Affiliate marketing has been around for decades. But in 2025, with tightening ad budgets, iOS privacy changes, and increasing CACs across Meta and Google – DTC brands are giving it a fresh look.

So is affiliate marketing still worth it for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands?

The short answer: yes, but only if you do it smart.

In this guide, we break down what’s changed, what works, what doesn’t – and whether affiliate should be part of your growth mix this year.

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What Is Affiliate Marketing (And Why Should DTC Brands Care)?

Affiliate marketing is performance-based: you only pay commissions when someone makes a sale (or completes another goal). Partners – usually influencers, publishers, or content creators – promote your products using unique tracking links.

In 2025, affiliate has evolved:

• Content creators are the new affiliates
• Tech has improved (goodbye clunky spreadsheets)
• Attribution is better (when set up properly)
• It now blends with retention, paid media, and SEO strategies

Done well, it’s a cost-effective way to drive warm, high-intent traffic – especially when paired with loyalty and referral.

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The Pros of Affiliate for DTC Brands

1. Performance-Based Cost Model

You only pay when someone buys. Compared to the volatility of CPC bidding, this is refreshingly risk-free.

2. Scale Without Burnout

Want to grow without scaling your ads budget? Affiliates give you access to new audiences, without CPM spikes.

3. Strong SEO Synergy

Affiliates often create blog content and review pages. When done right, this generates backlinks and content coverage – supporting your SEO for ecommerce strategy.

4. Trust-Driven Traffic

Audiences trust creators more than ads. When the right affiliate recommends your product, conversion rates jump.

5. Great for Gifting Campaigns

Affiliate works brilliantly for:

• Product launches
• Holiday campaigns
• Mother’s Day, Black Friday, etc.

You can ship samples and only pay on conversions – a huge win over influencer posts that disappear in 24 hours.

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The Cons (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Low-Quality Affiliates Can Hurt Your Brand

Coupon sites, trademark bidders, or click arbitrage affiliates can cannibalise organic traffic or cheapen your positioning.

Fix it: Use platforms like Awin, Webgains, or CJ Affiliate that offer manual approval and strict controls.

2. Time-Intensive to Manage

Building relationships, approving applications, handling disputes – it adds up.

Fix it: Either hire a specialist or explore our Affiliate Marketing Consultancy. We handle setup, screening, and scaling for you.

3. Attribution Headaches

Multi-touch journeys make affiliate attribution tricky – especially if you run retargeting or email flows.

Fix it: Use platforms with flexible attribution models and cross-channel reporting. Integrate with GA4 and Looker Studio for unified views.

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What Types of Affiliates Work Best for DTC?

Not all affiliates are created equal. For DTC, look for:

Content Creators & Bloggers

Great for top-of-funnel discovery. They build brand trust and organic SEO wins.

Niche Influencers & YouTubers

Product reviews and unboxings work well for beauty, wellness, fitness, gadgets.

Email Newsletter Partners

High-quality newsletters (e.g. The Hustle, Morning Brew) offer targeted placements with conversion-focused readers.

Deal & Cashback Sites (Used Selectively)

Can work if tightly controlled and used during peak promo periods.

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Real Brand Example: Wellness DTC on Shopify

One of our clients (anonymous, but in the vitamins space) launched an affiliate programme using Awin. Results in 4 months:

• 18% of new revenue from affiliates
• CPA 29% lower than Meta Ads
• 3 out of 10 top-converting partners were content creators

They used a hybrid approach – combining affiliate with email marketing, loyalty, and referral.

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What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Affiliate platform (e.g. Awin, Webgains, Refersion)
• Landing pages and creatives
• UTM tracking and GA4 setup
• Clear commission structure
• T&Cs and brand guidelines

And ideally? Someone to manage it. That’s where we come in.

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Final Thought on Affiliate Marketing for DTC Brands

Affiliate marketing in 2025 isn’t just for coupon sites and bedroom bloggers. Done well, it can:

• Lower acquisition costs
• Diversify your revenue channels
• Support your broader ecommerce growth strategy

But it takes work – especially to recruit quality partners and track success across multiple touchpoints.

Want to know if affiliate is a smart move for your brand? Explore our Affiliate Marketing Consultancy
Or book a free discovery call – we’ll show you what works in your category, and help you launch fast.