Affiliate marketing has exploded in popularity as a way for online businesses to generate income by promoting products and services from other companies. By sharing affiliate links and promo codes, publishers can earn lucrative commissions when readers make purchases or complete other valuable actions.
With over 15 million affiliate marketers globally, the industry is projected to grow to $8.2 billion by 2022 according to Statista. With so many options now available, it can be overwhelming for beginners to identify the best affiliate programs to join.
This post will provide a complete introduction to affiliate marketing and summarize the top 10 networks and sites that offer great money-making opportunities for 2023. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your earnings, these programs provide everything you need to find success.
How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?
Affiliate marketing refers to earning a percentage of sales for promoting products and services. It works by joining an affiliate program, receiving unique tracker links or discount codes, then sharing those across channels like your website, emails, YouTube, social media, and more.
When followers click your affiliate link and complete a desired action like making a purchase, signing up for a trial, or submitting a lead, you receive a commission. Payout rates typically range from 5-20% but can reach up to 75% for digital products.
To maximize earnings, it's critical to choose affiliate programs that closely align with your niche and audience interests. This ensures your promotional content remains relevant, natural, and drives higher conversions.
With a small upfront time investment to research and join programs, affiliate marketing can become a significant passive income stream. You get paid for referrals while companies only pay commissions on successful sales or conversions.
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Top Major Affiliate Networks
Vast affiliate networks provide access to thousands of partner programs all in one place. This makes them a great starting point for beginners. They offer a wide range of products and helpful tools for managing campaigns.
ShareASale - Founded 2000
With over 4,000 merchant partners, ShareASale earns reputation as one of the largest affiliate marketplaces. Their brand catalog spans across all major ecommerce categories. Average commission rates sit around 8%.
To get paid, you need to meet a $50 minimum threshold before requesting a withdrawal. Payments can be sent via check or PayPal, with a $5 processing fee per transaction.
ShareASale provides excellent tracking and reporting through your account dashboard. You can monitor clicks, impressions, conversions, sales, and more for each campaign. Signup is straightforward and completely free.
CJ Affiliate - Founded 1998
Considered a pioneer in affiliate marketing, CJ Affiliate features over 3,000 big-name advertisers and powerful tracking tools. Average commissions range from 1-10%, depending on the vertical.
The minimum payout is $50, with monthly payments once you hit that number. There is a $25 application fee when joining a specific advertiser program. But signing up for the network itself is free.
Robust analytics and reporting help optimize your promotions and measure ROI. CJ is best suited for intermediate to advanced affiliate marketers who want access to leading global brands.
Rakuten - Founded 1997
Offering among the most competitive commission rates around 8-10%, Rakuten partners with over 2,500 merchants. The program catalog spans all major commerce categories.
Unlike others, Rakuten has no minimum threshold to get paid. You can request payments anytime. But each transfer comes with a $5 processing fee.
Tracking sales and earnings is easy with Rakuten's dashboard. You also gain access to exclusive deals, promo codes, and assets to help drive higher conversions. Signup is quick, free, and gets you instant access to the massive partner network.
Top Niche Affiliate Programs
In addition to large marketplaces, niche-focused affiliate programs cater to specific audiences and verticals. These can provide higher earnings potential if you have an established presence in those areas.
FlexOffers - Founded 2009
Tailored for digital marketing, SaaS, and online services affiliates, FlexOffers contains over 50 established partner brands. Commissions run between 5-25% based on vertical.
The minimum payout threshold is $50. You can request monthly payments via check, Paypal, wire transfer, and other options without fees.
Their dashboard neatly organizes campaigns and provides click tracking, promo tools, analytics, and more. Signup is easy and you get assigned an account manager for optimization help.
Travelpayouts - Founded 2011
Ideal for travel and hospitality affiliates, Travelpayouts includes over 1,000 major brands like Booking.com, Airbnb, and Expedia. Hotel commissions average around 60%.
Their tracking dashboard lets you monitor bookings in real-time. You also get XML booking feeds and marketing materials to promote offers. Integration is simple using their API and WordPress plugins.
RewardStyle - Founded 2011
As the leading influencer network, RewardStyle boasts over 4,000 fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands including Macy's, Sephora, Nordstrom, and more. Commissions range from 8-15%.
Payouts are issued monthly when you exceed $100 in earnings. The LIKEtoKNOW.it app makes creating and tracking influencer content easy. Overall, RewardStyle is the top choice for monetizing a social following.
ClickBank - Founded 1998
With a focus on digital products, ClickBank helps affiliates promote ebooks, online courses, and SaaS solutions. Commissions average 50-70% for most partners.
Payouts process after just one sale with no minimum threshold. The site also provides useful analytics and even lets you preview products before promoting them. If you review ebooks or tools, ClickBank is a perfect fit.
Etsy - Founded 2005
For creators and crafters, the Etsy Affiliate Program allows you to earn from promoting unique handmade products. Commissions range from 10-12% across all items.
You can access product galleries and custom links to share on your site, social media, or email lists. With over 4 million Etsy sellers, it's easy to find creative goods your audience will love.
Shopify - Founded 2006
If you run an ecommerce store or blog, the Shopify Partner Program lets you earn recurring income from referrals. You get a 200% payout on the first three months of referred Shopify plans.
That means up to $600 for a referral on their standard $29/month plan. You also receive 10-20% commissions on apps. With over 1 million Shopify stores globally, there's huge potential to capitalize on this affiliate program.
Top Affiliate Marketing Tools
Robust tools and plugins can maximize the results of your affiliate campaigns. They provide easy link tracking, lead monitoring, automated payouts, and advanced analytics.
Refersion
Refersion helps track traffic, leads, and sales from all your affiliate links in one centralized dashboard. The platform also lets you easily recruit affiliates, calculate customized payouts, and automate distributions.
There's a free basic plan along with a Pro version costing $49/month that unlocks more advanced capabilities.
Post Affiliate Pro
Geared for mid-size and enterprise users, Post Affiliate Pro offers robust tracking, lead generation, promo tools, and more. Pricing ranges from $97-$227/month based on desired features.
The platform can track clicks, sales, conversions, automate payouts, and build custom affiliate portals. Integrations are offered for all major ecommerce platforms.
Affise
Providing end-to-end campaign management, Affise lets you track analytics, prevent fraud, automate payments, generate links, recruit affiliates, and more. Plans range from $149-$499 monthly.
Robust features make it easy to scale affiliate programs and maximize ROI. Affise also connects with 100+ ad networks and affiliate platforms via API integrations.
How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs
When evaluating programs, look for relevant products, engaged audiences, and competitive commission rates. Work backward from your niche to find options with the highest earning potential.
Mix large affiliate networks with specialized programs in your field. This expands reach while tapping into targeted communities.
Continuously test affiliate partners to determine which convert best. Analyze performance metrics to identify your highest ROI relationships.
The programs covered in this post offer an excellent starting point to monetize through affiliate marketing. Just be sure to regularly re-evaluate partners based on your evolving niche, audience, and content strategy.
In 2023, affiliate marketing presents a highly lucrative way to monetize your site or following. With the right programs aligned to your strengths, your income possibilities are endless.
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