Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize your blog. You may have heard of it and wondered how you can become an affiliate for the products you usually recommend to your readers.
There are many affiliate networks that will accept new bloggers.
Affiliate marketing is a great way to increase your blog’s income, even if it doesn’t have much traffic. Affiliate links are a great way to make some extra income and grow your blog traffic.
You have two options if you want to become an affiliate for products.
Either you contact the retailer directly to find out if they offer a program or you apply to an affiliate network and get access to hundreds of companies as well as affiliate links all in one go.
Considerations when applying for affiliate networks
- What types of affiliates do they work with? How well do they fit into your niche?
- Payment schedule – Some networks pay monthly, while others leave it up to the discretion of each individual
- What creatives are they offering? (text link, different banner sizes)
- How long do the cookies last? This refers to the time that your personal affiliate link is registered with the product/retailer. Some cookies can last for a year, while others may last just a few days. If a possible buyer takes a lot of time to consider before purchasing, longer cookies are better.
- Are they offering deep linking? Affiliate marketing is easier if you can directly link to the product and not the company’s homepage.
- Support. Some networks assign you an account manager, who will check in with you regularly to answer any questions. However, for some, once you are approved, you are completely on your own.
9 Affiliate Networks that Accept New Bloggers
1. Shareasale.com
- Great for new bloggers and very easy to get approved for.
- Access companies like TinyPrints, Zullily, and DollarTree
- They include a lot smaller, family-owned businesses that aren’t on any other network.
- Each individual company will have to approve you in a certain period, while some companies approve you automatically. Others will review your site and provide an answer in a matter of days.
- Minimum payout: $50
- Once you make your first sale, they pay monthly. Bank transfer is used to pay.
- Shareasale has two-tier commissions. This means that you will receive a percentage of any sale made by an affiliate of yours who becomes an affiliate. It may be a small amount, but it adds up.
TIP: Follow up with a program if they don’t respond. You could get approved within minutes.
2. MaxBounty
- A dedicated affiliate manager is available via Skype, phone, and email. They will help you find the right campaigns for your niche and get the best-paying programs.
- MaxBounty is a great option for bloggers who are looking to quickly earn income.
- Over 1,500 campaigns are available to advertise in all niches including surveys, freebies, financial insurance, diet. They mostly deal with larger businesses.
- MaxBounty approval is possible by completing the online sign-up process and a quick phone call with an account manager. The majority of programs within are then automatically approved for you.
- Payments via Paypal must be at least $100 to avoid transaction fees.
- Some MaxBounty programs can reach their monthly caps quickly. This means you cannot promote them for the rest of the month. Visitors are usually redirected to another site.
3. CJ Affiliates
- CJ affiliates, formerly known as Commission Junction, is one of the biggest affiliate networks.
- It works in the same manner as the other programs, where you get a commission for a sign-up/lead or sale to a website.
- They have worked with companies like VRBO, Zappos.com, and Walgreens.
- They make monthly payouts, just like other networks via direct deposits.
- CJ affiliates is also a great option if you want to display specific ads on your blog instead of Adsense.
- CJ will close your account immediately if you do not make any sales within the first six months.
4. Awin.com
- Affiliate Window, also known as AWIN in the UK, is another affiliate network.
- AWIN was until recently the only network to have Etsy. Shareasale has now had Etsy since 2017, though it’s for the USA only. However, Canada and the UK will still need AWIN.
- A wide range of products are available, including booking.com, Travelzoo, and Caesars Entertainment.
- AWIN may require you to pay $5 via credit card in good faith. This payment will be refunded once you have sold your first product and reached the payout threshold (usually $20).
5. Amazon Affiliates
- Amazon allows you to promote almost every product in the market/world.
- Amazon is easy to join, but you will need to be approved before you use their links.
- Within 24 hours of clicking your affiliate link, you will receive a commission for any item purchased.
- Once you have reached a $100 threshold, payment will be made. (The most used are direct deposit, gift cards)
6. Rakuten Network
- Rakuten, also known as Linkshare, has many large retailers like Nordstrom, Macy’s, and AT&T.
- You will also find premium brands such as Isabella Oliver maternity wear or Uncommon Goods.
- Rakuten allows anyone to open an account, but each individual brand must be applied for.
- $50 minimum payout through a number of payment options, including Paypal.
7. Impact
- Are you interested in becoming an affiliate for Target?
- Some of their campaigns are great, such as Uber or Target.
- Register for each program separately
- It is not possible to search for merchants who want to join Impact. They work differently. An insertion order for every approved program must be signed and approved by you.
8. Flexoffers
- Flexoffers works with many European companies like Souris Mini, Yves Rocher, as well as established US brands such as Bloomingdales and Destination Maternity.
- This is one of the most international affiliate networks since it offers many companies from around the world.
9. Ultimate Bundles
- Amazing bundles of ebooks and courses at deeply discounted prices
- Bundles can include blogging, organizing, and parenting.
- Each bundle is only available for a short time in order to generate a buzz. You can get evergreen bundles.
- 40% Commission per bundle sold
- PayPal payouts with no threshold
- Although the program is not open every time in a month, I believe you can still get on the waiting list.
Sign up for the Ultimate Bundles Program here!
Conclusion
Using affiliate links to generate passive income is something you should be excited about! This is a great way to make money with your blog!
Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just putting a few links on your site and calling it good.
You need to create a plan that will allow you to effectively promote your affiliate links, even after you’ve been approved.
