Fastest Way to Start as Affiliate ...
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TL;DR: Ready to earn online? This guide breaks down 12 of the best affiliate programs, curated from over a decade of experience. You'll discover top options for physical products like Amazon, high-paying software like Adobe, and recurring income streams like Stan to start making money today.
Affiliate marketing has completely changed my life. I'm Benjamin Hübner, founder of IMdominator, and I started my online journey back in 2007. It took me a full year to earn my first commission, but I stuck with it. Over the years, through freelancing, crypto, and affiliate marketing, I've built a six-figure business. I’ve applied to hundreds of affiliate programs and learned what really works. Now, I want to share the 12 best programs you can apply to today to start earning real money online. Want to learn the simple system I use? Check out the Simple Affiliate System Exposed.
For beginners and seasoned marketers alike, promoting physical products is a reliable way to earn commissions. These platforms are trusted by millions, making conversions easier because customers already know and use them.
Amazon Associates: This is the program every affiliate should join. Why? Because it offers an endless catalog of products. While commissions range from 1% to 10%, its real power lies in the 24-hour cookie. When someone clicks your link, you earn a commission on anything they buy on Amazon within the next 24 hours, not just the product you recommended. People trust Amazon, so conversion rates are incredibly high.
Target Partner Program: Similar to Amazon, Target offers a huge variety of products. The key advantage here is the 7-day cookie length. This gives your audience a full week to make a purchase after clicking your link, significantly increasing your chances of earning a commission. Their average earnings per 100 clicks (EPC) is around $12-$13, making it a lucrative option.
Etsy Affiliates: If your audience loves unique, handcrafted, or vintage items, Etsy is perfect. It offers a 4% commission, but the standout feature is its 30-day cookie length. This long window means you can earn from a click that happened almost a month ago, making it great for content that has a long shelf life.
The creator economy is booming, and these platforms are built to help influencers and content creators monetize their audience directly. If you create tutorials, guides, or social media content, these programs are designed for you. Ready to monetize without showing your face? Dive into the Faceless Affiliate Marketing Blueprint.
Stan: Stan is an all-in-one platform for creators to sell digital products, courses, and coaching. By promoting Stan to other creators, you can earn a 20% recurring commission. This means as long as they stay subscribed, you get paid every single month. On their $99/month plan, that’s nearly $20 per month in passive income from a single referral.
TikTok Shop: This program has exploded in popularity. You can promote a massive range of products directly within the TikTok app. While you need a certain number of followers to join, it’s an incredible way to earn by creating short-form videos about products you love. The main limitation is that you can only promote these products on TikTok.
YouTube Shopping: YouTube's answer to TikTok Shop allows you to promote products directly within your videos. With commissions up to 15%, it's a powerful and integrated way to monetize your channel. Currently, you need 10,000 subscribers and must be in the U.S. or Korea, but it’s expected to expand globally soon.
Promoting software (SaaS) and digital services is one of the most profitable routes in affiliate marketing. These programs often offer high one-time payouts or recurring revenue, helping you build a sustainable income stream by solving specific problems for your audience.
Adobe: If you create content around design, video editing, or photography, the Adobe affiliate program is a must. You can earn 85% of the first month's payment when someone signs up for a product like Photoshop or Premiere Pro. With plans often costing $30-$70 per month, you could make $50+ for a single signup.
FreshBooks: Don't sleep on boring niches! Accounting software can be incredibly lucrative. FreshBooks pays a massive $200 for every customer you refer. Creating tutorials on bookkeeping or accounting can attract a highly motivated audience, and converting just 100 people would net you $20,000 in commissions.
Surf Shark: A VPN is a product that almost any audience can benefit from, making it easy to promote. Surf Shark offers a generous 40% revenue share on new sales with a 30-day cookie. It's an easy product to integrate into various types of content, from tech reviews to travel vlogs, providing a solid stream of passive income.
Focusing on a specific niche can lead to massive payouts, especially when promoting high-ticket items. These programs cater to audiences with specific interests like travel, finance, or home goods, where a single sale can earn you hundreds of dollars.
Expedia: Perfect for travel bloggers and content creators, Expedia allows you to earn up to 4% commission on qualifying bookings for hotels, flights, and experiences. While 4% might sound low, a $3,000 family vacation package would net you a $120 commission. Building trust with a travel-focused audience can lead to millions in revenue over time.
Coinbase: If you talk about crypto or investing, Coinbase is a trusted platform you can promote. You earn 50% of your referral's trading fees for their first three months. If someone signs up and invests $10,000, you could instantly earn $75 or more. This is a great way to partner with a leading brand in the finance space.
Mattress Companies: Promoting high-ticket items like mattresses is a game-changer. Mattresses can cost $3,000-$5,000, and affiliate programs like Eight Sleep often pay around a 10% commission. That's up to $500 from a single sale! People do extensive research before buying, so a detailed review video or blog post can convert extremely well.
Here’s a pro tip that has helped me immensely: many companies have private affiliate programs that aren't publicly listed. If you love a product and want to promote it, don't be afraid to reach out directly. Simply send the company an email or a DM on social media and ask if they have an affiliate program.
I have personally done this, and companies have created affiliate programs just for me. Businesses are always looking for new customers, and most are more than happy to pay you for sending them sales. All you have to do is ask, "Hey, I want to promote your product. Can you set me up with a special affiliate link?" Very few will say no to free marketing.
Finding the right affiliate program is about matching a great product to your audience's needs. We've covered 12 incredible options, from high-volume giants like Amazon and Target to high-paying software like FreshBooks and Adobe. You can build recurring income with platforms like Stan or earn huge one-time commissions with high-ticket items like mattresses. The key is to get started, provide real value, and don't be afraid to reach out to brands directly to forge your own partnerships. Your path to making money online is waiting.
An affiliate program is a partnership where a business pays you (the affiliate) a commission for sending customers their way. You promote their products using a unique link, and you earn money for every sale or lead generated through that link.
Amazon Associates is widely considered the best for beginners. It has an endless selection of products, a trusted brand name that helps with conversions, and is very easy to get started with.
Cookie length is the period of time after someone clicks your affiliate link that you can still receive a commission for a sale. For example, Amazon has a 24-hour cookie, while Etsy has a 30-day cookie.
Absolutely. You can promote affiliate products on social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and even in online communities like Reddit or Quora, as long as you follow their rules and provide value.
Recurring commissions are payments you receive every month for as long as a customer you referred continues to pay for a subscription service. Programs like Stan offer this, allowing you to build stable, passive income.
Earnings can range from a few dollars to six figures or more per month. It depends on your niche, the products you promote, your audience size, and the effectiveness of your marketing strategy. I started small and it grew to a six-figure income over time.
Not necessarily. A high-commission product might be harder to sell. Sometimes, a lower-commission program with a high conversion rate (like Amazon) can earn you more money than a high-ticket program that rarely converts.
Just ask them! Send an email or a DM to their marketing team and inquire about a partnership. Many companies are open to creating a custom affiliate arrangement if you can prove you can send them customers.
Amazon Associates allows you to promote products on any platform (your blog, YouTube, etc.), while TikTok Shop is exclusive to the TikTok app. Amazon is great for broad reach, whereas TikTok Shop is highly integrated for social commerce.
You can start promoting products today, but it takes time to build trust and traffic. It took me a year to earn my first commission. With the right strategy and consistent effort, some people see their first sales within a few weeks or months.
Ready to get serious about building your affiliate income stream? Discover the strategies that work right now. Read More on Quick Profit Formula X.
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