If you’re new to affiliate marketing, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. There are tons of affiliate programs to choose from and SO many products you can potentially promote.
While many brands will have their own “in-house” affiliate program for you to join, others offer affiliate programs through a network instead. This can be beneficial to you, the publisher, because it allows you to track many of your affiliate partnerships in just a few different places. You’ll have fewer logins to remember and you’ll hit payout thresholds faster.
Below, I’ve listed some of the top affiliate networks that I’ve enjoyed working with to help you get started. No matter what your blogging niche, these networks are guaranteed to have brands and services perfect for your audience. Just create an account, fill out your profile (if applicable), and start applying to programs.
8 Affiliate Networks to Join Today to Start Earning #PassiveIncome Click To TweetA Few Helpful Affiliate Marketing Tips
- In the beginning, focus on promoting just a few products really well. Create blog posts for each, whether in the form of a review, an interview, or a case study. It’s better to have just a few affiliate products that convert really well than a ton of products that never result in sales.
- Keep track of your various affiliate partnerships in a spreadsheet. I list the name of each program, whether they are part of a network, the name and contact email of my affiliate manager, login info, commission rates, and whether or not I’ve created a dedicated blog post for it.
- The goal with affiliate marketing, above all else, is to provide value to your audience. Promote products and services that you know and trust, that will be useful to their lives, and that are actually worth the money they will spend.
- Develop a good rapport with your affiliate managers. They will be the ones who can answer your questions, give you tips for increasing your conversion rates, and help you succeed as an affiliate. If you are generating a lot of sales, they may even be able to get you a higher commission rate down the road.
- Want to learn more about affiliate marketing? It might be worth investing in a course that will teach you the ins and outs. I personally use and recommend Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing; I think it’s the best affiliate marketing course on the web and the only course you’ll ever need to buy.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links.
Affiliate Networks You Can Join Today
Awin – Formerly known as Affiliate Window, Awin is a global affiliate network connecting advertisers and publishers of all sizes to help them grow their businesses online. Connect with travel-centric brands like Eurail, Lonely Planet, and Hyatt Hotels, or search for services, clothing brands, and so much more.
ShareASale – Owned by Awin is another affiliate network known as ShareASale. While ShareASale’s affiliate dashboard is probably my least favorite (I find it difficult to navigate), their payments are made quickly and efficiently by direct deposit. I use ShareASale to promote online services such as PicMonkey Royale (photo editing) and Tailwind (Pinterest account management).
Amazon Associates – Amazon Associates is probably the most popular affiliate program among bloggers because, with Amazon’s enormous range of products, you can find things to promote regardless of your niche. The major downside to this program is that commission rates are quite low (varying by product and starting as low as 1%) so in order to generate any decent income, you’d need a high volume of sales each month. It can be done, but it takes some finesse. On the bright side, you earn commissions on the entire Amazon order placed after using your affiliate link, not just on the items you link to.
Impact Radius – I first discovered Impact Radius when I decided to join the T-Mobile affiliate program (my preferred carrier for international travel). They have a wide range of advertisers to partner with, so browse their marketplace to get started applying. I love that they’ve partnered with select charities and disaster relief organizations.
Skimlinks – Skimlinks offers a unique way to monetize your site–they’ll take any link to an outside website and turn it into an affiliate link, so long as that site is in their network of partners. All you have to do is install a snippet of code on your site and away they go! They even include their own affiliate disclosure. Skimlinks offers higher commission rates than many programs and often pay for clicks. The payout threshold is low (just $10) and will be transferred to your PayPal account or your US bank account after 60 days.
Clickbank – Clickbank is a network that’s relatively new to me, but they have an enormous selection of products to promote as an affiliate. Categories span education, health & fitness, self-help, sports, travel, and everything in between. Your payment threshold can be as little as $10 and you can choose between checks or direct deposit.
Rakuten Linkshare – The Rakuten network includes many well-known brands including services like Lyft and Groupon, web-based learning (Udemy is one of the advertisers I work with), experiential travel services like G Adventures, and so much more. No matter your niche, they’ll have affiliate partners worth checking out!
Shopstyle Collective – Do you blog about fashion, accessories, or cosmetics? How about homewares and decor? Shopstyle Collective offers all of these and more, linking to top retailers many shoppers are already familiar with such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Net-a-Porter. Commission rates vary by item, with many paying for clicks in addition to sales.
What are some of your favorite affiliate networks to work with?
