Affiliate marketing can be a great way to make money online, but it has pros and cons compared to other business models:

Pros of Affiliate Marketing:

• Low barrier to get started – Can launch affiliate sites quickly with low upfront investment.
• Recurring revenue – You earn commissions on an ongoing basis from referred customers.
• Automation friendly – Many aspects like posting links and tracking sales can be automated.
• Scalable – Can leverage influencers/partners to expand reach rapidly without inbound team scaling.
• Performance-based – Only earn commissions on conversions driven, limiting risk.

Cons of Affiliate Marketing:

• Lower margins – Commissions on sales are typically 10-30%, less profit than selling your own products/services.
• Dependent on others – Reliant on the affiliate product’s company, terms, pricing, etc. which you don’t control.
• Link maintenance – Links and landing pages can break over time as products change. Requires maintenance.
• Higher perceived value with own products – Building authority brands around your own line of products rather than promoting others’ products has more long-term value.

So in summary, affiliate marketing is best for those looking for a faster, lower-risk income stream, but lower margins and less control. Great addition to complement other businesses, but has challenges as a stand-alone.