Which methods have been working for years, and which innovations should be introduced in order to protect profits? Which affiliate techniques are outdated and which are gaining momentum? In this article, we’ll take a look at the hottest trends in affiliate marketing in 2021 to give you a head start for 2022.

Technology is rapidly evolving, industry standards are changing, and so are consumer preferences. To always have a working affiliate marketing strategy at your fingertips, you need to keep up with industry news and adjust your system in time. 

A billion-dollar affiliate

The American researchers predict that by 2022 the expenses of companies and private individuals in the affiliate marketing industry will exceed 8.2 billion dollars. And this is only in the USA! You can imagine how many billions are spent by affiliates around the world, and how much more they earn from it. 

In fewer than 5 years, affiliate marketing has seen the emergence of tools that give insights into consumer interests and preferences. Advertisers and affiliates now get more statistics and feedback than ever before, and can adapt their offers to current customer demands. 

But what does the future hold? Below we will look at the most current trends in affiliate marketing, taking into account all the challenges and prospects that 2021 has opened up. 

5 Affiliate Marketing Trends 

1. No more cookies

More than 70% of Internet users use Google Chrome. Of the 4.6 billion global web users, 3.3 billion prefer Chrome. 

Last year, Google revealed that they were preparing to do away with cookie tracking by 2022. Following in their footsteps, Apple also introduced an update, according to which the tracking of user data in Safari can only take place with their consent, which must be confirmed manually. 

All of this opens up the prospect of developing brand new tools for tracking user data. How will the collection and processing of statistics in affiliate marketing look in the years ahead? Many affiliate networks and services are already preparing new tools and the rules of the game in this area are rapidly changing.

2. The Rise of the Influencer

Consumers prefer soft-sell marketing methods and so it follows that the future will probably belong to the influencers.

Authentic bloggers with truly unique and regular content are strengthening their position. It’s definitely worth taking a close look at which bloggers can be potentially profitable collaborations for you, and start making connections. As your audience grows, prices increase, but the longer you advertise your offers with the same blogger, the more loyal your audience will become. 

3. Video Content 

Wyzowl has released a statistical report on the results of 2020, which says that 84% of consumers make a purchasing decision after watching a video about a product. And videos are popular not only for products themselves, but also for tips on how to use them, feature reviews, and so on.

Following the rise of TikTok and YouTube, Instagram has also announced a course for the development of video content. The platform intends to help promote video creators, and many users already have access to the function of creating short video Reels.

4. Seasonal Sales

The classic tool of seasonal and holiday sales is still a working incentive to buy. Open your calendar and plan now for infomercials to get your audience excited. 

During the pandemic, many people miss the real holidays. Remind them how great it is to get into the holiday spirit with your pre-packaged content. Be creative, come up with your own holiday specials or offer a contest (tournament, competition) to coincide with a specific date.

5. Process automation

Building and implementing an effective affiliate marketing strategy requires a lot of resources, the most valuable of which is time. Make it easy on yourself and save energy for the really important things by automating simple processes. Use chatbots to communicate with consumers, introduce automated welcome and newsletters. Automate data collection and processing. In general, offload yourself and your team wherever possible.

The Bottom Line

Affiliate marketing is evolving, and growing by leaps and bounds around the world. We should consider the new rules of the game from global giants Google and Apple, which open us up to the development and use of new methods of collecting user data. 

Video content is gaining on all fronts, and the influence of bloggers is firmly entrenched. Working tightly with Influencers in your niche is already an integral part of building a successful strategy for profit. By automating simple processes, you can gain time to grow your affiliate business.