Glossary / Brands

Industry terms

Affiliate link

An affiliate link is a tracked link to a product that pays the creator a commission when someone buys through it.

Also called: affiliate, affiliate marketing, referral link

By Aulto · Last reviewed

The link carries a code that identifies the creator. When a follower clicks and buys, the shop or affiliate programme records the sale and credits the creator a share of it.

Where do creators use them?

In bios, link-in-bio pages, captions, stories, video descriptions and DMs, often for products they already use: gear, books, skincare, kitchen tools.

Does it need disclosure in India?

Yes. ASCI's influencer guidelines list "Affiliate" among the accepted disclosure labels, and the label should be clear and upfront, not hidden among hashtags.

Example

A Delhi tech creator links the microphone he uses in every reel with an affiliate link, labels the story "Affiliate", and earns a commission each time a follower buys one.

  • Attribution

    Attribution is working out where a click, sign-up or sale came from, so you know which post, channel or campaign actually worked.

  • Link in bio

    "Link in bio" means the clickable link on your Instagram profile, which is the main place a post can send people since captions don't have clickable links.

  • Influencer marketing

    Influencer marketing is a brand working with creators to reach their audiences, paid in money, products or both.

  • Barter collab

    A barter collab is a creator collaboration paid in products or services instead of money: the brand sends something, and the creator posts about it.

  • Brand deal

    A brand deal is a paid partnership where a brand pays a creator or artist to make and post content about its product.

  • D2C

    D2C (direct to consumer) is a brand that sells straight to customers, usually through its own website and social media, instead of through shops or marketplaces.

Sources

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