Set up an affiliate programme that pays for results
Gjethe sets up affiliate programmes end to end: choosing a network or in-house platform, installing reliable tracking, designing commission and cookie terms, writing programme terms, recruiting relevant affiliates, providing creative and links, and putting fraud checks in place. Affiliates earn only when they deliver a sale or lead, so the programme pays for results.
- Free first consultation
- Written quote for your project
- Flexible payment milestones
At a glance
- Model
- Commission on sales or leads
- Platforms
- Networks or in-house software
- Includes
- Tracking, terms, recruiting, fraud checks
- Suits
- E-commerce, SaaS, courses, travel
Definition
What is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based arrangement in which a business pays partners (publishers, creators, comparison sites or other businesses) a commission for sales or leads they refer, tracked through unique links or codes.
An affiliate programme turns other people's audiences into a sales channel, and you pay only when it works. The catch is in the details: tracking that loses sales frustrates partners, unclear terms invite abuse, and a programme nobody promotes produces nothing. We build the foundations properly and help you recruit the partners who can actually send customers.
Who is it for?
Online stores
Bloggers, creators and deal sites promoting products for a share of sales.
SaaS companies
Partners, consultants and creators recommending software for recurring or one-off commission.
Courses and digital products
Creators and educators earning commission on enrolments.
Travel and bookings
Content sites and comparison platforms sending bookings.
What's included, and what you keep
What's included
- Programme strategy and economics
- Network or in-house platform selection
- Tracking installation and testing
- Commission structure and cookie window
- Programme terms and policies
- Affiliate sign-up page
- Creative kit: banners, copy, product feeds
- Partner recruitment and outreach
- Coupon and code policy
- Fraud and compliance checks
- Payout process set-up
- Reporting dashboard
What you receive
Handed over at the end. Yours to keep.
- Live affiliate platform with tested tracking
- Programme terms and commission structure
- Affiliate sign-up page and creative kit
- Initial recruited partners
- Reporting and management guide
Network or in-house platform?
| Affiliate network | In-house platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Awin, Impact, CJ, Partnerize | PartnerStack, Rewardful, FirstPromoter, Shopify apps |
| Reach | Access to the network's existing publishers | You recruit partners yourself |
| Costs | Network fees and override on commissions | Software subscription |
| Control | Network rules apply | Full control over terms and partners |
| Best for | Retail and travel wanting publisher reach | SaaS and brands with their own partner relationships |
How should commission be structured?
Commission needs to be attractive enough for partners to prioritise you and sustainable enough for your margins. We model it from your average order value, gross margin, refund rate and customer lifetime value, and compare it with what similar programmes in your category offer.
Structures can be a percentage of sale, a fixed amount per lead or sign-up, recurring commission for subscriptions, or tiers that reward top partners. The cookie window, rules for returns and cancellations, and how coupon sites are treated all matter as much as the headline rate.
Protecting the programme from abuse
- Bidding on your brand name in search ads prohibited or controlled
- Coupon leaking and unauthorised code sites handled in the terms
- Self-referrals and fake leads blocked
- Commission locked until the refund period ends
- Suspicious traffic patterns reviewed regularly
- Clear disclosure required from partners
Partners worth recruiting
Content sites and bloggers
Reviews, guides and comparisons that rank in search.
Creators
YouTube, Instagram and TikTok creators whose audiences fit.
Complementary businesses
Companies selling to the same customers without competing.
Existing customers
Happy customers who already recommend you.
What makes affiliates choose your programme?
Good affiliates have many programmes to choose from. They prioritise those where the product converts well, tracking is reliable, commissions are paid on time and the brand makes promotion easy. A strong landing page, a clear product story and an up-to-date creative kit matter as much as the commission rate.
Communication helps too: a short monthly update with new products, seasonal offers and top-performing content gives partners reasons to keep featuring you. We set up templates for those updates so your team can keep the programme active after launch.
How affiliate marketing works, step by step
Every step has a clear output you can review. Timing is agreed in your quote.
- 1
Model
Margins, order values and goals turned into viable commission terms.
- 2
Choose a platform
Network or in-house software selected for your model and markets.
- 3
Install tracking
Tracking set up and tested end to end, including refunds.
- 4
Write terms
Programme rules, policies and disclosure requirements.
- 5
Recruit
Relevant partners researched and invited; creative kit provided.
- 6
Hand over
Dashboard, payout process and a guide for running the programme.
Tools, and what shapes your quote
Pricing is based on your project and agreed in your quote. These are the things that move it.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Platform choice | Networks and software have their own fees, paid separately. |
| Tracking complexity | Custom checkouts, subscriptions and apps need more integration work. |
| Recruitment scope | More partners recruited means more research and outreach. |
| Markets | Each country may need its own network, terms and partners. |
| Ongoing management | Partner support, approvals and payouts can be managed monthly. |
| Area | Tools |
|---|---|
| Networks | Awin, Impact, CJ, Partnerize |
| In-house | PartnerStack, Rewardful, FirstPromoter, Shopify affiliate apps |
| Tracking | server-side postbacks, GA4, UTM tagging |
| Payments | platform payouts, PayPal, bank transfer |
Common mistakes to avoid
What we see go wrong most often, and how a good project avoids it.
Commission that doesn't fit margins
Rates copied from competitors can make each sale unprofitable.
Untested tracking
Lost sales frustrate affiliates and they stop promoting you.
No rules for coupon sites
Coupon sites can claim commission on sales you'd have made anyway.
Launching and waiting
Affiliates rarely appear on their own. Active recruitment is essential.
Frequently asked questions
Should we join a network or run our own programme?
Networks give access to existing publishers and handle payouts, at a cost. In-house platforms are cheaper and give you full control, but you recruit partners yourself. We recommend based on your industry and goals.
How much commission should we offer?
Enough to motivate partners and still profitable for you. We model it from your margins, order values and customer lifetime value, and compare with similar programmes.
Do you recruit affiliates?
Yes. We research and contact relevant content sites, creators and complementary businesses, and give them everything they need to start promoting.
How do you prevent fraud?
Through clear terms, commission locked until refunds clear, monitoring for self-referrals and suspicious traffic, and rules for brand bidding and coupon sites.
Can affiliates promote subscriptions?
Yes. Platforms like PartnerStack and Rewardful support recurring commission on subscriptions.
Do affiliates need to disclose the relationship?
Yes. Advertising rules require affiliate links and partnerships to be disclosed. We include this in your programme terms.
Can you manage the programme after launch?
Yes, as ongoing management: approving partners, answering questions, recruiting, reviewing fraud and running payouts.
Does affiliate marketing work for small stores?
It can, especially with niche bloggers and creators. Small programmes succeed by recruiting a handful of well-matched partners rather than hundreds.
How is tracking affected by cookie restrictions?
Browser restrictions can affect cookie-based tracking. We use server-side or first-party tracking where the platform supports it to keep attribution reliable.
Who pays the affiliates?
Commissions are paid from your account through the platform or network. Our fee covers set-up and any management, not commissions.
Can we offer affiliates exclusive discount codes?
Yes. Unique codes per partner make tracking easier and work well for creators and podcasts, where links are harder to click. We set rules so codes can't be posted on unauthorised coupon sites.
How do we handle returns and refunds?
Commission is held for a period that covers your return window, then approved. Returned or refunded orders are reversed automatically on most platforms.
Can our existing customers become affiliates?
Yes. A referral or affiliate link for happy customers is often one of the most effective parts of a programme, because their recommendations come with genuine experience.
Related services
Influencer Marketing
Creator campaigns tracked to sales.
E-commerce Development
Online stores on Shopify, WooCommerce or a headless stack.
Shopify Development
Custom Shopify themes, apps, migrations and Shopify Plus.
Analytics & Reporting
GA4, Tag Manager and dashboards you can trust.
Lead Generation
Funnels that deliver qualified leads to your CRM.
Affiliate Marketing by industry
Launch your affiliate programme.
Tell us what you need. You get an honest assessment, a clear plan and a written quote. The first consultation is always free.
- What happens next
- 1You tell us what you need
- 2We aim to reply within 24 hours with questions
- 3You get a written quote for your project