Brands and agencies are reporting strong commercial returns from affiliate and partnership marketing in Australia, with the channel showing continued growth and increasing maturity, according to the latest industry findings from IAB Australia.
The findings were released in the IAB Australia 2026 Affiliate and Partnership Marketing State of the Nation Report, presented at the annual Affiliate and Partnership Marketing Summit.
The report indicates that 42% of surveyed advertisers using affiliate marketing increased their investment over the past year, while two-thirds of publishers reported higher revenues.
Overall, 64% of respondents expect affiliate marketing to play a more significant role in achieving business outcomes.
Revenue and sales volume remain the primary measures of success for advertisers, with the report noting a 95% satisfaction level for affiliate marketing’s return on investment performance.
However, the report also highlights several constraints affecting further growth. Rising costs, fees and broader budget pressures were identified as limiting additional advertiser investment, while publishers reported disruption from search algorithm changes and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on consumer discovery and click behaviour.
The report suggests these shifts are placing pressure on traditional attribution models, which continue to rely heavily on last-click measurement.
According to the findings, both advertisers and publishers are increasingly considering visibility within AI-driven discovery environments as important to maintaining performance in affiliate channels, particularly as consumer decision-making becomes more automated and less linear.
IAB Australia chief executive Gai Le Roy said the results underline the channel’s ongoing role in commerce marketing.
“The report highlights the continued strong role that affiliate marketing has in commerce marketing with brands increasing spend to drive revenue and many publishers using it as an important revenue stream,” Le Roy said.