There are different ways to earn money online, but the one discussed today is affiliate marketing. I will discuss with you the top 5 affiliate marketing programs which I’m using, and I got good results.

If you want to become an affiliate, you have to understand the mechanism which lies as a base for the affiliate programs.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

If you check on Wikipedia, the following definition is provided:

“Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts. “ – source: Wikipedia

Simplifying the definition, if you have a website/blog and you want to make money with it, you can use affiliate marketing. You can add ads on your website from the first day, but don’t forget, you need traffic if you want to earn from ads. Without visitors, your site will not generate revenue.

I personally don’t use ads on my website. When you have a new website, you are not an authority, yet, you have to concentrate on building your brand not having ads and confusing the visitors. I’ve seen ads added, I have to admit, very smart inside the content, they look like they were content, but when a visitor clicks on it, the visitor ran away from your website. You miss the chance like the visitor to spend time reading your content and stay on your website.

Learn Affiliate Marketing

As a beginner affiliate, you have to learn the terms and how to apply them. You also have to learn the best practices which applied will generate the desired results. I will describe the necessary steps but don’t get scared, the steps are not may and are not hard to understand.

I assume that you know how to navigate on the internet, search for various things and use social media. If so, the next steps are easy:

1. All of us have hobbies, and you also have. I’m telling about hobbies because it’s easier to promote products which you like. You can also select products which are not on your hobbies list, but you will spend a bit more time to do research before promoting them. Choose a company which has products that you want to promote and has an affiliate program available. Or, check an affiliate platform which has affiliates to choose from.

2. Create an account on the affiliate site (vendor) or on the affiliate’s platform. Don’t jump to finalize the account creation, read the terms and conditions carefully. If you don’t comply with their affiliate terms, you could end up in having your account suspended, and eventual earnings withdraw.

3. Decide which method you will use to promote the product. You can choose between your website, which I highly recommend and social media.

4. Make a plan, what product you will promote, how often, etc. Create a plan to write quality
content and publish at least 3 times/week.

5. Evaluate the results and adjust or change the selected strategy. You want your earnings to grow month by month, so, create a strategy that will generate this.

How to Choose an Affiliate Program

I know that the idea of earning money online is very appealing and the more money you receive for each sale generated, the more the idea of promoting those products is more attractive. Do you want a long-term strategy or a short time strategy which takes the money out of the visitor’s pockets regardless of the product’s quality? I assume you want a long time strategy and this is the right answer.

Recommend the products and services which you used because it’s easy to write about and the personal experience is always appreciated. The visitors will trust you, you will become an authority, and they will return to your website. And with which each new order, your commissions will grow.

You will think that this method is costly because you have to buy the product and test it. But, think that it’s an investment in your long-time strategy. You can also promote the products if you didn’t test them, but you have to do research on others results.

Can I Earn With Affiliate Programs?

The answer is YES, and I’m telling you from my experience. But it depends on the niche and affiliates you selected.

There is a misunderstanding regarding the amount of money you can earn as an affiliate. Some voices are saying that you cannot earn enough for a decent lifestyle, but this is FALSE. Check the big names on affiliate marketing and convince yourself.

How much Can I Earn?

There are two types of earnings: fixed, percentage and recurrent. The fixed commission may vary from some cents to some tens of dollars. The commission value varies based on the importance which the vendor gives it.

For example, if an advertiser wants a big number of subscribers to its newsletter, the advertiser is willing to pay a pretty good amount. In this case, the visitors who get to the advertiser website, through your link, does not cost them anything if they want to subscribe. It’s a win-win situation here: you get traffic and commission, and your visitors are getting what they are looking for.

As you may notice, there are advantages and disadvantages, but I advise you to test and see which solution suits you best, meaning higher commissions. Now that you know what affiliate marketing is, how to select an affiliate program and how much you can earn, it’s time to see some affiliate programs.

The percentage commission could also vary from 1-2% to 15-20% or more (50-60%). It depends a lot on the market selected. You’ll find out see a bit later which program pays the higher commissions but keep reading, don’t jump on the programs, yet.

Benefits For Vendors

1. No risk – Usually, the vendor is not investing in promoting its products. If a vendor spends in promoting and the campaign is not providing the expected results, the vendor is losing money. With affiliate marketing, all the risk is transfer to affiliates.

2. The vendor products are promoted on a large scale – the affiliates have a broad and diverse audience, and they have different ways and ideas to promote the products, which is on both sides benefit.

Benefits For Sellers (Affiliates)

1. No need to have your product to promote – as an affiliate, you don’t spend on creating, developing, maintaining and promoting your product. As an affiliate, you promote the products produced by others (vendors).

2. Flexible – the affiliate has a large choice of products to promote. You can promote different products on your website from different vendors.

3. Intermediaries – the affiliates are just intermediate a sale, the support and other issues are handled by vendors.

The Best Affiliate Marketing Programs

These are the programs which I use, and I’m happy with them that’s why I recommend them. You should do the same.

1. Amazon – The most known platform and you can earn money. Create an account and start promoting the products on your website.

2. Clickbank – An extensive affiliate network where vendors can create and sell digital products and physical goods. Some are saying that is the best affiliate platform and I might guess why: the paid commissions are high. Like on all affiliate program, create an account and start promoting the products.

3. CJ Affiliate (former Commision Junction) – another affiliate marketing platform, the largest in North America and operates worldwide.

4. Pluralsight – it’s a platform with thousands of IT courses from you can choose a path and learn. Create an account and invite your friends to join. The best thing is that your friends will get 50% off for first-month subscription or 15% off for annual subscription. You will earn free subscription and continue learning for FREE. I just received my free month, and it’s just amazing.

5. Last, but not least, Wealthy Affiliate

Wealthy Affiliate is my #1 Recommendation, and you will get, just to mention a few benefits:

– Training Courses

– Weekly Live Webinars on various subjects

– Website builder

– Website hosting and domain purchasing

– Keyword research tool

– 24/7 support

– Great helping community

All the sites mentioned above are sites where I have an account, and I used them. Therefore, as I’m happy with their services, I recommend them to others.

Conclusion

Affiliate marketing is a simple and efficient method to monetize your blog. The benefits are on both sides, vendor and affiliate. When you create an account with an affiliate program, you get a unique URL that you can use to promote the products or services from the chosen affiliate program.

I gave you 5 affiliate marketing programs that I use and my #1 recommendation.

Are you ready to start with affiliate programs and take the first steps to make money online? Which program are you using? Which program gave you the best results?

I would like to hear your thoughts.

TRY WEALTHY AFFILIATE FOR FREE