With the rising popularity of affiliate marketing, people are afraid it’s a pyramid scheme.
And you can’t blame them. Pyramid schemes are illegal, and people lose a lot of money they never get back.
By money, we are talking billions. In just one year, Americans lost over $11 billion to pyramid schemes, hacks, and exploits (in 2022).
If you wonder whether affiliate marketing is legit or if it’s a scam, this article is for you. We will answer the anticipated question, “Is affiliate marketing a pyramid scheme?”
We will also break down the most popular myths about affiliate business so you know what’s true and false in this growing industry.
Is affiliate marketing a pyramid scheme?
The short answer is no. Affiliate marketing is not a pyramid scheme.
In order to prove it, we analyzed the key differences between how affiliate marketing works and how the pyramid scheme functions.
Here are the most important differences between the two:
1. Product-based revenue
In affiliate marketing, the primary focus is on selling actual products or services. Affiliates earn commissions based on the sales they generate or specific actions like leads or sign-ups. For example, in Amazon Associates, affiliates earn a percentage of sales from products they promote on their blogs or social media.
In a pyramid scheme, revenue is primarily earned through recruiting new members rather than selling products or services. Members pay a fee to join and make money by recruiting others who also pay the joining fee.
2. Commission structure
In affiliate marketing, commissions are based on genuine transactions (e.g., a customer buying a product). The financial reward depends on the affiliate’s ability to drive sales or leads.
Think of a beauty blogger who earns commissions from Sephora’s affiliate program by promoting beauty products and earning a percentage from each sale.
On the other hand, in a pyramid scheme, earnings depend on the recruitment of new participants. The system collapses when recruiting stops because there’s minimal focus on selling real products.
3. Transparency
Legitimate affiliate programs are transparent about their terms of service, commission structures, and payout schedules. They also comply with laws and regulations, including those related to advertising and consumer protection.
As an example, affiliate networks like ShareASale provide clear guidelines on how affiliates can earn and get paid, with explicit rules for disclosures and marketing practices.
Pyramid schemes often operate under a facade, with unclear terms, hidden fees, and deceptive practices. They may promise high returns with little effort, and operate illegally.
4. Different goals & gains
Affiliate Marketing is sustainable over time as it relies on real sales of products or services. As long as consumers continue to purchase, the affiliates and merchants benefit mutually.
For example, tech reviewers promoting the latest gadgets on YouTube continue to earn from affiliate links as long as people buy those gadgets.
Pyramid scheme is essentially unsustainable because it relies heavily on constant recruitment. When recruiting new members slows down or stops, the entire scheme collapses as there is no real product revenue to support it.
5. Value
In essence, affiliate marketing focuses on bringing value to consumers by providing them with information, reviews, and recommendations for products or services. It’s designed in a way that benefits the audience.
On the contrary, in a pyramid scheme, a business offers no real value to consumers. The focus is purely on enrollment and transferring money between members, making it exploitative.
6. Costs
This one is very important. Affiliates never have to pay to join an affiliate program. Any costs involved are generally for running their own marketing efforts (e.g., website hosting, advertising).
For example, joining the Amazon Associates or eBay Partner Network is free. Affiliates bear costs like maintaining their blogs but do not pay to become affiliates.
In a pyramid scheme, it’s a common practice for new members to pay a high joining fee. This upfront free funds the income of existing members, and is not invested in any real product or service.
What is a pyramid scheme?
In short, a pyramid scheme is a scam. It is a felony in the U.S. to recruit participants into pyramid schemes.
A pyramid scheme is a fake and fraudulent business model that recruits members through a promise of payments for enrolling others into the scheme rather than supplying investments or the sale of products.
Essentially, a pyramid scheme funnels earnings from all recruited participants on lower levels of an organization to participants on higher levels.
Moreover, contrary to popular belief, pyramid schemes mostly rely on income from recruitment fees and not on the sales of actual goods.
Pyramid schemes get their name from their hierarchical structure, which resembles a pyramid shape.
At the top is a single individual or a few original members who initiate the scheme. As new participants are recruited, each level grows increasingly broader, with each new member bringing in more recruits below them.
This creates a wide base of participants at the bottom who are supporting the earnings of those at the higher levels.
The warning signs of a pyramid scheme
Concluding that affiliate marketing is not a pyramid scheme doesn’t mean they don’t exist. It’s crucial to stay vigilant.
According to Federal Trade Commission, the 4 most important signs a pyramid scheme are:
1 Sign: Promoters make exaggerated claims about your potential earnings. These claims are misleading and untrue.
2 Sign: Promoters suggest that recruiting new distributors for your network is the main way to earn money. In a legitimate MLM program, you should be able to profit just by selling the product.
3 Sign: Promoters employ emotional manipulation or high-pressure tactics, warning you that you’ll miss out if you don’t act immediately and discouraging you from researching the company. Avoid any company that pressures you to join.
4 Sign: Distributors purchase more products than they need or can sell simply to remain active or qualify for bonuses or rewards. If you notice this, don’t invest your money because you won’t get it back.
More common myths about affiliate marketing
1 Myth: It’s easy money
Reality: Affiliate marketing can be an excellent source of passive income, but it’s easier said than done.
It requires significant upfront effort in creating content, building and engaging your audience, building your authority and reputation, and promoting products according to your affiliate marketing strategy.
Money comes from consistent effort and strategic planning, not quick gains.
2 Myth: You need a huge audience to succeed
Reality: A massive audience of followers doesn’t guarantee you will be a profitable affiliate.
Niche audiences with high engagement can be much more valuable. Quality content that resonates with a specific group can lead to high conversion rates, even if the audience size is small.
3 Myth: It’s easy work
Reality: Earning substantial income through affiliate marketing takes tremendous work. You have to:
- Build an audience
- Gain authority and reputation
- Consistently engage with your audience
- SEO optimize your content to drive traffic
- Test your affiliate marketing strategies
- Keep up with the industry trends
Overall, affiliate marketing demands ongoing work to maintain and grow, and the “passive income” for which it’s famous can be better replaced with an “active income”.
4 Myth: Affiliate marketing is a get-rich-quick scheme
Reality: Affiliate marketing is far from a get-rich-quick scheme.
Many successful affiliates spend years developing their strategies and building trust with their audience before seeing significant financial rewards.
For the best affiliates, affiliate marketing is a full time job and life-long career. So no, it’s definitely not a get-rich-quick scheme.
5 Myth: You Don’t Need to Know Marketing
Reality: Effective affiliate marketing requires a solid understanding of marketing principles, including SEO, content marketing, social media strategies, email marketing, and data analytics. Without these skills, it’s virtually impossible to attract traffic and convert it into sales.
6 Myth: You Can Promote Anything
Reality: Not all products are suitable for every audience. You have to carefully select products that align with the interests and needs of your audience.
Promoting irrelevant or low-quality products can harm your credibility and reduce conversions.
7 Myth: All Affiliate Programs Are the Same
Reality: Affiliate programs vary significantly in terms of commission structures, cookie durations, payment terms, and support.
It’s essential to research and choose programs that offer favorable terms and align with your niche and marketing strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between affiliate marketing and pyramid schemes?
In simple terms, affiliate marketing is about promoting actual products or services, while a pyramid scheme focuses on recruitment and upfront costs without legit goods.
Is affiliate marketing MLM?
Multilevel focuses more on a “recruit-to-earn” model, while affiliate marketing is rewards brand advocates for successful sales, clicks and leads.
Affiliate marketing is transparent, scalable, and low-risk for both parties involved.
Why do so many people think that affiliate marketing is a pyramid scheme?
People can confuse affiliate marketing with pyramid schemes due to the emphasis on growing your network.
It can vaguely remind people of the recruitment focus of pyramid schemes, while in reality they have nothing in common.
Misleading affiliates can blur the lines by exaggerating earning potentials and downplaying the emphasis on actual product sales.
How legal is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is totally legal, as long as you comply with the terms, conditions, and disclosure. Disclosing your affiliate relationship to your audience is required by the law.
Can you still make money from affiliate marketing in 2024?
Absolutely. Affiliate marketing is a hugely profitable industry.
It’s partly due to the fact that people are spending more money than ever. Plus, the rise of influencer marketing is boosting affiliate industry.
Is there a downside to affiliate marketing?
One of the downsides is that you don’t control the product or service you promote.
You can vouch for it to make people buy, but you can’t guarantee it’s quality, price, or good customer service.
Another downside is that a competition is huge. Anyone can join an affiliate marketing program and be successful.
If a talented affiliate marketer joins your niche, your performance can suffer but there’s not much you can do about it. That’s why it’s best to focus on your own performance.
