In affiliate marketing, the publisher is the affiliate — the website, newsletter, social account, or content creator driving traffic and earning commissions. The advertiser is the brand or company offering the product and paying commissions for conversions. Networks sit between the two, connecting publishers to advertiser offers and handling tracking and payments.
Understanding this three-party structure clarifies who controls each lever: advertisers control offers, commission rates, creative assets, and cookie duration. Publishers control traffic quality, promotional placement, and audience targeting. Networks control tracking infrastructure, fraud protection, and payment terms. In-house affiliate programs cut out the network layer — increasing margin but requiring the advertiser to build and manage publisher relationships directly.