The Affiliate & Partner Marketing Association’s Voice of the Nation 2025 report has arrived, bringing a summary of the channel’s performance in the UK this year and expectations for the next 12 months.
The survey, now in its third year, recorded more than 360 million affiliate transactions, averaging one million a day. However, the APMA warns that performance alone has not secured affiliate marketing the recognition it warrants.
“Affiliate marketing enters 2026 in a position of strength,” the report states, but adds that it “still fights for parity in visibility, budget, and strategic influence” despite its commercial maturity.
Based on responses from 114 brands, 58 agencies and 173 publishers, the report identifies three structural gaps holding the channel back: perception, measurement and investment.
At a senior level, affiliate marketing continues to be undervalued. Advertisers rated its strategic importance at an average of 6.5 out of 10, with the APMA noting that “affiliate activity remains undervalued at senior level” even as it drives measurable growth.
Measurement remains another friction point. While one in four advertisers now allocate some budget to non-last-click or participation-based models, adoption remains inconsistent. According to the report, “shared frameworks and consistent reporting” are still missing across the ecosystem.
Investment is the final gap. Although affiliate marketing tracks “one in ten pounds spent online”, it remains under-represented across industry events, media and budgets. Publishers also continue to highlight delayed payments as a material barrier, with 47.3% reporting a moderate or significant operational impact from slow commission payouts.
Looking ahead, sentiment remains broadly positive. “80% of publishers expect growth in 2026,” while advertisers report steady or increasing budgets. The report frames this next phase as “The Great Affiliate Reset”, describing a shift “from proving value to being valued”.
The APMA says closing these gaps will be critical if affiliate marketing is to claim the strategic position its results already justify.
