Do you want to earn passive income through affiliate marketing? The best affiliate programs for beginners in 2023 are listed here.
Affiliate marketing is a business that allows you to earn money by promoting the products and services of other people.
It is a serious business that can pay as much as a full-time job. From a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars per year, affiliate marketers can make.
There are literally thousands of affiliate programs available.
So, which ones are the most suitable for you?
We’ve made the answer easier to understand by providing a list of high-paying programs for beginners with excellent affiliate and marketing support.
Simply select the products and services that best fit your brand and the interests of your audience, and watch the magic of affiliate marketing unfold.
Let’s take a look at the top affiliate marketing programs for beginners.
Best High-Paying Affiliate Programs For Beginners In 2023
#1. Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is ranked first on the list of affiliate programs.
Since 1996, Amazon Associates has been one of the top affiliate programs for beginners in 2023. In fact, it was the world’s first online affiliate marketing program.
It has been assisting online marketers in making money by advertising to the millions of customers who shop on Amazon each year since its inception. When an Amazon affiliate shares a link that leads to a sale, they receive referral fees.
And, with thousands of businesses learning how to sell on Amazon each year, the potential for affiliates to grow appears to be limitless.
To become an Amazon affiliate, simply click the Signup button on the Amazon Associates page.
- Commission: Depending on the product type, commission rates range from 1% to 20%.
- Payment cycle: 60 days after the end of the current month. Amazon will also withhold payment until you have earned a minimum of $10 as an Amazon Associate.
- Payout options: Check, Direct deposit, or an Amazon gift card.
#2. ClickBank
ClickBank is one of the top companies with affiliate programs that cater to all types of marketers. Anyone can access its affiliate information, making it a worthwhile affiliate platform to consider for your success.
ClickBank began in a garage in 1998 and quickly grew to become one of the top retailing and affiliate sites in the world. It currently has a large number of affiliates who have earned billions of dollars in commissions by promoting ClickBank products.
It’s an excellent option for getting started, regardless of your expertise, due to its success and 20-year history. It’s difficult to pass up so many products to promote and so many companies to collaborate with.
Categories include:
- Business and investing
- Arts and Entertainment
- Travel
- Sports
- Green Products
- Home and Garden
To become a ClickBank affiliate, you must first create an account, enter your personal and payment information, and then finalize your account.
- Commission: Between 50% and 70%.
- Payment Cycle: Weekly or biweekly payments are accepted.
- Payment Options: Payoneer, wire transfer, check, and direct deposit are all acceptable methods of payment.
#3. eBay Partner Network
eBay offers one of the highest-paying affiliate programs for beginners on the internet in 2023. You can sign up to become an eBay affiliate through the eBay Partner Network. Commissions range from 50% to 70%.
eBay provides affiliates with the tools they need to promote eBay’s products as easily as possible. Whatever method you use to market products, eBay’s affiliate program can be beneficial.
Unlike some of the other affiliate marketing programs for beginners on this list, as an eBay affiliate, you will be working directly with eBay and its products. While you will assist sellers to some extent, your primary relationship will be with eBay.
You’ll also be working with a platform that businesses want to sell on, similar to Amazon. Growth is virtually guaranteed with opportunities like eBay dropshipping.
As an added bonus, eBay does not require you to exclusively work with it. You can be an eBay affiliate while also working with other merchants and programs to earn extra money.
To begin, you must apply to join its affiliate program, which takes about five minutes. It is by far one of the simplest application procedures.
- Commission: Depending on the product type, the commission rate ranges from 50% to 70%.
- Payment cycle: Around the 10th of each month to accounts that have made more than 10 units of a country’s currency (i.e., $10 US, £10, etc.).
- Payout options: PayPal and direct deposit (if the affiliate’s country allows it).
#4. Commission Junction (CJ)
CJ is a 20-year-old affiliate marketing program that has aided affiliates and merchants since the beginning.
According to its website, the company works with twice as many Internet Retailer 500 companies as any other affiliate program. CJ also claims that merchants prefer its site twice as much as other affiliate marketing programs.
And when you look at everything it has to offer, that claim seems to hold up quite well. Here is a comprehensive list of the site’s niches, not to mention the all-encompassing “other” category.
With a reputation like that, it’s easy to see why it should be high on your list when deciding which affiliate program to choose.
#5. GiddyUp
GiddyUp is appropriate for beginners because it provides an affiliate manager and useful tools to help you with various aspects of its programs.
You can collaborate with more than 150 DTC (direct-to-consumer) brands in a variety of industries, including travel, electronics, health and wellness, and others. Affiliates of GiddyUp have exclusive access to these e-commerce businesses.
The company also offers a creative library to help with your digital marketing campaigns, robust tracking, and real-time data so you can analyze your performance month after month.
Monitoring your performance can help you identify areas for improvement so that you can earn more commission in the future.
- Commission: Depending on the type of referral, the commission rate varies.
- Payment Cycle: The first and fifteenth of each month are when payments are due. To make a withdrawal, you must earn at least $25.
- Payout Options: Foreign bank transfers, ACH, and checks are accepted as payment methods.
#6. Impact
Impact is one of the few affiliate marketing programs for beginners that connect people with top brands such as Airbnb, Uber, Adidas, and others. It is well-known for its automation tools, which can help you streamline your campaigns and increase sales.
You can join and manage partnerships with these companies for free; the brands range from beauty to travel to retail to fitness.
After signing up with Impact, you gain access to a marketplace where you can find top brands and directly contact their affiliate managers.
Impact typically pays on a CPA (cost-per-action) basis, which means you’ll receive a commission when your audience purchases something via your affiliate link.
- Commission: Depending on the brand, the commission rate varies.
- Payment cycle: You can choose which day of the month you want to withdraw your affiliate earnings.
- Payout options: BACS, PayPal, and direct transfer.
#7. Awin
Awin is yet another excellent affiliate program for beginners. You don’t need a website to participate; you can use any of your social media profiles, such as Instagram, Pinterest, or YouTube.
All affiliates who apply to Awin must pass a compliance check that verifies their information. You must also pay a $5 deposit to join the program, which Awin will reimburse once you reach your first payment threshold.
Awin provides access to over 21,200 brands, including household names and leading brands. You can search for any program you want to join in the company’s advertiser directory, or you can contact someone from the brand to discuss a collaboration.
- Commission: The commission rate varies depending on the rates set by individual sellers.
- Payment Cycle: Payments are made on the first and fifteenth of each month for commissions earned the previous month. To cash out, you must earn at least $20.
- Payout options: ACH, BACS, and international wire transfers.
#8. Rakuten Affiliate Program
The Rakuten affiliate publisher program is last but not least. At 7.25%, this program has the third-largest market share among affiliate networks.
Rakuten is linked to over 2,500 retail brands that sell a wide range of products. Find the item and merchant that suits you best, and then click the Apply button to continue.
The fact that the majority of the companies are heavily involved in the affiliate screening process is one of the more unique aspects of the Rakuten affiliate program. Don’t be surprised if the answer is no if you’re not a good fit.
However, once you’ve received approval, the rest of the process is straightforward. Find an offer that fits your content or ad, create your link, and begin earning money as an affiliate.
- Commission rate: This varies depending on the commission rates of the partner merchants.
- Payment cycle: Rakuten pays out 90 days after merchants have paid it. In order to receive your payment, you must also earn a minimum of $50 in commissions.
- Payout options: Checks or direct deposit.
#10. Shopify
Shopify is a website-building platform designed specifically for eCommerce. They power over 600,000 websites online. If your audience is interested in eCommerce, you can begin earning money by referring them to Shopify.
There are several subscription tiers available, ranging from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars per month. However, selling Shopify to your readers can be difficult because it has a higher price point than the majority of the other programs on this list.
- Cost of Membership: Free
- Up to $2,000 in commission per customer
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Payment Minimum: $25
- Program Requirements: None
What To Look For In a Good Affiliate Marketing Program
#1. Usability
When you first start out in affiliate marketing, you should make things as simple for yourself as possible.
This includes signing up for affiliate programs that not only make sense but are also well-managed and well-designed.
After all, the last thing you want to deal with is an affiliate program with a horrible user interface.
This can make creating affiliate links or uploading a banner a complete nightmare.
I’ve been that soldier, sobbing over my keyboard because the geniuses behind a particular affiliate program designed an interface so complicated that the only person capable of “solving” it would have to be a cross between Stephen Hawking and Doctor Strange.
Affiliate networks, on the other hand, strive to make your life as easy as possible in affiliate marketing.
Because if you’re not making money (i.e. passive income), neither are they – nor are their clients.
Having said that, there are just as many in-house affiliate programs that serve as the affiliate marketing equivalent of the Sistine Chapel.
But the point we want to emphasize here is that ease of use should be a deciding factor for any affiliate program you choose.
When you have a little more skin in the game, it won’t be as much of an issue.
#2. Point Of Contact
Things will occasionally go wrong.
Links will stop working, or you will wonder why last month’s sales report appears to be upside down.
That is precisely when you will require the assistance of a dedicated affiliate manager.
Affiliate networks have a slight advantage in this regard because, in addition to the affiliate manager, you can rely on their support staff for any program you have a question about.
Just remember that affiliate managers are like face-to-face managers in that some are excellent and others are terrible.
Before you sign up for any affiliate program, always inquire about the level of support you will receive, such as whether you will be assigned a dedicated affiliate manager.
“Jack the IT guy takes care of that” is not the type of response you want…or should accept.
#3. Commission & Payments
Find out not only how much you’ll be paid by a specific affiliate program, but also when you’ll be paid.
Most affiliate programs are Net 30, but some are Net 60 or Net 90.
In layman’s terms, this means that most affiliates are paid 30 days after a sale, but others aren’t paid for 90 days.
That’s a long time to wait for affiliate income, especially if you have bills to pay.
How to Apply for Affiliate Programs
If you’ve found a network or program that fits your niche and financial goals, you’re probably wondering how to get approved for affiliate programs.
- Each network will have different requirements for affiliate programs. Most will require an existing website with high-quality, unique content, and some will require a certain amount of traffic.
- Each individual partner’s page contains information on how to apply for affiliate programs. Unless you’re signing up for individual programs like Ace Hardware, you’ll have to figure out how to get approved for affiliate programs with each partner once you’ve been approved for the network.
- Typically, the procedure is straightforward. Once you’ve identified a potential affiliate partner, you can ask to join their network. Each partner will also have different requirements, so it’s a good idea to request to join a few different ones when you first start out in case you don’t currently meet the requirements for one.
What Is the Difference Between an Affiliate Network and an Affiliate Program?
An affiliate marketing network collects products from various brands and then collaborates with affiliate marketers. In other words, it manages the affiliate marketing programs for numerous brands and serves as a go-between for the brand and the affiliate. AWIN, CJ Affiliate, and ShareASale are examples of well-known affiliate marketing networks.
The brand manages and oversees the entire process with an affiliate program. Instead, brands frequently manage the program on their own using affiliate marketing software such as ReferralCandy or Refersion. They can also designate dedicated affiliate managers to communicate with the affiliates. One advantage of running your affiliate program directly is that you avoid paying affiliate network fees.
Conclusion
The best affiliate marketing programs for beginners are covered in detail in our blog post.
We tried to cover as much ground as possible, hopefully providing you with enough affiliate program options to work with.
The cool thing is that if you already have some traffic, you could start earning passive income from your visitors as soon as tomorrow…with some payments arriving within the next 30 days.
How many businesses can you think of that make a profit in their first month? Let us know in the comment section!
- Affiliate Marketing for Beginners (20+ Companies to start with) +free courses
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- AFFILIATE MARKETING: Definition, How It Works, and Benefits
- How To Start Affiliate Marketing With No Money: Starting Guide
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