Affiliate marketing is a marketing strategy in which a creator or publisher promotes a brand’s product or service using a unique tracking link, earning a commission for each sale or action generated. On YouTube, affiliate marketing is commonly executed through link in description (YouTube context) placements, pinned comments, or verbal call-to-actions within the video. It is one of the primary monetization paths for creators who have not yet reached the YouTube Partner Program threshold or want to diversify revenue streams.