When a mid-sized e-commerce brand decided to expand its reach, they turned to affiliate marketing. They weren’t new to online promotion, but they wanted a strategy that would drive both immediate sales and long-term customer loyalty. Instead of relying on one approach, they built a campaign around the 3 main types of affiliates and the results were impressive.
Background of the Brand
The brand sold premium kitchenware and had a loyal but small customer base. Their goal was to break into new markets without investing heavily in traditional advertising. They understood that 3 main types of affiliates could help, but they didn’t want to limit themselves to a single style.
Step 1: Bringing in Unattached Affiliates
The first step was to work with unattached affiliates. These were marketers who didn’t have a direct connection to the brand or the audience but were skilled at running paid advertising campaigns. They focused on high-intent keywords like “best non-stick cookware” and used targeted social media ads to drive visitors to the brand’s product pages. This move created an immediate spike in traffic and early sales, which helped the brand test which offers were most appealing.
Step 2: Partnering with Related Affiliates
Once they had momentum, the brand reached out to related affiliates bloggers, YouTubers, and social media influencers who already created content about cooking and home living. These affiliates didn’t necessarily use the products themselves yet, but their audience trusted them as a source for kitchen advice. The related affiliates published gift guides, recipe videos, and listicles featuring the brand’s products, which kept the promotion relevant and engaging.
Step 3: Building Relationships with Involved Affiliates
Finally, the brand partnered with involved affiliates who actually tested the products and shared authentic experiences. These affiliates created in-depth reviews, “unboxing” videos, and cooking tutorials using the brand’s pans, knives, and bakeware. They didn’t just say the products were good, they showed it. Over time, these personal endorsements built stronger credibility than ads or general recommendations ever could.
Why the 3 Main Types of Affiliates Worked Together
Each type of affiliate played a distinct role. The unattached affiliates brought in immediate attention and new visitors, the related affiliates connected the brand with targeted audiences already interested in cooking, and the involved affiliates built long-term trust that encouraged repeat purchases. By blending these strengths, the brand covered every stage of the customer journey from awareness to consideration to decision.
Measuring the Results
Within six months, the brand saw a 42% increase in website traffic, a 28% rise in conversions, and a notable improvement in repeat customer sales. The success wasn’t due to one affiliate type alone but to the way they were used together strategically.
Lessons for Other Brands and Affiliates
The biggest takeaway from this case study is that no single affiliate approach is enough for every goal. Brands can achieve faster and more sustainable results by mixing the 3 main types of affiliates. Affiliates can also learn from this even if you start in one category, expanding into others can open up new income opportunities.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
The brand avoided some mistakes that could have hurt their campaign. They didn’t ignore the importance of onboarding affiliates properly. Each partner received detailed product information, high-quality images, and clear tracking links. They also monitored results regularly and adjusted their approach increasing budgets for the most effective affiliates and testing new creatives where needed.
How PropellerAds Supported the Campaign
Throughout the process, the brand and many of its affiliates used PropellerAds to reach specific audiences. With its advanced targeting, multiple ad formats, and real-time performance tracking, PropellerAds helped unattached affiliates optimize their ad spend, related affiliates drive more relevant traffic, and involved affiliates retarget people who had shown interest but hadn’t purchased yet. This combination of strategies and tools helped amplify the overall results.
FAQs
What are the 3 main types of affiliates?
They are unattached affiliates, related affiliates, and involved affiliates, each with unique strengths for different stages of the sales process.
Can one brand work with all three at once?
Yes, and this case study shows that blending all three can be more effective than focusing on just one type.
Do affiliates need to stick to one category?
No, affiliates can shift between types or combine them as they grow their skills and resources.
Which affiliate type builds the most trust?
Involved affiliates usually have the most credibility because they use and review the products themselves.
Conclusion
This brand’s success shows that understanding and using the 3 main types of affiliates can transform an affiliate marketing program. Unattached affiliates can deliver quick exposure, related affiliates can bring targeted audiences, and involved affiliates can create lasting customer relationships. By combining all three and supporting them with a reliable platform like PropellerAds, brands can achieve stronger, more consistent growth in both sales and loyalty.
Author Bio:
Written by Aliya Khan, a marketing strategist who helps brands and affiliates succeed using PropellerAds for precise targeting and campaign optimization. Aliya invites readers to explore the platform’s tools to build smarter, more profitable affiliate programs.
