Topic

Affiliate income: latest passive income trends

Affiliate and referral income, and how search and AI change traffic to review sites.

1. Sunday, October 25, 2026

   ShopBack launches SparkHub, letting creators earn from tracked purchases their content drives

   Source: Business Wire (company press release)

   ShopBack, a cashback shopping app that says it has 20 million active users in 13 markets, launched SparkHub in the US. Creators can earn through referral links or by applying to paid brand campaigns, with AI drafting tools included. Company-reported.

   Why it mattersIt's another sign that affiliate-style 'earn when your audience buys' income is moving inside apps; check each programme's terms and payout rules before signing up.

2. Sunday, October 25, 2026

   Semrush study: Google AI Overviews now appear on 88% of tracked commercial searches

   Source: Affiverse

   A Semrush study published 21 October found AI Overviews appeared for 88% of 400 tracked US desktop commercial keywords in August 2026, up from 45.75% in September 2025. Review searches rose from roughly 30% to around 90%. It is a fixed sample, not all Google searches.

   Why it mattersAffiliate review sites built only on Google traffic face fewer clicks; diversifying into email, video and communities is becoming essential.

3. Sunday, October 25, 2026

   Google updates AI Mode and AI Overviews with more prominent inline links and source context

   Source: Google (The Keyword)

   Google said on 15 October it is showing inline links higher in AI answers, testing a section that highlights official websites, expanding news carousels to more countries and languages, and testing clickable creator profiles on video results.

   Why it mattersFor bloggers and creators earning from search traffic, being cited inside AI answers is becoming the new way to get visitors.