Here are three lessons I learned about creating commerce and affiliate content:

– Leverage Brand Trust: At ET, our recommendations carried weight because we’d earned our audience’s trust over decades. When we partnered with powerhouses like Amazon and Sephora, we always asked a simple question: “Would our viewers thank us for this recommendation?” I remember a red carpet event where our “Get the Look” guide generated unprecedented engagement—not because we pushed products, but because we solved a genuine viewer need. We highlighted affordable ways to approximate the styles our fans wanted. The lesson? Your brand’s trust equity is your most valuable asset in commerce. 🤝

– Think Like a Curator, Not a Vendor: Gone are the days of “set it and forget it.” Our most successful commerce initiatives emerged from treating content like a living, breathing entity. One of our beauty roundups, initially a modest performer, evolved into our top revenue generator after we updated based on feedback and highlighted a particular lip gloss that was trending. We discovered that our collection of commerce content, like a well-kept garden, got better with constant attention. 🖼

– Create Shopping Moments, Not Interruptions: Here’s a perspective shift that revolutionized our approach: stop thinking about affiliate content as a monetization strategy and start seeing it as a service to your audience. When covering award shows, we noticed viewers asking where to watch the featured series and movies. Instead of forcing promotional content, we created organic “Where to Watch” guides that answered these questions before they were asked. The result? Double-digit conversion rates and enthusiastic audience feedback. 🛍

My biggest learning? The most effective commerce strategy doesn’t feel like commerce at all. It feels like a natural extension of your storytelling—a valuable service that enhances rather than interrupts. The winners won’t be those with the most affiliate links, but those who master the art of meaningful recommendations.

Think about your last piece of content. Where could you have included recommendations that your audience would genuinely appreciate? What value could you add that would make them think, “I’m glad they showed me this”?