A Quick History of Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a type of marketing where businesses reward affiliates for promoting their products or services. The practice has been around for centuries in various forms, but it wasn't until the rise of the internet that affiliate marketing as we know it today began to take shape.

One of the earliest examples of affiliate marketing can be traced back to the 19th century. In 1887, a man named Richard Warren Sears started a mail-order business selling watches. To expand his business, he began offering commissions to people who referred customers to his company. This early form of affiliate marketing helped Sears grow his business into a retail giant.

In the 20th century, affiliate marketing continued to evolve. In the 1920s, the radio became a popular medium for advertising, and businesses began paying affiliates to promote their products on the airwaves.

The rise of television in the 1950s brought about another wave of affiliate marketing. Television networks would pay affiliates a percentage of advertising revenue for promoting their programs and commercials.

In 1989, as the internet came alive, William J. Tobin patented affiliate marketing as we know it today. His company, PC Flowers & Gifts set up affiliate marketing for today’s floral company FTD. They setup affiliate marketing as we know it today.

The internet revolutionized affiliate marketing in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Amazon is credited with launching one of the first affiliate marketing programs in 1996. The program allowed website owners to earn commissions by promoting Amazon's products on their sites.

In the early days of internet affiliate marketing, affiliates would often use spammy tactics to promote products, such as sending unsolicited emails or filling websites with banner ads. However, as the practice became more established, affiliate marketing evolved into a more legitimate and sustainable business model.

Today, affiliate marketing is a thriving industry. According to a report by the Performance Marketing Association, affiliate marketing drives over $12 billion in annual revenue in the United States alone. Affiliates can promote products through a variety of channels, including websites, social media, email marketing, and more.

In conclusion, affiliate marketing has a long and storied history that spans centuries.

From the early days of mail-order catalogs to the rise of the internet, affiliate marketing has adapted and evolved to become a vital part of the modern marketing landscape. As technology continues to advance, it's likely that affiliate marketing will continue to evolve and grow in new and exciting ways.