The reason why affiliate marketing is becoming more popular is because it benefits both publishers and advertisers. For bloggers, having an affiliate marketing blog is an excellent way to earn money by showcasing products they support. Businesses, regardless of their size, have recognized that affiliate content can effectively enhance brand awareness and boost sales at a reasonable cost, prompting them to willingly share a portion of their profits.
Therefore, what is the potential income for individuals involved in affiliate marketing?
Super-affiliates make hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
- Tom Dupuis from Online Media Masters saw his income go from $20,000 to $80,000 in two years but now earns $150,000 per year.
- Affiliate marketing guru Pat Flynn generates $145,000 per month
- Jeremy Shoemaker went from unemployed to making $10 million from affiliate marketing
What about individuals who are new to the industry? Recent data from Affise shows that income can vary greatly, with more than 25% of affiliates earning between $81,000 and $200,000 annually.
Blogging and Affiliate Marketing
Let’s begin by understanding some basics before delving into the best affiliate marketing programs and top affiliate marketers you should learn from.
What is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a straightforward concept. As a blogger (the affiliate), you promote a company’s products or services by using a unique link that links back to your blog. When a reader clicks on your link or buys the product you’re promoting, you receive a commission. In essence, you direct leads and traffic to the advertiser or seller’s site, and they compensate you for it.
How to get affiliate links on your blog?
If you write about a product but don’t include an affiliate link, you won’t make any money. To obtain a unique affiliate link that can be tracked, you must enroll in an affiliate program. After completing this step, you’ll have the ability to generate affiliate links to incorporate into your content.
What is an affiliate program?
An agreement is created between the affiliate and the business or merchant through the use of an affiliate program. Some affiliates opt for joining extensive programs like Amazon Affiliates that grant access to numerous products. Alternatively, certain marketers concentrate on high-priced items that are typically available through technology product-centered programs.
Best Affiliate Programs for Bloggers
Looking to make money from your blog? Let’s explore some of the top affiliate programs available for you to join.
1. Rakuten Marketing
Rakuten Marketing’s affiliate program, which has more than 1000 merchants, is frequently regarded as one of the top choices to join. Not only does it offer products from industry giants such as Sephora, Virgin Holidays, New Balance, Udemy, and DialogTech, but it also includes numerous other brands.
This program is perfect for beginners due to its straightforward user interface and useful help center.
2. CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate’s program includes Zappos, Verizon, Travelocity, and other well-known names. The interface is user-friendly, and the advertiser filters help you efficiently pinpoint the most lucrative programs.
Additionally, there is a feature called widget creator which permits you to effortlessly drag and drop products into a slideshow, grid, or collage to embed it into your content.
3. ShareASale
ShareASale is a great program that has over 4000 merchants, with some of them willing to pay up to $300 per sale. Despite having fewer top-tier brands, ShareASale stands out because of its search parameters such as EPC Greater Than and Commission Rate Greater Than.
The Two-tier Program filter displays the products that allow you to earn a commission from referring sub-affiliates.
4. Creative Market
Creative Market is a niche affiliate program that can be a great option if your audience is interested in photos, graphics, and WordPress themes. Should your customers make a purchase, the company offers a 15% commission for their first transaction.
A useful approach to employ in this situation is to group together items that complement each other in your content, thus prompting readers to make bigger initial purchases of multiple items.
Here are some additional excellent affiliate programs available for bloggers:
- Shopify
- Hubspot
- ConvertKit
- Coursera
5. Bluehost
The specific area of expertise is being a provider of web hosting services.
Bluehost is considered one of the top 20 web hosting companies globally, hosting over 2 million domains, including those of its sister companies such as FastDomain, iPage, and HostGator. It offers excellent web hosting plans, particularly suitable for bloggers seeking passive income opportunities on their blog, especially if their content focuses on WordPress or writing. In the past year alone, Bluehost has distributed $5 million in commissions, making its affiliate program one of the most lucrative in the web hosting industry.
The commission rate starts at $65 and can increase depending on the amount of sign ups you generate.
The method of payment is PayPal.
The payout model involves a payment process that occurs within a timeframe of 45 to 60 days following the sale.
Customer Support: Indeed
The market reputation is excellent if we think step by step.
The commission is paid out between the 16th and the last day of every month, requiring a minimum earnings threshold of $100 to be met for the payment to be processed.
The duration of a cookie’s life is 60 days.
Affiliate managers at affiliates(at)bluehost(dot)com are always available via email, ensuring ease of use.
Advantages:
- Free to join
- Excellent tracking of referrals on a custom dashboard
- Signing up takes a matter of minutes
- there’s no cap on how much you can earn
- Dedicated customer support
- Lots of search volume about this company, so plenty of opportunities to publish comparisons and articles like my roundup of honest Bluehost reviews
Drawbacks:
- You have to apply and be approved in order to join the affiliate program
- Payments process between 45 and 60 days after each sale is complete
Apart from Bluehost, there are also other companies such as Dreamhost, Namecheap, and HostGator that offer excellent affiliate programs for their monthly hosting plans.
6. Dreamhost
Web hosting provider: Specialized market.
Dreamhost is known for being one of the top web hosting providers worldwide and has even received recognition from Automattic, the creators of WordPress, for their hosting services. Not only do they offer excellent hosting plans, but they also have an impressive affiliate program that can pay up to $200 for each sign-up, depending on the plan and the number of customers you refer. As my content has become more focused on the blogging niche, Dreamhost has become one of my most successful affiliate programs.
The commission rate can range from $15 to $200, as it varies significantly based on the plan chosen by your customer.
The payment method is PayPal.
The payout model ensures that payments are processed 97 days after the sale, in accordance with their 97-day money back guarantee.
Customer Support: Affirmative
The market reputation is excellent.
The commission nature involves processing affiliate payouts from the 7th to the 14th day of every month.
A dedicated team of affiliate managers is consistently available via their support channels to ensure ease of use.
Advantages:
- Free to join
- Very good tracking of referrals in a visual dashboard
- Applying takes just minutes
- No limits on how much you can earn
- Dedicated customer support
The drawbacks are as follows:
- You have to apply and be approved in order to join the affiliate program
- Payments process around 97 days after each sale is complete, so there’s a waiting time
7. SiteGround
SiteGround is a well-known web hosting provider, similar to Bluehost and Dreamhost, that is recommended by WordPress. Therefore, if you are a WordPress user and have been using SiteGround to host your blog, you may want to consider joining their affiliate program.
The specific area of focus is being a provider of web hosting services.
The commission rate begins at $50 for the first 1-5 sales, but it increases with additional sales. For instance, making 11-20 sales per month will result in a commission rate of $100 per sale.
Payment Method: PayPal
The payout model involves making payments after 30 days of purchasing a hosting plan. Once the 30-day period is reached, SiteGround pays on a weekly basis without any minimum payout requirement.
Customer Support is affirming the statement.
The market has an excellent reputation.
The lifespan of a cookie is 60 days.
The ease of use is ensured by the provision of dedicated support from a team of affiliate managers.
Advantages:
- Free to join
- High conversion rate
- High commission rate with no caps on how much you can earn
- Shorter withholding period (30 days)
- Weekly pay and no minimum payout
Drawbacks:
- No incentive to sell more expensive plans
- SiteGround’s plans are more expensive than some other alternatives (like Bluehost)
8. HostGator
HostGator, which has been in operation since 2002, hosts over 8 million websites on their servers. Being highly reputable, they offer affiliates a generous commission rate, making them an essential component of my blog’s affiliate-based growth strategy.
Specialization: Provider of web hosting services.
The commission rate begins at $65 for the first 1-5 sales, but it gradually increases as more sales are made. For instance, if there are 11-20 sales in a month, the rate per sale will be $100.
Payment Method: The available options for payment include Electronic Funds Transfer or PayPal.
The payout model specifies that payments for the sale of a hosting plan are made two months and ten days after the month in which the sale occurred.
Customer Support: Affirmative
The market enjoys a great reputation.
The lifespan of a cookie is 60 days.
Affiliate support can be easily accessed through email, ensuring convenience in terms of usability.
Advantages:
- Free to join
- High commission rates
- Can create custom coupon codes for customers
- High conversion rate
Drawbacks:
- Long wait for payouts
- Takes a few days to be approved and can be denied without a “reasonable amount of traffic“
9. A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting, established in 2001, is a provider of WordPress hosting. They have a reputation for offering affordable and speedy web hosting services, along with excellent customer support.
The affiliate program offered by A2 Hosting is highly rewarding and an ideal option for bloggers who endorse this company.
The specific area of focus for this company is providing web hosting services.
The commission rate is $85 for new customers who make 1-10 sales per month, increasing to a maximum of $140 per month for those who make 31 or more sales per month. Additionally, there is a second-tier commission of $5 for recruiting new affiliates.
The method of payment is PayPal.
The payout model involves making monthly payments on the 15th of each month. In order for funds to be dispersed, the commission must meet a minimum threshold of $100. Additionally, sales are subject to a 45-day approval period.
Customer Support: Affirmative
The market reputation is fantastic.
The lifespan of a cookie is 90 days.
The Ease of Use is characterized by its simplicity in both setup and utilization, and there is an affiliate program management team available to assist affiliates.
Advantages:
- Free to use
- High conversion rate
- High commission rate
- Long cookie life
- Follow affiliate stats in real-time
Disadvantages:
- No payment until $100 threshold is met
- 45 day waiting period for commission
Top Affiliate Marketing Blogs
There is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to affiliate marketing, as it is not a new concept. Bloggers can still find ways to be creative within the existing framework.
Make sure to bookmark these blogs from top experts in affiliate marketing and learn from their insights. It is beneficial to gain knowledge from those who have already achieved success in this field.
1. Smart Passive Income
Pat Flynn’s blog, now known as SPI, is an invaluable source of information for all aspects of online marketing and operating an affiliate business.
Within our articles, you will discover an abundance of tips, success stories that will inspire you, tools that come highly recommended, and an ample amount of audio content for those who enjoy podcasts.
2. Missy Ward
An industry veteran, Missy Ward’s blog is a great resource for obtaining insider knowledge and benchmarking data.
Given that she holds the position of CEO and co-founder of Affiliate Summit, it follows that her website contains a vast collection of video content from previous conferences that is highly valuable to watch.
3. Affilorama
The masterminds behind Affilorama, Mark Ling and Simon Slade, have nearly 1 million people signed up to learn from them for free.
You can either begin with the introductory lessons or directly explore the advanced SEO and PPC strategies they offer.
4. John Chow
It is difficult to find anyone who wouldn’t be interested in taking advice from John Chow, a person who managed to transform his blog into a revenue stream generating $40,000 per month within a span of two years.
With his articles and videos, he covers a wide range of marketing topics and his content is enjoyable to read.
Here are additional affiliate marketing experts worth following:
- Shawn Collins
- I Am Attila
- Spencer Haws
Conclusion
In the US alone, by 2022, business expenditure on affiliate marketing is projected to exceed $8.2 billion. It is the perfect time to take action, whether it entails initiating your affiliate marketing blog or enhancing your performance with your current resources.
When considering the road to success, it is important to follow two crucial steps: selecting affiliate marketing programs that align with your desired products for promotion and gaining knowledge from experienced professionals in the industry.
