The Broccoli Report 
Friday, June 24, 2022
Time to read: 7 minutes, 36 seconds. Contains 1522 words.

Positive Affiliations: Comparing Affiliate Networks.

When I decided to write an affiliate explainer back in January, I thought it’d be a snap. I figured I’d chat with a few people who use different networks, pull together a roundtable comparing programs, and it’d be no problem. 

Silly me.

The scope of the affiliate realm is dizzying; it makes the vast world of concentrates look as basic as a box of crayons. Each brand I spoke with had a totally different approach and management system; each network described itself with an inscrutable mix of sales acronyms and marketing jargon. 

To try and wrap my head around it, I started with a basic breakdown of how affiliate networks connect brands, press outlets, and content creators in a mutually beneficial way. (Tl;dr: Brands pay for inclusion in affiliate programs, aiming for press and influencer mentions that will drive sales. Influencers and press get a commission on affiliate products they recommend.) Next, I spoke in-depth with Brittany Carbone about how her CBD brand, TONIC, uses a combination of Impact, Skimlinks, and an agency to handle her affiliate affairs. 

While you can Google to find explainers on big affiliate platforms, we all know that extra complications that come with marketing a weed or weed-adjacent brand. The mainstream affiliate game is still out of reach for licensed brands selling THC products, but there are retailer-specific programs like Eaze’s that brands can participate in for delivery orders through their platform. For now, mainstream affiliate marketing is limited to CBD and non-plant-touching brands, so today, I’m sharing a side-by-side comparison of popular affiliate networks with proven chillness working with CBD and non-plant touching brands.