Why are we still apologizing for affiliate links?

get behind the curtain with me - where it's ok to get paid!

Some of you might remember a story a couple years back about how brand gifts and affiliate links are changing what we’re exposed to so that we’re unknowingly drawn into purchasing things that are beyond our means - and maybe even not what we actually want. The story caused quite a storm — I think, because people felt threatened. In particular people whose livelihood is heavily dependent on affiliate linking and gifting.

And I have to admit, I kind of felt at the time like, “thank goodness that’s not me. Thank goodness I’m not relying on that for my income. I am not part of that machine.”

But as you can imagine or might have observed, I’ve changed. And I swear it’s not just because it’s been good to me, affiliate linking. It’s more complicated than that. And I definitely think it’s time to talk about it — because the old way of thinking around this feels dated to me now.