As a digital creator who uses sponsorship, affiliation, and referral programs as an additional source of income or to gain something else of value (including products and services gifted to me for free), some of the content that I create features or is influenced by a brand or business partner.

Since the dawn of social media, creators have been posting their “favorite things” on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok as a way to engage with their followers and share product recommendations. When they aren’t showing off their current skincare line-up or latest clothing haul, they’ll give a tour of what’s in their bag or list all the books they read in a month — it’s a nosy follower’s dream come true.

I value and believe in transparency, so I wrote this post to share what these programs are, the differences, how this applies to you, the brands and businesses I choose to work with, and my motivations for participating in them.

How I Participate In These Programs

Sponsorship, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs were created to consistently generate word of mouth, help bring in new leads, and drive traffic and sales for a brand or business by leveraging the influence and audience of a creator. Although these programs are similar, there are key differences in how they are constructed.

Sponsorships and Branded Content

As a creator who participates in sponsorships and branded content, I get compensated for creating engaging, relatable content to share products or services from brands and businesses I partner with my audience.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing, also known as partnership marketing, is when an affiliate promotes the products or services of a brand or business for commission. Affiliate marketing programs are pay-per-conversion, with the affiliate shouldering the responsibility of driving sales for the partner brand or business. When someone purchases a product or service through an affiliate link, I (the affiliate) will get a commission that can either be a percentage of the total sale amount, a set amount per sale, or a set price per click depending on the brand or business and the criteria for conversion. With affiliate marketing, it is not uncommon for creators to share affiliate links for products or services that they have never used.

Referral Marketing

With a referral program, as a customer, I am rewarded for inviting my family, friends, peers, and followers to try a brand or business’s products or services via a custom link. Unlike affiliate marketing, referral marketing is specifically when a brand or business’s existing customers personally promote the brand or business’s products or services to new users to earn rewards. Basically, in most cases, you have to have a relation to the brand or business to get a referral link to share. In referral marketing, there is usually a cap or limit on the number of qualified conversions a creator can be rewarded for within a given period. Rewards and incentives for referral programs are usually given to the existing customer, the new customer, or both, and distributed in the form of discounts, store credits, a free subscription service, or cashback.

How This Applies To You

As a follower of mine, there are times when you will see content on my websites or social media that contains links for products or services from various brands or businesses.

The links I share on my website and social media are sponsorship, affiliate, or referral links that have my recommendation. If you click and make a purchase through any of these links, I may earn a commission or other tangible benefits at no extra cost to you. In some cases, you may even get a discount for using my link!

The Brands & Businesses I Choose To Work With

When I create content for sponsorship, affiliate marketing, or referral marketing programs, I offer a brand or business access to my audience of engaged followers to consistently generate word of mouth, help bring in new leads, and drive traffic and sales. The terms, conditions, rates, and benefits of each program will vary based on numerous factors like the number of followers I have, the average likes, views, comments, and shares of my organic content, and past collaborations.

There are three ways that I get to collaborate with brands or businesses. One way I may get connected with partners is by reaching out to the brand or business in hopes of working with them to promote their product or campaign. Another way I may connect with partners is by opting to participate in the program when a company promotes it. Lastly, I may connect with partners by accepting an offer from a company representative who sought me out to work with me.

One of the largest affiliate marketing programs that I participate in is Amazon Associates. With millions of products to choose from on Amazon.com, I use Amazon’s link-building tools to direct my audience to products and earn from qualifying purchases. Not only will I earn commission on products I refer traffic to, but I may also earn on other products my audience may purchase on Amazon.

To see the companies I have partnered with for sponsorship, affiliate marketing, or referral marketing programs, you can browse the posts on my blog, browse the products on my Faves page, or view my creator portfolio.

My Promise To You

Being a creator with influence, I know a lot of my followers are curious about the brands and products I love and are looking for me to share that intel. Although I am always willing to openly share this information, I am also open to opportunities to gain an additional source of income or something else of value in exchange for sharing.

Whether a sponsorship, affiliate link, referral link, or personal recommendation, I only share things that I use (or have used) and either love it enough to share publicly or thought it’d be helpful to share my experience with others. I am very particular about whom I associate myself or my brands with so I only participate in the programs when one or more of the following conditions are met:

• I support or am interested in the brand or business
• I support or am interested in the product or service
• the product or company aligns with myself or my brand
• the brand/business or product/service will resonate with my audience

All content shared on my website and social media accounts contains my personal, unscripted views and opinions. I strongly believe in doing your own research before believing what you are told or making any online purchase. I would always suggest that you do your research, even with my recommendations.

Why I Do This

Here are some of my motivations for being interested in company sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing:

1. Monetization and Benefits: I (like many creators) am on a mission to earn a living by making and sharing content. Sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing offer the potential for earning passive income or some kind of benefit through content creation. As a creator, expanding my reach, growing a supportive audience, and diversifying into different niches or products allows me to cast a wider net for my content, which can increase my earning potential or tangible benefits. With a supportive following, I can create content that drives traffic and sales for a company to earn commissions or benefits on autopilot. The more traffic and sales I generate, the bigger the benefit.
2. Flexibility: Sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs allow for flexible working hours, to work from anywhere with an internet connection, and to earn commissions or benefits on autopilot. This flexibility is appealing to me and others seeking a more independent lifestyle.
3. No Product Creation and Low Start-up Costs: Compared to other income sources, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs have lower initial investment requirements. I don’t need to create or stock products, which reduces costs. I can generate income or gain wanted benefits by leveraging existing products and services from other companies to create content to share with my audience.
4. Aligns With My Interests or Brands: As a creator, many things interest me for various reasons. When I partner with companies for sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs, my participation is confirmation that the company, product, or service directly aligns with my personal interests or brand niches. Sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs enable me to monetize my content by promoting related products or services.
5. Various Choices To Help Others: There are sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs for practically anything you can think of out there. This means I have a wider variety of brands and businesses I can choose products and services that genuinely align with my interests and expertise, giving me more opportunities to provide my audience with something of real value.
6. Learning and Skill Development: Sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs provide me with opportunities to learn and apply various digital marketing skills, including SEO, content creation, and email marketing. Since I have an obvious fascination with personal branding and digital marketing that drives my desire to stay up-to-date with industry trends, these programs can be a natural fit.
7. Feed My Entrepreneurial Spirit: I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and enjoy the challenge of building my own brands and businesses. Sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs allow me to feed my entrepreneurial spirit by allowing me to build the reputation of a recognized business partner and a creator worth working with. The more partnerships I have, the more authenticity I show to your potential business partners and attract more opportunities to collaborate. By participating in sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral marketing programs, I can be my own boss, make decisions, experiment with different business models, and be accountable for my own success.

Final Thoughts

Although I choose to participate in these programs, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral programs require dedication, patience, and hard work. I’ve had to dive deep into my niche, carefully select the best products and services, craft high-quality content, and optimize my strategies for conversions. I believe that with the right mindset and effort, this will be an incredibly rewarding journey for me.

TL;DR

As a digital creator engaged in sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and referral programs, transparency is at the forefront of my values. Through this post, I aimed to provide insight into these programs, their distinctions, and their relevance to both you, my audience, and the brands and businesses I choose to collaborate with.

Sponsorships and branded content enable me to profit from sharing compelling narratives about products or services from my partners, while affiliate and referral marketing offer opportunities for passive income and tangible benefits. As you encounter links on my platforms, be it for sponsorships, affiliate marketing, or referral programs, rest assured that they come with my genuine recommendation. Clicking on these links may earn me a commission or benefits at no extra cost to you, and in some instances, you may even receive a discount.

The brands and businesses I collaborate with are carefully selected based on alignment with my interests, values, and the potential resonance with you, my audience. This is not just about monetization but also about creating authentic connections and providing valuable content. My commitment to honesty remains unwavering, and I encourage everyone to conduct their own research before making any online purchase, even with my recommendations. Ultimately, these partnerships not only support my mission of earning a living through content creation but also provide me with the flexibility, learning opportunities, and entrepreneurial spirit I cherish in my journey as a creator.