If you’re a digital marketer and want to check out affiliate marketing, read this list of the best affiliate programs for beginners. We’ve given you everything you need to know, so when you decide to sign up for affiliate programs, you’ll know the best ones to get.
Quick Links
But first, let’s make sure you know everything there is to know about affiliate marketing.
What Are Affiliate Programs?
Affiliate programs are arrangements in which an online merchant website pays affiliate websites a commission to send them traffic. These affiliate websites post links to the merchant site and are paid according to a particular agreement. This agreement is usually based on the number of people the affiliate sends to the merchant’s site or the total sales amount generated by the referrals.
What’s great about affiliate marketing is that it’s one of the most accessible ways to start making money online. All you need is a website that provides information to readers, affiliate links to the products on your website, and some traffic, and you can start generating an income.
However, not all affiliate programs are created equal. Some have higher commission rates than others, better products or services, or more user-friendly terms and conditions.
How Do Affiliate Programs Work?
Affiliate programs work by connecting merchants with potential customers. The affiliate acts as a middleman, promoting the merchant’s products or services and earning a commission on every sale they make.
When a customer clicks on one of the affiliate’s links and makes a purchase, the affiliate earns a commission from the merchant. This commission is generally based on a percentage of the sale price, ranging from a few cents to several hundred dollars.
Affiliate programs are an excellent way for merchants to reach new customers and for affiliates to earn money by promoting products they believe in.
What Are the Benefits of Affiliate Programs?
There are many benefits of affiliate programs, both for merchants and affiliates.
Some of the benefits of affiliate programs for merchants include:
- Increased exposure and traffic to their website
- Access to a larger audience than they could reach on their own
- The ability to track sales and conversions attributed to the affiliate program
- A cost-effective marketing solution
For you, the affiliate, the benefit is you get “free” money whenever someone clicks your affiliate link and makes a purchase. However, you do have to do the work of writing product reviews and getting people to come to your website.
Start With the Biggest and Best
If you are looking into making some money using affiliate programs, starting with the biggest, best, and most easy to use first is best.
Then, once you have the hang of these affiliate programs, check out this list of even more affiliate programs you can join to make money from your website or blog.
In the meantime, this blog post will look at the ten best affiliate marketing programs for beginners. We’ll provide links and an in-depth review of each program so you can learn more about them before signing up.
What Are The Best Affiliate Programs For Beginners?
There are many affiliate programs on the market, and if you are starting, you’ll want to choose the ones that will give you the best chance for success.
The List: The 10 Best Affiliate Programs For Beginners
Now that you’re caught up on what affiliate programs are and how they work, let’s look at the best affiliate marketing programs for beginners.
To help you sort through all the affiliate programs out there, we’ve compiled a list of the ten affiliate networks, each with unique benefits and excellent for beginners.
Let’s get on the list!
Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates allows you to earn commission on products sold by Amazon and products sold by third-party sellers who are part of the Amazon marketplace.
Amazon Associates has had one of the best affiliate programs for beginners since 1996. It was the first online affiliate marketing program in the world. Since its inception, it’s been helping online marketers make money by advertising to the millions of customers that shop on Amazon each year.
When an Amazon affiliate shares a link that leads to a sale, they earn referral fees from the transaction. And since thousands of businesses are learning how to sell on Amazon each year, the potential for affiliates to grow is seemingly infinite.
Click here to go to the Amazon Associates page.
ClickBank
ClickBank is a popular affiliate program that allows you to earn commission on digital products, such as e-books, software, and membership sites.
ClickBank is among the top companies with affiliate programs that appeal to all kinds of marketers. Its affiliate information is entirely open to anyone, making it a valuable affiliate platform to consider for your success.
ClickBank started in a garage in 1998 but quickly grew to become one of the world’s top retailing and affiliate sites. It currently boasts many affiliates who’ve earned billions in commissions promoting ClickBank products.
Because of its success and 20-year history, it’s an excellent option for getting started, no matter your expertise. With many products to promote and a wide variety of companies to partner with, ClickBank offers a comprehensive affiliate program that appeals to all marketers.
Click here to go to the ClickBank affiliate page.
eBay Partners Network
eBay Partners Network is the affiliate program for eBay. The program allows you to earn commission on eBay and items sold by third-party sellers who use eBay as their platform.
eBay is one of the highest-paid affiliate programs. The eBay Partner Network is where you can sign up to become an eBay affiliate. Commissions are in the 50% to 70% range. eBay gives affiliates tools to promote eBay’s products with minimal fuss. No matter how you market your products, you can put the eBay affiliate program to good use.
The eBay Partner Network is a great place to start if you want to join an affiliate marketing program because it offers high commissions and various tools.
Click here to go to the eBay Partners Network page.
Commission Junction
Commission Junction (CJ) is an affiliate network that offers various programs. It is one of the best affiliate programs around, especially for beginners. The network includes many big names, such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Expedia.
Affiliate marketing programs come in all shapes and sizes, but some are more reputable than others. CJ, for example, is a 20-year-old affiliate marketing program that has been helping affiliates and merchants since day one.
According to its website, the company works with twice as many Internet Retailer 500 companies than any other affiliate program. It also boasts that merchants favour its site twice as much as other affiliate marketing programs. So if you’re looking for an affiliate marketing program with a solid reputation, CJ is a great choice.
Click here to go to the CJ affiliate page.
Impact
Impact is an affiliate network that specializes in performance-based marketing. The company offers a variety of programs, such as pay-per-lead, pay-per-sale, and pay-per-click.
Impact is an affiliate marketing program that is an excellent way for individuals to connect with top brands like Airbnb, Uber, and Adidas. Impact’s affiliate program is also one of the few affiliate marketing programs that connects individuals with leading brands and provides automation tools to help streamline your campaigns and generate more sales.
After signing up with Impact, you get access to a marketplace where you find top brands in many categories such as beauty, fitness, retail, and travel. You can also contact their affiliate managers directly.
Impact generally pays by CPA (cost-per-action), so you’ll receive a commission when your readers click on your affiliate link to buy something.
Click here to go to the Impact affiliate page.
Awin
Awin is a global affiliate network with over 13,000 active advertisers. The company offers various programs, such as pay-per-lead, pay-per-sale, and pay-per-click.
Awin is an affiliate program that is great for beginners. There is no website requirement to join, and all affiliates undergo a compliance check to ensure they are qualified.
Additionally, Awin offers access to over 21,200 brands, and you can search for any program you’re interested in or contact a brand directly to discuss a collaboration.
Click here to go to the Awin affiliate page.
Rakuten Affiliate
Rakuten Affiliate is the affiliate program for Rakuten, one of the largest eCommerce companies in the world. The program allows you to earn a commission on sales made through Rakuten’s marketplace.
Rakuten has been a great affiliate marketing service provider for over a decade. They offer a great affiliate marketing platform with an easy-to-use interface. They represent 1,000+ brands and businesses, and their merchants supply everything from gifts and office supplies to consumer electronics and flowers.
The only downside is that Rakuten’s approval process can be slow if your site has little or no traffic.
Click here to go to the Rakuten Affiliate page.
Etsy
Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods. The company also has an affiliate program that allows you to earn a commission on sales made through the Etsy marketplace.
The Etsy affiliate program is an excellent way for artists and crafters to make money by promoting the products they sell on the platform. The program offers a commission on sales generated through referrals, and it’s a great way to make extra money by promoting your favorite products.
Etsy is a bit of a hybrid affiliate marketing program. The reason is that individuals make Etsy’s products rather than big corporations. However, Etsy has become a massive player in this niche and could be pretty profitable for beginners if you find the right products to promote.
Etsy usually offers a 4% commission for any product you sell through them.
Click here to go to the Etsy affiliate program page.
Fiverr
Fiverr is a website where you can find freelance services starting at $5. The company also has an affiliate program that allows you to earn a commission on sales made through the Fiverr affiliate marketing platform.
The Fiverr affiliate program is a great way to make some extra money. You need to promote their services and can earn a commission on every sale. The program offers up to $150 per referral, depending on the category.
There are also multiple ways to earn on the Fiverr affiliate program, including selling their “Learn From Fiverr” courses, where you can make up to 30% commissions per sale.
So whether you’re a graphic designer, marketer, writer, or musician, there’s a good chance you can make some money with the Fiverr affiliate program. Plus, it only takes about 30 seconds to sign up.
Click here to go to the Fiverr affiliate page.
ShareASale
ShareASale is an affiliate network with over five thousand merchant programs. Their affiliate network offers various programs, such as pay-per-lead, pay-per-sale, and pay-per-click.
The ShareASale affiliate program is a great way to make extra money through your website. It’s easy to sign up, and you can start earning commissions on your referrals right away.
The program offers a wide range of products and services you can promote, and plenty of tools and resources are available to help you succeed. Plus, ShareASale offers great commissions — some as high as $300 to $350 per sale.
Plus, ShareASale is one of the most popular affiliate programs, so you can be sure that your referrals will be happy with the service. If you’re looking for a great way to make extra money on an affiliate network that is simple but effective, then the ShareASale affiliate program is worth checking out.
Click here to go to the ShareASale affiliate program page.
Wrap Up
As you can see, many different affiliate programs are available for beginners. And each one has its own unique benefits.
So, which one should you choose?
It depends on your niche and what type of products or services you want to promote.
For example, ClickBank would be a good choice if you are in the make money online niche. But if you are in the health and fitness niche, then Amazon Associates would be a better fit.
But no matter which program you choose, remember that affiliate marketing is a great way to earn extra income. With the right approach, it can even become a full-time income.
Besides, most affiliate programs (including all of these) are free to sign up to, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Now it’s time to take action and sign up for one of these programs.
Author Bio
Andrew Dunn is a serial business builder with over seven years of experience growing businesses. He is the founder of INDMND.com, providing valuable insights for business owners to leverage technology to 10x their businesses. He is passionate about scaling businesses using SEO, paid media, and remote teams.