Finding the best affiliate programs for beginners is one of the main obstacles you’ll have to overcome when starting an affiliate marketing business.
Thousands of profitable affiliate programs are available to select from, after all.
The improper affiliate program could hold you back several months, while the perfect one could enable you to start making money before your website is even “done.”
We’ll spend our time together in this blog article looking at the finest affiliate programs for beginners because this is a question we are frequently asked.
We’ll also strive to present you with a far more fair picture of when joining an affiliate network makes more sense than an internal affiliate program and when it doesn’t.
Check out this list of outstanding affiliate programs where you may optimize your revenue potential and get the best conversion rates in 2023:
11+ Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for 2023
- Amazon Associates Affiliate Program
- ClickBank Affiliate Program
- eBay Partner Network Affiliate Program
- CJ (Commission Junction) Affiliate Program
- Impact Affiliate Program
- Awin Affiliate Program
- ShareASale Affiliate Program
- Rakuten Advertising Affiliate Program
- MaxBounty Affiliate Program
- Fiverr Affiliate Program
- Etsy Affiliate Program
- Refersion Marketplace
- PepperJam Network
- FlexOffers Affiliate Program
- Avangate Affiliate Program
- LinkConnector Affiliate Program
What is Affiliate Marketing?
In affiliate marketing, you advertise the goods or services of another business. You receive a commission when a customer makes a purchase through your affiliate link. Typically, these fees are either a certain percentage of the sale price or a predetermined sum.
Why should you do Affiliate Marketing?
Here are two benefits of affiliate marketing that you should think about:
1. Low-cost and low-risk
Due to initial costs for inventory, personnel, equipment, rent, and other expenses, starting a business can be tricky and expensive. You only need a website to engage in affiliate marketing. You merely lost some time and a little money if it doesn’t work out.
2. Easy to scale
A typical salesperson only deals with one firm while selling things. You can market the goods of various businesses as a marketing partner and receive commissions from each one.
What Is An Affiliate Network?
A marketplace where you can search for merchants willing to collaborate with affiliate marketers or publications like you is an affiliate network. Once you register as a user or publisher, you can explore and compare many affiliate programs that are a member of the same network.
You become eligible to view the complete list of affiliate programs for which the network provides tracking technology once you register as a publisher with an affiliate network. You can compare affiliate programs based on compensation rates, cookie duration, and many other factors when you access your dashboard.
On the other hand, businesses that have registered with these networks are able to control their affiliate partners, upload creatives, newsletters, and feeds, as well as determine their own affiliate terms and compensation rates.
Typically, retailers must pay a fee in order to join an affiliate network. Some networks additionally charge a monthly recurring fee and a modest transaction fee for each sale made using their network. However, most networks don’t charge anything for you to register as a publisher if you’re an affiliate marketer.
What Is An Affiliate Program?
A revenue-sharing arrangement known as an affiliate program rewards affiliate marketers for generating qualified leads, sales, and referrals. The affiliate marketer works as an independent brand booster who is compensated for his marketing efforts, as opposed to the merchant who is the product’s inventor and original seller.
Affiliate commission is the name given to the payment made to affiliate marketers. When the visitors they sent to the merchant website carry out a specific action, the affiliates are paid a fee. The most frequent commissionable actions are recommended customers making purchases or submitting form submissions.
In its most basic form, the commission for a qualified purchase or referral is the compensation earned by the affiliate marketer for generating each sale, or in the event that the merchant counts each completed form as a qualified referral, it is the compensation for each lead.
There are typically two alternatives available to merchants who want to use affiliate marketing to expand their customer base. To develop and manage their affiliate programs, they can either join an affiliate network or employ internal and proprietary affiliate sales tracking technologies. You also have two choices if you work as an affiliate marketer. Either the internal programs or the programs offered through other affiliate networks are available to you.
Affiliate Networks vs Affiliate Programs
A scalable and affordable approach for businesses to sell their goods, reach a larger audience, and tap into new markets is an affiliate program. You will be compensated for the leads and sales you generate if you operate as an affiliate marketer and sign up for the company’s internal program or network.
A platform for collaboration called an affiliate network might enable you to work with a retailer to promote their goods. Publishers and affiliate marketers have full access to a network of merchants through an affiliate network. The vital tracking technology, however, is given to merchants by a network.
What kind of Income do Affiliate Marketers earn?
The average affiliate marketer makes less than $10,000 annually. That is supported by a poll conducted by Influencer Marketing Hub. However, one in six (16.87%) people earn $50,000 or more annually.
You should control your expectations. Don’t let this discourage you; you won’t start out making a lot of money.
The achievements of others demonstrate that you too have the potential to achieve such heights with perseverance, patience, and the correct information.
16 Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for beginners
Let’s now look at the top affiliate marketing programs for beginners—those that provide you the highest chances of earning money online with your new venture.
1. Amazon Associates
Amazon is a fantastic starting point for affiliate marketing beginners. The massive Amazon marketplace handles the majority of the sales procedure for you by preheating your leads.
It is your responsibility to drive new customers to the Amazon website from outside traffic sources. You have access to millions of products, and more are being added daily. It’s a terrific way to generate money even if you don’t have much experience with affiliate marketing.
2. ClickBank
One of the first affiliate networks in the market, ClickBank has supported over 100,000 affiliates globally and has distributed over $5 billion in commissions since 1999. The process of opening a ClickBank account is really simple.
There isn’t a protracted verification process that you must go through. You can begin building affiliate links and earning money as soon as you have an account. A wide range of digital products that match your niche is available through ClickBank’s affiliate program. Although you’ll have a lot of affiliate competitors, you can advertise as many products as you like to boost your earnings.
3. eBay Partner Network
One of the first online marketplaces that connected buyers and sellers were eBay, which was established in 1995. It continues to be well-known throughout the world and now has affiliate marketing relationships.
When it comes to commission fees, eBay Partner Network merely takes a cut of the sale’s revenue. Additionally, such commissions change based on the kind of goods that is sold. For illustration, suppose a PS4 is being offered on eBay for $200.
Someone clicks on your affiliate link to purchase the PS4 after seeing it. According to the table below, you would receive $10 as a commission for that referral if eBay made a $20 profit on that sale.
Since practically anything may be sold on eBay, it appeals to a wide range of demographics as an affiliate program. Even a bag of air from a Kanye West event was auctioned for $65,000 in 2015.
4. Commission Junction (CJ) Affiliate
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With 8.14% of the market share in the sector, CJ is one of the bigger affiliate networks out there. It has business relationships with well-known corporations including Priceline, J. Crew, Overstock, and Barnes & Noble. Each year, CJ also pays out more than $1.8 billion in affiliate commissions.
Publishers and individuals signed up for CJ’s affiliate program have access to top brands and data that make it simple for them to monetize their online businesses. Depending on what advertisers pay, commission rates change.
Additionally, CJ provides a wide range of cutting-edge tools and services, like omnichannel monitoring, ad and content monetization, and an interactive onboarding process that enables program enrollment and sales with a single click.
5. Impact
One of the greatest affiliate marketing platforms available, Impact makes it simple to collaborate with well-known companies like Uber, Adidas, Airbnb, and more.
The platforms’ brands cover a wide range of industries, including retail, travel, fitness, cosmetics, financial services, and others. You may maintain and join brand relationships for free. You have access to a marketplace as an Impact affiliate where you can discover leading companies and get in touch with them.
The majority of programs use a CPA (cost-per-action) business model, which means you will be compensated whenever someone uses your affiliate link to make a purchase. It is also renowned for its automation solutions, which can help you run your business more efficiently and profitably.
6. Awin
Another well-known affiliate network is Awin. More than 14,600 advertisers, including well-known companies and household names, are accessible through it.
You can look up any program you want to participate in through Awin’s advertiser directory or contact a brand representative to talk about a relationship. An online presence is not required.
All social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and others, are accepted by Awin as affiliates. A compliance team reviews all affiliate applications submitted to Awin and confirms the information provided. In order to join the network, Awin additionally requires a $5 deposit. This deposit is refunded if you meet your first payment threshold.
7. ShareASale
There are more than 2,500 different affiliate marketing programs to select from on ShareASale. ShareASale’s user-friendly UI and free registration make it appealing to affiliate marketing newcomers.
Thousands more merchant partners are also members of ShareASale. You can promote related goods and services in any niche you want. Depending on what the merchant chooses, ShareASale’s affiliate program offers a choice of commission rates.
“The amazing thing about ShareASale’s affiliate program is their collaborations with content creators and technological partners,” says Ahmed Mir, the owner of Sip Coffee House. There are few income possibilities available on ShareASale, and creating an affiliate account requires a website.
8. Rakuten
Rakuten is a website that offers rewards to customers who make purchases on their website. With reported revenue of $3.4 billion for Q2 2021, up 15.8% year over year, and ongoing growth, it is swiftly gaining popularity as a retail platform.
At 7.85%, it holds the third-largest market share among affiliate networks. Similar to Amazon Affiliates, Rakuten’s affiliate publishing program has connections to over 2,500 different merchants who sell a wide variety of goods.
Finding a brand to partner with as an affiliate and advertise its goods through Rakuten is simple.
9. MaxBounty
A Canadian network that has existed since affiliate marketing’s infancy is called MaxBounty. or 2004, specifically.
MaxBounty concentrates on CPA offers, which is what they do well, whereas the majority of other networks concentrate on offering a wide variety of offers. You are compensated when affiliates perform a certain activity, like downloading software or submitting a form.
Additionally, normal CPA offers are typically much more profitable than, for example, CPS or flat rate offers. Around 2,000 campaigns, including ones for more well-known areas like online dating, dieting, etc., are listed on their books. Best suited for: Experienced affiliates with lots of traffic who need to promote fresh CPA deals.
10. Fiverr Affiliate Program
Fiverr is an online marketplace that links consumers and sellers and takes a fee from each sale for both parties.
Fiverr is continually looking for additional customers through various marketing channels, including affiliate marketing, because customers bring money to the table. Fiverr gives affiliates like you special links through this channel that they may share with their fan base.
The affiliate is compensated each time someone uses that link to purchase services from the Fiverr Marketplace. In conclusion, as an affiliate, you are compensated for bringing in new customers for Fiverr. Fiverr leverages its affiliate program to give affiliates special links, sales figures, support, and tools.
11. Etsy Affiliate Program
Etsy is a website where you can buy handmade goods, crafts, antique goods, and other things.
The Etsy marketplace offers a wide range of items, including jewelry, clothing, vintage items, home goods, kits, toys, electronics, and digital goods.
Because of the wide range of products available on the marketplace, an Etsy affiliate program is a fantastic option for many various types of niches and specialty websites.
First and foremost, you should be aware that this particular affiliate network requires a $5 refundable deposit to sign up. Although I understand that they do this to keep out spammers, it’s still frustrating. Just make sure you register for the affiliate marketing program that is appropriate for your area.
12. Refersion Marketplace
I recently learned about the affiliate network called Refersion.
And because they were only founded in 2015, that is why I had never heard of them before.
However, they were able to sign up 17,000 advertisers throughout that time. In a sector where rival networks struggle to sign up a few hundred businesses, that’s no small accomplishment.
In essence, the Refersion Marketplace more than makes up for its lack of flair with the enormous number of advertisers. A new affiliate marketer who is having problems being accepted by other networks would benefit the most.
13. PepperJam
You might not be familiar with the name PepperJam right away.
However, they have been active in the affiliate marketing sector for a while and have garnered enough attention to be purchased by eBay in 2009.
In 2016, they were once more released under the PepperJam name.
They represent a variety of well-known companies, such as Puma, Nordstrom, Orion, and Lindt, as well as numerous smaller, more niche ones. Most appropriate for PepperJam is a reliable network for both inexperienced and seasoned affiliates.
14. FlexOffers
FlexOffers distinguishes itself from the competition by not sticking out. While the affiliate marketing sector is saturated with hype, FlexOffers stays away from it.
Instead, they modestly carry on with their activities as an affiliate network.
In spite of the fact that they host the affiliate marketing platform for organizations such as Macy’s, Walgreens, Kohl’s, Hulu, McAfee, and AT&T, among others, they continue to do this.
They have 12,000 total advertising to select from, but only 500 of them are regarded as “premium” merchants. Most suitable for: Affiliates who require or desire access to the widest range of advertisers.
15. Avangate Network
Like ClickBank, Avangate was established in 2006 and only advertises digital goods.
But unlike ClickBank, the companies they represent are mostly software developers and offer digital courses.
Before we continue, it should be noted that Avangate actually consists of two companies: Avangate is their affiliate software platform.
But since 2Checkout is also a payment processor, their affiliate network is extremely unclear. Anyway, 2Checkout has 22,000 software advertisers registered with them as well as a few online education providers, such as SuperReading.
The software includes anything from FTP software to Hide My Ass, Bit Defender, Malware Bytes, SEO PowerSuite, and Filmora.
16. LinkConnector
Despite being around for more than ten years, LinkConnector is rarely included in roundups like these.
But that’s what happens when you essentially steal content from other affiliate marketing blogs and pass it off as your own.
What distinguishes them from other networks, then? Nevertheless, despite their relative obscurity, they have managed to secure some very notable clients, such as Reebok, Levi’s, Dockers, Omaha Steaks, Brain Sensei, and Deposit Photos.
You now have a respectable selection of both physical and digital goods to market. However, you’ll also find a lot of more specialized products in their advertiser directory, which is quite varied.
Affiliate Marketing tools
Your pals in affiliate marketing are tools. They make your work more efficient and quicker.
Here are a few of the affiliate marketing tools we suggest:
- Ahrefs — Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO tool that can be used to audit your website, find content ideas, research rivals, and more.
- Rank Math — The WordPress plugin Rank Math makes sure your pages have the best on-page SEO possible.
- Google Search Console — Find and fix technical issues with your website using Google Search Console, submit sitemaps, see problems with structured data, check your Core Web Vitals, and more.
- Google Analytics — Gives your affiliate website essential statistics and analytics.
- Thirsty Affiliates — Keep track of your affiliate links with Thirsty Affiliates, check click statistics to identify which links are most popular, and stop others from just copying your website and replacing the links with their own affiliate IDs.
Final Words
In the end, there are several important factors to consider when picking which affiliate program to join, such as the size of your online following and your desired income.
The most crucial question is: Who is your audience and what interests them?
Consider the needs and potential benefits of your website visitors or social media followers, then select an affiliate marketing program that will enable you to advertise products that address those needs. You’ll be well on your way to geometrically expanding your affiliate income once you’ve done that.
