CJ Affiliate Marketing Platforms and Earnings Explained

CJ Affiliate is one of the largest affiliate marketing platforms in the world. It was founded in 1998 and has since grown to become a trusted partner for thousands of advertisers and publishers.

CJ Affiliate offers a range of marketing platforms, including CJ LinkShare and CJ Affiliate by ShareASale. These platforms provide a robust set of tools for advertisers to manage their affiliate programs and for publishers to find and promote products.

Advertisers can earn up to 50% commission on sales generated through CJ Affiliate, with some programs offering higher commissions for specific products.

CJ Affiliate offers an expansive affiliate network with tools for commission management and customization. This means you can connect with a vast number of publishers and advertisers.

The platform includes an advertiser recruitment tool, streamlining the process of connecting with potential partners. This makes it easier to build valuable collaborations.

CJ Affiliate also features situational commissioning, allowing you to create tailored commissioning scenarios that reward affiliates based on various high-value order attributes.

Pre-payment validation is another key feature, protecting your investment with proactive compliance checks for every publisher before their first payment.

Here are some of the key features of CJ Affiliate:

CJ Affiliate also provides cookieless tracking that complies with GDPR, ensuring privacy while maintaining accurate tracking capabilities.

Choosing the right affiliate marketing software is crucial for building and growing a successful affiliate program.

There are two main types of affiliate marketing platforms: inbound and outbound. Inbound platforms have a built-in marketplace for content creators to find brands, whereas outbound platforms don't have a marketplace and focus on brand-initiated partnerships.

Outbound platforms are designed for brands that actively reach out to influencers and content creators, enabling quicker scaling of affiliate programs.

These platforms provide direct tools to create affiliate links and discount codes, which can be shared directly with affiliates for tracking performance and compensation.

Outbound platforms are often used by brands working with social media influencers, leveraging the platform's tools to effectively manage and grow these partnerships.

Some popular outbound platforms include Influencer Hero, UpPromote, and Refersion.

CJ Affiliate is an outbound platform, which means it doesn't have a built-in marketplace for content creators to find brands. Instead, brands use CJ Affiliate to proactively reach out to influencers and content creators.

Outbound platforms are designed for brands that actively engage with affiliates, enabling quicker scaling of affiliate programs. This approach allows brands to build strong relationships with their affiliates.

CJ Affiliate provides direct tools for brands to create affiliate links and discount codes, which can be shared directly with affiliates for tracking performance and compensation. These tools make it easier for brands to manage their affiliate programs.

Outbound platforms are often used by brands working with social media influencers, leveraging the platform's tools to effectively manage and grow these partnerships. CJ Affiliate is a great example of this.

Here are some key features of outbound platforms like CJ Affiliate:

CJ Affiliate is an affiliate network that's constantly rated as one of the best in the world.

They got incredible support, which is a big plus for anyone doing affiliate marketing.

CJ Affiliate works with some of the biggest brands in the world, so you're not dealing with average merchants here.

These top brands have strict rules and requirements in place that are highly focused on quality.

CJ Affiliate has a vast network of advertisers, with over 3,000 brands to choose from across various industries.

Their extensive affiliate network includes top-tier partners like Bower Collective, Alkaline, Immersive Gamingbox, FreakOut, Olivida, and Holzprofi24.

The platform's comprehensive brand protection tools, such as trademark monitoring and fraud prevention, ensure your brand remains secure.

CJ Affiliate offers a reliable tracking system that accurately tracks sales and commissions in real-time.

Their user-friendly interface makes it easy for beginners to navigate and understand how the platform works.

However, CJ Affiliate has a relatively high payout threshold, which may require you to reach a certain minimum amount before withdrawing your earnings.

Additionally, the platform may not always have programs available in every niche or country, limiting your options if you operate within a specific market or geographic location.

To get started with CJ Affiliate, you need to sign up for an account on their website. This involves providing some basic information about yourself and your website or blog.

You must be over 18 years old and have a live website to join CJ Affiliate as a publisher. That's about it, but keep in mind you'll need to apply to each advertiser individually.

The signup process for CJ Affiliate is pretty straightforward: go to CJ.com, click on the signup button in the top-right menu, and follow the prompts. You'll need to confirm your email address and add your tax details in your CJ Affiliate account.

After signing up, you'll need to set up your network profile and add details about your website or blogs that you plan to use to promote Commission Junction offers. This is like a CV, so make sure you're honest and thorough.

You'll also need to add your Promotional Properties, which will depend on how you plan to promote affiliate programs. If you're promoting via your website, you'll need to add your URL and extra details such as the site name and promotional model.

Once you've set up your account and added your Promotional Properties, you can start applying to affiliate programs that you'd like to promote. Remember, advertisers will have to manually approve or deny you, so it might take a while.

CJ Affiliate's support is top-notch, with a dedicated support center and live chat or email options available for assistance. You can also find answers to common questions on their content hub.

If you ever need help, you can reach out to CJ Affiliate's staff directly via an online form, which requires your company's annual revenue. They'll process your details and recommend the best solution for you.

CJ Affiliate's support team is known for being fast to reply and helpful, with most responses coming within 24 hours. This level of support can be a game-changer for affiliate marketers.

Pricing can be a major factor in choosing the right affiliate marketing network for your business. CJ Affiliate's pricing is not publicly available, so you'll need to contact them directly to get a quote.

The CJ Affiliate network requires you to provide your company's annual revenue before they can recommend a solution. This information is necessary for them to process your details.

CJ Affiliate's pricing is tailored to each business, so you'll need to fill out an online form to get a quote. This form is the best way to get an accurate idea of what CJ Affiliate's pricing will be for your business.

You can expect CJ Affiliate's staff to contact you after you've completed the form to discuss your options. The exact pricing structure will depend on your business's specific needs and revenue.

The other affiliate marketing networks we've looked at, ShareASale and Easy Affiliate, have publicly available pricing information. However, CJ Affiliate's pricing is only available by contacting them directly.

Support is a crucial aspect to consider when choosing an affiliate network. CJ Affiliate has published separate FAQs for potential new clients and existing customers.

CJ Affiliate has an extensive content hub with information-packed articles, videos, the latest industry news, and more. This resource can help you find answers fast.

If you join the CJ Affiliate program, you'll be able to access assistance via its dedicated support center. This is a great place to start when you have a question or concern.

You can also speak to a live representative for a faster turnaround. This is especially helpful if you're dealing with a complex issue.

CJ Affiliate offers ongoing training sessions led by industry experts. These sessions can help keep you informed about current trends and give your program an edge over the competition.

A great affiliate network always has an awesome support service, and CJ Affiliate ticks that box. Their help team is always on point and fast to reply.

You can find answers to common questions in the support center, but you can also contact CJ Affiliate directly via live chat or email.

CJ Affiliate offers integrations with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and BigCommerce.

You can also integrate CJ Affiliate with other tools like Wordpress, Affiliate.ai, and Fraudlogix.

To access the CJ Affiliate API, navigate to https://developers.cj.com/ and click Sign In from the left-hand sidebar.

Enter your CJ Affiliate login information and click Login, then click Authentication > Personal Access Tokens from the left-hand menu.

Add a new token, which will be displayed only once, so make sure to copy it and keep it safe.

Here are the steps to get your CJ Affiliate API key:

1. Navigate to https://developers.cj.com/ and click Sign In from the left-hand sidebar.

2. Enter your CJ Affiliate login information and click Login.

3. Click Authentication > Personal Access Tokens from the left-hand menu.

4. Add a new token.

5. Copy the token and keep it safe.

The CJ Affiliate GraphQL API uses the same request URL: https://commissions.api.cj.com/query.

To pull CJ Affiliate API data into Google Sheets, open up Google Sheets and click Extensions > API Connector > Open > Create request.

Create a new tab and click Set current to use that tab as your data destination.

Name your request and click Run to see commission detail statistics printed into your sheet.

If you're looking for alternatives to CJ Affiliate, you have plenty of options to choose from. Influencer Hero is a great choice, especially if you're looking for a platform that combines affiliate marketing with influencer management.

Influencer Hero offers features like influencer search, outreach, and CRM, alongside traditional affiliate marketing tools. This makes it an ideal choice for brands wanting a more comprehensive approach to their marketing efforts.

Some of the other alternatives to CJ Affiliate include UpPromote, Refersion, Awin, Share a Sale, ClickBank, Goaffpro, Impact, Referral Candy, and Social Snowball. These platforms offer a range of features and pricing options to suit different business needs.

For example, Impact stands out with its advanced automation and cross-device tracking, making it perfect for businesses aiming to scale partnerships efficiently. Referral Candy and Social Snowball provide affordable and user-friendly solutions for customer-driven referrals.

Here are some of the key features to look for in an alternative to CJ Affiliate:

Ultimately, the right platform for you will depend on your specific needs and goals. Take the time to assess your requirements and compare the features, pricing, and user reviews of different platforms to find the one that aligns best with your marketing strategy.

CJ Affiliate offers a wide range of programs that cater to different types of affiliates, including pay-per-sale (PPS), pay-per-lead (PPL), and pay-per-call (PPC) programs.

With over 3,000 merchants on the platform, you'll be able to find products and services in pretty much any category out there. You can filter advertisers based on categories, serviced areas, language, and more.

The network earnings is a metric that shows how well an affiliate program is doing across the CJ Affiliate network, ranging from 0 to 5. A score of 5 means the program is super popular and is in the top-performing programs of the entire network.

Here are some of the most popular categories on CJ Affiliate:

There are over 3,000 merchants on the CJ Affiliate network, offering a wide range of products and services in various categories.

You can filter advertisers based on categories, serviced areas, language, and more, making it easier to find relevant programs for your website or audience.

Some of the most popular categories on CJ Affiliate include Furniture, Computer & Electronics, Beauty, and Wellness.

You can also sort through affiliate programs by clicking on "Apply to Program" and then filtering advertisers based on your preferences.

Here are some of the most popular categories on CJ Affiliate:

If you get denied, don't stress too much - you can try going to a competitor's program or apply to general offers that can be promoted on most sites.

Network Earnings is a metric that shows how well an affiliate program is doing across the CJ Affiliate network.

It's a score that ranges from 0 to 5, with 0 being the lowest score, meaning the program gets almost no sales.

A high network earnings score, on the other hand, means the product or service is pretty popular with publishers and gets a ton of conversions.

Text and banner links are the most popular ad creatives, so choose the ones that fit your promotional method and content.

You can find a "Get Code" button next to the ad creatives, which is a convenient way to get started.

CJ Affiliate is a well-established player in the affiliate marketing space, but it may not be the best fit for every business. Influencer Hero, on the other hand, offers a more versatile solution that combines affiliate and influencer marketing tools.

CJ Affiliate focuses primarily on large networks and established affiliate partnerships, which can be limiting for businesses looking to diversify their marketing efforts. Influencer Hero, by contrast, provides a comprehensive solution for brands that want to leverage both affiliates and influencers.

If you're looking for alternatives to CJ Affiliate, you might consider Influencer Hero, which offers a clear pricing model and a more flexible approach to affiliate marketing.

CJ Affiliate offers a wide range of programs that cater to different types of affiliates. This diversity is one of the strengths of CJ Affiliate and sets it apart from other affiliate marketing platforms.

One of the program types offered by CJ Affiliate is pay-per-sale (PPS), where affiliates earn a commission when a sale is made through their referral link. This can result in higher commissions based on actual sales generated.

CJ Affiliate also provides pay-per-lead (PPL) programs, where affiliates are rewarded for generating leads or referrals. For example, referring someone who signs up for a newsletter or fills out an inquiry form can earn a commission.

Pay-per-call (PPC) programs are another option, where affiliates get paid when someone makes a phone call to the advertiser through their unique tracking number. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses that rely heavily on phone inquiries or consultations.

CJ Affiliate offers hybrid models that combine multiple payment structures such as PPS and PPL, allowing affiliates to diversify their earnings and choose what works best for them.

Here are some of the most popular program types on CJ Affiliate:

Influencer marketing is a powerful tool for businesses looking to reach new audiences and build brand awareness. It's a more versatile option for businesses compared to traditional affiliate marketing.

Influencer Hero stands out as a platform that seamlessly integrates influencer marketing tools, making it an attractive option for businesses that want to leverage both affiliates and influencers. This approach allows for a more comprehensive marketing strategy.

CJ Affiliate, on the other hand, focuses on large networks and established affiliate partnerships. Its pricing can vary depending on specific needs, making it less transparent compared to Influencer Hero.

Businesses looking for alternatives to CJ Affiliate have several options, including Influencer Hero, UpPromote, Refersion, and more. Here are some popular alternatives:

These alternatives offer businesses a range of options to suit their specific needs and marketing goals. By considering these options, businesses can create a more effective marketing strategy that leverages both affiliates and influencers.

CJ Affiliate caters to a wide range of industries, including retail, consumer goods, e-commerce, and technology.

They offer tailored solutions for each of these industries, which is a game-changer for businesses looking to succeed in a competitive market.

The company serves industries such as beauty, fashion, and retail, as well as e-commerce, food and beverage, technology and apps, gaming, luxury, automotive, and hospitality.

These industries include retail, beauty, travel, wellness, and technology, highlighting the company's broad reach and expertise.

CJ Affiliate also focuses on the food and beverages, beauty, and wellness industries, providing targeted solutions for each sector.

CJ Affiliate's auto-updated balance feature is a game-changer, eliminating the need to manually refresh the page to see new sales or commissions.

Their real-time reporting allows you to leave your CJ Affiliate dashboard open and it updates itself automatically, no more smashing the F5 button.

Cookieless tracking is a huge advantage, ensuring you don't lose commissions due to device changes.

Real-time insights provide a wealth of data on your commissions, including the path to purchase, placement, and device used.

Here are some key benefits of CJ Affiliate's analytics and insights: