Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money by investing their talents and reaping their benefits. If you have a social media platform or website with a significant following or are simply good at digital marketing, you can use your talents to earn a handsome amount through various affiliate programs. The field can be as lucrative as you choose it to be.
The best part is that once you’ve created an advertisement or promotion to attract traffic to your partner’s page, you can sit back and watch your work earn for you, even as you sleep. No matter what niche you’re interested in, you can find an excellent program with the right products or services to promote and earn from. Not only will this gain more attention to your platform, but it will also help you make through the links on your blog.
Most affiliate networks and programs do not have a cost for joining, so you have nothing to lose. The payouts are commissioned based in most cases, so there is no ceiling for how much you can earn, and by choosing a reliable program, you can be sure to get your payout at the end of the agreed period.
Even as a beginner, there are numerous affiliate programs that you can utilize to start your affiliate marketing journey. If you’re unsure about what affiliate marketing is or how you can start in this field, then read our guide below to find out all you need to know.
Top 10 Affiliate Marketing Programs For Beginners
1. Amazon Associates Affiliate Program
One of the first affiliate programs introduced, The Amazon Associates Affiliate Program is an excellent starting point for new affiliate marketers. With nearly 3.85 million products listed on the website, affiliate marketers of every niche can find something to promote. Moreover, Amazon has wide brand recognition, so it’s easy for viewers to trust the platform. This results in higher conversion rates as more people buy items instead of browsing through.
In addition, there is no cost for entering this affiliate network. Since link creation and management is a breeze thanks to their excellent customer service, you can start working with them with minimum or no prior experience in the field. The minimum payment threshold is $10, and payment terms are net 30. The few drawbacks of this program are its short cookie life that only lasts for 24 hours and frequently changing commission rates.
2. CJ (Commission Junction) Affiliate Program
CJ affiliate network has over 2,473 affiliate marketing programs, including big names such as Zappos, TripAdvisor, Verizon, Samsung, and many more. The affiliate programs feature a wide variety of diverse products for affiliate marketers to choose from.
The company’s affiliate program is quite robust since it has been in operation since 2002. It offers affiliate marketers comprehensive support for all aspects of affiliate marketing, from link creation to additional marketing tools.
Another great reason to join the CJ affiliate program is their metrics that tell you exactly how profitable an affiliate program is so you can choose the right programs to promote. The payment threshold is $50, and affiliates get paid in net 30.
Some programs also feature a flat fee instead of commission. However, this program is more suitable for marketers with little experience, around 3 – 6 months in the field.
The ShareASale affiliate network features over 5000 different programs for affiliate marketers to choose from. However, what’s different with this affiliate network is that it focuses primarily on profitable smaller companies instead of just big brand names. That being said, ShareASale has highly valuable programs, where affiliates can earn $300-$500 per sale in commissions!
Although the dashboard of this affiliate network may seem dated, its simplicity and lack of redundant features make navigating the page effortless. Like most affiliate programs on our list, ShareAsale has no costs for joining. The affiliate network has a minimum payment threshold of $50 and a net 30 payment plan.
The company also features a “PowerRank” metric that helps affiliate marketers differentiate between high-performing and low-performing affiliate programs. This can help affiliates decide which program to promote. However, at times the approval process of the program may be lengthy.
4. ClickBank Affiliate Program
Another one of the oldest affiliate programs in the industry that has been in business since 1988, the ClickBank Affiliate Program quickly became one of the most popular programs of its time. Unlike most affiliate networks plagued by storage and delivery issues, ClickBank completely bypassed such problems by selling digital products online. Although now the network features physical products, their rise to fame was through their robust digital products platform.
However, a drawback of choosing the ClickBank Affiliate program is its old-fashioned interface. Some of their programs have high refund rates, so you need to be careful while selecting which products to promote.
Other than these minor issues, ClickBank is a reliable affiliate network that is particularly suitable for affiliate marketers that do not use websites for product promotion and are in the digital product’s niche. There is no cost for joining, the minimum payment threshold is $50, and the program has a net 60 payment.
5. Rakuten Advertising Affiliate Program
Rakuten is a Japanese affiliate program network with over 1000 businesses under its banner. The network provides a wide range of products for affiliate marketers to choose from and has a simple user interface that is easy for beginners to understand.
Rakuten acquired Linkshare in 2005 and has won numerous prestigious awards since its inception, including three International Performance Marketing Awards. So, if you want to explore other networks with ample potential, then Rakuten Advertising should be on your list. However, since the company is stringent with its affiliate marketing regulations, the approval process is slower than other networks.
Another downside is their lack of metrics to rank their programs and products. But, despite these drawbacks, the platform boats $100 million annual transactions, so their performance is exemplary. In addition, the minimum payment threshold is $50, and it has a net of 30 payments.
6. Impact Affiliate Program
A relative newcomer into affiliate marketing, the Impact Affiliate program makes up for its lack of years in the field with cutting-edge technology. Unlike the older programs, Impact serves new affiliate marketers using numerous exciting and intuitive features with an intelligent interface.
One of its best features is the “brands to work with instantly” segment that features a list of top brands that offer instant affiliate program approvals. So, if you’re looking to dive right into the affiliate marketing industry instantly, then Impact Affiliate Program is the right platform for you.
Despite its age, Impact has 2500 affiliate programs and features some of the biggest brands on the market that many other platforms spend years to gain. These include names such as Adidas, HSBC, and even Airbnb. There is no cost for joining, but the minimum payment threshold varies between programs. The payments, like most affiliate programs here, occur monthly.
7. Awin Affiliate Program
Awin is hands-down one of the most extensive affiliate networks in the industry. Currently, the marketing giant has over 241,000 publishers and a whopping 21,200 advertisers. Awin has 17 offices spread worldwide and employs about 1200 people.
Awin’s affiliate programs also tend to be incredibly lucrative. For example, in 2020, affiliate marketers earned $1 billion from commissions through the platform. So, if you’re looking to make a handsome amount and be part of a well-known affiliate program, then Awin is the right choice.
A little unknown fact for many affiliates here is that Awin has acquired the renowned affiliate network ShareASale. However, they both operate as separate entities. The best part about working with Awin is the quick payouts. The payment threshold is only $20, and you can get paid monthly or bi-monthly, depending on your preferences. The only drawback of this program is how competitive it is, considering 260 affiliates are joining the network daily.
8. Etsy Affiliate Program
Unlike the large affiliate networks with a wide variety of products we’ve reviewed here, Etsy’s affiliate program is of a particular niche. The company has products from individual merchants and small businesses and is akin to a sole trader.
If you’re interested in the arts and handicrafts niche, there is no better platform for you to affiliate with than Etsy. What started as a small company has become a publicly traded giant within a few years. The merchant offers a reasonably decent 4% commission on products sold through its links, so it’s a great way to make some money.
It has a pleasant interface that is easy for affiliate marketers to navigate, and the diverse range of handicrafts and items is updated frequently. Hence, there are always new items for you to promote. Etsy offers a payment threshold of $50 and a net 30 payment plan.
9. eBay Partner Network Affiliate Program
eBay is a popular platform that has been visited, if not used by most people around the globe. This marketing platform features products from individual merchants and big brands, so there’s something for everyone here.
The eBay Partner Network is particularly welcoming of newcomers. Since eBay’s in-house affiliate managers manage the platform, you will find an outstanding, well-organized team to work with. The lack of intermediaries means that any advertising issues can be addressed directly with the company and resolved promptly.
Since eBay has a wide variety of products at different price ranges, you can use this as leverage and offer customers high value for their money compared to products from other platforms. eBay has excellent commission rates that can go up to 70% for some products. However, one of the drawbacks here is the short, 24-hour cookies.
10. Fiverr Affiliate Program
The service industry is much easier to market compared to products. One of the best platforms for the advertisement of services is Fiverr. The platform offers a wide range of gigs to its customers. These include writing, graphic designing, animations, music, and more. The Fiverr Affiliate Program is relatively easy to get into. It also happens to have a high commission rate, and you can easily make a $150 commission on certain services.
Fiverr also offers affiliate marketers various avenues to earn from, such as marketing their “Learn From Fiverr” courses. Fiver has an attractive interface and is relatively more new-age than other programs, so its dashboard and features are impressive. The drawback here is that the minimum payment threshold is relatively high, about $100, with a standard net 30 payment. Another disadvantage is that you don’t get paid for sales made to existing customers.