Affiliate

The term Affiliate (or Affiliate/Affiliate) takes on two main meanings depending on the context: the more modern one of digital marketing and the more traditional one of radio and television broadcasting .

In Digital Marketing : An Affiliate (or Publisher ) is an individual or company that promotes another company's ( Merchant's ) products or services through their online channels (blogs, social media, etc.). In exchange, they receive a commission for each specific action generated through their promotion, such as a sale, lead, or click.

In Broadcasting (Radio & TV): An affiliate is a local private radio or television station that enters into a contractual agreement with a national network .

In Digital Marketing

What is it for / why is it important? It's a strategic marketing partner that extends a brand's commercial reach by acting as a decentralized, performance-based sales force. The main advantage for the company is low risk : you only pay for actual results.

When to use it / in what context is it useful? It is the key figure in Affiliate Marketing . It is a strategy used mainly by e-commerce companies to scale sales, launch new products or generate qualified leads in a measurable and controlled way.

Practical Example: A tech content creator reviews a new smartphone on his YouTube channel. He includes an affiliate link in the video description. For every smartphone sold through that link, he earns a commission.

Extra Insight: The strength of an affiliate in digital marketing lies in their perceived authenticity . Their audience trusts their recommendations, making their promotion more effective than traditional advertising.

In Broadcasting (Radio & TV)

How it works: The affiliated station agrees to broadcast the programs (news, TV series, shows) provided by the national network for a defined portion of its schedule. In exchange, the network grants it some advertising space within those programs. The local station can then sell these spaces to local or national advertisers, generating a profit.

Practical Example : In the United States, major networks like ABC, CBS, or NBC do not own all the stations that broadcast their signals nationwide. Most are "affiliates": locally owned TV stations in cities like Denver, Miami, or Chicago, which broadcast ABC network programs and, in exchange, sell advertising during shows like "Good Morning America." Each of these networks has approximately 200 affiliate stations to ensure nationwide coverage.

Extra-comparative insight Although the two contexts are different, the underlying principle is similar: it's a strategic partnership to extend reach . In digital, an "affiliate" blogger extends the reach of an e-commerce site. In broadcasting, a local TV "affiliate" extends the reach of a national network. The business model changes: on the one hand, a performance commission; on the other, an exchange of content for advertising space.