Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to make money as a content creator.

If you have a website, blog, YouTube channel, digital products, or are on social media, you can market your affiliate products to your audience and make money.

I market several affiliates to my audience, and last year, I made around $12,000 with just one affiliate. My other affiliates earned around that much or slightly less. 

With affiliate marketing, you partner with brands like Whop, Target, Wayfair, and Amazon, promote their products with affiliate links, and earn a commission on the sale.

If this business model fits your brand and marketing, here are twenty ways to make money as an affiliate marketer.

20 tips for affiliate marketing success

While 57.55% of affiliates earn less than ten thousand dollars, this is still a comfortable secondary revenue stream. 

 Here's how to get the most out of your affiliate marketing efforts.

1. Create tutorials and reviews

With 95% of consumers checking online reviews before buying, creating highly-focused affiliate tutorials, reviews, and case studies is in your best interest.

For example, Alastair of Trail & Kale created a review article on DryWater hydration powder.

drywater hydration

This type of blog post has information about:

  • Why you should be using DryWater
  • Why hydration is important
  • The science behind DryWater
  • Where it works best
  • Considerations
  • Final verdict

Most reviews will have an overview of the product, how it works and their final verdict or opinion. If you need ideas of where to start, check out the most profitable blog niches.

Another type of affiliate post is tutorials. Many content creators will create tutorials for SaaS tools because these are often technical and difficult to understand.

If you go to YouTube you will see many tutorials on using Notion as a beginner. 

youtube tutorial

In these videos, creators show the platform step-by-step and how to use it.

With over a million views on some of these videos, the potential for affiliate income is massive, especially when paired with high-converting products or services that resonate with the audience.

Case studies are another way to promote your affiliate links authentically.

People love to see a before and after or how a product or course works.

Nicole Stone created a blog post detailing her success from 0 to 200k pageviews using Pinterest.

pinterest case study

In her article she talks about a Pinterest strategy course  – her affiliate product – she took and resulted in her traffic growth.

2. Create videos for your affiliate products

You can still gain affiliate marketing income via video if you don't have a website or blog. Start a YouTube channel and create helpful affiliate videos for your audience.

My husband watches Project Farm, a YouTube channel that shares extremely helpful reviews on gadgets. With over 3 million subscribers, many people feel the same.

project farm comments

Todd's channel is successful because of the detail he puts into every product video. He buys each product, tests it for months or even years, and then shares the results with his audience.

One thing to remember is to add affiliate links in each video description you publish. You can set default settings in your YouTube studio.

3. Broaden your affiliate network

When I first started affiliate marketing, I became an affiliate for BoardBooster, a Pinterest automation tool.

After a few months, the company shut down, and I lost hundreds of sales. I had to scramble to find an alternative for my audience (and for me, too) and learned to diversify my affiliate partners.

Realize that affiliate programs can sometimes shut down or reduce their commission rates without notice, impacting your earnings. 

Diversifying your affiliate partners is a good idea to stay secure.

  • Affiliate Networks: Platforms like ShareASale allow you to access and manage multiple merchants in one place, making exploring and building partnerships easier.
  • Company-Specific Programs: Many companies also offer their own affiliate programs, often with strong commission rates and additional perks. For example, I’ve partnered with Grammarly, and it’s been a reliable choice for my business.

4. Build an engaged email list

Owning your audience makes for a better connection and more control over your business growth. 

You don't own your audience on social media, but you do with an email list. Use an email service provider like Kit, Substack, or send emails with Whop to build and nurture your audience to increase affiliate sales.

Make sure your email service provider allows affiliate marketing. For Kit users, as long as 20-30% of emails are affiliate marketing and the rest are content about a user's products or services, they are fine.

To build an engaged email list for affiliate marketing, create incentives that solve a reader's problem, send emails weekly, and offer valuable, actionable content that keeps your audience coming back.

For example, Nina of She Knows SEO clearly states her email contains affiliate links by putting a disclosure before the email and next to the link.

she knows seo

When you do share your links, you can share product recommendations that align with your audience and appear genuine.

5. Get a discount code

Many affiliate programs will have special perks to help their ambassadors promote their products more effectively. One of the best perks is discount codes.

These codes are an effective way to provide extra value while increasing your conversions. 

For example, many YouTubers include discount codes in their video descriptions to make their affiliate offers more appealing. 

For example, YouTube marketer Nate Black often shares SaaS tools for YouTubers. He includes discount codes for his audience in the description.

nate black

If your affiliate partner offers codes, don’t hesitate to request one—it’s a win-win for you and your audience. 

Be sure to highlight the discount's benefits in your content, whether it’s a blog post, email, or video.

6. Become an influencer (or partner with one)

In 2024, there were 127 million influencers on social media. While this may seem like a lot, there is still plenty of room to grow your brand and audience as an influencer.

If you want to become an influencer, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube are perfect starting points. 

Share content related to your niche and include affiliate links in your posts, videos, or stories. 

For example, influencer Cody of CodyTriesStuff partnered with Blue Apron, a meal prep kit company.

He shares a video and directs his audience to his link in bio.

codytriesstuff

You can also collaborate with influencers in your niche to promote your affiliate links – if being an influencer isn't your thing.

This works best with those who have a loyal, engaged audience. 

Offer a revenue-sharing model or exclusive links. When I created my first digital product, I asked well-known content writers and creators to help me share my course with their audience.

They would get a special affiliate link, and I would gain more sales than if I had marketed it myself.

7. Compare affiliates

If you want more income from affiliate marketing, then go ahead and compare affiliates to help your audience.

Many people often want to know the differences and similarities between the two products they are considering buying.

You can nudge your audience to a sale by sharing an article or video about two products.

Over on Blogging Wizard, Colin Newcomer compared five CDN services to help bloggers and business owners.

best CDN blog

In your comparison posts, you can create detailed comparison charts or tables for products to help your audience quickly assess each product.

Highlight the pros and cons of each product with affiliate links included for each recommendation in your charts.

Ryan Robinson created a chart between Bluehost vs. Dreamhost to make it easier for readers to see any differences.

bluehost vs dreamhost

8. Create a lead magnet for affiliate marketing

As an affiliate marketer, your affiliate products should align perfectly with your audience. 

This means the products your audience lacks or needs are the ones you're recommending.

An easy way to demonstrate this is with a lead magnet. Focus on a challenge your audience is facing and use your affiliate products as the solution or answer.

A few years ago, I had a lead magnet to help bloggers grow their email lists. The affiliate for this was Kit. 

I used Kit in my lead magnet and talked about how to use Kit to boost sales.

9. Understand your affiliate product inside and out

Some people don't trust affiliate marketers because they create affiliate posts after affiliate posts without using the product.

While having a pure affiliate marketing blog can help with more income, overall engagement will be lower, and it can be difficult to gain the trust of your visitors.

affiliate blog

That's why the best affiliate marketers know the product inside and out.

And that means owning and using the product.

This comes off as authentic and allows you to speak from personal experience and build trust with your audience.  

If owning it isn’t an option, there are still ways to familiarize yourself with the product. 

Dive into detailed reviews, watch tutorials from other users, or even try a free product trial – if they offer it.

Another approach is to connect with others who’ve used the product and gather insights about their experiences.

When you know the product wholeheartedly, it becomes easier to create authentic and persuasive content that earns the trust of your audience.

10. Pick a reputable affiliate partner

When you're choosing an email marketing affiliate program, remember—they’re not all created equal! 

Focus on these must-haves:

  • Reputation: Choose a well-known email provider. A great reputation means reliability, which is exactly what you need.
  • Commission Structure: Look at the commission rates to find ones that pay well. Programs like Teachable, for example, offer attractive rates – 30% commissions – that can maximize your earnings. But Whop is even better, offering 30% of Whop's fee for life when you refer a creator to the platform.
  • Affiliate Support: A good program will set you up with tools, resources, and responsive support to help you succeed as an affiliate.

11. Pair affiliate marketing with SEO

One of my affiliates generated $12,000 – that's $1,000 per month – last year because it was ranking in Google.

When you pair affiliate marketing with SEO, you can make consistent sales every month.

Many keywords like "best" lend well to affiliate marketing. 

affiliate seo

You can create a content pillar around affiliate marketing and SEO and focus on "best of" or reviews of certain products.

seo content pillar

Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram help you expand your brand and income as a content creator or influencer.

Instagram influencer Lindsey uses a link in bio to share her affiliates with her followers.

This is an easy way to 'house' all your affiliates on one page.

Part of being authentic with affiliate marketing is abiding by the affiliate rules. One important one is transparency.

Research shows that 66% of American consumers trust influencers more when they openly share brand relationships. 

Let your audience know you’re part of affiliate programs – most companies, like Amazon, require it. 

As an Amazon affiliate, you’ll need to disclose your partnership with your audience using these conditions:

  • Disclose every link: Clearly state that your links are affiliate links. This could be as simple as using "(paid link)," "#ad," or "#CommissionsEarned" right next to the link or product review. The disclosure must be easy to spot – don’t make your audience search for it.
  • Identify yourself on your website: The Amazon Associates Operating Agreement requires you to prominently include this statement on your site: "As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases." I put mine directly above the first affiliate link in the post so there is no question.
  • Disclose in the right medium: Make sure your disclosures match the medium of your recommendation. For text content, include the disclosure in text; for video or voice-based content, say it aloud. If both mediums are used, ensure the disclosure appears in both formats.
  • Follow social media platform guidelines: If you’re sharing on social media, check the platform’s rules. For instance, you can use Facebook’s Branded Content tool to make disclosures.

Your audience will appreciate your honesty. 

14. Create a resource page for your digital products

While you can create a resource page for your niche blog or website – or use a link in bio for social media – a better use of this content piece is to create a list of affiliate products for each of your digital products.

For example, in my courses, I'll have a "lesson" on resources for tools and services I'm an affiliate for.

digital product resource page

Your digital product customers trust you more than your email subscribers or social media followers because they previously bought from you.

This means they are more likely to buy from you again and again.

15. Participate in seasonal campaigns

As a content creator, every last quarter of the year has generated more than half of my yearly income.

This is true for most content creators.

Seasonal events like Black Friday, Christmas, or Back-to-School are when your audience is already in a buying mindset, making it the perfect opportunity to boost affiliate marketing conversions.

Content creators should create themed content tailored to the season, such as holiday gift guides, back-to-school shopping checklists, or must-have deals for Black Friday. 

Highlight products that resonate with your audience and include your affiliate links naturally within the content.

For example, a holiday gift guide could feature “best gifts” or “affordable stocking stuffers,” while a Mother's Day gift ideas post might include “lovely gifts any new mom would enjoy.” 

mothers day gift guide

These posts help your audience and position you as a trusted resource.

16. Write and publish eBooks

If you want to create a digital product, writing and publishing an eBook is the easiest and fastest method.

Create an eBook on a niche topic and include affiliate links to products or services relevant to the content. 

For example, if you're a photographer, you can create an eBook around a "Beginner's Guide to Photography" and link to cameras, lenses, or editing software.

Many readers will purchase these affiliate products if they need them as new photographers.

17. Offer incentives for every sale

If you want to make more sales with a particular affiliate product, encourage sales by offering a 1:1 coaching call or access to a membership or online community when they purchase.

Many content creators do this during Black Friday to compete with other creators promoting their affiliate products and capitalize on deals.

For example, many affiliate programs will offer promotional deals during Black Friday, and if you can pair that with an incentive, you're more likely to make sales.

18. Launch a podcast

Why not start a podcast on a niche topic you’re passionate about and share insights with your audience?

 During episodes, you can highlight affiliate products you genuinely recommend and include links in the show notes for easy access. 

For example, if your podcast focuses on home organization, you can share tips and recommend your favorite storage bins or label makers. Keep your mentions natural and authentic to build trust with your audience. 

As your listener base grows, this approach can create a steady stream of passive income while strengthening your connection with your audience.

19. Optimize for Pinterest 

If your audience is mostly women, then you can market your affiliate products on Pinterest.

Design Pinterest-friendly graphics for your blog posts or landing pages with affiliate links.

Use SEO-optimized keywords to ensure your pins get discovered, driving traffic to your affiliate content.

For example, Amanda Baker of The Grey Details shares affiliate marketing pins.

amanda baker the gray details

20. Create an online community

A fun way to grow your affiliate marketing income is by having an online community.

Platforms like Whop, Discord, Patreon, or Skool allow you to connect more personally with your audience.

After picking an online community platform, you can share exclusive content such as behind-the-scenes insights, strategies, or tactics. 

This gives your audience a reason to join and stay engaged. 

Within the group, you can naturally share affiliate products as part of your recommendations, like tools, resources, or products you genuinely believe in.

Alex Sedlak is a YouTuber who has a whop with over 12,000 members.

In his whop, Alex teaches the community how to make money on TikTok with calls, videos, and a self-guided course.

When your community sees you as a trusted voice, they’re more likely to value your suggestions. 

Plus, having a dedicated space for your audience creates deeper connections while giving you more opportunities to share content – and your affiliate links – in a meaningful way.

How to make the most money as an affiliate marketer

There are a few ways you can increase your affiliate income when first starting. 

One way is to promote only high-ticket sales. These are expensive gadgets, furniture, or SaaS tools like Constant Contact, which gives users a flat rate of $105 per affiliate sale. Plus, Whop is home to many high-ticket digital products that offer attractive affiliate rates - just check the 'hottest affiliate offers' on the Whop Discover page to find out more.

Another way is to promote with more than one affiliate company or network. As mentioned, affiliate programs may shut down or reduce commission rates.

I have six affiliate products and two networks I use in my business.

Finally, the best way to earn the most income from affiliate marketing is to combine several of these tips in one piece of content.

If you write a blog post, then make sure it:

  • Is a review or tutorial
  • Has a video
  • Has charts
  • Offers a special discount code
  • Ranks in Google (i.e. use a keyword)

How Whop helps affiliate marketers

Whop has a profitable affiliate marketing program with recurring income to help you get started with affiliate marketing.

This means when you become an affiliate for one of their thousands of products, you'll earn a commission not just once but every time your referred customer renews their subscription or makes repeat purchases.

whop affiliate scheme

This recurring income model means your efforts continue to pay off long after the initial sale.

But if you are new to affiliate marketing and need extra help, check out Whop's courses and communities for affiliate marketers.

Many of them are free to take.

There's even a whop for Whop affiliates, so you can learn the tricks of the trade right from Whop itself.

So, join an affiliate marketing course or community on Whop to learn the basics of making money online.


FAQs

Can you make $10,000 a month with affiliate marketing?

Yes, you can make $10,000 a month with affiliate marketing, but it takes time, strategy, and consistency, and it's not a sure thing.

Affiliate marketing can be a good secondary income for a content creator, so it's best not to rely heavily on it.

But if you want to make $10,000 a month, focus on promoting the right products, creating content that drives traffic, and building an engaged audience. The tips in this article should help you with that.

Can you make $100 a day with affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing can earn you $100 a day, but you need a strong marketing plan. 

Promote high-commission products you love, and use platforms like Pinterest, YouTube, or a blog to promote your affiliate links. 

This method might take several months to earn you $100 a day, but it's worth it in the long run.

How do affiliate marketers make so much money?

The best affiliate marketers who make so much money often rely on virality and consistency.

For example, content creator Lori Ballen has a TikTok shop promoting many lifestyle products. She is successful because she shows the product, uses it, and tailors it to her audience of older women.

Some of her videos became mini "viral," yet she remained consistent and posted TikTok videos daily. This led her to make more affiliate income by having more TikTok videos.