Best Practices for Online Advertising and Affiliate Marketing
Online advertising and affiliate marketing are widely recognized as valuable tools for businesses that want to expand their presence in the digital marketplace. The aim of online advertising and affiliate marketing isn’t a promise of instant success, but rather to open doors—building visibility, fueling growth, deepening customer connections, and adding some extra kick to a brand’s presence in the marketplace. (Stokes, 2022, pg. 590). For businesses in niche industries—such as specialty food products—these approaches may provide pathways to reach audiences that traditional methods might not.
How it Works (and Why It Matters)
Online advertising allows companies to place paid promotions in front of specific groups of people. This can be based on demographics (such as age or location), interests (like cooking or gardening), or behaviors (for example, people who follow food review pages). These campaigns are trackable through measures such as click-through rate (CTR, the percentage of people who click an ad), cost per click (CPC, the amount paid for each click), and return on ad spend (ROAS, the amount of revenue earned per dollar spent on ads) (IAB, 2024). Affiliate marketing involves partnerships with third-party creators—such as recipe bloggers or product reviewers—who promote a product and earn a commission if their referral leads to a sale.
The common thread is trust. Consumers are more likely to act when they see a recommendation from a person or source they trust (Nielsen, 2021). Online ads can spark initial interest, while affiliates often help turn that curiosity into action.
Possibilities with Online Ads
Businesses might consider how online ads could be used to:
- Highlight unique qualities. A specialty product could be showcased through lifestyle images, short recipe videos, or seasonal pairings.
- Experiment with audiences. Ads could be tested with different groups to see who responds most positively, such as home cooks, adventurous eaters, or local buyers.
- Measure responses. Because platforms provide real-time feedback, businesses can learn which messages or visuals attract the most engagement.
For example, many small food companies use Facebook or Instagram ads to reach people who already enjoy following recipe pages. Others may expand into short-form video ads to demonstrate quick, flavorful dishes (Meta Business Help, n.d.).
Possibilities with Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing can also open doors. Businesses might:
- Connect with niche bloggers. Recipe creators or hot sauce reviewers can weave products naturally into their content, offering authentic exposure.
- Reach new audiences. Affiliates often introduce products to communities a business might not reach on its own.
- Pay for performance. Since affiliates usually earn commission only when sales occur, the cost structure can be more flexible than traditional ads.
Of course, there are considerations. Businesses would need to think about whether they can handle increases in demand, how to create fair commission agreements, and which affiliates align with their brand identity.
Examples of Affiliate Models
- Amazon Associates: Provides massive exposure but may reduce profit margins due to fees and high competition.
- Food and Recipe Blogs: Highly relevant for specialty food products, though outcomes depend on each blog’s reach and audience.
- Social Media Influencers: Can create quick buzz and strong engagement, but partnerships require careful vetting to ensure professionalism and brand alignment.
Different businesses might find value in different models depending on their goals, resources, and stage of growth.
A Hot Sauce Success Story
One example from the specialty food space is HEATONIST, the retailer behind many Hot Ones sauces. They grew from small tastings to a leading online destination by combining exposure from creators with strong e-commerce operations (Shopify, 2020). Their growth also highlights how content partnerships and timing drive opportunity in the digital marketplace (MarketingBrew, 2023).
Looking Ahead
Online advertising and affiliate marketing should not be seen as rigid checklists but rather as possible avenues for exploration. A small business could start by observing how competitors advertise, experimenting with modest ad spend, or reaching out to one or two relevant affiliates. Over time, these steps may reveal what works best for their product and audience. For others, waiting until production, fulfillment, or budgets are stronger may make more sense.
In short, these practices present opportunities. Whether through targeted ads, authentic partnerships, or integrated strategies, they can create new pathways for growth. Each business can decide when, and to what extent, they want to take the next step.
References
Interactive Advertising Bureau. (2024). Digital video ad spend & strategy report. https://www.iab.com/
MarketingBrew. (2023). How Hot Ones grew into a brand of its own. https://www.marketingbrew.com/
Meta Business Help Center. (n.d.). Creative best practices. https://www.facebook.com/business/help
Nielsen. (2021). Beyond martech: Building trust with consumers. https://www.nielsen.com/
Shopify. (2020). How HEATONIST became the world’s top hot sauce website. https://www.shopify.com/blog/heatonist
Stokes, R. (2022). eMarketing: The essential guide to marketing in a digital world (7th ed., pg. 590). Red & Yellow Creative School of Business.
Hi Rich, I just want to commend you for continuing the hot spot vibe going and continuously putting spices and food as the core of your examples. It makes the reader interested and engaged in how you will compare it to this example, and I always look forward to it.
I love the photos you add, they are not too large or too small, have substance, and have a great balance of text to photos. One suggestion is to double check the photos — one says “suilding trust” instead of “building trust”, which I assume was a mistake? One of the photos also was blurry (the affiliate marketing one).
I really love your example, the Hot Ones, which is very entertaining to watch and helped me understand better your description.
Great body paragraphs and introductions and conclusions, as they are not redundant, and straight to the point.
Thank you! I’ve made a firm decision to stick with the hot sauce vibe. I’m really glad it has been successful so far! I’ve taken your feedback, and applied it to my page. Had to swap one of the pictures out and edit the other. I generated that misspelled image, so I was able to edit it to correct the spelling error. Good catch! I completely missed that originally.
Hi Rich! I really liked how your post framed online advertising and affiliate marketing as opportunities for growth rather than instant results. That perspective makes the strategies feel realistic and approachable for small businesses. I especially appreciated your use of specialty food products as an example. The HEATONIST case study stood was great and helped me to connect more to the content shared, and made it more relatable. You also did a great job breaking down key metrics like CTR, CPC, and ROAS. Explaining those terms helps readers understand not just what the strategies are, but how success can be measured.
Your post got me thinking about some of the risks smaller food businesses might experience. For example, a business might struggle if an ad campaign suddenly increases demand beyond what they can fulfill. Great read!
Thank you Stephannie! The Heatonist is a brand that I really look up to. Both for their fiery flavor game and their sharp business moves. Your example is exactly one of the issues we are having at our company. I have some great ideas, but can’t scale up large enough yet to meet the future demand that a good campaign ad might bring. It’s kinda like waiting for the rhythm to drop—we’re ready to turn up the heat, just need the right moment to stir it all together.
Your exploration of online advertising and affiliate marketing offers a sense of businesses navigating the digital marketplace, especially those in specialty foods. The emphasis on visibility, trust, and strategic experimentation is spot-on.
The breakdown of how online ads work, targeting by demographics, interests, and behavior highlights the accuracy that traditional marketing often lacks. Real-time metrics like CTR, CPC, and ROAS give businesses the agility to pivot quickly, making campaigns more efficient and data-driven. For small brands, this means they can test ideas without committing to massive budgets. As you noted, consumers respond to voices they trust. Collaborating with bloggers, influencers, or reviewers allows products to be introduced in authentic, story-driven ways. This is especially valuable for specialty items that benefit from context: like a hot sauce featured in a recipe or a behind-the-scenes tasting video.
The HEATONIST example is a perfect illustration of how strategic partnerships and timing can elevate a brand. It’s not just about having a great product, it’s about knowing how to tell its story and who to tell it with. Businesses can start small, learn from feedback, and scale thoughtfully. Whether through targeted ads or affiliate collaborations, the digital space offers a dynamic canvas for growth. Thanks for the great post!
Sarah Engelgau