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Affiliate marketing

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Commencing with affiliate marketing, it is a business enhancement tactic that rewards affiliates for each customer[1] or visitor they bring through their marketing endeavors. This business model is an evolution of revenue-sharing principles, with the online version being patented by William J. Tobin in 1989. The affiliate marketing sector has seen substantial growth over time, with various industries such as retail, gambling, and file-sharing becoming key participants. The sector has incorporated diverse remuneration methods, including revenue sharing and cost per action. It has also adopted several performance metrics like cost per mille. Although affiliate marketing offers potential revenue opportunities, it is not without its difficulties such as spamming, adware, and legal complications. Nevertheless, it continues to be a favored marketing approach for numerous vendors due to its pay-for-performance model.

Terms definitions
1. customer. The main keyword in this text is 'customer.' A customer refers to a person or entity that acquires goods or services from a company. They play a vital role in the business environment, establishing connections with companies via transactions. Customers may also be referred to as 'clients,' particularly when they obtain customized advice or solutions from a company. The term 'client' is derived from Latin, suggesting a tendency to lean or bend towards a company. Customers come in various forms - from final customers who directly purchase products or services, to industrial customers who integrate these products or services into their own offerings. These customers can hold different positions in relation to the business, such as being employers in construction endeavors. Companies often divide their customers into distinct groups, like business owners or final users, to better comprehend and cater to them. The comprehension and handling of customer relationships is a crucial field of research and application in business.

Affiliate marketing is a marketing arrangement in which affiliates receive a commission for each visit, signup or sale they generate for a merchant. This arrangement allows businesses to outsource part of the sales process. It is a form of performance-based marketing where the commission acts as an incentive for the affiliate; this commission is usually a percentage of the price of the product being sold, but can also be a flat rate per referral.

Affiliate marketers may use a variety of methods to generate these sales, including organic search engine optimization, paid search engine marketing, e-mail marketing, content marketing, display advertising, organic social media marketing, and more.

Though the largest companies run their own affiliate networks (for example Amazon), most merchants join affiliate networks which provide reporting tools and payment processing.

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