Rakuten Advertising Blog

Golden Link Awards
Events

Rakuten Optimism Golden Link Awards 2026 | Nominations Now Open!

The 2026 Rakuten Optimism Golden Link Award nominations are officially open! Help us honor the best and brightest in affiliate marketing by submitting a nomination today. The Golden Link Awards will take place at Optimism 2026, register today to secure your spot to Optimism and the Golden Link Awards!
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News

Announcing the Rakuten Advertising Agency Partners: 2026 Preferred and Platinum

We’re excited to introduce the 2026 Rakuten Advertising Agency Partners, featuring our newest Preferred and Platinum award recipients. These partnerships set the standard for innovation and growth in affiliate marketing. Discover how working with these standout agencies can help your brand reach new heights this year.
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Marketing Strategies

10 Common Affiliate Marketing Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Avoid the pitfalls that hold affiliate marketers back. Learn the 10 most common affiliate marketing mistakes and how to fix them with practical, expert-backed solutions.
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Two colleagues standing indoors, smiling and looking at a tablet together to look up "What is Affiliate Marketing:—business/casual office setting.
Marketing Strategies

What is Affiliate Marketing & How Does it Work?

Affiliate marketing is one of the most effective ways brands can drive measurable growth through partnership. Learn what affiliate marketing is, how it works, and why it remains one of the most trusted, performance-driven channels for marketers and publishers alike.
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Smiling woman stands with raised fists as coworkers applaud around a table with a laptop, charts, and coffee in a bright modern office—celebrating a successful Affiliate Marketing How To session.
Marketing Strategies

How Brands Can Launch a Successful Affiliate Marketing Program

Affiliate Marketing How To for brands: your step-by-step guide to planning objectives, selecting technology, designing commissions, and activating a high-performing partner mix. Learn how to launch and optimize with governance, tracking, and data-driven metrics.
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Insights

Affiliate Marketing Insights: 10 Tips to Win the Canadian Holiday Shopping Season

Affiliate Marketing Insights for Canadian ecommerce brands: Discover how to win the holiday season with a Canada‑first calendar, CAD pricing and duties transparency, published shipping cut‑offs, winter‑ready fulfillment, and a diverse affiliate mix—including cashback, editorial, deal forums, extensions, and creators—plus a Boxing Week plan to drive repeat purchases.
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Affiliate Marketing News: US Consumer Spending Evolution 2024–2025

A customer at a store checkout making a contactless payment with her smartphone. The cashier is holding a card reader/POS terminal, and there’s a shopping cart and paper bag nearby—typical mobile wallet (NFC) payment at a retail counter.

Affiliate Marketing News: Our 2024–2025 analysis shows US spending shifting from rebound to value-first. Learn how to capture high-income buyers, activate “smart discretionary” demand with BNPL, bundles, and loyalty, and convert with trust- and quality-led content—plus regional prioritization to boost Q4 performance and beyond.

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Affiliate Marketing News: Navigating the 2025 Holiday Season

Smiling woman in a red sweater sits cross‑legged with a laptop, holding a gold credit card in a cozy room with warm string lights.

Stay ahead with comprehensive Affiliate Marketing News covering the latest industry updates, expert strategies, and actionable insights to help you optimize your holiday campaigns, increase conversions, and grow your affiliate business throughout the season and beyond.

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Rakuten Advertising: Q3 Affiliate Publishers Partner Spotlight

It’s a business meeting scene. A smiling man in a brown blazer and glasses is shaking hands with a woman in a black-and-white polka‑dot top across a conference table. On the table are documents with charts, a tablet, a pen, and coffee cups. The setting appears to be a modern office, suggesting a greeting or agreement.

Diversify your affiliate program with our Q3 Affiliate Publishers Spotlight! Discover the most notable and newest affiliate publishers on the Rakuten Advertising network and watch your performance soar.

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Key Highlights from DealMaker Canada 2025: Leading Canadian Affiliate Events Recap

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DealMaker Canada 2025 was a standout among Canadian affiliate events, bringing together top advertisers, publishers, and agencies for two days of networking, learning, and dealmaking. Read our full recap of this leading affiliate event in Toronto!

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How Americans Shop and Book Travel Now: the Signals US Marketers Can’t Ignore

Two hikers with backpacks raise joined hands on a rocky cliff, overlooking a winding blue fjord between steep granite mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

Americans are booking boldly and demanding obvious value. Our latest survey reveals who really sways decisions (think Google Reviews and creators), when they convert (often inside a month), and where they buy—plus the partner plays that turn intent into revenue.

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Rakuten Advertising: Q2 Affiliate Partner Spotlight

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Diversify your affiliate program and watch your performance soar! Our Q2 Partner Spotlight highlights the innovative up-and-coming publishers on the Rakuten Advertising network.

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