The world of affiliate marketing can be a lucrative one, but it's essential to know how much you can earn from affiliate links. Commission rates vary across different networks and programs, so it's crucial to choose the right ones.
Amazon Associates offers up to 10% commission on sales, depending on the product category. For example, sales of Amazon devices like Echo and Fire TV earn a 10% commission.
ClickBank is another popular affiliate network, with commissions ranging from 1% to 75% per sale. The average commission rate is around 50%.
For more insights, see: Commission Junction Cost
How Affiliate Marketers Make Money
Affiliate marketers make money by getting paid a commission to promote other people's products or services. This commission is usually a percentage of every sale that happens as a result of clicks on their affiliate link.
For example, if you have an affiliate link on your blog that sends people to purchase a product from Amazon, you'll make a percentage of every sale that happens as a result of clicks on your link.
Check this out: What Is Commission Junction
The commission rate can vary depending on the program, but some programs offer a 30% recurring commission for 1 year, as seen in the Instapage Affiliate program. This means that if you promote Instapage through your affiliate link, you'll earn 30% of the sale price for 1 year after the initial purchase.
You can earn money as an affiliate marketer by promoting physical products, online courses, or software. Some platforms, like Skillshare and Fiverr, also have affiliate programs that you can join.
The cookie life, which tracks the user to see if they make a purchase, is usually set to a specific time period, such as 30 days or 45 days, as seen in the Instapage Affiliate program. This means that if a user clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase within the allotted time, you'll earn the commission.
As an affiliate marketer, you can get paid through various payout methods, including direct deposit or PayPal.
Consider reading: Commission Junction Affiliate List
Affiliate Networks and Programs
As an affiliate marketer, you have two main options: joining affiliate networks or signing up for affiliate programs directly. Affiliate networks act as a marketplace, providing a pool of brands and offers to choose from, which can be appealing to beginners as they don't have to manage as many partnerships simultaneously.
Some popular affiliate networks include ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, and Rakuten Advertising. These networks offer a large selection of merchants, detailed tracking tools, and reputable options, making them a go-to for many affiliate marketers.
Here are some of the top affiliate networks to consider:
Ultimately, the choice between an affiliate network and a direct affiliate program depends on your specific needs and goals.
Types of Affiliate Programs
If your audience spends most of their time on social media, you might consider affiliate programs that are popular on those platforms. For example, Amazon Associates is a well-known affiliate program that's great for promoting products on social media.
There are many types of affiliate programs to choose from, depending on where your audience hangs out online. To get started, you'll want to consider the commission and cookie life of each program.
Some popular affiliate networks include impact.com, Amazon Associates, and eBay Partner Network. These networks offer a range of products and services to promote.
Here are some general types of affiliate programs to consider:
- Review site affiliate programs, like Amazon Associates, which are great for promoting products on review sites.
- Product affiliate programs, like eBay Partner Network, which are perfect for promoting products on e-commerce sites.
- Social media affiliate programs, like Amazon Associates, which are ideal for promoting products on social media platforms.
Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is one of the biggest affiliate marketing programs in the world, offering millions of products for affiliates to promote.
You can earn up to 10% in associate commissions from qualifying programs and purchases with Amazon Associates.
One of the main advantages of affiliate marketing with Amazon is that people already know the company and love to shop there, so it's not a hard sell. The company has very high conversion rates, especially around the holidays.
The vast product selection on Amazon fits most kinds of businesses, and you can promote cat treats or dog toys if you write about animals, or recommend jumper cables if your audience is interested in cars.
If someone ends up on Amazon through your link and buys something other than what your content links to, you still get commission on the user's entire cart.
Amazon recently launched its new Amazon Influencer Program as an extension to the Associates program for social media influencers, which offers similar benefits to the online Associates program and your own page on Amazon with a unique URL.
Here are some commission rates for Amazon Associates, depending on the product category:
The only downside is that some categories, such as video games and electronics, have particularly low commissions.
Pro tip: Currently, you must have a YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook account to qualify for the Amazon Influencer Program.
eBay Partner Network
eBay Partner Network offers a commission of 1-4% depending on the category, with high-ticket items like Parts & Accessories and Fashion earning 4%.
You can earn a commission on both new and used products, making it a great option for influencers and bloggers who cater to customers looking for second-hand items.
The program includes a variety of products across many categories, including fashion, health, and fitness, making it easy to find products that fit your niche.
eBay offers a Premier program for high-volume traffic drivers, which can be a great opportunity for affiliates who drive a lot of traffic to the platform.
Affiliates earn a percentage of the Gross Merchandise Budget (GMB) for each purchase, with fashion items earning 4%.
Payments are made via PayPal or electronic fund transfer, making it easy to receive your earnings.
eBay provides reporting tools to help you monitor your performance and optimize results, and you can also use deals and logos to drive traffic and create branded content.
A qualifying transaction occurs when a user makes a purchase within 24 hours after clicking on your affiliate link.
For another approach, see: Easy Affiliate Links
Marketing and Business
As an affiliate marketer, you're likely looking for programs that offer recurring commissions, which can lead to a steady stream of income. The Instapage Affiliate program, for instance, offers a 30% recurring commission for 1 year.
Some programs also offer flexible payout methods, such as direct deposit (EFT) or PayPal, as seen with the Instapage Affiliate program. This can make it easier for affiliates to receive their earnings.
HubSpot is another popular program that offers a high earning potential, with average commission payouts of almost $300 in 2020.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is a powerful way to reach a targeted audience and drive sales. You can partner with a company whose products appeal to your audience and earn a commission for every product sold via your affiliate link.
As an affiliate marketer, you can earn money by promoting products or services that align with your niche. For example, if you're a food blogger or YouTube influencer, you can partner with a company that sells kitchen appliances. This can be done by featuring their product in your content and including an affiliate link.
According to a survey, more than half of all affiliate marketers make $10,000 or less per year. However, this is for a salaried employee, and freelancers or business owners can earn more. For instance, Tori Dunlap, a personal-finance influencer on TikTok with 2.2 million followers, makes over $25,000 per month from affiliate marketing.
Here's an interesting read: Paid per Click Affiliate Programs
Review sites are another way to leverage influencer marketing. They partner with individual companies or affiliate networks to review products and services in exchange for an affiliate link. This can be a win-win for both the reviewer and the company, as it provides valuable content for the audience and drives sales for the company.
Here's a breakdown of how much some influencers make from affiliate marketing:
Keep in mind that these figures are not typical, and most affiliate marketers earn much less. However, with the right strategy and audience, it's possible to earn a significant income from affiliate marketing.
Marketing Website Examples
Wirecutter, an affiliate marketing website owned by the New York Times, is a great example of a successful affiliate marketing website.
Affiliate marketers make money by getting paid a commission to promote other people's products or services, such as physical products, online courses, or software.
You can earn a percentage of every sale that happens as a result of clicks on your affiliate link, like if you have an affiliate link on your blog that sends people to purchase a product from Amazon.
Review sites partner with individual companies or affiliate networks to review products and services in exchange for an affiliate link, making it easier for consumers to research before purchasing.
Coupon sites also partner with companies to offer buyers discounts on products and services in exchange for a kickback, making it a win-win for both parties.
Brevo, an all-in-one digital marketing platform, offers a partner program that rewards bloggers with a flat €5 for each free signup, and €100 for each paying customer.
The cookie life for Brevo's partner program is 30 days, giving you a good window of time to earn commissions from your referrals.
Worth a look: Link Building for Agencies
Marketing and Business Tools
GetResponse offers a self-hosted affiliate program with a 33% recurring commission, and you can earn $1090 for every sale referred through CJ Affiliate, although the cookie life is only 30 days.
AWeber's in-house program offers a lifetime 30% commission, while their CJ Affiliate program offers up to $300 per account, but with a cookie life of only 45 days.
Here's an interesting read: Cookie Stuffing
HubSpot's affiliate program gives you the freedom to choose between a recurring commission or a flat rate, and you can earn 30% commission for up to one year.
Brevo's blogger program offers a flat €5 for each free signup, and you'll also earn €100 every time you refer a paying customer.
Target's affiliate program operates on a volume-based commission structure, meaning your commission increases as the number of items purchased increases, with commission rates ranging from 1-8% depending on the product category and sales volume.
Some popular marketing and business tools include:
- GetResponse, which offers email marketing, landing pages, and CRM tools
- AWeber, which is an autoresponder tool for newsletter and email drip campaigns
- HubSpot, a leading CRM platform with plans ranging from $50 to over $3,000 per month
- Brevo, an all-in-one digital marketing platform for email marketing, SMS, and chat
- Target, a well-known retailer with a variety of products
These tools can help you earn a substantial income through affiliate marketing, with some programs offering commissions of up to 50% or more.
Negotiate for Better Rates
You can increase your affiliate profits by negotiating a better rate from your current affiliate partners.
It won't work for big brands like Amazon and Walmart, but it's a great strategy for smaller brands.
If you're already sending them a good amount of traffic, they'll be more likely to increase your commission.
To negotiate effectively, phrase it in a way that shows them you'll use the extra profits to promote them even more.
This is a win-win situation for both parties.
Here are some affiliate networks that offer a good starting point for negotiation:
Negotiating over the phone is usually more effective than sending an email, but a well-worded email can still increase your commission by a percentage or two.
Website Builders and Web Hosting
Website builders and web hosting platforms offer attractive affiliate programs. The web development company, for instance, pays $100 per Premium referral with no limit on the amount of people you can refer.
Some web hosting platforms offer higher commissions, like DreamHost, which pays up to $200 per referral. DreamHost's affiliate program also offers a variety of creative resources like banners and advanced tracking URLs.
To give you a better idea, here's a brief comparison of some popular web hosting affiliate programs:
Keep in mind that payout structures and minimum sales thresholds vary among these programs, so it's essential to review each one carefully.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit is an email marketing tool that offers a recurring affiliate program. You can earn a 30% commission for every sale made via an affiliate link, as long as the referral's ConvertKit account is active.
The program is designed to help influencers and bloggers promote email marketing services to their audience. ConvertKit provides a training course to help affiliates get started, as well as access to evergreen webinars, video, and graphics assets to drive sales.
One of the unique features of ConvertKit's affiliate program is its focus on recurring commissions. This means you'll earn a steady income as long as your referrals continue to use the service.
Here are the key details of ConvertKit's affiliate program:
Overall, ConvertKit's affiliate program is a great option for influencers and bloggers who want to promote email marketing services to their audience.
Web Hosting Options
Web hosting options can be overwhelming, but some providers offer generous affiliate programs to help you monetize your website or blog. For instance, Bluehost pays a whopping $65 to $130 per sale generated from your website, making it an attractive option for affiliates.
If you're interested in recommending web hosting services to your audience, you'll want to consider the minimum sales threshold before payout. Some providers, like Wix, have a minimum sales target of $300 per month, while others, like DreamHost, have no minimum threshold.
DreamHost's affiliate program is a great option for content creators and bloggers who want to recommend hosting services to their audience. You can earn up to $200 per referral, and the program is structured to ensure ease of promotion with advanced tracking URLs and no cap on earnings.
WP Engine offers a high-paying affiliate program with a minimum commission of $200 per sale, making it a great option for SaaS businesses and developers. You can also earn a 10% monthly recurring commission for WordPress hosting referrals.
If you're looking for a web hosting provider with a low-cost starter plan, Hostgator is a great option. You can earn $65 per signup if you provide Hostgator with 1-5 signups per month and up to $125 per signup if you provide Hostgator with over 21 signups.
Kinsta offers a high-paying affiliate program with a one-time commission ranging from $50 to $500 per client, depending on the plan they sign up for. You'll also get a recurring 10% commission on every WordPress package, making it a great option for developers, publishers, and agencies.
For your interest: Top Paying Supplements Affiliate Programs
Here's a comparison of some popular web hosting affiliate programs:
Remember to consider the minimum sales threshold, commission rate, and ease of promotion when choosing a web hosting affiliate program that suits your needs.
E-commerce and Retail
In the e-commerce and retail space, commissions for affiliate programs can be smaller due to lower purchase prices.
This, however, makes it easier to get your audience to buy those items, which can lead to high conversion rates and returns.
Commissions in retail stores are often paid through direct deposit, check, or Payoneer.
Shopify
Shopify is a complete commerce platform that allows you to start, grow, and manage a business. With nearly 20 million merchants on Shopify, merchants can build and customize an online store as well as sell in multiple places, including web, mobile, in person, brick-and-mortar locations, pop-up shops, and across multiple channels from social media to online marketplaces.
The Shopify Affiliate program is made up of thousands of global content creators, course educators, influencers, and review sites who help their audiences launch successful businesses on Shopify, while earning competitive referral commissions. The program is free to join and provides an opportunity for experts to monetize their audience and earn a commission.
Shopify affiliates gain access to a global creative library, lead magnets, a monthly newsletter, and curated email programming that are all designed to support content creation and conversion rate. Through measured performance and referral quality, eligible partners have the opportunity to join Shopify’s invite-only Commerce Coach program that offers higher commission rates and a wide variety of other exclusive benefits.
You can join the Shopify Affiliate Program if you own and manage an active website with an established audience and have worked with Shopify or another eCommerce platform. To join, you must have a track record of creating original content. You’ll receive a commission for merchants that you refer to one of Shopify’s paid plans using your affiliate link.
Payouts are made only via PayPal, and payouts are made twice a month for balances of at least $10. As an affiliate, you’ll also have your own personal dashboard that you can use to get detailed performance insights. Shopify also offers a Growth Center where you’ll find resources that will help you to develop content and optimize your performance.
Here are the key requirements to join the Shopify Affiliate Program:
- Own and run an up-to-date website
- Have an established audience
- Create unique and original content
- Have experience with Shopify or other eCommerce platforms
The Shopify Affiliate Program isn’t for beginners, but if you tick the boxes, you’re in for some nice income. The commission rate is up to $150 for all full-price plan merchant referrals, and there’s no referral limit. Some affiliate marketers have reported $150 per referral, while others claim a 200% bounty commission.
Ulta
Ulta is a go-to brand for beauty enthusiasts who want both affordable and prestigious skincare, makeup, and personal care products.
Ulta's affiliate program pays a commission of 1-5% on sales, which may seem low but is a good opportunity for those who already have a large readership.
The company is ranked #2 in the beauty and cosmetics online space, making it a trusted and well-known brand that your readers are likely familiar with.
Ulta provides affiliates with dynamic banners and text links to promote their products, as well as ongoing promotions like free shipping and free products to help drive sales.
This can be a great opportunity for affiliates who want to promote a wide range of beauty products to a large audience.
Ulta's payout methods include PayPal, Check, Wire Transfer, Direct Deposit, or ACH Transfer, making it easy to receive your commissions.
The company also has a strong reputation for customer service, which can help build trust with your readers and drive sales.
You might enjoy: Luxury Brand Affiliate Programs
Hammacher Schlemmer
Hammacher Schlemmer is America's longest-running catalog with a lifetime of over 150 years.
They offer an impressive affiliate program with the potential to earn incredibly high commissions, including an 8% commission on any product you're able to sell through your own website or blog.
Consider the high-priced items they sell, such as the Muhammad Ali Autographed Photo Collage for $5,000 or the Full Immersion Professional Racer's Simulator for $65,000.
This affiliate program could be a good idea for an e-commerce business interested in expanding its offerings.
Hammacher Schlemmer provides tools and content to help your online store succeed, including password-protected online reports.
A different take: High Pagerank Links
BigCommerce: 200% Sale
BigCommerce is an online store builder that powers thousands of e-commerce stores in over 150 countries, serving a wide variety of industries.
It was founded in 2009 and has been helping businesses create, manage, and expand their online stores ever since.
As an affiliate, you can earn a 200% commission on the customer's first monthly payment, which can range anywhere from $29 to $299.
BigCommerce also offers a $1,500 commission per enterprise customer referral, making it a lucrative opportunity for affiliates.
With access to marketing material and promotional efforts, you can effectively promote BigCommerce and earn a significant income.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make $100 a day with affiliate marketing?
Yes, earning $100 a day through affiliate marketing is possible, but it demands a well-planned approach and consistent effort. Achieving this goal requires a solid strategy, which we can help you discover.
Do affiliate links pay per click?
Yes, affiliate links pay per click, but only when a user clicks on them and follows through to the advertised product or service. This is how PPC affiliates earn money through their marketing efforts.
Sources
- https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-affiliate-programs
- https://influencermarketinghub.com/high-paying-affiliate-programs/
- https://ahrefs.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-income/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-money-with-affiliate-marketing
- https://backlinko.com/high-paying-affiliate-programs
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