Are you looking to monetize your blog and earn passive income? If so, consider joining an affiliate network or platform to become an affiliate marketer. If you want to get started but need help figuring out where to start, I invite you to read my guide to Affiliate Marketing.
Please note that affiliate platforms should not be confused with affiliate programs. These two programs are different in many ways. I present here a complete guide to choosing the best web affiliation platform.
This guide covers everything from what an affiliate marketing network is to why you should consider joining one to a review of the best affiliate marketing networks available today.
What Is An Affiliate Network?
An affiliate network like Awin Affiliate connects publishers, such as blog owners or influencers, with businesses looking to promote their related products or services. These affiliate networks offer tools such as reporting, training, and other resources to help you become a successful blogger and affiliate marketer.
The most famous example is the Amazon marketing affiliate network, which allows influencers and publishers to earn a commission for every purchase their readers or subscribers make promoting other brands' products.
Affiliate marketing example: Create a blog around WordPress and its plugins, then write on subjects on which you will answer questions from Internet users by integrating your affiliate link in your articles.
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Why Join Affiliate Platforms?
Affiliate networks can connect you with hundreds or even thousands of brands. Therefore, they are one of the easiest ways to earn money while you sleep as passive income and monetize your blog.
Here are some other benefits of joining an affiliate network:
- No need to run after payments; the affiliate platform takes care of it for you.
- Choose products or services that make sense to your audience.
- Some affiliate networks offer rewards and incentives. So the more you sell, the higher your commission rates will be.
- Get access to reporting and analytics tools to track your progress.
Affiliate marketing networks have a few drawbacks. For example, some offer low commission rates or require sites to have specific traffic before signing up. However, they can be an effective way to monetize website traffic.
What is the best Best Affiliate Networks
1. ShareASale
ShareASale is a trusted affiliate network that allows marketers to connect with over 4,000 programs and earn commissions on a diverse range of products. With ShareASale, you can promote popular brands like Reebok, Cricut, and Etsy and make money for every sale or lead generated through your affiliate links.
It is one of the most prominent players in the affiliate marketing business, and it offers very competitive commission rates. However, the interface can be challenging, so I suggest you use their training.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant; on average, from 5% to 20%.
- Product Types: Vast range, including clothing, art, computers, automobiles, online dating services and accessories.
- Ideal for: New or established affiliate publishers looking to promote physical products.
2. Rakuten Advertising
Rakuten Advertising is a leading affiliate marketing network that connects affiliates with top brands. With a wide range of major brands in its network, fellows can promote products and earn commissions.
Whether you're a blogger, influencer, or website owner, Rakuten Advertising provides the tools and resources to help you succeed in affiliate marketing.
However, it takes work to join. You must first have an established and well-structured site, allowing you access to quality services.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant.
- Product Types: Retail, D2C, Finance, Travel
- Best for: Well-established affiliates with regular traffic
Start Rakuten Advertising with today
3. Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is a great way for individuals and businesses to monetize their online presence. Promoting products from the Amazon website can earn a commission on each sale made through your affiliate links.
With millions of products, you can find the perfect items to promote to your audience. Whether you have a website, blog, or social media platform, Amazon Associates provides you with the tools and resources to track your earnings and optimize your promotions.
The program is easy to join and provides many tools and resources to help you maximize your earnings. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced affiliate marketer, Amazon Associates offers an excellent opportunity to monetize your online presence.
However, the terms of service can be strict, and commission rates are lower than most other platforms.
- Commission rate: approximately 5%; varies by product type.
- Product Types: Almost any physical product you can think of, gardening, school, books, cooking, housewares, fashion, accessories, makeup, etc.
- Best for: Any affiliate marketer
If you want to become an Amazon partner, register here.
4. CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate is a platform that connects merchants with affiliate marketers, allowing them to earn commissions for promoting products and driving sales. With over 14 billion readers reached each year, CJ Affiliate is a trusted and reliable network for both merchants and affiliate marketers.
It offers many brands, including famous names like Lowe's, Barnes and Noble, Priceline, and Overstock. With CJ Affiliate, affiliate marketers can earn a significant income through their promotional efforts.
Overall, their approval process is quick, and you won't have to pay any fees to sign up. Each product is ranked by earnings per click (EPC).
However, there are a few downsides: You must get each merchant's approval before promoting them. You must make sales within six months to avoid deactivating your account.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant.
- Product types: retail, software, travel and finance
- Best for: Intermediate to experienced affiliates
Start with CJ Affiliate today.
5. Awin
Awin is a global affiliate marketing network platform with access to over 15,000 advertisers, and they helped generate over 150 million sales in 2019 alone.
It should also be noted that they own several other affiliate networks, including ShareASale, although these networks have their sites.
Since Awin is one of the most extensive affiliate marketing networks, it is worth considering. It offers access to various merchants, including StubHub, Hyatt, AliExpress, and UnderArmour.
Although they are trustworthy, they charge a €5 registration fee. It is more of a deposit since it is credited to your account if approved.
However, it can be daunting. You must also register for each program separately, which is a bother.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant but averages around 5%.
- Product Types: Wide variety, including travel, fashion, technology, finance, insurance, and e-commerce.
- Ideal for: beginners or advanced affiliates.
6. Avangate Affiliate Network
Avangate Affiliate Network is an affiliate platform that connects publishers and digital merchants. One can think of software publishers and digital security companies like Malware bytes.
Avangate has been rated the #1 affiliate network worldwide by Blue Book Global for the past six years.
It has one of the most extended cookie durations on the market (120 days) and allows affiliates to create coupons, which helps boost sales. However, the reporting tools are limited.
- Commission rate: Starts at around 25%; can reach more than 50% for some merchants.
- Product types: Digital products such as security products and SaaS products.
- Ideal for: Publishers in technology, business, SaaS or related industries.
7. ClickBank
ClickBank is an affiliate platform that allows individuals to sell and promote digital and physical products. With easy access to a diverse marketplace, users can find products to promote and earn commissions on sales.
While ClickBank offers a variety of products, users need to review and select high-quality products to promote carefully.
ClickBank also offers limited free training resources, but users can opt for their paid training platform, ClickBank University, for more comprehensive training and support.
- Commission rates: up to 90%, although most are much lower.
- Product Types: Wide variety, including arts and entertainment, business, marketing, gaming, parenting, health, fitness, language, and self-help.
- Ideal for: Affiliate marketers of all levels who want to promote physical products primarily.
8. Peerfly
Peerfly is a comprehensive affiliate marketing network that connects publishers with a wide range of products and services from top brands.
Despite being a newer player in the industry, Peerfly has quickly gained recognition and has won multiple awards for its user-friendly platform.
With access to popular brands like Target, Fiverr, UGG, and CBS, publishers can promote a diverse range of products.
However, it's important to note that each merchant may have specific requirements, which can be time-consuming to manage, making Peerfly more suitable for experienced affiliate marketers.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant.
- Types of products: mainly physical products, but also digital products.
- Best for: Established affiliate merchants
9. FlexOffres
FlexOffers connects publishers with over 12,000 ad programs and 500 premium advertisers.
Like many large affiliate marketing networks, they offer access to various products, including automotive, apparel, accessories, electronics, education, health, home and garden.
Each publisher is also assigned a dedicated account manager and offers a fast approval process.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant
- Product types: mostly physical, sometimes digital
- Best for: All levels of affiliate marketing, beginner to advanced.
10. Sovrn
Sovrn, formerly VigLink, is a top publishing affiliate network that seamlessly connects publishers with a wide range of merchants.
Using advanced natural language processing technology, Sovrn automatically matches publishers with the merchants offering the highest commission rates. Additionally, Sovrn provides detailed performance metrics to help publishers optimize their conversions.
The platform also offers opportunities for publishers to engage in sponsored content collaborations. Sovrn allows publishers to maximize their earnings and streamline their affiliate marketing efforts.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant
- Product types: Select digital products, primarily physical effects, including skincare, household goods, sports equipment, accessories and apparel.
- Best for: All blogger and affiliate marketers with a blog.
11. JVZoo
JVZoo is a leading affiliate network specializing in marketing, technology, and artificial intelligence products. With over 800,000 active affiliates, it offers a wide range of products for promotion.
JVZoo stands out with its automatic payment system and user-friendly dashboard, making tracking your performance and earnings easy.
Whether you're a seasoned affiliate marketer or just starting, JVZoo provides a platform to connect with top merchants and earn commissions.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant
- Types of products: digital products in online marketing, artificial intelligence, training and finance.
- Best for IT, AI and digital marketing affiliates
12. Skimlinks
Skimlinks is an affiliate network that simplifies the process of adding affiliate links for publishers. With over 60,000 publishers in their network, including well-known brands like HuffPost and Yahoo!,
Skimlinks allow publishers to focus on creating great content while they handle the rest.
By joining the affiliate network and adding their Javascript to your website, you can start earning commissions without the hassle of manually adding affiliate links.
While this may mean less control over your promotions, it provides an easy and efficient way to earn affiliate income.
- Commission rate: varies by merchant
- Product types: primarily physical products in areas such as fashion, electronics, and digital products such as dating apps.
- Best for: Ideal for large publishers, but also works well for those just starting.
4 Criteria To Consider When Choosing Your Affiliate Platform
Here are other criteria to take into account to be sure to make the right choice of the best affiliate network:
The Commission Rate
What will your revenue be per sale? Commissions offered by affiliate networks can vary widely. AnalyzeAnalyze your traffic and the cost if you use another way to monetize it, for example, Adsense, and then compare the results with the commissions offered by the affiliate network.
Selection Of Products And Services
Will the network connect you with the brands that interest your audience? If you want to convert and earn commissions fast, choose the affiliate network that's right for your niche and type of traffic.
For example, if you are a beginner affiliate marketer and want to do affiliate marketing for digital products. If so, Shareasale and ClickBank are the best affiliate marketing programs and platforms for you.
If your niche is WordPress, choose to host products and plugins that go with WordPress.
Approval Requirements
Some affiliate networks require your site to be well-established or have some traffic. So you need to optimize your site as much as possible, to get quality traffic and be readily accepted by affiliate networks.
Affiliate networks sometimes charge training or setup fees – the cost of advertising campaigns you can run directly from their affiliate platforms, for example.
Duration Of Cookies
Cookies refer to how long a program tracks and credits you for a potential buyer. This duration varies considerably from one affiliate platform to another. Amazon's cookie duration is 24 hours, while Advantage's is 120 days.
Now that you know what to look for and avoid, let's explore some of the best affiliate marketing networks.
Affiliate Marketing Platform – FAQs
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a technique that allows you to promote products or services. Affiliate marketing is a partnership between a traffic provider and a business site that seeks to grow those sales.
What Is An Affiliate Platform?
An affiliate platform is a technical solution in SaaS mode that allows you to manage and participate in an affiliate program.
What Is An Affiliate Program?
An affiliate program is a system by which a website, an e-commerce application or a commercial site offers a network of partner websites or individual influencers to promote its products through banners, text links or other items.
How Do Affiliate Marketing Networks Work?
Affiliate networks operate as a marketplace for affiliate programs. Publishers or site owners sign up, choose the products or services they want to promote and receive personalized links that track the number of people who buy from their sites. They then receive a small commission (usually around 5%) for each sale.
How To Do Affiliate Marketing?
The most crucial element of affiliate marketing is finding your niche. It would help if you found a place, theme, business, or industry that interests you, and it needs to be something that has enough monetization potential but not too much competition.
Which Affiliate Platform To Choose?
The best affiliate platform does not exist! Choose the one that matches your profile and your needs. The best affiliate platform will differ depending on your industry, desired features, or advertiser or publisher profile.
How To Create An Affiliate Platform?
You must create a page dedicated to your affiliate program to create an affiliate platform. On this page, you'll summarize your program numbers and entice your visitors to sign up by displaying the commission you're offering.
Conclusion
Affiliate network marketing can be one of the best ways to monetize your blog. An affiliate network makes it much easier to connect with merchants to focus on what you do best: publishing quality content.
But juggling dozens of merchants and programs can take time and effort. You should also make sure you read the fine print.
Not all affiliate networks are legit, and even household names may not offer the type of products your audience is interested in.
Have you tried any of the above networks? What is your favourite and why?
