Lazada doubles down on SEA affiliate marketing with US$100m investment

Lazada is investing US$100 million into its LazAffiliate program as part of a broader push to drive performance-based digital commerce and strengthen its leadership in creator-powered marketing across Southeast Asia (SEA), the eCommerce platform said in a statement.

This signaled the company’s intention to scale affiliate marketing as a core engine of growth ahead of mega campaigns such as 6.6 and 11.11. 

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Lazada’s latest investment is aimed at helping brands tap into this growing channel more effectively while enabling both emerging and established creators to turn product recommendations into income.

The updated LazAffiliate program includes a new incentive structure and tools designed to help affiliates earn more. Among the key changes are a refreshed affiliate channel with a more intuitive interface, custom storefronts for curated product listings, real-time dashboards with conversion and commission tracking, and a high-commission product curation list to help creators focus on what sells best.

Affiliates will also gain access to campaign-specific rewards accelerators during peak seasons such as 9.9, 11.11, and 12.12. For the upcoming 6.6 campaign, affiliates promoting brand partners using store vouchers can earn commissions of up to 36%.

Lazada is also introducing new brand support mechanisms through co-developed strategies that aim to transform creator partnerships into scalable and measurable revenue streams. These include Lazada-funded store vouchers as added incentives, and access to a diverse affiliate ecosystem comprising influencers, content creators and key opinion consumers.

For the 6.6 mega sale, the platform is offering a US$100,000 reward pool to the top 10 performing creators, in collaboration with more than 80 partner brands from the fashion and beauty sectors.

“Lazada is committed to enabling influencers and content creators across Southeast Asia to unlock new income streams and scale their impact,” said Jared Chan, head of regional affiliate, Lazada Group. “With this investment, we aim to cultivate a vibrant affiliate ecosystem that not only supports entrepreneurial growth but also builds more authentic, localised connections between brands and consumers," he added.

LazAffiliate is Lazada’s flagship affiliate program linking brands and sellers with a wide range of creators, from professional influencers to everyday shoppers. Participants earn commissions from successful sales driven through their personalised product recommendations, with no entry barriers or minimum following required.

According to a Cube and Impact.com sector report on eCommerce influencer marketing, 82% of Southeast Asian consumers have purchased a product that was recommended by an influencer in 2024, a 3% increase compared to 2023.

This high level of penetration and engagement have led to affiliate-driven sales campaigns accounting for approximately 20% of Southeast Asia's online sales or US$15 billion in Net Merchandise Value (NMV) in 2024.

Just earlier this year, REV Media Group teamed up with Remix to launch REV Affiliate+, an end-to-end affiliate marketing solution designed to help brands increase customer reach and sales through affiliate marketing in Malaysia. 

The partnership was targeted at changing the fact that affiliate marketing, a global industry worth well over US$20 billion as of 2024, remains to be one of the most effective yet underutilised strategies for brands seeking sustainable sales growth, REV Media said in a statement. 

Meanwhile in 2024, global marketing communications group Stagwell added Indonesia-based full-service agency Leverate Group to its expanding global affiliate network. Through the partnership, Stagwell aimed to strengthen its reach in the APAC region as well as its omnichannel media buying and activation capabilities.

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