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Traffic and channels

Social commerce

Also called social shopping, live shopping, shoppable content.

Short answer

Social commerce is shopping that happens directly in social media – product tags, built-in shops and live shopping turn the post itself into the store. For affiliates, it means links and discount codes have to be placed where the purchase decision actually happens.

Definition of Social commerce.

Social commerce moves the purchase into the platform. TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping and YouTube Shopping let users see, assess and buy products without leaving the app – via product tags in posts, shops on profiles and live shopping broadcasts with a built-in basket. The line between content and store disappears, and the path from discovery to payment is measured in seconds – not days.

For affiliates, social commerce is a channel, not a new business model: creators recommend products and are credited for the sales they create. The form varies – affiliate links in bios, stories and video descriptions, personal discount codes tracked without a click, or the platforms' own commission schemes, which are gradually being rolled out in Europe.

Tracking is the channel's weak point. Several platforms only allow links in certain places, and clicks open in in-app browsers with limited cookie lifetime. That is why social affiliates work on 2 tracks: clickable links where the platform allows it, and discount codes as attribution where it does not. Sub-IDs on the links reveal afterwards which video or story created the sale.

How it goes wrong

  • 01

    The advertising is hidden

    Recommendations with commission are advertising, even if they look like personal content. Danish law requires clear disclosure – for example 'Reklame' (advertisement) at the start of the post – and the Danish Consumer Ombudsman enforces the rules against influencers.

  • 02

    One link for everything

    If the same link is used in the bio, stories and videos, you cannot see which placement creates the sales. One link per placement – or sub-IDs – makes the channel measurable and shows where to put the effort.

At Affilyflow

Social commerce in practice

An affiliate link from Affilyflow is an ordinary URL and can be used anywhere a link can go – bios, stories, video descriptions. The click is recorded on our server before the customer is sent on to the store, and the commission is locked at the same moment: rate and type are copied to the click row, so later changes do not affect a click that has already happened.

Frequently asked questions

Can you do affiliate marketing on TikTok and Instagram?

Yes. The usual routes are links in bios and stories, discount codes tied to the individual creator and the platforms' own commission programs, where they exist. The limitation is where links can go – which is why many add a personal discount code that tracks the sale without a click.

What is the difference between social commerce and influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is marketing through people with an audience – payment can be fixed or per sale. Social commerce is the shopping layer itself in the platforms: product tags, shops and in-app checkout. An influencer can work with both at the same time.

Do affiliate posts on social media have to be disclosed as advertising?

Yes. Content with affiliate links or commission agreements is commercial communication and must be clearly disclosed – in Denmark, for example, with 'Reklame' (advertisement) at the start of the post. The requirement applies regardless of platform and regardless of audience size.

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