Brands are investing a larger proportion of digital marketing budgets in the affiliate marketing channel, the Internet Advertising Bureau's (IAB) Annual Affiliate Advertiser Survey has revealed.
The survey shows a 45 per cent uplift in advertiser affiliate programmes investing more than 31 per cent of their digital marketing budgets in 2012.
When asked about their plans to increase spend in the channel, 61 per cent of advertiser respondents said they planned to increase their marketing spend in the channel in 2013.
The research also highlighted a growth in new affiliate programmes, with 23 per cent of advertisers surveyed stating their affiliate programmes had been established during the previous 12 months.
More than half (52 per cent) of advertisers surveyed reported online sales revenues of more than £10m in the last year, indicating that the affiliate channel is attracting larger brands.
Clare O’Brien, IAB industry programmes consultant and head of the Affiliate Marketing Council, said: “Overall, the affiliate industry should be very encouraged by these findings: higher spending, stronger sales results and growing numbers of advertisers mounting affiliate programmes, all underline the growing confidence in the affiliate channel as a reliable part of the marketing mix.”