EFFECT OF AFFILIATE MARKETING ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AMONG THE STUDENTS OF MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE UMUDIKE, ABIA STATE

Abstract

Affiliate marketing has become a prominent digital marketing strategy where products and services 
are promoted through affiliates such as influencers, bloggers, and social media content creators who 
earn commissions based on conversions. This study examined the effect of affiliate marketing on 
consumer buying behavior among students of Michael Okpara University Umudike. The study 
focused on how affiliate marketing influences key consumer buying behavior variables, including 
consumer trust, consumer engagement and purchase intention among university students. A 
descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from undergraduate students 
using a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and 
regression analysis to test the relationship between affiliate marketing and consumer buying behavior. 
The findings revealed that affiliate marketing has a positive and significant effect on consumer trust, 
consumer engagement and purchase intention.  The study concludes that affiliate marketing is an 
effective tool in shaping consumer buying behavior among university students. It recommends that 
organizations should treat affiliate marketing as a strategic marketing tool by investing in reliable 
affiliate partnerships, monitoring campaign performance regularly, and integrating affiliate marketing 
with other digital marketing strategies to improve engagement, trust, and sales performance 
simultaneously.