Affiliate marketing remains a powerful and profitable sector in the digital economy. With more businesses adopting affiliate programs, participation and spending continue to surge. This report highlights the most recent affiliate marketing statistics, covering growth trajectories, earning benchmarks, and the challenges affiliates face in 2024. From remarkable revenue figures to game-changing strategies, these stats showcase how affiliate marketing is transforming online business and consumer behavior.

Affiliate Marketing Growth Statistics
 

  • Global spending on affiliate marketing is projected to reach $15.7 million by the end of 2024. (Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)
     
  • The affiliate marketing industry’s global market value exceeds $17 billion. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • By 2027, the industry’s market size is expected to grow to $27.78 billion. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • The sector is experiencing 10% year-over-year growth. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • In the U.S. alone, affiliate marketing spending is set to hit $8.2 billion by the end of 2024. (Source: Statista)
     

Affiliate Marketing Revenue & Earnings Statistics
 

  • The average monthly income for affiliate marketers is $8,038. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • 81.2% of affiliate marketers earn over $20,000 annually. (Source: AffiliateWP)
     
  • 15% of affiliates report yearly earnings between $80,000 and $1 million. (Source: We Can Track)
     
  • 35% of participants earn at least $20,000 annually. (Source: We Can Track)
     
  • Experienced affiliates (3+ years) earn nearly 9.5 times more than beginners. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • Top earners in affiliate marketing make over $150,000 annually. (Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)
     

Affiliate Marketing Program Insights
 

  • 81% of brands have affiliate programs, while 84% of publishers participate in affiliate marketing. (Source: Rakuten Advertising)
     
  • Traffic generation is the biggest hurdle for 45.3% of affiliate marketers. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • 86% of content creators are optimistic about affiliate marketing’s future. (Source: We Can Track)
     
  • 31% of web publishers identify affiliate marketing as a key revenue source. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • 42.9% of marketers find affiliate marketing more lucrative than ad monetization. (Source: We Can Track)
     
  • 63% of businesses are concerned about affiliate fraud. (Source: WPBeginner)
     
  • 49% of brands use affiliate ambassadors to boost affiliate sales. (Source: WPBeginner)
     

Traffic Sources for Affiliate Marketing
 

  • 78.3% of affiliate marketers prioritize SEO as their primary traffic source. (Source: Authority Hacker)
     
  • Social media drives traffic for 80% of affiliates, with Instagram and YouTube leading the way. (Source: Rakuten Marketing)
     
  • Email marketing delivers the highest ROI, followed by SEO and content marketing. (Source: AffStat Report)
     
  • 69.4% of affiliate websites use ads as an additional revenue source. (Source: We Can Track)
     
  • 90% of affiliates prefer promoting products with recurring commissions or extended cookie durations. (Source: AffStat Report)
     

Challenges in Affiliate Marketing
 

  • Businesses lost $1.4 billion to affiliate fraud in 2020. (Source: WPBeginner)
     
  • Finding quality affiliates is a challenge for 45% of marketers. (Source: Rakuten Advertising)
     
  • 59% of marketers report that managing affiliate relationships requires more effort than other digital channels. (Source: AffStat Report)
     
  • 40% of marketers view affiliate marketing as a critical skill and key revenue driver. (Sources: We Can Track, Awin Report)