Affiliate Marketing vs Influencer Marketing: What's the Difference?Although many consider affiliate marketing and influencer marketing to be the same, the two should not be confused. Affiliate marketing has been around for a while before influencer marketing skyrocketed in popularity. Business owners can benefit from both of these strategies, although they differ in many ways, including how they are developed, the costs they involve, what goals companies can achieve through them, and what their return on investment is.