Affiliate marketing isn’t just about you and a product link.

There’s a whole system working behind the scenes — and knowing it gives you the upper hand.

🌐 Meet the Key Players

There are four main players in affiliate marketing:

• The Merchant – They own the product.
  
  

• The Affiliate – That’s you.
  
  

• The Customer – They make the purchase.
  
  

• The Network (optional) – Some programs, like Amazon Associates or ClickBank, are managed by affiliate networks.
  
  

🔄 How They Work Together

Here’s how it flows:

• The merchant creates and sells the product.
  
  

• You promote it using your unique affiliate link.
  
  

• The customer clicks and buys.
  
  

• The network tracks the sale.
  
  

• You get paid.
  
  

Everyone wins — when it’s done right.

🎓 A Real-World Example

Let’s say you join an affiliate program for a digital course.

You get your link.
You share it with someone.
They click, buy — and you earn 30% of the sale.

💡 Simple. Scalable. No fluff.

🔗 What’s Next

Now that you know who’s involved —
let’s break down how affiliate links actually work behind the scenes.

How do they track clicks?
What’s a cookie?
How do you know if you’ll be credited?

➡️ Up Next: How Affiliate Links Work