Looking for an affiliate program that will bring in the big bucks? We’ve got your back. Take a look at this list of the 12 best affiliate programs for bloggers!
Affiliate marketing is “an advertising model in which a company compensates third-party publishers to generate traffic or leads to the company’s products and services.”
This is a great opportunity for bloggers–either when they choose to monetize a subject they’re already writing about for personal interest or when they select a new niche that interests them–so they can make some extra cash.
This article will look at 12 programs we believe are the best affiliate programs for bloggers.
12 Affiliate Programs For Bloggers
Some affiliate programs are self-standing, while others are part of very large networks that are grouped by product categories. Those in the latter category serve as go-betweens for merchants and publishers.
This allows publishers to more easily find the most suitable affiliate program for their content. Both categories are represented in our list.
1. Amazon Associates
This is a one of the best affiliate programs for beginners to join. It’s certainly a known brand. Amazon offers the most affiliate links for bloggers. It covers most consumer product categories. And you can earn commissions up to 10 percent for qualifying purchases.
Books, of course, are Amazon’s original niche. And, with about 72% of adult new book sales, Amazon is the best and perhaps only viable affiliate choice for those whose commissions would derive mainly from books.
2. FlexOffers.com
With over 12,000 advertisers, FlexOffers.com is a network that lists affiliate programs by category in many different categories. This makes it easier to find one that suits you. You don’t need to be a registered user to view the list either.
3. Creative Market
Creative Market is an online marketplace featuring digital creativity assets such as WordPress themes, vector graphics, add-ons for digital graphics programs, and fonts.
One great benefit of this site is that it gives you a way to help support digital artists by promoting them in your own creative space. You know what they say about kindred spirits, right?
4. eBay Partner Network
eBay is a very popular eCommerce website. However, unlike traditional eCommerce sites where you can simply buy products, those on eBay are sold through auction–just like everything else it has on offer.
eBay Partner Network’s commission ranges from 50-70% based on the product category. By the way, did you know that 80% of all merchandise sold on eBay is new, not second-hand?
5. Target Affiliates
Target is one of America’s most trusted brands and something it has in its favor is an array of well-liked and memorable house labels. This could be an area of focus for a blogger since there are brands not available through Amazon or other vendors.
However, be aware that Target Affiliates has limited its commissions primarily to four product categories: Apparel & Accessories, Home & Outdoor Living, Baby Gear & Furniture, and Health & Beauty. Everything else pays little to nothing.
6. Coursera
Coursera is a very popular non-credit college-level online learning platform. It offers numerous MOOC-style courses taught by instructors from respected universities. You can earn commissions from 24-45% from Coursera.
Wouldn’t it be great to promote college-level learning through your blog?
7. ShareASale.com
Many affiliate networks don’t work with newer bloggers. Here’s one that does, though. ShareASale.com readily accepts newbies and has a minimum payout of $50.
It currently has around 3,900 merchants, many of which are family businesses. Sometimes, you need to apply to these businesses individually. We wonder if this might add a personal touch.
8. Our Time
Senior dating is a rapidly expanding industry. The AffilaXe affiliate program is connected with the popular Our Time subscription senior dating platform.
AffiliaXe offers a $1,000 welcome bonus. Wouldn’t it be fun to blog about senior dating? Note, though, that several restrictions must be adhered to–more than with other affiliate sites.
9. TripAdvisor
Yes, the popular TripAdvisor site has an affiliate program. It’s constantly growing and offers a 50% commission as well. If you love to travel and have some travel know-how, this program would be perfect for you!
TripAdvisor’s affiliate program is part of the CJ Affiliate network. So you need to apply through there.
10. Angara
If you’re looking for large lump-sum commissions, consider fine jewelry (and other luxury products). We’ve picked Angara.com, which boasts some beautiful precious metal and gemstone collections.
With an average order of over $1,100 and up to a 10% commission, Angara’s affiliate program might be just the thing for a blogger who appreciates fine jewelry and wants to make a little extra cash writing about it.
11. Rakuten
Formerly called Ebates, Rakuten is affiliated with over 2,000 stores and lets you earn commissions for every referral. Rakuten has a dedicated affiliate program for publishers. They also offer support in the form of training, services, and tools.
12. Liquid Web
A couple of decades ago, who would have thought that something like web hosting would become such a lucrative business venture? Now, quite a few of these businesses exist and several of them have affiliate programs.
Liquid Web is a leader in the premium managed hosting space. It has very generous commissions for its various services, which include:
- Managed WordPress
- Managed WooCommerce
- VPS Hosting
- Dedicated Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
So, if you have the technical expertise to blog about web hosting, opportunity awaits!
Affiliate programs collectively offer four different ways to earn money:
- Pay-per-sale
- Pay-per-click
- Pay-per lead
- Pay-per-call
Of course, not every program offers all or even more than one of these. The most common form of payment is pay-per-sale, also known as a commission.
We encourage you to learn more about these complex remuneration systems, though, since these affiliate programs and similar means of what you might call “crowdsourced marketing” could well be the future of retail.
Are You Buying All This?
More experienced bloggers who monetize their writing are sure to have discovered numerous affiliate programs along with the ones listed here–as well as matchmaking and marketing platforms.
They know the comparative pros and cons of these entities and probably have become pretty savvy working with them.
But, in this article, we’ve targeted mainly those new to affiliate programs for bloggers. We’ve listed a range of structures, ways of conducting business, and product niches to give you an overview of what’s out there to consider.
And do consider doing this.
We believe bloggers are an important link between traditional knowledge and the profit-seeking that motivates e-commerce. And, you know, we have additional articles that hit on this a bit more.
We encourage you to continue reading them to stay up-to-date!
By the way, if you really want a collection of the best affiliate marketing programs for bloggers, this Free Online Community for bloggers and online entrepreneurs, has a collection of some of the best affiliate marketing programs for just about every niche.
Check it out by click here.
