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An Affiliate network is basically the ‘middle man’ between affiliatemarketers (who market/sell someone else’s products and services) and the merchants who create those products and services and their affiliate programs.
Many people decide to get started with Affiliate marketing as their first online business idea because there are virtually zero or very little start up costs.
I’m going to walk you through the best affiliate marketing networks to use this year.
I’m not going to bombard you with a long list of networks, I have experience with all 8 of these and these are the ones I recommend.
If you didn’t know already, I have an Affiliate Marketing Guide available where I walk you through Step by Step how to make money online from affiliate marketing. Click here to check it out!
There is serious money to be made here. So want to know which affiliate network is the best for you? Read on..
Founded in 2000, Shareasale (part of the Awin Group) has built up quite a reputation for providing a wide range of affiliate programs. The sign up for Shareasale is quick and easy. They have well over 3,900 affiliate programs in 40 different categories, so whatever niche your blog is about there should be something for you.
Key Points:
User-friendly interface
Great for beginners, easy set up
Huge variety of merchants to choose from
Great, consistent payouts
Live tracking features allow you see, in real time, when a banner is clicked
Keep in mind
Shareasale have a threshold of min. $50 so will only payout once you reach this amount
Approval process from merchants can take a while
Who is this for?
Anybody that wants to join and earn money with a reputable company offering a wide variety of products and merchants. It’s best to get a few months worth of traffic before you apply.
2. Amazon Associates
Who doesn’t know Amazon? They virtually have every product under the sun listed on their website and as an Amazon Affiliate, you have the opportunity to find a product, advertise it on whichever platform you’re on and earn commission. This is arguably the perfect network for beginners, no matter the niche.
Key Points:
Diverse catalogue of products
Great for beginners, easy set up
Earn commission on every purchase the referred traffic makes (not just your referred product
Up to 10% commission offered depending on the product
Keep in mind
Commissions can be low as 2.5%
Payments aren’t quick – they pay roughly 60 days after the sale is made
Most of the items sold on Amazon are physical goods, which means no reoccurring monthly subscriptions
24 hour cookies – which means the sale is only tracked up to 24hours after the customer clicks on the product. If they buy after this, you won’t get paid.
Who is this for?
Just about anyone in any niche. You could be recommending a blender on you recipe blog or a yoga mat on your fitness channel.
If you feel more comfortable using a network from a well known reputable company, this is for you.
Note: Don’t use Amazon’s affiliate links in marketing emails, it’s is against their company policy.
3. Rakuten
With Rakuten (previously Linkshare), you are able to join an affiliate network boasting 1000+ affiliate programs in many categories to choose from. They started business in 1997, and are a huge international company. Rakuten have secured mThink’s #1 spot for best affiliate network 7 years in a row.
Before you start with Rakuten, you need to make sure you have a website as you will not be accepted without one.
If you don’t have a website/blog yet and want to make one, you can check out our step by step guide here on how to start a money making blog.
Keep in mind
Need a website to succeed with this affiliate network
No schedule for payments, you only get paid once they receive payments from the merchants
You have to apply individually to each affiliate program
Not as many programs to choose from
Who is this for?
Those with a consistently high traffic and content website.
4. eBay Partner Network
Although eBay opened its doors in 1995, the eBay Partner Network is much newer starting in 2008. Much like Amazon Associates, the eBay Partner Network offer its affiliates a huge range of physical products to promote.
Whatever you’re passionate about, it’s on eBay. You can share products found on the site and when the items sell, you’ll get paid.
When you join eBay, you could potentially make between 40% – 70% of the total ebay revenue. How much you eanr will depend on the category of the item sold whether that’s electronics, antiques or clothing.
Key Points:
Reliable: Payments are processed consistently each month and they offer Paypal
eBay’s user friendly Creatives Generator tool helps you design attractive ads for your website
Wide range of products to choose from
Reputable trusted network, with over 20 years experience
Keep in mind
Your website needs to be bringing in a decent amount of traffic to be accepted.
Customer service isn’t fantastically fast
Like Amazon associates, the cookies only last for 24 hours. Any purchases after clicking will not earn you any commission.
Who is this for?
eBay Partner Network is great for affiliates who would like to focus mainly on promoting physical items. Sites with a good amount of traffic do not need to worry about getting accepted.
5. CJ Affiliate Network
CJ Affiliate, also know as Commission Junction, have been around since 1998 and are still going strong. They have a huge database of affiliate programs, where you are able to join and starting earning from. CJ Affiliate are trusted by some of the worlds biggest brands and boast clients such as GoPro and Lowes. The offer real time monitoring which means you are able to see the progress of your affiliate campaigns as they are happening.
Key Points:
Easy to navigate website and controls
Great for beginners, easy set up
Huge variety of programs to choose from
Real time tracking
You get notified when links are no longer working
Keep in mind
You have to join each program individually, so a little time consuming and also can be difficult to get accepted at times
Huge named brands, so makes joining as a new affiliate marketer a little harder
Who is this for?
Having an established website bringing in consistent traffic will help you get accepted to many of the programs, so just make sure this is all taken care of beforehand.
6. MaxBounty
MaxBounty is another affiliate network which gives you the opportunity to promote hundreds of offers, earning yourself a decent income. They are a CPA Affiliate Network, which basically means the company will pay you per acquisition/lead you generate to them. It is a Canadian based network which opened its doors in 2004 and have over 2000 campaigns making sure you never run out of campaigns.
They are still fairly new but have exciting offers for many affiliates, one of them being performance based bonuses.
Key Points:
Fantastic range of payment options, including Paypal
Extremely reliable and high review rating on TrustPilot
Receive payments weekly
Great affiliate support with dedicated affiliate managers
Keep in mind
MaxBounty will only pay you when the customer carries out the action, whether that is buying, signing up etc
Need a good amount of traffic to see any returns
The process of registering is harder for those without a website
Who is this for?
An affiliate marketer who would like to earn commissions faster than with many other networks. They want to protect their merchants from marketers who use spammy links, so they prefer you to have a website up and running.
Overall this is great network to start with if you have a blog/website, with great reviews, fantastic earning potential and dedicated support team when you need them.
7. Click Bank
You’ve probably heard of this network before, being one of the more popular affiliate networks out there. Selling digital products, Clickbank have undoubtedly a vast pool of products to choose from.
Key Points:
Easy and free startup – perfect for beginners
Diverse selection of products – ClickBank offers more than 6 million unique affiliate products.
Gravity scoring that tells you which products are selling better than others
Some products offer you up to 75% commission which is a great incentive
60 day cookies offering a better chance at earning commission
Keep in mind
Payment options are limited, offering zero digital payment methods especially no Paypal.
Can take time to find a good, trustworthy product to promote on your website/blog
The higher the gravity, the more competition you have
Who is this for?
Clickbank prove to be a valuable tool for affiliate marketers to earn money. Try them out, but make sure you scout the website for the product with the best value for money.
8. FlexOffers
Although founded in 2008, FlexOffers probably supplies you with one of the biggest databases of affiliate programs out there. They work with a variety of companies and brands such as Nike, Intercontinental Hotel Group & Lenovo. You are sure to find a programs to suit whichever niche you are in.
FlexOffers require that you have your own website but once your in the process on using the many programs becomes easier. Just make sure you are truthful and honest in your application and that you have a plan on how to promote their merchants’ products.
Key Points:
Huge range of affiliate programs, growing weekly
Paypal is available to those outside USA, Standard direct deposit & cheque available for USA affiliates
Audience is not required to make a purchase in order for you to receive a commission.
- You have help from the start with your very own account manager
Keep in mind
Need a website to succeed with this affiliate network
Different tiers of payment schedules depending on the program, either 7 or 30 days after invoice
Huge database, means you can spend hours on end picking the right programs
Who is this for?
The great thing about FlexOffers is that they are open to virtually anyone. Make sure you have a website and you’re providing quality rich content.
So which affiliate network are you choosing?
No matter where you are in your affiliate marketing journey, the above list should provide you with enough motivation to start money with affiliate marketing today!
Make sure you have a great website, providing stellar content, as most networks won’t accept you without one. Always recommend products that you know, trust and believe your audience will benefit from.
Affiliate marketing is real, it’s not a scam and you could start making money today! There are so many ways you can do this, and I can make it easier for you with my step by step guide.
Take action..
