How to earn affiliate commission as a UK creator

What is affiliate commission?

Affiliate commission is a payment a brand makes for a sale (or another agreed action) that you referred. The brand gives you a tracked link or a code. When a follower uses it and the purchase goes through, the sale is credited to you.

Commission is usually a percentage of the sale value or a fixed amount per sale. The rate is set by the brand and can differ between brands and products.

How do affiliate networks work?

Many brands run their programmes through an affiliate network. A network sits between brands and the people promoting them (often called publishers). It provides tracked links, records clicks and sales, and handles the commission records.

Three networks UK creators will often come across are:

• Awin (awin.com)
• Impact (impact.com)
• CJ (cj.com)

Joining a network directly usually means applying to each brand's programme one by one, then managing separate links and reports.

What is the difference between pending and approved commission?

When a sale is tracked, the commission usually starts as pending. The brand then checks the sale before approving it. Orders that are returned, cancelled or found to be invalid are typically declined.

Approved commission is what is confirmed as payable. This is why platforms talk about "approved commission" rather than every sale you see tracked: only approved sales count towards what you are paid.

What is a minimum payout?

A minimum payout is the balance you need to reach before a payment is made. It stops very small amounts being paid out one by one. On CreatorLounge the minimum payout is £50 of your approved earnings, and your bank details need to be saved in your account.

How does earning work on CreatorLounge?

CreatorLounge is a global creator affiliate platform, founded in the UK. Instead of applying to programmes one by one, you add brand offers to your lounge, a single link in bio page.

1. Join for free. There are no signup fees, monthly subscriptions or platform charges.
2. Pick your brands. Choose offers from the brand directory that suit your content.
3. Share your lounge. Add it to your bio and mention it in your content.
4. Earn. Each link is tracked through the brand's affiliate network with you credited. You keep 50% of the approved commission on every sale, and CreatorLounge keeps the other 50% as its fee.
5. Get paid. Payment is made once approved commission has been received from the brand or network and your approved balance reaches the £50 minimum.

See the For Creators page and the FAQ for more detail.

What do UK rules say about disclosing affiliate links?

In the UK, affiliate content is advertising and must be clearly labelled. The ASA's guidance on affiliate marketing says content should be obviously identifiable as advertising, with a label such as "#Ad" (ASA: affiliate marketing). The ASA and CMA's joint guide explains how this applies to influencers (ASA: Influencers' guide), and the CMA sets out consumer law expectations for endorsements (GOV.UK: CMA guide for influencers).

Put the label up front, where people will see it before they click. If you also reach audiences in other countries, check their rules as well.

How do you get started?

• Choose a niche you post about consistently. Offers that match your content feel natural to followers.
• Start with a few brands. Learn what your audience responds to before adding more.
• Use your link in bio well. Our link in bio guide covers what a good affiliate page needs.
• Use codes where they help. Followers often like a code they can remember. See how brand discount codes work.
• Disclose every time. Clear labelling protects you and keeps your audience's trust.
• Review what works. Look at which offers your followers use and give those more space in your lounge.

Frequently asked questions