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Best Affiliate Programs for Beginners to Make Money

If you are just getting started, you may be wondering which types of affiliate marketing programs you could utilize to make some serious money.

Perhaps you want to diversify income for a content site that generates revenue through display advertising, or you are looking for ways to monetize your blogging content. Chances are, no matter which industry or niche you happen to set out for, there is an affiliate platform that will fit your needs.

What’s the Difference Between an Affiliate Network and an Affiliate Program?

An affiliate marketing network curates products from different brands and then works together with the affiliate marketers. In other words, it runs affiliate marketing programs for many brands and acts like the middleman between the brand and the affiliate. Examples of well-known affiliate marketing networks are AWIN, CJ Affiliate, and ShareASale.

With an affiliate program, the brand oversees and runs the entire process. Instead, brands often use affiliate marketing software, like ReferralCandy or Refersion, to manage the program on their own. They can also appoint dedicated affiliate managers to liaise with the affiliates. One of the benefits of operating your affiliate program directly is that you don’t have to pay any affiliate network fees.

Here Is a Quick Recap of What Affiliate Marketing Actually Is

If you are still in the process of learning what affiliate marketing actually is, it is best that we start at the beginning. Put into simple terms, affiliate marketing is where you sign up with a company or a network to sell their products or services. You then typically make a commission every time someone either buys something or executes a desired action.

These desired actions could include someone clicking on a link in your blog to purchase a product on Amazon or completing an offer from one of the affiliate networks we will cover in this guide. You are then paid a commission when traffic that you generated to the retailers’ offer completes a desired action. This money is generally part of the company or affiliate program’s online marketing budget.

Best Affiliate Marketing Programs For Beginners

Now let’s take a look at the best affiliate marketing programs for first-timers— those that give you the best chance of making money online with your new business.

1. BigCommerce

You can use BigCommerce to sell basically anything online. Plus, as there are many BigCommerce apps that can help you to boost your online earnings even further, it should be an easy sell.

Commission: Affiliates will earn 200% of the customer’s first monthly payment. For an enterprise client, you can earn as much as $1,500.

Payments: No information is available on their page. So, it’s best to contact them for more info about their payment schedule.

Resources and support: Affiliates receive pre-made banners and emails. To help them generate more sales, they also have direct access to a dedicated account manager who’s an expert in affiliate marketing.

2. Sandals

Another affiliate program that travel influencers and writers can check out is the program offered by the Sandals and Beaches brands. It’s ideal if you know your target audience is craving a Caribbean vacation. As the getaways are suitable for both couples and families, you’ll also be able to reach a bigger target audience.

Commission: Commissions start at 4% for all travel products. Affiliates can also win free trips and other performance bonuses.

Payments: The program is powered by the CJ Affiliate network. So, interested affiliates should reach out to them regarding their payout policies.

Resources and support: You’ll receive a library of hundreds of colorful banners. Promotions and offers will also be communicated by means of a monthly newsletter. To help and support you further, you’ll also be assigned a dedicated affiliate marketing manager.

3.ShareASale

ShareASale is probably one of the most overlooked affiliate networks out there.

Part of this is because the interface looks very 2002 – it hasn’t changed since I first signed up for my account many, many moons ago. And the lack of a “Wow” factor puts some new affiliate marketers off. But my friends, my friends – ShareASale has some of the best affiliate programs out there. Some pay $300 – $350 per sale. And no, those affiliate programs have nothing to do with…umm “enlargement” products, or anything like that.

In fact, they represent around 5,000 different affiliate programs, but these are focused more on smaller but profitable companies, rather than just huge brand names. The affiliate marketing dashboard is basic but functional, and sometimes the lack of complexity is actually a good thing. For the more latest news visit the site

4. Impact

The impact is essentially another big affiliate marketing network, although it’s not as old as the likes of ClickBank and ShareASale.

But age, after all, is just a number, so Impact’s comparative youthfulness definitely shouldn’t stop you from signing up. Its founders created Commission Junction, so they clearly know what they’re doing!

Much like the other big-name networks, you’ll find tons of household names on Impact, including Adidas, Airbnb, and HSBC. At the time of writing, a grand total of 2,517 brands were using the platform to reach new audiences, with new advertisers joining the network all the time.

Unsurprisingly for a (relative) newcomer to the world of affiliate marketing, Impact’s user interface is a lot fancier than most affiliate networks.

5. Awin

Awin is your standard online marketplace similar to Amazon and Etsy, with over 13,000 advertisers currently active within its affiliate network. The products and services that this program covers are spread across four different categories:

Finance and Insurance – these are your traditional loans, personal banking, property, savings and investments, credit cards, and the insurance company offers.
Retail and Shopping – this includes clothing, accessories, electronics, and so on.
Telecommunications and Services – this category includes offers related to education, training, web hosting, services, and so on.
Travel – everything from cruises to holidays, trains, hotels and accommodations, car rental, airlines, and general tourism.

The Awin affiliate program offers several digital products and services covering multiple niches, meaning that an affiliate can choose from the categories above to promote. As a marketplace, the platform is great for content creators, site owners, influencers, and technology-based partners who want to advertise their products by building profitable relationships.

6. Etsy Affiliate Program

The Etsy program is something of an affiliate marketing hybrid.

That’s because the products sold through the platform are made by independent crafters, vintage traders, and artists, although there has been some “creep” with overseas manufacturers trying to stake a claim here.

So it’s an affiliate network for sole traders if that makes sense.

What Etsy has managed to do is become the leading platform in its niche – nobody else comes close. They’ve gone from zero to publicly traded companies in a very few short years.

What I find interesting about Etsy is that a surprising number of people I know have either bought something on Etsy or are selling their own handicrafts on the platform.

7. Fiverr Affiliate Program

Just present an audience with a list of service providers, and they’ll take care of the rest.

Fiverr took that basic concept and ran with it, monetizing the gig industry for services covering the following umbrella categories: graphic design, marketing, writing, video and animation, music, programming, business, lifestyle, and industries.

Although you can sign up for their program on CJ.com, we’re going to focus on their in-house affiliate program instead for the sake of simplicity.

It’s potentially one of the highest-paying affiliate programs out there. The Fiverr affiliate program offers up to $150 per referral, depending on the category of the service provider you’re promoting.

8. BH Cosmetics

For beauty influencers, there’s the BH Cosmetics affiliate program. Its products are cruelty-free and include countless vegan options so you won’t exclude anyone from your audience. Plus, as sustainability and vegan-based products are some of the retail trends that will shape 2022, its products can be worthwhile to promote.

Commission: You’ll earn a 6% commission on all the sales generated via your site. The average order value is about $38.

Payments: No detailed information is provided.

Resources and support: You’ll receive a monthly newsletter, coupons, banners, and other captivating creatives.

9. Teachable

If you prefer to earn a recurring commission, be sure to check out Teachable’s program. According to its website, affiliates earn on average $450 per month, while many make more than $1,000 every month.

Commission: You can earn up to 50% commission. The recurring commission will always be 30%.

Payments: Approved transactions are paid 10 days after the end of the day they’re invoiced.

Resources and support: Unlike most other programs, Teachable shares marketing language that managed to deliver results in the past with its affiliates. Affiliates will also receive monthly emails with platform updates.