Affiliate KPIs: the numbers that show if your programme works

In short: Five numbers are enough: profit after commission, return rate per partner, share of active partners, revenue share of the top 3 partners and click-to-purchase rate. Revenue alone says nothing if nothing is left after commission.

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The five metrics

  • Profit after commission: contribution margin minus commission, per order and per partner.
  • Return rate per partner: high rates at one partner are a warning sign.
  • Active partners: share of partners that brought at least one sale in the last 90 days.
  • Revenue share of the top 3: if the programme hangs on two partners, it is fragile.
  • Click-to-purchase rate: shows whether partner traffic fits your offer.

How to start

Export orders of the last six to twelve months with partner ID, basket and return. All five numbers can be calculated from that in one spreadsheet.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good share of active partners?

It depends on industry and programme age. More important than a fixed value is the trend over several months.

Work it out with your numbers

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