If you are tired of the hustle culture, being your boss and earning money online is a great alternative. You have complete control over your schedule and all the flexibility that you want. You can also earn passive income that will keep you and your bank accounts happy.
Among all the options for earning money online, an affiliate program might be the best. Over the past few years, affiliate marketing has grown rapidly. It is estimated that more than 80% of brands have an affiliate program. This means that there are many opportunities to be an affiliate. You have to choose the right program.
Find out more about affiliate programs, and discover the best options for you.
What is an affiliate program?
Affiliate programs can be described as digital word-of-mouth (or referral) marketing campaigns. An affiliate program is a way for a brand to increase sales or generate leads. They can sign up with bloggers, social media influencers, and social media gurus to promote a product or service to their followers. Affiliates who refer their audience to the product/service they recommend will receive a commission. This is expressed in the form of a percentage of any sale they assisted to secure.
Affiliate programs can be described as an additional sales channel for brands and offer lucrative opportunities for people who want to make a living online. Instead of trying to find good ideas to start an online business, it is possible to establish a reputation online and then join an affiliate program in order to make a living.
How to select the best affiliate program
It can be difficult to choose the right affiliate program. It’s difficult to choose the right affiliate program for you when there are so many brands that rely upon it, especially if you’re new to this field.
You need to take into account several factors in order to choose the best program.
- Niche – It is essential to find the right program for your niche. Only partner with brands that are right for you. Your audiences won’t be eager to use your affiliate links if you don’t. Partner with fitness brands, nutrition brands, and gyms if you are a fitness influencer. Partner with fast-food outlets. Tech bloggers should choose software providers, apps, and even games. Avoid vintage clothing stores. Make sure the brand you choose integrates well with your content.
- User experience – Before joining an affiliate program, it is a good idea to read through user reviews. Learn more about the program’s ease of use, payment options, and overall profitability. Do not rely on testimonials posted by the company. To find out what the users think, look around on the internet.
- Commission – Naturally, this is the most important factor you need to think about. Is it a flat rate or a percentage? Good performance can increase the commission. Exist any bonuses for affiliates who are new? Different products may earn different commissions. Before you join a program, find out how much you can expect.
For example, you have a fashion travel blog. There are many types of products that your audience would be interested in like; luggage, hotels, and flights. Or even beauty supplies like; makeup, teeth whitening strips, facemasks, etc. In today’s world, you can find an affiliate offer for just about anything.
Here are some of the best affiliate programs to signup for in 2022.
1. Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is the most well-known affiliate program. There’s a good chance that you have come across hundreds or more Amazon affiliates while surfing the internet in the past few days.
Amazon has taken affiliate marketing to the next level. Amazon allows you to promote any product in its online store, including food, clothing accessories, strange home decor, and accessories. No matter your audience or niche, there are great products that you can promote.
It is simple to get started with Amazon Associates. This makes it ideal for newbies to affiliate marketing. Although the pay is a little lower than you might expect, you will always receive your full payment on time and in full (typically 30 days after a follower makes a purchase).
There are two main drawbacks to this service: the limited cookie life and the strict terms of service you must follow at all cost.
2. Awin
Awin is an affiliate network rapidly gaining popularity. Although it doesn’t offer as many products as Amazon, Awin still offers a wide range of categories that bloggers, influencers, and site owners can find appropriate for their audience. These categories include finance, insurance, retail, telecommunications, and travel.
You’ll be able to fit in easily with the over 200,000 affiliate marketers and publishers on this platform.
Awin’s Chrome extension automatically generates affiliate links and is available for immediate use.
Although it is a newer network, it has already earned a reputation for being a reliable platform for affiliate marketers.
3. CJ Commission Junction
Commission Junction (or CJ) is one of the most established affiliate networks. It has been in business for more than 20 years. You’ll find a niche-specific brand with thousands of clients through the network.
Even if you are a total beginner, it is easy to sign up for an account and get started with your favorite brands.
CJ’s affiliate program has one problem. Each brand has unique requirements for marketers. It can be difficult to meet all the requirements of every brand you wish to work with.
4. ClickBank
ClickBank is another excellent network that has years of experience. ClickBank is an excellent network with over 6 million clients around the world and is known for being one of most generous networks. You could make as high as 90% commission depending on which brand you are partnering with and how well you perform.
It’s rare that you will need to be pre-approved by a brand before you can use their affiliate links. Your job will be much easier if you have access immediately to marketing materials, logos, pre-sale webpages, and other information.
5. FlexOffers
FlexOffers is a small network with only about 12,000 affiliate programs, 500 advertisers, and a few other companies. However, this network is just getting started. You can find a brand that fits your niche by browsing the various categories available on the platform, including entertainment, legal services, and automotive businesses.
You will need some affiliate experience to get started with FlexOffers. A well-designed website that receives high traffic monthly is also necessary. You won’t find brands willing to work with your website.
You could also join FlexOffers’ sub-affiliate program. Instead, you would use FlexOffers affiliate link and split your commissions between the company.
6. Impact
Impact is frequently regarded as one of the most popular affiliate networks for beginners. Impact has a user interface that is well designed and gives you clear insights into your performance as well as key metrics.
Signing up is easy and quick. Most brands will accept your partnership within a few days. Impact’s support team is responsive and its tutorial articles will help you get started.
7. Rakuten Advertising
Rakuten Advertising has a global network of thousands of marketers and brands. You can collaborate with a wide range of businesses, no matter your niche. It is easy to use and provides competitive compensation based on your performance.
Your account manager will assist you in getting started and provide support whenever you need it.
Rakuten’s approval rate is not great. Although Rakuten is a beginner-friendly network it does have strict requirements. You will need to establish a strong online presence before you can work with them.
ShareASale is part the Awin network and offers many of the same benefits to its parent company. It connects thousands of marketers and brands with innovative solutions.
The application process is seamless and easy to follow. Competitive rates, timely payments, and responsive support are all part of what you can expect. You’ll also have access to all your performance metrics, including conversion rates, average performance and earnings.
9. Skimlinks
Skimlinks is one of the most popular affiliate networks, with over 24,000 brands using it. You are free to be as picky as you like about your affiliates, selecting only those companies that resonate with you.
A link creation tool will be provided that generates pre-made affiliate links for you to track. You’ll also find creative ways to use all the user-generated content to begin monetizing your forums.
Skimlinks has its downfall. Skimlinks charges 25% commissions. They also have problems paying on time. This is something you should keep in mind when applying to the program.
10. VigLink
VigLink, also known as Sovrn, is a popular affiliate network. It offers intuitive automation tools that allow for seamless affiliate link creation. It will take you out of the process of creating and organizing your affiliate links. Simply add the VigLink code on your website and it will do all the work for you.
This tool will scan your website looking for keywords, key phrases, names, and locations. Then, it will add your unique affiliate link wherever appropriate.
It’s simple to join and use the network, so you can easily find your favorite brands, products, or services.
Conclusion
Earning an income online is a great way to have more control over your life. You can choose the hours that you work, and you can take on as many or as few projects as you want. If you’re looking for a reliable and sustainable way to make money, affiliate marketing might be the right choice for you. We’ve outlined some of the best strategies for finding an affiliate program that meets your needs, so start exploring today!