Affiliate Marketing Guide
How Affiliate Links Work
Affiliate links are the technology that allows brands to identify which affiliate sent a visitor to their website.
Without affiliate links, there would be no reliable way to track clicks, attribute sales or calculate commission.
A Simple Example
Imagine a travel blogger writes an article about the best holiday cottages in Cornwall.
Inside the article is an affiliate link pointing to a holiday cottage website.
When a reader clicks the link, tracking information is recorded so that any future booking can potentially be attributed back to that publisher.
Why Affiliate Links Matter
Affiliate links create accountability.
Brands know where customers came from.
Affiliates know they will be rewarded when they genuinely contribute to a sale or lead.
What Happens When Someone Clicks An Affiliate Link?
The process usually takes less than a second.
1. Visitor Clicks Link
The visitor clicks an affiliate link on a website, blog, email, comparison site or social channel.
2. Click Is Recorded
The affiliate platform records details about the click and the referring affiliate.
3. Tracking Information Stored
A cookie, session or other tracking method is used to identify the visitor.
4. Visitor Converts
The visitor later makes a purchase, booking or enquiry.
5. Conversion Is Matched
The affiliate platform checks whether the conversion belongs to a previous click.
6. Commission Is Awarded
If the conversion meets programme rules, commission is attributed to the affiliate.
What Is A Cookie?
A cookie is a small piece of information stored in a visitor's browser.
Affiliate platforms often use cookies to remember which affiliate originally referred a visitor.
For example, if someone clicks an affiliate link today but doesn't buy until next week, the cookie may allow the affiliate platform to recognise that the visitor originally came from that affiliate.
What Is A Cookie Window?
The longer the cookie window, the longer an affiliate may remain eligible to receive commission.
What Is Attribution?
Attribution determines which affiliate receives commission.
If multiple affiliates interact with the same customer, the platform needs rules to decide who gets rewarded.
Most Common Model
The most common attribution model is Last Click Attribution.
This means the last affiliate clicked before the conversion receives the commission.
Modern Affiliate Tracking
Cookies
Traditional affiliate tracking.
Server-Side Tracking
More resilient tracking between systems.
Coupon Attribution
Uses affiliate-specific discount codes.
Direct Click Tracking
Tracks conversions directly from click activity.
How RivieraTech Affiliates Handles Tracking
RivieraTech Affiliates supports multiple attribution and tracking methods, allowing brands to choose the model that best suits their business.
This includes cookie-based tracking, direct click attribution, server-side tracking and configurable attribution windows.
Related Guides
"Good affiliate tracking isn't about paying commission. It's about accurately recognising which partners genuinely helped create a sale."
Joe Brewer
Founder, RivieraTech Affiliates
Interested In Affiliate Marketing?
If you're a publisher, creator or website owner, we'd love for you to join the RivieraTech Affiliates waitlist.
Simply click the Join Waitlist button in the top-right corner of the website.