In this article, I will be uncovering everything that you need to know about affiliate marketing for beginners.
I’m going to show you step by step how to get started with affiliate marketing, some of the best practices, some of the best niches, and some of the best ways to build this affiliate marketing business.
Let’s get started.
Things you need to know about affiliate marketing
- Mobile-driven affiliate content has seen a surge, with over 50% of affiliate-referral traffic coming from mobile devices.
- 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals, including influencers, over traditional advertising.
- Approximately 81% of brands and 84% of publishers leverage the power of affiliate marketing.
- The concept of affiliate marketing dates back to the mid-1990s, making it one of the oldest forms of online marketing.
What is affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy where businesses reward individuals or affiliates for driving traffic and sales to the company’s products or services through the affiliate’s marketing efforts.
It operates on a commission-based model, meaning affiliates earn a commission for each sale, lead, or action generated through their unique affiliate links.
5 Best affiliate marketing niche ideas
Here are some affiliate marketing ideas to help you understand different niches and strategies within affiliate marketing.
1. Fitness and Wellness Products: Promote fitness equipment, supplements, and wellness products. The global wellness market was valued at $4.5 trillion in 2018, and is projected to reach $12.9 trillion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 10.9% from 2022 to 2031. The fitness and health industry is a lucrative niche for affiliates.
2. Personal Finance and Investment: Share information on budgeting, investing, and financial tools. Personal finance blogs and affiliates in the finance sector see high engagement. In 2021, the global personal finance software market size was valued at $1.05 billion. And expected to reach US$ 1.9 Billion by 2032, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 4.79% during 2024-2032
3. Tech Gadgets and Electronics: Showcase the latest tech gadgets, electronics, and accessories. The consumer electronics market is expected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2025. Affiliates in the tech niche can capitalize on the constant demand for new gadgets.
4. Online Learning Platforms: Recommend online courses, e-books, and educational resources. The e-learning market is expected to reach $325 billion by 2025. The demand for online education and skill development is on the rise.
5. Fashion and Apparel: Showcase the latest fashion trends, clothing, and accessories. The global fashion e-commerce market is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2025. Fashion influencers and affiliates contribute significantly to online sales.
How much can a beginner make in affiliate marketing
Determining how much a beginner can make in affiliate marketing involves various factors, such as the niche chosen, marketing strategies employed, and the level of effort invested. While there is no fixed income for beginners, I can provide a general overview based on industry trends and my experiences.
Let’s consider the fitness niche. If a beginner creates content around fitness products, workout routines, and supplements, they might tap into a lucrative market with high demand.
Some affiliate programs offer commission rates ranging from 1% to 50% or more. For instance, promoting high-end tech products may yield higher commissions compared to low-cost items.
An affiliate marketing beginner who successfully builds a loyal audience through a blog or social media can generate more clicks and sales, increasing their potential earnings.
Earnings Progression for beginners:
Let’s see how much you can make from affiliate marketing as a beginner.
First 3 Months: Beginners who focus on content creation, gaining initial traction. Earnings may range from $100 to $500 per month.
6-12 Months: With consistent effort, the affiliates who see audience growth. Earnings can increase to $1,000 – $3,000 per month.
1-2 Years: The affiliate who refines its strategies, promotes new products, and scales. Monthly earnings may reach $5,000 or more.
Building a successful affiliate marketing income takes time, and beginners should be patient. Being open to adjusting strategies based on performance analytics is crucial for long-term success.
How much do I need to start affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing can be started with a relatively modest budget, especially by using affordable hosting and free tools. The key is to gradually reinvest earnings to boost your marketing strategy.
As the affiliate marketing business grows, you can allocate more resources for advanced tools, advertising, and further optimizations.
Here’s a breakdown of potential expenses for beginners who are just getting started with affiliate marketing.
Website Hosting: hosting services like Dreamhost, or Hostinger typically range from $3 to $15 per month, depending on the plan selected.
Content Creation Tools: Basic tools for content creation, such as Jasper, Canva or Grammarly, may be used. These tools have free and premium plans ranging from $14 to $59 per month.
Email Marketing Software: For email campaigns, platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit have free plans for beginners, with paid plans starting at $10 to $29 per month.
Keyword Research Tools: Using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush for SEO and keyword research will cost $99 to $199 per month.
Paid Advertising Budget: If you are going for paid advertising, allocate a budget. For example, Facebook Ads or Google Ads could start at $5 to $10 per day.
Beginners can minimize costs by initially relying on free or lower-cost tools and gradually upgrading as the affiliate marketing venture grows.
Benefits of starting affiliate marketing
Starting affiliate marketing can offer various benefits, providing individuals with a flexible and potentially lucrative online business.
Here are some of the benefits of affiliate marketing.
1. Low Startup Costs: affiliate marketing often requires minimal upfront investment compared to traditional businesses. Hosting services like Hostinger offer plans starting at $2.95/month, making it accessible for beginners.
2. Flexibility and Convenience: Affiliates have the freedom to work from anywhere with an internet connection. An affiliate marketer can create content, manage campaigns, and track analytics from a home office, a coffee shop, or while traveling.
3. Passive Income: Well-optimized content can continue generating income even when not actively promoting. An evergreen blog post providing valuable information can attract organic traffic and generate affiliate revenue over time.
4. Scalability: Successful affiliates can scale their operations by expanding into new niches or optimizing existing strategies. An affiliate marketer may start with a single blog and gradually expand to multiple websites, reaching a broader audience.
Affiliate marketing offers a pathway to financial independence, flexibility, and the potential for passive income. As individuals gain experience and refine their strategies, the benefits of affiliate marketing can lead to a sustainable and rewarding online business.
How to start affiliate marketing for beginners
Follow this step by step process to build a successful affiliate marketing business.
1. How to choose an affiliate niche
An affiliate niche refers to a specific, focused segment or category within a broader industry or market that affiliates target for promoting and selling products or services.
To choose a good niche, first start by listing your interests, hobbies, and passions. Choosing a niche that aligns with what you enjoy makes the work more enjoyable and sustainable.
You can also explore current market trends and identify industries that are growing or have consistent demand. Tools like Google Trends can help you understand market dynamics.
When I started my first site, I focused on promoting web hosting products because I enjoy building sites and talking about tech. So it was not hard for me to grow the website.
2. Create your promotion channel
There are many different channels you can use to promote your affiliate link such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, etc.
But the problem is that you do not own any of these platforms, which means that they can shut you down at any time for whatever reason, and you will lose your business and your clients.
Which is why I suggest you build up something that is truly yours, your own place on the internet, a digital asset that cannot be taken away from you and where your customers can connect with you and the products that you’re promoting.
And by far, one of the best ways to do this is by creating your own affiliate marketing website. Now, before you say anything, I already know what some of you guys are thinking. I don’t know how to code, I’ve never designed a website before.
With Hostinger AI website builder or WordPress, you can set up and launch a website in the next 48 hours as a complete beginner.
I have used that service for a number of months now to create all of my affiliate websites because of how user-friendly it is and all the perks that they provide. You can also go to youtube to learn how to use Hostinger website builder and also how to build websites with WordPress.
3. How to find and join affiliate network
One of the easiest and most effective ways to find good affiliate marketing programs is by thinking about products and services that you use in your everyday life that you really like.
Whether it be a brick and mortar business, whether it is an online tool, any product or service that you use. Then search up on Google to see if they have an affiliate marketing program.
My second method to finding high paying affiliate programs is by taking a look at the programs or services in which top influencers promote.
So just take a look at any of your favorite influencers, whether it be in the online marketing space, in the fitness space, in the lifestyle space, or nutrition, or whatever it may be. Take a look to see what they’re promoting.
You can also ask a company or a service if they have an affiliate marketing program. Sometimes these businesses do have affiliate programs, but they don’t really advertise it.
So it may be beneficial to you to ask them if they do have one and if you can join and start promoting their product or service because you love using it yourself.
Affiliate networks such as Impact, Commission Junction, and Amazon Associate provide a wide range of products to promote. You can join any of them and find products based on your niche.
4. Create quality content
By consistently producing valuable content related to the products or services you are promoting, you establish yourself as an authority in your niche.
This helps build trust with your audience, making them more likely to trust your recommendations and click on your affiliate links.
Quality content also helps to improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). As your content ranks higher in search engine results, it attracts organic traffic.
Additionally, sharing your content on social media platforms and other channels helps broaden your reach, bringing more potential customers to your affiliate links.
For instance, Pcmag has a lot of review articles that talk about various tech products like smartphones and you can see they rank for most of the keywords people search about those products they are promoting.
This shows how powerful creating quality content can help you attract the right audience that will click on your affiliate link.
Here are various types of content you can create to effectively promote affiliate links and engage your audience:
Product Reviews
How-to Guides and Tutorials
Listicles
Comparison Content
Resource Guides
Have a burning question?
