Are you new to affiliate marketing? Or are you thinking about becoming an affiliate marketer and have just started your research on affiliate marketing? How do you know what affiliate programs to join? All the knowledge you can absorb is the key to success as well as the proper training. For this reason, I have put together the best affiliate programs for beginners.
When you begin an affiliate marketing business, I am sure you have success as one of your major goals? And, of course, making money ranks right up there as #1 also. Not to mention, the right affiliate programs for your niche is important.
Let me dive right in with an overview of Affiliate Marketing and a look at the best affiliate programs for beginners. Affiliate Marketing is an amazing way to work from home so let’s get you off on the right foot.
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate Marketing is a 4 part system to make money online.
- You, the affiliate marketer- promote products sold by someone else like Amazon, Walmart, ClickBank, or any company that sells digital or physical products; in addition, you are free advertising for them. In return, you make a percentage commission. For example; you are interested in mattresses, so you put different mattresses on the internet, and you link to the place that sells these mattresses.
- The customer or consumer- The consumer goes to the internet looking for mattresses and finds your promotion linked to the company. They click on one and it takes them to the site that sells the mattress, where they place an order.
- You make money– You make a percentage of 1%-75% for each sale according to the companies agreement.
- Everyone is happy -The customer is happy because you solved their problem, and you are happy because you made money.
What Is An Affiliate Program?
An affiliate program is formed around an agreement between you and the developer of a program or product, such as Amazon, Nike and Adidas as examples of products. In addition, software, plugins, and themes are examples of programs. As a matter of fact, there are millions of companies in the world and millions of affiliate programs.
Companies set up an affiliate program on their site or through a network that you can join. They give you advertising banners, information and let you know what percentage of a commission their program will pay for a sale. Affiliate programs have many rules and regulations, but all are spelled out clearly in the fine print.
2 Levels Of Affiliate Programs For Beginners
I will group affiliate programs into 2 levels.
- Individually managed programs
- Network managed programs
Individually Managed Affiliate Programs For Beginners
Individually managed programs are more personal, and can be large companies like Amazon. The company sets up an affiliate program you can join. Usually, you are approved by someone directly in the company.
It may be more beneficial to join a network-managed program at first because you can apply to many different companies within the network. But if you have a product you are promoting, and the company is individually managed, then, by all means, do apply to their affiliate program.
Network Managed Affiliate Programs For Beginners
A network-managed program is a large company whose sole purpose is to manage affiliate programs for many different company. Similarly, most of the programs I will list here are network-managed programs.
8 Best Affiliate Programs For Beginners
The first 2 of these 8 programs are individually managed, and the remaining 6 are networks that manage many affiliate programs under their network name.
- Fiverr
- Amazon Associates
- ShareASale
- Awin
- Commission Junction (CJ)
- Rakuten
- JVzoo
- ClickBank
Fiverr
Fiverr is a platform for freelancers to post their services, in addition, they have everything from A-Z. The Fiverr affiliate program is good for beginners because of the diverse areas for you to choose from.
The commission is not a solid percentage but a designated amount per service. For instance, the basic level of services will be $15 – $50. For pro services, the payout is $150. In reality, it can be a bit confusing, but it is consistent.
Just one thing to remember, you make a commission on only new members. For example; if a person clicks on your link but already has an account with Fiverr, you do not make a commission. But the cookie life is 12 months. If a new person clicks your link but does not set up their account for 4 months, you will still make a commission for their purchase.
Fiverr’s affiliate program is well outlined, with options for you to choose the best to meet your needs.
Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is a good place to start. They offer great links, and you can make a commission on any product a person buys under your link. For instance, if you promote tennis shoes and a visitor clicks on your link, but once they are inside Amazon, they buy bicycle accessories, you still get a commission for the sale.
Equally important; don’t apply too early to the Amazon Associates Program. You have to make 3 sales in the first 3 months to continue with their affiliate program, excluding friends, family, and yourself.
ShareASale
ShareASale is a network with over 700,000 affiliates to choose from, making it a great choice for beginners. It is one of the largest affiliate networks today. They make it easy to join their program, and once inside, you can choose the best programs to fit your niche.
Awin
Awin is a network with over 225,000 affiliates to choose from and is growing all the time. They have over 20 years of experience in the affiliate business, so they won’t pull the rug when you are just getting started with your new business.
Commission Junction (CJ)
CJ Network has over 23 years of experience connecting affiliates (the advertiser) with publishers (the company.) It is the leading affiliate network. They have over 70,000 affiliates to choose from and won the Global Excellence award in June of 2021.
Rakuten
Rakuten has been in business for 24+ years and manages some of the biggest brand names in the business. They have over 150,000 affiliates to choose from and have acquired other large network companies to incorporate into their business.
Rakuten offers you the ability to customize ads to fit your needs. The platform is not the most modern, but it is one of the most experienced.
JVzoo
JVzoo is an advertising and marketing network that generates 7.4 million in revenue per year and has over 800,000 followers. They specialize in newly launched programs. You can go to Muncheye to see all of the upcoming launches. JVzoo does have a large product base for the make money online niche.
My only suggestion for JVzoo is to check out the product well before you promote it. I prefer to promote products that will help my followers.
ClickBank
ClickBank has had some reputation issues in the past, but they do pay a high commission. When you sign up for ClickBank, you can find some good reputable products to promote. My suggestion is the same for ClickBank as it was for JVzoo. Be sure to check the product ratings before you promote it.
ClickBank has 21,500 Products in over 275 categories. As an affiliate marketer, you are bound to find a few reputable programs that you feel good about promoting. ClickBank is a strong competitor of JVzoo.
What To Look For In Affiliate Programs For Beginners
Just one more thing before I close. How do you know if an affiliate program is a good one?
I look at five main areas. These areas will give you the best overview of the program. Not to mention these are the areas that will provide you with the best information for you to decide what programs you can benefit from and what to look for in other affiliate programs within your niche. The five areas are:
- How much will you make – what is the percentage of commission?
- When will you get paid – do they pay monthly and is there a payout threshold?
- How long is the cookie life – Is it 15 days, 6 months, a year or a lifetime?
- The ease of filing an application – Do they make the process so complicated that it is not worth your time?
- Is there adequate marketing information – Is there banners and a personal link that will mark your commission? Can you easily market their product with what they provide?
Wrapping It All Up
Preparation is one of the biggest steps when you apply to an affiliate. Have your branding in place because the affiliate will look at your site.
Be prepared to give personal information and go into detail about how you will promote their product. The affiliate does not have time to figure it out and will only approve your application if you have detailed information.
Always be kind. The affiliate is your partner, and you are their free advertisement. You work together for the better good of everyone.
And above all, do not give up if you are rejected. Use the information they give you to improve and try again.
You may also be interested in viewing the other 4 articles in this series:
