Affiliate marketing demographics

[firuze]

Does anyone have some really solid demographics for the affiliate marketing industry?

I’m looking for academic research that references sources and has been peer group reviewed.

Firuze

[Webwork]

Do you mean demographics as to the marketers themselves?

[firuze]

My concern is the demographics of affiliate marketers.

I have found some sources already but there are discrepancies in the figures they are presented. I don't know what the reasons for these discrepancies are, but from my own educational background I have learned that a serious paper should always be referenced and that a peer group review usually ensures that the data presented has been agreed upon.

People might still disagree with the findings but once a number of people complete papers a concensus of opinion develops and makes the material much safer to rely upon when developing marketing plans and making marketing decisions.

Firuze

[jimbeetle]

Can you give us some examples of exactly what type of demographics you are looking for?

[firuze]

I am searching the statistics for
- Number affiliate marketers in US and in other regions,
- Number of affiliate marketers who are actively doing affiliate marketing business
- The level of an average affiliate marketer's earning
-........

Thanks

Firuze

[edited by: eljefe3 at 3:06 pm (utc) on Feb. 16, 2007]
[edit reason] TOS edit, no self promo [/edit]

[jimbeetle]

I don't know of any existing numbers for those demos. With the number of affiliate marketing channels -- large networks, outsourced management, in-house programs -- and the fact that the information is likely considered to be proprietary, I doubt if any real or near real numbers exist.

My own sense of scale would go something like this:

Number affiliate marketers in US and in other regions

A large number have signed up for programs.

Number of affiliate marketers who are actively doing affiliate marketing business

A small percentage of the number that have signed up.

I'll add my own here:

Number of affiliate marketers who produce the majority of the conversions

An even smaller percentage of the number.

The level of an average affiliate marketer's earning

On average, probably very low, with a compartively very small percentage of the starting number making over mid-5-digit USD incomes. (And, of course, the very, very small percentage making 6- to 7-digit incomes.)

[firuze]

Thank you for your explanations. My thoughts are parallel to what you have stated. I have visited many sites and reports to search for the figures but I don't feel comfortable about the numbers presented by those reports. That is why I am asking my question.

I think, as you have explained in your post, general sturucture of affiliate marketing is too much complicated in order to reach such numbers. However, I found this situation unfortunate because affiliate marketers and affiliate marketing deserves more accuracy. In my opinion affiliate marketing has more potential than its current situation. All affiliate marketing industry must be unified to have more effective and productive results. This will increase the number of merchants who have affiliates, conversions ratios, number of affiliate networks etc.I think if all the industry has a more standardized format, the chances that affiliate marketing will reach to glamorous days will be very high.

Firuze