Affiliate marketing, which involves using a range of marketing tools and strategies, is regarded as one of the most lucrative domains within digital marketing. This practice entails brands promoting their products through affiliate partners and online publishers.
There is a wide range of affiliate programs available for affiliate marketers, also known as “publishers,” to promote in their content. However, it is important to note that not all programs are equal. Some may provide low commissions or be associated with unreliable brands, while others can offer genuine and mutually beneficial partnerships that are advantageous for your audience.
In 2023, there are numerous changes occurring in the realm of affiliate marketing, making it an incredibly influential channel. To assist you in staying informed and increasing your affiliate revenue, we have compiled a comprehensive list of affiliate marketing programs and platforms that should be examined.
What is affiliate marketing?
When an eCommerce brand wants to promote their product, they can hire an online publisher, blogger, or influencer, which is known as affiliate marketing. In return for promoting the product, the brand provides the affiliate with a commission for each sale. Many brands use affiliate tracking software alongside influencer marketing as they are closely related.
Why is affiliate marketing beneficial?
The full scope of affiliate marketing enables you to boost your return on investment (ROI) considerably, gain entry to fresh audiences, and expand your business.
The number of affiliate programs and webmasters actively working in this area is a reflection of its active growth. Despite the challenges faced by many businesses in 2021, affiliate programs have continued to grow and demonstrate their effectiveness in driving traffic and generating sales.
Our List
Shopify
Shopify is a comprehensive commerce platform that provides the opportunity to begin, expand, and oversee a business. Utilizing Shopify, merchants can construct and personalize an online store, and also engage in sales through various avenues such as web, mobile, in-person, brick-and-mortar establishments, pop-up shops, and across various channels ranging from social media to online marketplaces. Numerous entrepreneurs have opted for Shopify as their platform to establish and develop their business, beginning from the initial stages to eventually reaching the point of an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
The Shopify Affiliate program consists of content creators, course educators, influencers, and review sites from around the world. They assist their audiences in starting successful businesses on Shopify and earn referral commissions while establishing themselves as industry leaders. Joining the program is free and offers experts a chance to monetize their audience and earn commissions.
Amazon Associates
Amazon, which is presently the biggest online marketplace, offers a wide range of products. As a blogger or influencer, you can greatly benefit from its affiliate program by incorporating it into your content. By suggesting products that you believe your audience will purchase, you can earn a commission of up to 20% on each referral.
Jonathan Smith, who established CamperGuide, is an Amazon Associate utilizing his website to evaluate and recommend various products that will complement the campers and RVs he deals. Due to the extensive selection of products available via Amazon, the Amazon Associates program is an excellent affiliate program for beginners in the field of affiliate marketing.
Rakuten
Rakuten is an online platform that rewards shoppers with cashback when they make purchases on its website. This shopping site is gaining popularity at a rapid pace, as evidenced by its Q2 2021 revenue of $3.4 billion, which reflects a 15.8% increase compared to the previous year. Additionally, Rakuten’s market share of affiliate networks stands at 7.85%, making it the third-largest in the industry.
Similar to Amazon Affiliates, Rakuten’s affiliate publisher program offers connections to over 2,500 retailers encompassing a wide array of products. This ensures that you can effortlessly find a suitable brand to collaborate with as an affiliate and effectively endorse their products through Rakuten.
Leadpages
Leadpages is a well-known website builder that aids small businesses in constructing landing and sales pages. Its top-notch affiliate program provides up to 50% recurring commissions for all sales generated by individuals, including plan renewals, updates, and one-time purchases. The program welcomes all individuals, regardless of whether they utilize Leadpages.
Leadpages provides promotional assets, tutorials, and training materials to its affiliates, enabling them to increase sales and earn higher commission rates.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit’s affiliate program is ideal for creators who are targeting fellow creators. The email marketing tools provided make the process of planning, sending, and overseeing email campaigns seamless. Additionally, the user-friendly interface of ConvertKit enables individuals ranging from novice bloggers to seasoned influencers to thrive using it.
You will receive a 30% commission from ConvertKit for every person who signs up using your affiliate link. The commission will continue to be paid out monthly as long as the referred customer’s account remains active. The amount you earn will also be determined by the monthly plan of your referral. If they have a large email list and choose to purchase an upgraded plan, your monthly commission will be higher.
Affise
Affise is a Lithuanian system that is young and continuously growing, specifically created for mobile agencies. Although it may not be as swift as Tune, it possesses flexibility, reliability, a wide range of functionalities, and is reasonably priced, all while being easy to use. In Affise, you can conveniently set up payments and targets in one window, enabling you to configure all potential geographical and target combinations within a single offer.
ShareASale
ShareASale is a preferred choice for marketers and merchants due to its user-friendly interface, quick and free registration, and support for multiple affiliate websites. It is also one of the largest affiliate networks.
The network possesses an expansive marketplace with numerous sellers offering a wide range of products. This is the place where you can consistently discover suitable products to promote. ShareASale provides a variety of integrated services to assist you in establishing, constructing, and expanding your affiliate program.
ClickBank
ClickBank operates as a prominent worldwide retailer featuring its own affiliate marketplace. It presents a wide-ranging marketplace encompassing various merchants that you can select to endorse according to your audience’s preferences. This initiative provides exceptionally generous commissions alongside dependable and consistent payment schedules.
ClickBank is a reliable source of steady income and offers products that are frequently sold, including those with pre-sale options.
UpPromote
UpPromote is a Shopify app that assists brands in handling both their affiliate and influencer relationships. With this app, you can generate personalized offers, coupons, and tracking links for each influencer, and conveniently access all the data in a single location. Additionally, you can display a post-purchase popup to encourage customers to join your affiliate program.
Refersion
Refersion, a Shopify app, allows you to effectively handle your affiliates and influencers within a single platform. It offers similar functionalities to UpPromote, however, there is one notable distinction. Refersion incorporates a marketplace feature that enables you to search for and onboard new affiliates to your program, making it a comprehensive solution.
Fiverr
Fiverr is an online platform for freelancers, connecting them with businesses in over 300 service categories. Customers make upfront payments for “gigs,” outlining their requirements, and freelancers then submit applications for these listed gigs.
Fiverr offers an affiliate marketing program that is quite profitable and offers a couple of options for receiving a commission. One option is earning a flat rate for each acquisition, while another option involves receiving a fixed CPA for the initial purchase of a course or subscription, followed by a revenue share from the referred subscription.
Recap
Affiliate marketing is a powerful strategy that allows brands to vie for the attention of users in a highly competitive environment. The key lies in promoting products to audiences that are already interested and actively engaged, enabling brands to effectively capture their attention.
In order to ensure a successful outcome for all parties involved (i.e. advertiser, platform, and eCommerce brand), it is important to carefully consider the investment of time and effort, as well as the development and tool costs, before using any tool. The most optimal outcome can only be achieved through effective teamwork and synergy.
