Choosing the right affiliate program to promote will be one of the biggest challenges you will face when starting out in affiliate marketing.
After all, there are thousands of options available.
If you choose the wrong program, it could potentially delay your affiliate income for months. However, working with the right one might result in you collecting your first affiliate earnings even before your site is complete.
Having an understanding of affiliate marketing will prove invaluable for your online business success. Despite a well-designed website, ad, or social media platform, partnering with the right company is still crucial. It is affiliate programs that bridge the gap in that regard.
In this blog post, we’ll focus our attention on the best affiliate programs for beginners – since we get asked this question a lot.
Our goal is to give you a more balanced view of why it sometimes makes more sense to join affiliate networks than your own affiliate program, and vice versa.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is the process of promoting relevant products to your audience and earning a commission on every sale you make. Affiliate marketing typically pays between 5 and 50%, but this varies from program to program.
An affiliate marketing program assigns you a unique link as soon as you’re accepted. This unique link is what you promoted on your website or on social media. A loyal customer clicks through to purchase and you become the merchant.
A percentage of that sale goes to you.
What Makes A Good Affiliate Marketing Program
User-Friendly
Making things simple for yourself can be incredibly helpful when you are first starting out in affiliate marketing.
You may want to consider joining affiliate programs that are both logical and great to manage and look at.
Obviously, you want a simple interface; a complicated interface is the last thing you want.
It can be incredibly difficult to create affiliate links or upload banners due to this.
If you make a mistake of joining the wrong affiliate program, you might end up crying. This is because either the interface is so complex that it takes lots of time to work with it or the interface is not user friendly at all.
Affiliate networks often do not have this problem – they aim to make affiliate marketing as simple as possible.
If you aren’t earning income (passive income), they too aren’t making money – neither are their clients.
That being the case, in-house affiliate programs are just as numerous as the Sistine Chapel of affiliate marketing.
Our main point here is that determining whether or not to use affiliate marketing programs should be influenced by their ease-of-use.
Point Of Contact
The unexpected is bound to happen.
At times, the links won’t work.
You might have problems accessing links, or you might wonder why the sales report doesn’t add up.
It’s at that point that you’ll need an affiliate manager.
Networks with affiliate programs tend to have a slight advantage here. This is because their support staff as well as affiliate managers can help you with whatever program you have a question about.
It is crucial to bear in mind that affiliate managers are no different from face-to-face managers in that some are fantastic, while others are terrible.
Make sure you find out what kind of affiliate program support you’ll receive before you sign up. For example, does the company have a dedicated affiliate manager?
Commission & Payments
Do not just look at how much you will receive from an affiliate program, but also when you will receive it.
Most affiliate programs pay their merchants at the end of every month, while some affiliate programs pay after 60 days “Every two months”. Some even pay after 90 days.
90 days would be a long time to wait for your affiliate monies, especially if you have bills to pay.
Read more here.
Best Affiliate Marketing Programs For Beginners
Our selection of these programs was based specifically on the experience needed to become a successful entrepreneur. Be sure to look at each one and weigh the benefits and drawbacks before signing up.
1. Amazon Associates
This is the best affiliate program for beginners and it is also the first affiliate program in the world to go online.
According to recent data, Amazon holds about half of the eCommerce market in the United States. Nearly 200 million people access Amazon each month. Needless to say, Amazon is one of the world’s largest and most trusted e-commerce platforms. When it comes to linking to items for sale, Amazon is always your best option.
Various products are offered through the Amazon Affiliate Program, which includes every product they sell online.
Therefore, if you find something on Amazon you can sell it and get some of the profits.
There’s something for everyone in the Amazon collection, from books to bullhorns, and everything in between.
Amazon’s affiliate program is what we direct most new affiliates to first due to its simplicity, especially when making your first affiliate link.
Become an Amazon affiliate.
Pros
- Cost to Join: It’s free
- Commission: Up to 10%
- Payment Threshold: A direct deposit of $10 or a check for $100
- Trusted company that offers millions of products, has a low payment threshold, and earn on any sale within 24 hours
Cons.
- During a 24-hour period, cookies expire. You are not credited with purchases made after
- Program Requirements: 3 qualified sales in 180 days
- According to some standards, commissions are low
- There are difficulties with international payouts
- PayPal isn’t supported
At the end of the day, keep in mind that Amazon is among the affiliate marketing companies that offer decent commissions to beginners as well as seasoned marketers. In addition to its trusted brand status, Amazon is a more attractive option for consumers than other online marketplaces.
Plus, Amazon offers thousands of products to promote. Thus, niches of all kinds can be found there.
In general, Amazon Associates is a great program to get started while you learn more about some of the other options in this article.
Tips for writing a blog from scratch.
Read more.
2. ClickBank
ClickBank has affiliate programs that appeal to all types of marketers. Any affiliate can access the affiliate information on this platform, making it an excellent affiliate platform to consider.
Due to their 20 year history and success, they are an excellent option for those new to the market no matter how advanced they may be. The broad range of products they offer to promote and the variety of companies they partner with make them hard to ignore.
Become a ClickBank affiliate,
Open an account if you want to start earning revenue.
Input your personal and payment info
Finalize your account to get started.
When the account is finalized, choose the product you wish to sell and share its affiliate link.
It’s that easy.
A ClickBank affiliate program offers high commissions with a simple structure, making it one of the easiest ways to get started.
Cost: Free
Type: Affiliate network
Best suited to: Marketers who prefer promoting digital products
Payment threshold: $50
You get paid: Net 60
As a ClickBank affiliate, you can expect to experience the following pros and cons:
Pros:
- It offers a wide range of products that are suitable for many different niches.
- A high commission rate is typical of many products.
- Recurring commissions are promoted.
- The link generation process is easy to use and simple.
- A wide range of resources are available to help you get started.
Cons:
- The large amount of ‘spammy’ products is time-wasting and undermines credibility.
- High-value products are highly competitive.
You may want to consider ClickBank as an affiliate partner if you have ever been hesitant about doing business with affiliate programs. They are well-respected and they are able to help you grow at your own pace.
It is unavoidable that ClickBank is a great affiliate program for those who are new to affiliate marketing. Getting started with affiliate marketing is relatively easy and safe due to the low entry requirements.
Join ClickBank affiliate program
Related post.
3. Commission Junction (CJ)cj
Commission Junction, currently know as CJ Affiliate by Conversant, is an affiliate marketing program that has existed for over 20 years helping merchants and affiliates alike.
The Internet Retailer 500 companies they work with are twice as many as any other affiliate program, according to their website. The company boasts that their affiliate program has twice as much favor with merchants as other affiliate marketing programs.
Join CJ affiliate program.
Certainly, those claims make sense when we consider all the services they are offering. There are extensive list of niches you can find on their site, not to mention the all-encompassing ‘other’ category.
Before joining CJ affiliate consider the following:
- Cost to Join: Free
- Commission: Varies by product
- Cookie Duration: They use cookie-less tracking
- Payment Threshold: $50 for direct deposit and $100 for checks
- Program Requirements: You must have your own website to join
Pros:
- It has a solid reputation among affiliate programs and has been around for years.
- Merchants from all over the world use the platform.
- The ability to network and grow increases as merchants reach out to you.
- Bloggers and marketers will find it flexible.
Cons
- Affiliates also have a greater degree of competition with better advertisers.
- Newcomers find it difficult. A successful application and credential check will determine your success.
- Payment terms vary greatly, which can cause confusion.
- It isn’t the best for advertising.
It may be a smart move to get involved in CJ affiliate programs if you have the experience to work with merchants. Newcomers on CJ Affiliate can still succeed as long as they put in the effort.
4. Fiverr Affiliate Program
In general, selling services is much easier than selling goods.
All you have to do is present a list of service providers to an audience, and they will handle the rest.
With that approach, Fiverr monetizes the gig industry for services that cover several areas such as graphics, marketing, writing, video and animation, music, programming, business, lifestyle, and industries.
Based on the service provider category, the Fiverr affiliate program can pay anywhere from $5 to $150 per referral.
Join Fiverr affiliate program.
In addition to earning with Fiverr, they also offer courses where you can earn 30% per sale called “Learn from Fiverr.”.
You can now find “lifestyle” services on this gig platform, too, such as arts and crafts and tarot readings, as well as digital services like WordPress installations and backlink building.
It only takes 30 seconds to sign up for their affiliate program – just enter your name, email address, and password.
Become a Fiverr affiliate
Cost: Free
Type: Merchant
Best suited to: Blog posts that cover topics directly or indirectly related to Fiverr gigs. Business-style services don’t tend to sell as well.
Payment threshold: $100
You get paid: Net 30
Pros
- It’s really nice to have an affiliate interface that’s easy to use and refreshing to compare to others
- Due to Fiverr’s dominance in the market, there is no competition
- You’ll always have something else to sell as new services become available all the time
- It is possible to earn as high as $150 commissions per referral – there is a huge opportunity here
Cons
- A sale to an existing customer is not credited to you
- Eventually, many popular gigs will migrate to their own websites, like Etsy
5. eBay Partner Network
The eBay affiliate program is among the highest paid on the Internet. If you are interested in becoming an eBay affiliate, you can join the eBay Partner Network. Typically, commissions are between 50-70%.
eBay offers affiliates the tools they need to promote eBay’s products as easily as possible. Whatever marketing strategy you choose, eBay’s affiliate program can be beneficial.
The eBay affiliate program differs from some of the other affiliate marketing programs in this list in that you will be working directly with eBay and their products. eBay is the primary partner with whom you’ll be working, even though you’ll assist sellers to a small extent.
Like Amazon, you will have access to a business-friendly platform. Growth is virtually guaranteed when you take advantage of opportunities such as eBay dropshipping.
Additionally, you’re not required to work exclusively with eBay. Affiliates can earn income from different programs and merchants in addition to eBay.
To get started,
Apply to join their affiliate program, which takes about five minutes. It’s one of the easiest applications to complete.
As soon as you sign in with your account, you’ll be prompted to verify some information, choose your country of residence, and you’ll be all set. Once you have your affiliate link generated, all you need to do is find products and promote them.
It’s easier than you might think thanks to eBay. There are two ways to create affiliate links, and both take very little time.
Start by searching eBay for products in your niche, copying the URL, and pasting it into your eBay affiliate dashboard.
While most newbies jump straight into Amazon’s affiliate program (which is not a bad thing), few pause to consider the eBay affiliate program.
For new affiliates, the eBay Partner Network (EPN) can be a great place to start, often along with the Amazon Associates Program.
Join eBay affiliate program.
Totally free
Business type: merchant
This program is best suited for: Anyone
The payment threshold is $10
You get paid at the end of 30 days.
Pros
- Low entry requirements as a new beginner
- Brand name that is recognized across the globe
- A huge selection of products is available
- It is possible to provide real value to your visitors here – often more so than Amazon
- Approximately 70% commission rate per sale, which is relatively high
- Paying with PayPal is possible
Cons
- 24-hour cookie
- Lots of knock-off products on their platform
Similar post here.
6. Rakuten Advertising
Japan’s largest marketing company.
Having acquired LinkShare back in 2005, they gained their first foray into affiliate marketing.
Since then, they have taken Rakuten Linkshare from being an established brand to winning awards most years.
Is this a good choice for beginner affiliates?
Yes yes yes..
Simple interface similar to most popular brads.
1000+ brands and businesses represented by Rakuten
As a merchant, we supply everything from gifts and flowers through to consumer electronics and office supplies.
Join Rakuten affiliate program
One potential downside is that Rakuten is one of the top affiliate networks. As a result, the approval process can take quite a while, especially if your site doesn’t receive much traffic.
Despite this, Rakuten remains a sleeping giant that many new affiliates overlook.
URL: Rakuten affiliate program
Cost: Free
Type: Affiliate network
Best suited to: Affiliates who want to expand their business beyond Amazon and eBay.
Payment threshold: $50
You get paid: Net 30
Pros
- Affiliate programs for big brands are available here
- Easy-to-use interface – it does what it says it will
- Annual sales of over US$100 million
- A network that is among the oldest in existence
Cons
- I look young using an outdated interface
- Metrics data is lacking
7. Etsy Affiliate Program
Etsy’s affiliate program is a hybrid of affiliate marketing and advertising.
There are many independent crafters, vintage traders and artists selling products through the platform, although overseas manufacturers have tried to gain a foothold.
It’s basically an affiliate network for sole proprietors.
Despite the competition in their field, Etsy has managed to establish itself as the industry leader. A very short time ago, they were a penny stock. Now they’re a publicly traded company.
Become Etsy affiliate.
It is interesting to me that many people I know either purchase items from Etsy, or sell their own handcrafted items..
Upon finding products on the platform, you can link to them and/or review them. 4% of each purchase made by one of your visitors will be awarded to you
Even though you probably won’t retire on Etsy commissions, this provides you with a great opportunity to earn affiliate income.
Cost: Free
Type: Merchant
Best suited to: Affiliates with a passion for handmade items, personalized items, and vintage products
Payment threshold: $50
You get paid: Net 30
Pros
- Easy navigation and a clean interface
- Continually updating items in stock – something new is always added
- Affiliate marketing programs for craft/vintage/gift industries are rare and exceptional
- When you promote Etsy, you support independent businesses (microbusinesses)
- The variety of products they offer keeps people on the website for hours at a time
Cons
- You should not rely solely on a single vendor – popular vendors eventually leave a platform
- Recent algorithm changes on Etsy have been causing traders’ frustration
8. ShareASale
Awin purchased this affiliate network recently, and it may be one of the most overlooked affiliate networks out there.
A large part of it is due to the interface still looking exactly like it did back in 2002 when I first signed up for my account.
Additionally, some affiliates stay away from this network because of its lack of suprising factor.
However, I must tell you – ShareASale has programs that pay out $300 – $350 per sale. There are no “enlargement” products involved in these programs.
Thousands of affiliate programs are represented, but they focus more on smaller yet profitable companies rather than just big brands.
There is nothing complicated about the affiliate dashboard, and sometimes having a simple interface is helpful.
Consider joining ShareASale if you are looking for a network.
Join ShareASale affiliate program.
Cost: Free
Type: Affiliate network
Payment threshold: $50
You get paid: Net 30
Best suited to: Affiliate marketers interested in emerging brands or tangential products.
Pros
- Promoting countless products and services
- Small, unknown, but worthwhile programs
- Commission Junction, for example, lacks a “Search for Merchants” feature, which is superior to ours
- A program’s ‘PowerRank’ metric displays where it ranks among the top 1000 of ShareASale
- It doesn’t take long to get paid
Cons
- An outdated interface
- Approval processes for programs can sometimes be unpredictable
9. JVZOO affiliate program
In the same way as ShareASale, JVZoo is an affiliate network that affiliate marketers use to market sellers’ products.
Members of JVZoo can join for free either as a vendor or affiliate marketer. Affiliate marketers can promote these products as affiliates through JVZoo, where vendors can list their products.
Join JVZOO affiliate program.
If you join JVZoo, you’ll be able to promote all products listed on the site as soon as you join. However, before you can start promoting a product, you must apply. You will most likely be approved in most cases, as the application is relatively simple.
With over 800,000 affiliates and over $1.2 billion in sales, JVZoo already has over 800,000 active affiliates.
In addition, this network provides a unique environment for the launch of new products almost every day. You can take advantage of this opportunity and promote a product before anyone else.
Join this awesome affiliate network and start earning.
10. Buzzsprout affiliate program
BuzzSprout is a platform for podcast hosting. They offer their users all the tools they need for hosting, promoting, and tracking their podcasts. It comes with a free 90-day trial as well.
Over 700,000 podcasts are currently active, with over 29 million episodes in over 100 languages. 80% of users listen to an entire episode, a statistic unparalleled by any other content type.
With thousands of podcasts covering business, culture, and health, podcasts are becoming more popular than ever. Would your audience like to join you on the ride?
There’s one difference between BuzzSprout’s affiliate program and the rest of this list. A $20 Amazon gift card is awarded to you and to the person you refer.
- Cost to Join: Free
- Commission: $20 Amazon gift card
- Cookie Duration: Unknown
- Payment Threshold: 2 billing cycles
- Program Requirements: None
- Pros: 90-day free trial is easy to promote, podcasts arehuge right now, and you both earn a commission
- Cons: You have to wait for 2 billing cycles before you get your gift card, and the person you refer has to upgrade to a paid plan
Read similar post here.
Conclusion
The key to successful affiliate marketing is to select the right affiliate program.
When writing, it’s crucial to remember who you’re writing to.
Those who are successful in affiliate marketing know how to apply a value-based mindset to their marketing. You should put the most effort into giving your readers something worthwhile in everything you do.
Following your review of the 10 best affiliate marketing programs for beginners, you will be ready to pick products and start promoting them.
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