Affiliates vs Influencers — and Combining Them

# Affiliates vs Influencers — and Combining Them TicketCobra gives you two distinct ways to put other people to work selling and promoting your events — **affiliates (sales reps)** and **influencers** — plus a new **flexible compensation** model that lets a single creator do both. ## Affiliate / sales rep — a commission sales channel An **affiliate** (or **sales rep**) is a *performance* relationship. You assign reps to your events and they share **referral links, promo codes, or QR codes**. Every sale that traces back to them is **attributed**, and they earn a **commission** on those ticket sales — a percentage of the price or a flat amount per ticket. - You pay nothing up front; reps earn only when they sell. - The platform takes a small fee out of each commission, scaled by the rep's [Standard / Pro / Elite tier](#/help/affiliate-tiers). - Reps can recruit others into a [multi-level referral network](#/help/multi-level-referral-network) and earn overrides on their downline's confirmed sales. - Set this up under [Sales Reps](#/help/sales-reps-organizer) and reconcile what you owe in [sales transactions](#/help/sales-transactions-organizer). Use affiliates when you want **risk-free, pay-for-results** selling and a motivated street team. ## Influencer — a creator you hire to promote An **influencer** is someone you hire from the [influencer marketplace](#/help/influencer-marketplace-organizer) to **promote** your event — a Reel, a story series, a TikTok — for an agreed deliverable. You discover creators by browsing or with **AI matching**, post a gig, review applicants, then propose a **deal**. Historically every influencer deal was a **flat fee** paid through [Stripe Connect](#/help/account-setup-and-stripe), regardless of how many tickets the post moved. Use influencers when you want **reach and awareness** from a trusted voice. ## New: flexible compensation When you propose a deal you now choose how the creator is paid: - **Flat fee** — a fixed amount for the deliverable, paid via Stripe Connect once the work is accepted (the classic model). - **Commission only ($0 upfront)** — no fixed payment; the creator instead earns a **percentage of, or flat amount per, each sale they drive**, exactly like a rep. - **Combo** — a **flat fee *plus* commission**: a base payment for the content, topped up by per-sale earnings. Choosing **commission** or **combo** automatically **enrolls the influencer in your event's rep program** and issues them a **tracking link**. In other words, an influencer can also be an affiliate. The flat-fee portion pays out through Stripe Connect; the commission portion **accrues on attributed sales** and is reconciled right alongside your other reps in [sales transactions](#/help/sales-transactions-organizer). ## Which should I use? - **Reach / awareness** — hire an influencer on a **flat fee**. You're buying content and exposure, not a guaranteed number of sales. - **Performance / shared risk** — go **commission only**. You pay nothing unless the creator actually sells, which suits unproven partners or tight budgets. - **High-trust creators** — offer a **combo**. A modest base respects their time while commission rewards them for driving real conversions. ## Related - [Hiring Influencers](#/help/influencer-marketplace-organizer) - [Setting Up Sales Reps](#/help/sales-reps-organizer) - [Affiliate Tiers](#/help/affiliate-tiers) - [Your Referral Network](#/help/multi-level-referral-network)