Affiliate marketing is a business promotion technique in which revenue is shared between a website owner and an online business. It is an Internet-based marketing technique through which e-commerce affiliates are rewarded for bringing in customers.

Wondering what an e-commerce affiliate is? Well, a website that links back to an e-commerce site with the intent of gaining a commission for the referral, is known as an affiliate. Also, bloggers and members of online forums function as e-commerce affiliates.

History of Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing originated from the practice of revenue sharing in which business revenue is shared between business affiliates. In late 1994, the concept of revenue sharing evolved into Internet affiliate marketing.

CDNOW was the first website to feature affiliate marketing. It was a music-oriented website that provided