Do you want to earn money promoting products or services on your website or blog? Do you need to make your business profitable on the Internet? Have you been told about Affiliate marketing but don’t know what it is and how to implement it? You are in the right place! Affiliate marketing is an evolution of «Network Marketing,» a distribution system of products and services from the manufacturer to the final consumer, without intermediaries, where recommendations are the primary source of income. More and more bloggers and companies are incorporating it into their digital marketing plans. In this guide, I will explain what it is, its advantages, and the best affiliate platforms.

Affiliate marketing has been talked about for many years, but it is now picking up. Affiliate marketing has become one of the most exciting ways to make money writing on a blog or your social networks, thanks to the emergence of large affiliate programs, such as those offered by Amazon.

Using this marketing type, you can recommend products and services to obtain money without shipping or other procedures. It is a little-known strategy that can be very useful. If, for example, your company sells digital services, collaborating with a niche market blogger can be one of the actions that give you the highest profitability. In this guide, I will explain the keys so that you can achieve more economic profitability through recommendations. Making money online can be easy if you know how!

What is affiliate marketing, and how does it work?

Affiliate marketing is a form of marketing where different parties (sellers and affiliates) can make a profit by working together. Sellers allow affiliates to earn a commission by facilitating conversions or sales of their products or services. A clear example is bloggers, companies, or online portals that focus on creating a community around a topic of interest where they become a reference icon for many users.

These sites focus on creating user bases looking for specific product offers or blogs on a particular theme, such as corporate blogs, which can accept a commission for generating conversions for sales of a product related to their theme. In this way, companies that bet on affiliate marketing can increase sales of their products or services without effort or investment since, normally, this collaboration is “free” for both parties.

On the part of the affiliate, being an authority in his market niche, he has normally built a community around him, and users remain attentive to each of the movements or content that is published on his website or other digital media ( since they maintain full confidence in him). Suppose an affiliate promotes a product or service of yours. In that case, the followers of the said affiliate will be interested in it. If someone buys your product or service through their recommendation, the affiliate will take a commission for the sale generated. Users also gain from this collaboration. Yes, affiliate marketing makes all parties benefit:

• The creator of the service or product manages to attract new customers in exchange for a commission (a very profitable investment).

• The recommender charges a commission for that sale simply for recommending it to a reader or customer.

• The customer who buys the product satisfies a need or a want without the need to waste hours searching.

Featured Advantages of Affiliate Marketing

Suppose you have read the previous section carefully. In that case, you will have realized that the benefits of affiliate marketing can be very interesting since, at first glance, it is already beginning to be quite attractive. However, I am sure I can tell you about some advantages that you still do not know so that you can get the most out of it, regardless of whether you are a company, have a blog, or are a user who likes to be informed of what you buy. Whatever your case, you should know the advantages of affiliate marketing.

• Users can access the same link to purchase a product from any device, be it computers, tablets, or mobile phones. In this way, through the same channel, the user can access the same site from different devices, and therefore there are greater possibilities that the user sees, is interested in, and acquires the product.

• There is no other better way to do branding for free. Your products or services are exposed to a vast audience, and all this is thanks to an affiliate campaign at no cost. The only way you have to pay as a seller is if the affiliate manages to generate direct conversions of your product.

• It is a very good opportunity to optimize SEO. How? You can get referral links or backlinks for free, thanks to affiliate campaigns. If your affiliates are of quality and generate content that talks about your products or services, it will be really beneficial for your website’s positioning and general authority and, therefore, for SEO ranking.

• The benefit is mutual. Thanks to this collaboration, both the company that has the advertised product for sale and the advertiser website that includes the ad with the link for direct conversion benefit. The selling company increases its sales, and the affiliate takes a commission for the sale generated.

• If you are a selling company, it allows you to grow without risk. You only have to spend money when conversions are generated, that is, only when things are going well. In addition, affiliates are usually the ones who make the greatest efforts to convert those products since if there is no such conversion, they do not benefit. You can also run multiple affiliate campaigns simultaneously. The more affiliates advertise or offer your products simultaneously, the more brand awareness you can generate at the same time.

• Affiliate marketing can be used to drive conversions of any kind and to any type of product or service. In affiliate marketing, the selling company can decide if it is interested in focusing more on a specific product or another, focusing its efforts on what is of interest. There is also the possibility that an affiliate dedicates an extensive and quality publication to a specific brand, where he can not only include one product but several of them or even all the products of a brand through different links.

• Affiliate marketing allows your brand to reach many more users. On the Internet, we can find many blogs and web pages that are closely related to your company’s sector or field of action, which can increase the number of potential customers.

• The selling company has the possibility to choose the affiliates that make their products known. In this way, it is much easier to segment an audience and target the most interesting public, increasing the ratio of visits, clicks, and course, optimizing the conversion funnel. There is also the possibility that some reference site or blog sees in your brand a possibility to generate content on their website. Many times this is done for free by the affiliate, as it advertises brands, products, and services that do not have an affiliate implemented so that no commission can be generated. This is done by the mere fact of including quality content of interest to the user.

Types of affiliates to products and services

Before you start, you have to know that there are several ways to join products and services. In fact, although I focus on affiliate programs in this guide, if you have an online page or store, you can create an affiliate platform yourself through third-party tools (much more important is that you promote products and services according to the theme Of the same). There are several ways to become an affiliate of the products and services you want to promote :

• Networks and affiliate programs: These platforms bring together thousands of companies willing to affiliate their products and services. In fact, it has reached the point that, since they manage all the affiliate activity, there are many companies that only allow affiliate marketing through this type of directory (one of my favorites in ShareASale).

• Affiliate programs for the product or service in question: It is the simplest and most direct way of all. You go to the website of the company that has the products and services you want to promote, and if they have an affiliate system or platform, you just have to register with it.

• A person is responsible for the product or service in question: This form of affiliate program can be the most difficult to achieve, but it is also the most “fun” because it implies more skill on your part. It is about contacting the person in charge of the product or service that you want to promote, be it the director of a company, the person in charge of marketing, or a simple blogger. Explain your case, the idea you have in mind, and what you can offer them in exchange for taking a commission for promoting their product. You don’t already have it, so what do you have to lose?

Best Affiliate Programs For Beginners

If you’ve been researching the market (just do a few Google searches adding the word “affiliate” or “affiliate”), I’m sure you’ve already discovered a few affiliate programs and websites that are dedicated to collecting this type of information and companies that offer to affiliate their products or services. Be that as it may, sometimes it is difficult to choose the right platform, so I want to recommend the most popular affiliate programs of the moment (and those with the most companies):

Amazon Affiliates

Amazon Associates is one of the most popular programs for its effectiveness in creating links and earning profits through sales. Commissions range between 3% and 10%. With the affiliate marketing, you provide the users of your website with the confidence and security that a well-known and prestigious brand such as Amazon provides. You can also take advantage of the different promotions, offers, and news to make your links more attractive.

Mylead

MyLead stands out for having a very complete affiliate platform , as it offers tools for webmasters such as Hidelink, Content Lockers, 24/7 support and a lot of information (even mentoring for beginners). At its base it has more than 3,000 global campaigns with around 16 different categories and 5 monetization models such as CPA, CPL and CPS. On the other hand, this platform allows you to request the deposit of your earnings in your bank account or other online wallets once you have earned $20.

Awin

Awin is an expert affiliate marketing platform . Advertisers have very good technology and an expert team of account managers to match advertisers and agencies with their clients. For affiliates, they help both large and small affiliates create profitable partnerships with the most popular brands through websites, blogs and content. It is, therefore, a highly recommended option.

Admit

Admitad is an affiliate marketing platform that has 2,000 advertisers , including Shein and Emirates. It is only necessary to register to obtain promotional codes or links that they publish in social spaces to achieve sales. The sales commission is not defined since it depends on each advertiser. It has technical support to solve doubts or problems.

afiliapub

Afiliapub is an affiliate marketing platform focused on the online gaming industry . By promoting the different campaigns they offer, you can get money through two methods: CPA (cost per action) or CPL (cost per registration). The amount of the commission will depend on the type of event or element being promoted, but generally for 25 players you will receive $1,750 .

AvantLink

Avanlink is an affiliate marketing platform that only allows access to large merchants with quality products on the web. Only 30% of businesses that apply to enter get approved. The tool provides real-time reports and personalized tracking of each item. The average commission rate for each sale is 10% and the minimum number of deposits for withdrawal is $50.

Booking

Booking has an affiliate marketing program so that all the spaces that are dedicated to creating content related to the tourism field begin to see their business profitable. The commission received will depend on the type of tourist reservation that has been made, but logically, the more reservations, the more possibilities of obtaining a greater economic amount. This is a highly recommended option.

Blue Snap

BlueSnap has spawned an alternative approach to e-commerce. They are experts, expert payment developers, technologists, and business professionals who have a global mindset . They are focused on the customer and their satisfaction, which is why they facilitate comfortable, safe and fast transactions between them and the brands. The payment solution they have developed works on hundreds of commercial platforms , shopping carts, ERP and CRM systems.

Commission Soup

Commission Soup is a leading marketing company specializing in online customer acquisition in the financial industry. Its goal is to drive new customer acquisition for its financial services partners through different channels. It is a Cost Per Action (CPA) affiliate network , optimizing marketing relationships and providing leads. The team of experts is responsible for coordinating each project.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit is a program that helps space owners monetize by recommending the platform to visitors with simple registration and simple rules. As an affiliate for each creator you can earn a 30% recurring commission. You just have to register, log in and you will get an affiliate link that you can share quickly and easily.

CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate makes available to advertisers and affiliates a network in which both parties benefit thanks to its technology. Affiliates attract customers through their different digital media (website, social networks, search or mobile applications). On the other hand, advertisers sell products, experiences and services, rewarding affiliates through a commission for the products that are sold through them.

Click Bank

Click Bank is an affiliate program where you can select the product you want to promote and you will quickly get an affiliate link to share in the space you want. Commission rates depend on each provider, but are generally between 1% to 75% . Mind you: the default payout minimum is $100 . It is a highly recommended option to obtain economic profitability.

eBay Partner Network

eBay Partner Network is one of the most famous and popular affiliate marketing platforms nationally and internationally. It has more than a million listings of the best brands in various fields. You only need a registration, a PayPal account and a requested space to use it. You can receive a commission between 50% and 70% depending on the manufacturer. The best thing is that you only need to reach $10 to receive a payment .

FlexOffers

Flex Offers is an affiliate marketing network that provides end-to-end solutions for both advertisers and publishers. If you join Flex Offers as a publisher, you receive access to millions of products and services through an offer of over 12,000 affiliate programs . On the other hand, advertisers who join get access to a network of affiliated publications that guarantees a controlled growth of their advertising in different spaces.

GetResponse

GetResponse has an affiliate marketing program for freelancers, bloggers, review sites, or content creators looking to monetize. You can sign up for two programs: Affiliate Rewards Program (for a one-time commission of $100) and Recurring Affiliate Program (for 33% of each sale made). Payments are made monthly.

Hostinger

Hostinger is an affiliate program that provides commissions up to 60% commission . The configuration is very simple: you only have to register and complete the information after waiting for 24 hours to be confirmed. You yourself are your own administrator and, in addition, you will have a marketing professional who will advise you and answer your questions so that you can achieve your goals. There are also special affiliate programs .

Hubspot

HubSpot ‘s affiliate program is ideal for those spaces related to digital marketing. By promoting their various premium packages through links on the website, blog or social networks, you will receive a commission that will depend on the amount of the type of plan sold: $250, $500 and $1,000 . It is a very optimal marketing program that can be accessed with just a registration.

Leadpages

Leadpages is a tool for creating landing pages . To enjoy their affiliate marketing program you need to purchase one of their packages to later be able to highlight what you liked the most and promote it through a link. Sales commissions range between 10 and 50%. They can be published within the website, on social networks or any other promotional space.

Ninja Outreach

The affiliate program of the Ninja Outreach tool , which is responsible for establishing a connection with influencers and bloggers, appears as one of the most optimal for obtaining economic profitability. You just need to register, provide your details and start sharing the affiliate link. For each sale you will receive a commission of 20% , but you need to obtain a minimum amount of $100 .

One network Direct

If you want to experience rapid business growth, One Network Direct can make it easy for you. They have a digital online catalog that, together with the help of solutions, tools and various experts, help you exceed your online sales goals and increase your income. By developing critical relationships with affiliates and software publishers , One Network Direct connects publishers and affiliates.

Peerfly

Peerfly is a very popular affiliate marketing program that works on the CPA system , that is, cost per action. The commissions to receive will depend on the type of product, but you must always obtain a minimum of $50 . It currently has more than three thousand offers published by the best brands in the market. Its objective is that the user obtain profitability easily and quickly.

RakutenMarketing

Rakuten Marketing defends the development and use of a tool that connects new technologies and a strong network of partners to encourage consumer participation , always setting a clear and concise strategy that pursues specific objectives. They have a unique combination of technology, knowledge and strategy to acquire new customers and retain existing ones.

SemRush

The SemRush affiliate program is a great opportunity for spaces or users in the field of digital marketing. After registering on your page and providing your information, the tool will send you a tracking link that you can include in all those articles in which you talk about SEO positioning . The sales commission is 40% regardless of the pro package you manage to sell.

ShareASale

ShareASale is an affiliate marketing network serving the affiliate and the merchant. On the one hand, affiliates use it to promote products or services and earn from it by using their own digital channels. On the other hand, merchants use it to implement their affiliate program , and in this way, make their products much more visible and therefore reach many more people.

Shopify

Shopify is one of the best commerce platforms. There are two payment methods: standard or through the tool . In the first methodology for each sale you can earn $58 while with the second, Shopify Plus, you can earn $2000 per sale. In the registration you will need to explain if you have experience in digital marketing, in addition to providing your personal data. Then you must wait two business days until you are verified .

Sovrn Commerce

Sovrn Commerce is another affiliate site where signing up is really easy. When you start with a product you must select which option you are using (blog, website or forum). You can quickly earn money, but you must reach $10 because if you don’t, the amount will roll over to the next month. There are also other plans such as CPC or CPA, but the rates vary greatly.

Thristy Affiliates

Thristy Affiliates is an affiliate platform that has great commissions: up to 30% for each sale. Their most affordable product is a site license that is $49 which will net you $14.9 per sale . Apart from this, there is no minimum payment, which is a great benefit for you. At first you will have to fill out a registration form to obtain a username and password and log in to an affiliate panel.

tradedoubler

At Tradedoubler they have the necessary technology and experience to maximize the success of both advertisers and publishers. They have a wide network of advertisers , many of which stand out for their size (Microsoft, HP, Accor Hotels or L’Occitane). It highlights that Tradedoubler’s top 100 advertisers have consistently grown 40% with the platform over the last 2 years .

Trade Tracker

Tradetracker is an affiliate program that operates in many niches