Affiliate Marketing Statistics Paint a Picture of a Booming Industry

There are quite a few potentially rewarding ways to earn money online, but affiliate marketing consistently ranks among the best. Successful affiliate marketers can even become independently wealthy, often earning recurring revenue without needing to do much to keep the cash flowing. A quick look at some affiliate marketing statistics that were recently published online will reveal why so many see this type of business as so appealing.

A Great Way for Many Entrepreneurs to Earn

Most people would like to become independent of employers and free of the sometimes-dreary duties they impose. Starting a business online often seems like the best possible way to escape the restrictions and annoyances of traditional forms of employment.

Of the various ways to set up shop as an entrepreneur online, affiliate marketing regularly tops the charts regarding both accessibility and potential. Some of the statistics that make this clearest include:

  • Billions of dollars in commissions. Far from being a fringe phenomenon, affiliate marketing is a crucial, centrally important tool for many leading companies. One source estimates that American retailers alone paid out more than $4.5 billion in commissions to affiliates in 2016, a total that has probably climbed since. In fact, another report projected that overall affiliate marketing spending among U.S.-based retailers would rise to nearly $7 billion by 2020.
  • Top marketers become millionaires. If all that money were being spread too thin, affiliate marketing could still seem a bit underwhelming. In fact, though, some of the most successful affiliates become millionaires many times over, often without needing to work long hours. A standout marketer on Instagram, for instance, generated $7 million in commissions in the course of a single year. While it undoubtedly took him a long time to reach that level of influence, all the effort he put in has paid off richly since.

Many More Impressive Statistics

These are only a few of the figures that help highlight how rewarding affiliate marketing can be. With interest in this style of marketing growing so steadily, many observers see the field entering something of a golden age. While it will normally take some effort to learn the ropes, many successful affiliate marketers describe the decision as one of the best they ever made.