Affiliate marketing agency bears striking resemblance with a typical advertising or media buying agency. Both of them work for the same purpose, which is paid promotions for a specified advertiser. Both of them provide services like media scheduling and buying. Still, there are some acute differences that have been marked in both of them.

The first and the foremost difference is the media channel used. Affiliate marketing primarily uses web as the promotion and distribution channel. The promotion happens on the web sites of the publishers or affiliates. For an ad agency or media buying agency, there can be multiple channels including, print and broadcasting.

Affiliate marketing agencies in most cases provide networking services. The agency acts to nourish the business of the promoter by partnering him with known affiliates and web site publishers. The function is more of business development than simple marketing or advertising.

Affiliate marketing agencies provide their services either by charging commissions or flat fee. The commissions and fee are charged to the promoter or merchant. The publisher is not charged for services. However, there may be overriding charges applicable sometimes or some small amount for maintaining the account of the publisher.

An advertising agency plans for a typical channel or number of channels that can maximize the results of the campaign. The promoter may recommend the channels himself. For example, a promoter who owns a departmental store in a small neighborhood might recommend for local newspaper or magazine, rather than national daily. In affiliate marketing there is one channels, but there are publisher networks. Affiliate marketing agency may zero in on different popular publisher networks or may promote on individual web sites. It depends on the promoters requirements.

A typical adverting agency measures the amount success as agency evaluation. There are a number of indicators that are used to measure the effectiveness of any campaign like average exposure time, average viewing, frequency, etc. Affiliate marketing services does not have to worry about it. The results are measured precisely by instant feedback from the audience. It is because of this reason that the traditional advertising and marketing agencies fear the rise and dominion of affiliate marketing agencies. It is probable and more so as awareness level among the audience and business groups is increasing.