing the right affiliate marketing platform
When deciding on the best platform for your business, consider the following
- Business goals: Define what you want to achieve through affiliate marketing—brand awareness, sales growth, or audience expansion.
- Budget: Determine how much you’re willing to invest in an affiliate program and find platforms that fit your budget.
- Trial period: Take advantage of free trials or demos to ensure the platform meets your specific needs.
Investing in the right affiliate marketing platform can significantly increase your sales, drive traffic, and help expand your brand presence.
