The Trust-Led Commerce Platform Driving 800K Affiliate Clicks A Month

Commerce content only works when readers trust it. The Filter is built on that principle. Launched in October 2024, it is The Guardian’s dedicated commerce and buying guide vertical, designed to help readers make confident, informed purchasing decisions without compromising editorial independence.

With 5 million monthly page views and around 800,000 affiliate clicks per month, The Filter delivers meaningful affiliate performance while maintaining the Guardian’s long-standing reputation for credibility, quality and reader trust.

For brands that value long-term performance over short-term spikes, The Filter offers a rare combination: scale, influence and editorial rigour.

Who is the publisher?

The Filter is part of The Guardian’s wider editorial ecosystem, operating under the same strict standards that define its journalism. All content is created by Guardian journalists and editors, with product selection driven by reader value, product quality and long-term relevance.

Content is structured around:

  • Buying guides
  • Product reviews
  • Curated recommendations

Each piece is designed to reduce purchase risk, answer real consumer questions and support more conscious buying decisions. Sustainability, durability and value play a central role in how products are assessed and recommended.

Affiliate links are integrated transparently, and while retailer choice remains editorially led, historic EPC performance can be used as a deciding factor where products are genuinely comparable.

Which brands The Filter work best for

The Filter is best suited to brands with:

  • High-quality, well-reviewed products
  • Strong sustainability credentials
  • Clear value propositions
  • Proven conversion performance

It performs particularly well for retailers in categories where trust and research matter most, including:

  • Consumer electronics and technology
  • Home and lifestyle
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Food and drink
  • Sustainable and ethical products

Brands that succeed on The Filter understand that credibility drives conversion. This is not a volume-led deal environment. It is a trust-led commerce platform built for brands willing to play the long game.

Who’s already on board

Across the Guardian’s wider commercial ecosystem, brands including Facebook, Henkel, Thomson Reuters, Post Office, Vodafone, Renault, Ocado, Tesco Finest, Belazu, Sony and Lingua Franca have partnered on editorial, branded and commerce-led initiatives.

These partnerships reflect the breadth of sectors that value Guardian audiences, from retail to automotive, technology and media. They also demonstrate the trust brands place in Guardian platforms to deliver influence without compromising integrity.

What makes The Filter stand out?

The Filter sits at the intersection of editorial authority and affiliate performance.

Every recommendation is journalist-led, not advertiser-led. This independence is what drives engagement and explains why readers actively seek out Guardian buying advice. The result is commerce content that feels useful rather than promotional, and performs as a result.

Scale is another differentiator. With millions of monthly page views and a global readership, The Filter delivers reach without relying on intrusive formats or clickbait tactics. Readers arrive with intent, stay to research, and convert when confidence is high.

The Guardian’s affiliate commerce team focuses on long-term, consistent partnerships, prioritising brands that deliver sustainable EPC (earnings per click) and relevance over time. For retailers, this creates a more stable and predictable performance environment.

What pain points do they solve for brands?

Many commerce environments prioritise speed over substance, resulting in low trust, high bounce rates and short-lived performance. The Filter solves this by embedding commerce inside journalism readers already respect.

Brands also face growing concerns around brand safety and context. The Guardian offers a premium, trusted environment where advertising and affiliate content sit alongside independent journalism, not against it.

Finally, The Filter addresses the challenge of sustainability storytelling. For brands with ethical credentials, it provides a credible space to be discovered by readers who actively care about quality, impact and long-term value.

How they've generated results for brands

The Filter drives performance through scale, intent and trust:

  • 5M monthly page views across commerce content
  • Around 800,000 affiliate clicks per month
  • Strong engagement driven by in-depth guides and reviews

This performance is underpinned by content that supports research-led buying decisions, keeping readers engaged longer and reducing friction at the point of conversion.

By focusing on relevance and credibility rather than volume, The Filter creates affiliate outcomes that are more resilient and sustainable over time.

How can brands partner with The Filter?

Brands partner with The Filter through The Guardian’s affiliate commerce and commercial teams, with opportunities including:

  • Inclusion within buying guides and reviews
  • Long-term affiliate partnerships based on EPC performance
  • Integration into curated recommendations
  • Broader commercial opportunities via Guardian Advertising and Guardian Labs

Beyond commerce, Guardian platforms also offer content-led partnerships designed to position brands as thought leaders, particularly around sustainability, innovation and social impact.

This makes The Filter part of a wider commercial ecosystem that blends performance, influence and credibility.

The Bottom Line: Trust-first commerce that converts

The Filter proves that affiliate performance does not need to come at the expense of editorial integrity. By grounding commerce content in trusted journalism, it delivers scale, engagement and sustainable conversion for brands that value quality over shortcuts.

For retailers looking to build long-term performance inside a premium editorial environment, The Filter is a partner built for trust, relevance and results.

Want to find partners like The Filter that can drive serious growth for your affiliate programme?

Let us show you 10 high-performing affiliate partners that aren’t yet working with your brand, but should be. Each recommendation is hand-picked based on your goals and market potential, so you can expand your affiliate mix with partners built for performance.

10 Affiliate Recommendations

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