What is Affiliate Link?
An affiliate link is a tracked URL that credits you with a commission when someone clicks it and then buys, using a unique identifier recorded in a cookie or the link itself.
Updated · Editorial policy
How attribution works
The link carries a parameter identifying you. When someone clicks it, the merchant records that identifier, usually in a cookie, and credits you for a purchase made within the attribution window. Windows vary widely between programmes, from hours to weeks, and each programme publishes its own in its terms, so read them rather than assuming. Commission is either a percentage of the sale or a fixed bounty per signup, and some software programmes pay recurring commission for as long as the customer keeps subscribing.
Why recurring changes the maths
Run your own numbers rather than a published average. A review video that sends 2,000 clicks over three months, converting at the rate your own dashboard reports, say 3%, produces 60 sales. At an $8 one-off commission that is $480. At $8 a month recurring, those same 60 customers retained for ten months are $4,800. Nothing about the video changed; the programme's structure did. That is the figure to compare when two merchants both want the slot, and it is why the recurring question belongs in the first email you send a programme.
Disclosure and placement
Disclosure is a requirement rather than a courtesy. The US Federal Trade Commission's endorsement guides call for a clear and conspicuous disclosure close to the recommendation, and other jurisdictions set their own rules, so read the current guidance for the markets your audience is in. Platforms add their own paid-promotion flags on top. On placement, check that your link in bio tool does not break attribution: some programmes reject traffic arriving through a third-party redirect. Linktree lists Starter at $8 per month and Stan Store lists Creator at $29 per month, both checked 6 October 2026, and the link-in-bio tools category covers which of them pass a raw URL through. Our link-in-bio guide covers the tracking side, and our creator resources include the disclosure wording checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to disclose affiliate links?
Yes. The FTC's endorsement guides require a clear disclosure near the recommendation for US audiences, and other jurisdictions have their own rules. Read the current guidance rather than copying another creator's wording, and check whether the platform also wants its paid-promotion flag set.
How long does an affiliate cookie last?
It depends entirely on the programme, and the range is wide: some windows are measured in hours, others in weeks or months. The figure is published in each programme's terms, which is also where you find whether the commission is one-off or recurring.
Are recurring affiliate programmes worth more?
Usually, and the gap is larger than it looks. Sixty customers at $8 a month retained ten months is $4,800 against $480 for the same sixty on a one-off commission. The trade is that recurring commission depends on the merchant retaining the customer, which is outside your control.