Education typically occurs in "real life" by becoming involved and learning the details as time progresses. Outsourced Program Management companies typically combine formal and informal training, providing much of their training through group collaboration and brainstorming. Such companies also try to send each marketing employee to the industry conference of their choice.

Affiliate marketing is driven by entrepreneurs who are working at the edge of Internet marketing.

Affiliates are often the first to take advantage of emerging trends and technologies. The "trial and error" approach is probably the best way to describe the operation methods for affiliate marketers.

This risky approach is one of the reasons why most affiliates fail or give up before they become successful "super affiliates", capable of generating US$9,000 or more per month in commission. This "frontier" life combined with the attitude found in such communities is likely the main reason why the affiliate marketing industry is unable to self-regulate beyond individual contracts between advertisers and affiliates.

Affiliate marketing has experienced numerous failed attempts to create an industry organization or association of some kind that could be the initiator of regulations, standards, and guidelines for the industry. Some examples of failed regulation efforts are the Affiliate Union and iAfma.

Online forums and industry trade shows are the only means for the different members from the affiliate industry to unite. The forums work well becasue "affilaite trade shows" are known to be expensive to small affiliates.