Journal of Intelligent Marketing Management

Journal of Intelligent Marketing Management

Identifying and prioritizing affiliate marketing strategies in online businesses

Document Type : The scientific research paper

Authors
Aminollah Torki Harchegani 1
Zeynab Toulabi 2
1 Department of Management, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Ilam, Ilam City, Iran
2 Department of Management, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Ilam
JABM.3.2.15564.358458.641568
Abstract
With the rapid growth of e-commerce and digital marketing trends, gaining a profound understanding of how affiliate marketing can serve as an effective tool for optimizing online sales has become increasingly crucial. Affiliate marketing, also referred to as partnership marketing, involves earning commissions by promoting and selling another company's products. In this marketing approach, an intermediary company markets products without owning them. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to identify and prioritize affiliate marketing strategies. This applied research adopts a hybrid positivist-interpretivist paradigm, employing a qualitative-quantitative (mixed) method with an inductive approach and a survey strategy. The statistical population for both the qualitative and quantitative phases consisted of university professors and experts in the fields of Business Administration and Digital Marketing. The sample size included 12 participants selected via purposive sampling for the qualitative phase and 80 participants selected via convenience random sampling for the quantitative phase. In the qualitative phase, eight affiliate marketing strategies were identified through content analysis of resources and interviews with professors and experts. These strategies were subsequently validated and prioritized using the Fuzzy Delphi method. The research findings indicated that among the eight identified strategies, the top three priorities, in order, are: AI-based automation and optimization, integration of social commerce and co-selling, and co-branding collaborations. In summary, the simultaneous implementation of the proposed technical, educational, and strategic solutions will not only quantitatively enhance the efficiency of affiliate programs but also, by fostering transparency and trust, will pave the way for sustainable development and the acquisition of a competitive advantage within Iran's business ecosystem.
Keywords
Affiliate marketing
Online business
Fuzzy Delphi

Subjects

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Journal of Intelligent Marketing Management
Volume 6, Issue 4 - Serial Number 30
Winter 2026
Pages 116-135

  • Receive Date 11 August 2025
  • Revise Date 10 October 2025
  • Accept Date 19 October 2025