Updated on 9 November 2026 by Nicolas Finet, CEO of Sortlist. This guide has been rewritten for UK businesses in 2026: it explains partner marketing, shows the scale of the UK affiliate and partnership channel, updates the 10 types of marketing partnership, and covers how to choose partners, write agreements and follow the ASA's disclosure rules.
Partner marketing means teaming up with another business, creator or organisation to promote each other's products or services. The audiences overlap in a helpful way, the costs are shared and each side gains credibility from the other. Done well, it is one of the more cost-effective growth channels. Done badly, it wastes time and can mislead customers. This guide shows how to do it well.
Key takeaways
- The channel is large: according to the APMA's State of the Affiliate Nation 2026 report, UK brands invested £1.8 billion in affiliate and partner marketing in 2025, generating £20.7 billion in revenue.
- Choose partners with audiences that complement yours, and agree goals, roles, tracking and payment in writing before you start.
- In the UK, content with affiliate links or paid collaborations must be obviously identifiable as advertising, and the brand can be held responsible for its affiliates.
What is partner marketing?
Partner marketing, also called partnership marketing, is a collaboration in which two or more parties promote each other, or jointly promote something, in return for shared benefits: leads, sales, reach or credibility. Partners can be businesses, publishers, creators, charities or platforms. The relationship can be performance-based (a commission on sales) or fixed (a sponsorship fee, a content swap or a joint campaign).
“UK brands invested £1.8 billion in affiliate and partner marketing in 2025, generating £20.7 billion in revenue.”
APMA, State of the Affiliate Nation 2026, as reported by Awin
Benefits of partnership marketing strategies
- Access to new audiences: reach customers who already trust your partner.
- Credibility: a recommendation from a trusted partner is stronger than your own advertising. Co-branding studies in fashion suggest collaborations can raise brand visibility, with one cited estimate of up to 30%.
- Lower acquisition cost: performance-based deals pay only for results.
- Shared costs and resources: split production, media and event costs.
- Innovation: combine strengths to create something neither could do alone.
- Resilience: a diversified channel mix reduces reliance on paid search and social.
10 types of marketing partnership
| # | Type | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Affiliate marketing | Partners earn a commission on sales or leads they drive through tracked links | Ecommerce, subscriptions, services |
| 2 | Influencer marketing | Creators promote products to their audiences | Consumer brands |
| 3 | Referral marketing | Customers or partners recommend you in return for a reward | Almost any business |
| 4 | Content partnership | Joint articles, webinars, research or newsletters | B2B and services |
| 5 | Loyalty partnerships | Rewards that work across brands or with a platform | Retail, travel, hospitality |
| 6 | Sponsorship | You fund an event, team or programme for exposure | Awareness and community |
| 7 | Product placement | Your product appears in someone else's content | Consumer brands |
| 8 | Co-branding | Two brands create a joint product or campaign | Brands with complementary audiences |
| 9 | Channel and reseller partners | Partners sell or implement your product | Software, B2B, services |
| 10 | Nonprofit and cause partnerships | Joint activity with a charity or social cause | Purpose-led brands |
1. Affiliate marketing
Affiliates promote your offer and are paid when a defined action occurs. In the UK this is a mature channel, including content publishers, cashback and voucher sites, comparison sites and increasingly card-linked offers and brand-to-brand partnerships. Use a network or tracking platform, set clear commission rules and monitor affiliate quality. The ASA treats content with affiliate links as advertising, and the brand is typically considered at least jointly responsible for what affiliates publish.
2. Influencer marketing
Creators bring audience trust and creativity. Match audience and values, agree deliverables and usage rights, and require clear labelling of ads. See our influencer marketing guide and Instagram influencer prices.
3. Referral marketing
A structured scheme in which existing customers or partners recommend you and earn a reward (a discount, credit or payment). Keep rewards simple and fair, and track referrals precisely.
4. Content partnership
Co-create webinars, guides, studies or podcasts with a complementary business. Each side shares the result with its audience, which doubles reach and builds authority. Links to each other's content can also help SEO; see how to get quality backlinks.
5. Loyalty partnerships
Reward customers across brands, or with a platform, to increase frequency and value. See customer loyalty.
6. Sponsorship
Funding events, teams, charities or content in return for exposure. Choose sponsorships that fit your audience, and plan how to activate them with content and hospitality. See event sponsorship.
7. Product placement
Placing your product in films, shows, videos or creator content. Where payment or free product is involved, the content may need to be labelled as advertising; for online and creator content, the ASA's rules apply, and broadcast has its own regulations.
8. Co-branding
Two brands combine to create a joint product, limited edition or campaign. The best collaborations are surprising but credible, and each brand brings a distinct strength. Agree the brand rules, quality standards and who bears the risk.
9. Channel partners
Resellers, agencies and consultants sell or implement your product. Support them with training, content, co-marketing funds and clear margin structures.
10. Nonprofit and cause partnerships
Working with a charity can help you reach new audiences and demonstrate values. Be honest about the relationship and the contribution: claims about donations must be accurate.
How to start a partner marketing programme
- Set goals: leads, sales, awareness or new market entry, with numbers.
- Define your ideal partner: audience overlap without direct competition, values, size and quality.
- Find partners: existing suppliers and customers, affiliate networks, industry events, LinkedIn and your agency's network.
- Make a mutual-value proposal: explain what the partner gains, not only what you want.
- Agree terms in writing: roles, deliverables, timelines, exclusivity, commission or fees, payment terms, approval of content, data sharing and how to exit.
- Set up tracking: unique links, codes or landing pages.
- Support and communicate: provide assets and briefings, and meet regularly.
- Review and optimise: end poor partnerships and expand strong ones.
Rules and good practice in the UK
- Disclosure: posts and content with affiliate links, gifts or payments should be obviously identifiable as ads. The ASA's guidance for influencers and affiliates explains labels such as "Ad" and how to place them. The ASA's 2026 research found that a platform label may help recognition but may not be enough on its own.
- Brand responsibility: the ASA typically considers the brand at least jointly responsible for content by its affiliates, so brief and monitor them.
- Claims: partner content must not mislead; claims need evidence.
- Data protection: if partners share customer data, you need a lawful basis, transparency and appropriate agreements under UK GDPR.
- Competition law: do not agree prices or divide markets with competitors.
- Consumer law: the DMCC Act covers fake reviews and misleading practices; see marketing ploys and UK law.
See advertorials and UK rules for labelling in more detail.
Measuring partner marketing
| Metric | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Revenue and leads by partner | Which partners bring results |
| Cost per acquisition | Efficiency compared with other channels |
| Incremental sales | Whether the partner created sales that would not have happened anyway |
| Customer quality and retention | Whether partner-referred customers stay |
| Return rate and complaints | Quality problems or misleading promotion |
| Brand search and awareness | Brand effects beyond direct sales |
Watch for low-value affiliate activity such as coupon sites that intercept sales that were already coming. Use rules on last-click attribution and consider incrementality tests; see how to create an advertising campaign for measurement approaches.
Conclusion
Partner marketing works when both sides win and customers are well served. Choose partners who fit, put terms in writing, track results and keep communication open. With the UK affiliate and partner channel worth billions, the opportunity is real, and so are the responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions about partner marketing
What is partner marketing?
A collaboration in which businesses, creators or organisations promote each other's products or services for shared benefit.
How big is affiliate and partner marketing in the UK?
The APMA reports that UK brands invested £1.8 billion in 2025, generating £20.7 billion in revenue.
What are examples of marketing partnerships?
Affiliate, influencer, referral, content, loyalty, sponsorship, product placement, co-branding, channel and nonprofit partnerships.
Do affiliate links have to be disclosed in the UK?
Yes. The ASA says content with affiliate links should be obviously identifiable as advertising.
How do I find marketing partners?
Look at suppliers, complementary businesses, affiliate networks, industry events and your agency's network.
How do I measure partnership success?
Track revenue, cost per acquisition, incremental sales, customer quality and brand effects by partner.
Looking for the right partners? Post your project on Sortlist and compare UK marketing agencies for free.
Sources: Awin, affiliate statistics (APMA), APMA, 2026 growth drivers, ASA, recognising ads on social media, ASA, influencers' guide, HubSpot, co-branding partnerships. This is general information, not legal advice.
