Rakuten Advertising Blog

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Marketing Strategies

Affiliate Marketing Step-by-Step: 5 Essential Steps to Launch Your Brand’s Affiliate Program

Ready to launch your brand’s affiliate program? This Affiliate Marketing Step-by-Step guide for brand marketers covers everything from setting goals and choosing a platform to recruiting partners and optimising for growth, including the benefits of affiliate networks and advanced technology. Contact us to get started!
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Marketing Strategies

How Affiliate Tracking Works: The Complete Guide for Brands & Publishers

Learn how affiliate tracking works in partner marketing and why it’s the foundation of performance marketing. Explore tracking links, cookies, attribution models, and reporting systems for accurate results and fair payments.
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Insights

New Research: The Reality of AI Shopping and its Impact on Partner Marketing

The separation gap in AI shopping is changing the role of performance marketing in surprising ways. Our new report is an indispensable AI intelligence guide for partner marketing leaders, revealing an unexpected most-valuable-audience—and proving why trust is the new value proposition for shoppers.
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Rakuten Advertising x impact.com Strategic Alliance Announcement
News

Rakuten Advertising & impact.com: A New Era for Your Partnership Program

Rakuten Advertising’s strategic partnership with impact.com marks a major step forward in partnership marketing, giving advertisers, publishers, and partners access to stronger technology, smoother transitions, and expanded growth opportunities.
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News

Affiliate Marketing Platforms: What Do They Do and Why You Need Them

Affiliate marketing platforms help brands and publishers manage, track, and optimize their affiliate programs. This guide explains the core functions of these platforms and what to look for when choosing a solution.
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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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DealMaker Europe 2026 Recap: Key Trends Shaping Performance Marketing

DealMaker Europe showcased how affiliate marketing is evolving through better measurement, AI-driven discovery, and stronger creator strategies. Here are the biggest trends and takeaways from the day.

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Golden Link Awards 2026 Winners Revealed at DealMaker Europe

The Golden Link Awards 2026 celebrated the best in affiliate and performance marketing at DealMaker Europe. Discover this year’s winners and the standout partnerships, strategies, and teams shaping the future of the industry.

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Celebrating Excellence: 2026 Golden Link Awards Europe Finalists Announced

The 2026 Golden Link Awards Europe finalists have been announced! Explore the standout brands, agencies, and publishers recognised for their innovation and excellence in affiliate marketing this year.

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Announcing the Rakuten Advertising Agency Partners: 2026 Preferred and Platinum

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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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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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How Brands Can Launch a Successful Affiliate Marketing Program

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.

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 optimise with governance, tracking, and data-driven metrics.

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