Affiliate Marketing VS Influencer Marketing: Which Is Better?

When 2 of the largest industries collide, it’s a tough decision to decide which will come out on top. The affiliate marketing vs influencer marketing debate has arose since they are so intertwined with each other. Affiliate marketing is the practice of using affiliate marketers to promote products and services for continual commissions. While influencer marketing is usually where an influencer is paid one lump sum for a set of promotions. See how closely related they are?

In this review we’ll be giving you more details about both affiliate and influencer marketing, which one is better, and which one you should consider utilizing for yourself. This article will highlight this idea from a business owner perspective, and from someone’s perspective who is looking to become either an affiliate or influencer marketer.

Let’s go through these important details now…

Affiliate Marketing VS Influencer Marketing: Which One Is Better?

Overall, we’ve found that is affiliate marketing is a more profitable business practice. In fact, affiliate marketing is better for both the affiliate program & business, and the affiliate marketer alike. But, why is affiliate marketing better? Because you build a long term relationship with affiliate marketing, that can generate sales for possibly decades.

Usually influencer marketing is more short term and PR based as well. Influencers have audiences usually over a more broad scale. While affiliate marketers have usually a much more defined audience that is more interested in buying.

Affiliate marketing is better because…

1. Affiliate marketers have more defined buyer audiences then influencers.
2. There is a longer and more profitable relationship between a business and affiliate marketer.
3. Influencer marketing is more for PR, vs generating direct sales & customers.
4. Affiliate marketing is easier to do.

Let’s discuss more in detail why this is the case. Because influencer marketing is still a profitable business model, it just isn’t as good as affiliate marketing is. Affiliate marketing even beats out network marketing for a variety of reasons.

Pros Of Being An Affiliate Marketer

Here are some of the positive things that affiliate marketing brings to the table.

1. Better tracking.
2. Longer term relationship which means more potential for more sales.
3. Closer relationship between the affiliate and the affiliate management.
4. Better tools for promotion.
5. Better audiences.
6. More interested audience.
7. Easier to do.

Cons Of Being An Affiliate Marketer

Here are some of the negative things that affiliate marketing brings to the table..

1. If you lose your affiliate marketers it can be difficult to acquire new ones.
2. Finding a long term and rewarding affiliate program to promote can be difficult.
3. Creating mutual promotions during the right time can be difficult.

Pros Of Influencer Marketing

Here are why someone or a company should get involved with influencer marketing…

1. Great PR for both the company and the influencer.
2. Access to a large audience.
3. Profitable one time payments for certain period of promotion.

Cons Of Influencer Marketing

Here are some of the bad effects that can happen from using influencer marketing…

1. Usually the audience is not as targeted.
2. Usually influencer promotions aren’t on a regularly basis.
3. Harder to find projects and programs to promote for.
4. More difficult to do.
5. Saturated marketplace

Final Verdict

The affiliate marketing industry has became a profitable powerhouse that anyone can use for their business. Most entrepreneurs find affiliate marketing to be more fulfilling and profitable to do then influencer marketing. As well, affiliate marketing can eventually become influencer marketing over time if you build up a large enough following, then you can have the best of both world!

Both of these marketing business models are great at what they do best. Affiliate marketing just comes out on top!

Thank you so much for reading through this article. We appreciate you so much!

With our kindest regards,

Jon Weberg

Richard Weberg