What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is best described as a performance-based advertising model where businesses reward affiliates for driving traffic or sales. In this model, affiliates partner with businesses to promote their products or services. They earn a commission for each sale or action generated through their marketing efforts, often tracked via unique affiliate links. This creates a symbiotic relationship where both the business and the affiliate benefit from increased exposure and potential sales.

The other options provided do not accurately capture what affiliate marketing entails. While enhancing email campaigns or engaging users through personalized advertisements can be effective digital marketing strategies, they are not specifically related to affiliate marketing. Likewise, gathering customer data for market research is a separate discipline that does not involve the commission-based relationship found in affiliate marketing. Thus, recognizing affiliate marketing for its performance-driven nature and the mutual benefits it provides to businesses and affiliates is crucial for understanding its role in digital marketing.