5 Biggest Takeaways from the APMA's 2024 State of the Nation Report

The Affiliate and Partnership Marketing Association (APMA) has released its 2024 State of the Nation Report, providing a comprehensive overview of the UK’s affiliate marketing industry. 

Research like this is a gift. Drawing data from nearly 300 affiliate marketing professionals, the report is the clearest map of the UK industry we currently have. And thankfully, the picture it paints is optimistic. 

The affiliate marketing industry, valued at £1.67 billion in 2023, is thriving, tracking 10% of all retail sales in the UK and offering businesses a stunning £17 return for every £1 spent.

Other highlights include the fact that publishers generated almost one million sales across every day of 2023 (staggering); and the UK is now home to roughly 67,000 publishers.

Here are the five most revealing takeaways from this year's report:

Affiliate marketing outpacing digital spending

The affiliate marketing industry in the UK has seen an impressive 17% year-on-year growth, outpacing general digital advertising growth by 50%. 

This sharp rise underscores the resilience of the affiliate channel, which we always knew was there. Even amidst economic stagnation and wavering consumer confidence, the channel remains strong. Insiders always knew this – and it’s nice to now match this wisdom to the numbers.

UK brands are noticing; £1.67 billion was spent on affiliate marketing in 2023, driving £21 billion in online sales. 

One of the standout stats is that for every £1 spent on affiliate marketing, brands see a return of £17. Compare this to the ROIs of Google Ads (8:1) and Meta Ads (9:1), and it's easy to see why the affiliate channel is garnering increased attention.