Affiliate marketing is an income model in which a content creator promotes a product with a personal link or code and earns a commission on sales that come through that link. The seller pays only for sales that actually happen; the creator earns by recommending products they genuinely find useful to their audience, without waiting for an advertising deal.
This article covers how affiliate marketing began, the commission models, attribution rules, why ad disclosure is required, the general tax picture, the common mistakes, and how the Yeşilçam Studios affiliate programme works.
How did affiliate marketing begin?
The model was born in the early years of online commerce. The best-known early example is the associates programme an online bookstore launched in 1996: site owners linked to books and took a share of the sales that came through those links. Over time it spread to software, subscription services, finance and education. With blogs, then video platforms and social media, affiliate income became one of the most common sources of income for creators beyond advertising and sponsorship.
What are the affiliate commission models?
| Model | What is paid for | Where it is common |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage per sale | A set percentage of the sale amount | E-commerce, digital products |
| Flat fee per sale | A fixed amount for each sale | Single-price products, services |
| Recurring commission | A share of each recurring payment from the customer, often for a set period | Subscription software and services |
| Per action or sign-up | An action such as a sign-up, a trial or a form | Finance, insurance, apps |
| Tiered | A rate that rises as sales volume grows | Large programmes |
For a creator, recurring commission is especially valuable: a customer you introduced once keeps earning you money for as long as the subscription continues. But always read how long it lasts, what happens after a refund and which amount the commission is calculated on.
How does attribution work?
For a sale to be credited to you, the programme has to know that the customer came from your link. The rules that decide this differ from programme to programme:
- Attribution window: how many days after a click a sign-up or sale is still credited to you.
- First click or last click: which link counts if the customer clicked several affiliate links.
- Confirmation period: the commission stays "pending" until the refund period ends; commissions on refunded sales are reversed.
- Self-referral and fraud rules: selling to yourself through your own link is forbidden in most programmes.
How do you plan affiliate content?
The most important factor behind affiliate income is not the link itself but the content that carries it. When viewers see a product in real use, clicking the link becomes a natural next step.
- Choose products you actually use and match them to your audience's problems.
- Make content that shows: how-to videos, before-and-after comparisons, a short tour of your own workflow.
- Prioritise long-lived content; a guide or video found through search brings clicks for months.
- Put the link where it is easy to find: the top of the video description, a pinned comment, your profile link, your newsletter.
- Track the results; plan your next piece of content around which content brings clicks and sign-ups.
Why is ad disclosure required?
A post containing an affiliate link means the creator may earn money from that post. Consumer protection rules require the audience to know this. In Türkiye the Advertising Board of the Ministry of Trade published guidelines on commercial advertising by social media influencers in 2021, which require advertising content to be marked clearly and understandably. In the United States the Federal Trade Commission's endorsement guides, and in the United Kingdom the advertising standards rules, expect similar clarity.
- State that it is an ad at the start of the post and visibly; do not hide it at the bottom of the description or inside a pile of hashtags.
- Use clear wording: #ad, #sponsored or "I earn a commission if you buy through this link".
- In video, say it out loud and show it on screen; in stories, repeat it on every frame.
- Do not describe a product you have not used as if you had; share your experience honestly.
What should you keep in mind about tax on affiliate income?
Affiliate commissions are taxable income in most countries. Whether you earn as an individual or through a company or sole proprietorship, whether the activity is ongoing, and which country the payment comes from all affect your obligations. Some countries have simplified regimes for content creators; whether affiliate commissions fall within them depends on the conditions. Receiving a commission as products, services or credit instead of cash can also count as income for tax purposes. This article is general information; consult an accountant or tax adviser about your own situation.
- Keep regular records of your earnings and payouts.
- Find out whether you need to issue invoices; many programmes require one for cash payouts.
- For payments from abroad, check the currency and VAT rules.
What are the common mistakes with affiliate income?
- Promoting products unrelated to your audience: lost trust costs more than the commission is worth.
- Skipping or hiding the ad disclosure.
- Not reading the programme rules: running search ads on the brand name or spamming can get your account closed.
- Sharing only the link: content that shows the product in use converts far better than a bare link.
- Ignoring the payout threshold and the confirmation period.
How does the Yeşilçam Studios affiliate programme work?
The Yeşilçam Studios affiliate programme is live as of October 2026. Applying is free and uses your Yeşilçam Studios account; you tell us about your social media accounts, follower counts and audience, your application is reviewed and the result is emailed to you.
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Commission on subscription payments | 15% |
| Commission on token packs | 10% |
| Earning period | 12 months from each customer's first payment |
| Attribution | Sign-up within 60 days of the click; the last link clicked counts |
| Confirmation | After the 14-day refund period |
| Payout as tokens | Tokens worth 1.5 times the confirmed amount, instantly |
| Payout in cash | For companies and sole proprietorships that can issue invoices, monthly |
| Minimum payout | ₺1,000 or $50; smaller amounts carry over to the following months |
| For the person you invite | A one-time gift of 100,000 tokens with their first real payment |
Commission is calculated on the net amount excluding VAT and reversed for refunds and chargebacks. For cash payouts, each month's confirmed commissions are paid by the 20th of the following month: when the period closes an invoice request is sent, and once your invoice is uploaded to the panel and approved, the payment goes to your IBAN. Individual affiliates receive their earnings as tokens. Payout in tokens can be especially attractive for creators who use Yeşilçam Studios in their own production; you will find how tokens relate to plans and packs in the tokens and plans guide, and current plan and pack prices on the pricing page.
Once approved, your panel (/app/affiliate) holds your personal code, your short link, a tool for linking to a specific page, a downloadable QR code and a marketing kit of ready-made promo videos and texts. The panel reminds you to mark every post clearly as advertising (for example #ad). Self-referral, search ads on our brand name and spam are not allowed. Every step from application to payout is explained in the affiliate programme guide. If you are curious about the background of token-based pricing, see the token wallet model article.
Worked example: how much commission does one subscription bring?
The calculation below only illustrates the logic; prices can change, and current prices are on the pricing page. Take a customer on the monthly Basic plan at $30. Commission is calculated on the net amount excluding VAT; assuming no VAT is included in the $30 payment, 15% of it is $4.50 per payment. If the customer keeps the subscription for 12 months, the total commission is $54. On the monthly Pro plan ($99) the same calculation gives $14.85 per payment, or $178.20 over 12 months.
On that basis, twelve customers who join the Basic plan pass the $50 minimum payout in the first month. Remember that each payment must clear the 14-day refund period before it is confirmed, and that taking your earnings as tokens gives you tokens worth 1.5 times the amount.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between affiliate and sponsorship? In a sponsorship the brand pays a fixed fee up front for a post. In affiliate marketing payment is made only for real sales or actions that come through your link.
Do I need an ad disclosure when sharing an affiliate link? Yes. Any post from which you may earn through a link is commercial communication and must be clearly disclosed to the audience; wording such as #ad or #sponsored is commonly used.
What does recurring commission mean? It means earning a share not only of a customer's first payment but also of later subscription renewals. In Yeşilçam Studios this period is 12 months from each customer's first payment.
Can I be paid in cash in the Yeşilçam Studios affiliate programme? Yes, if you are a company or sole proprietorship that can issue invoices; cash payouts are monthly. Individual affiliates receive their earnings as tokens worth 1.5 times the confirmed amount.
Is affiliate income taxable? In most countries, yes. Which regime applies depends on how you operate and where you are; consulting an accountant or tax adviser is recommended.