AFFILIATE MARKETING
Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: How to Make Your First Affiliate Marketing Sale in 7 Steps
The lure of affiliate marketing is undeniable; who can resist passive income?
But to make that passive income happen, you have got to put in some work first.
To succeed in affiliate marketing, there are a number of crucial steps you must take before you earn that first affiliate profits. And these steps are, well … not passive.
The good news is that if you’re determined to make this work and are willing to put in the time and effort, you’re already well on your way to affiliate marketing success.
All the work you put in is to help you make your first affiliate marketing sale. There is nothing like a first sale to motivate you and make you keep at it.
So, what do you need to do to get started?
7 Steps to Earning Your First Affiliate Commission
We’ve broken down the process into seven steps for affiliate marketing beginners. Following this guide will set you on the right course and have you earning your first commission in no time.
1. Choose a Niche
Before you even begin building your first site, you’ll need to decide which niche you’re going to target.
Obviously, if you don’t know what your site is about or who you’re going to target with it, you can’t really build a site around it…can you?
If you’ve already figured this one out, way to go! This is undoubtedly one of the most difficult and overwhelming steps.
If you don’t quite know what your niche is yet, here’s some advice that you might find useful.
Some key questions to ask yourself when determining your niche are:
- What topics am I already passionate about?
It’s much easier to work on something if you’re passionate about it. Plus, when you have a passion, you’re usually quite knowledgeable about it too, so that definitely helps. For example if you have a passion about about makeup, your niche of choice might be makeup related, too.
- Is there money in this niche?
While following your passion is definitely the recommended option, sometimes the possibility of making money in a profitable niche trumps passion. So, you might not necessarily know much about your niche, but if it’s likely to make you money, you can always learn more about it, right?
For example, KitchenFaucetDivas is clearly a site that was built for profit, not passion. Unless of course there is someone out there with a serious passion for kitchen faucets! 😉
- What topic could I see myself easily writing 25, 50, or 100 blog posts about?
The topic you choose must have enough depth that you can create a lot of content for it. This is important for building an authoritative site, for search engine optimization, and most importantly, for the end user. If you don’t have enough content about a topic, you’re not going to be taken very seriously as an authority on the topic and it’s unlikely you can convince someone to make a purchase from you.
MoneySavingExpert is a great example of a site with a topic for which you would have a never ending supply of content ideas.
- Is there room in this niche for another affiliate marketer?
There are several profitable niches that are also very popular among affiliate markets (e.g., weight loss). Before jumping on board with a hugely popular niche, make sure there’s enough room for you. That is — will you be able to make money and compete with already established marketers? If not, keep looking.
- Is there enough interest in/demand for products in this niche?
The niche you choose might draw enough interest from your audience when it comes to reading and acquiring knowledge, but are they willing to buy relevant products too? Without consumer interest in products, your niche isn’t going to make you much money.
- Are there affiliate programs available in this niche?
This is obviously a crucial factor to consider. You might come up with an idea for a niche you know a lot about, but are there affiliate programs for the niche? No affiliate program = no sales. Time to look for a different niche.
Additional Resources for Choosing a Niche
Want to learn more about choosing a profitable niche? Here are some excellent resources we recommend for further reading:
2. Research Affiliate Programs
Once you’ve decided on a niche, it’s time to find out what’s out there in terms of programs and products to promote. You’ve probably already done a bit of research for this while researching your niche — now you need to dig deeper.
Choosing an affiliate program will take some work, but don’t be afraid to invest a significant amount of time into it because this is, of course, where your income will come from. Choosing the right program will make it well worth your while!
When choosing an affiliate program, keep these key points in mind:
- What type of merchants use the program/ affiliate network?
You want to make sure other similar sellers are also using the network, as this can help you gauge your likelihood of success with the particular program.
- How much commission are you likely to make from the products?
Make sure you sign up for programs that are profitable and generate a sufficient return in on investment. Some tips:
- If using ClickBank, products should have over a 50% commission (preferably 60%), and have a high gravity rating (meaning they’re in demand).
- For CPA (cost-per-action) programs, commissions should be over $1, and products shouldn’t be overly restrictive in how you can promote them.
- For physical products, look for commissions over $40.
- Do you want to be associated with the products and services?
The products and services you will be promoting to your audience must be relevant and good quality. Make sure you believe in them and know everything about them, because this will be crucial to you delivering the sales pitch to your audience. You need to build trust with your audience so make sure the products and services you choose to promote are trustworthy enough.
Ads like the one below often lead to sketchy products — do you want to be associated with a product that promises results that may or may not be true?
- What kind of support does the program provide?
Be sure to check what kind of customer support you can expect from your affiliate program once you have signed up. Do your research online and if possible, speak to other sellers using the program to get their thoughts. Can you speak to someone via phone or Skype or do you have to wait 72 hours for email responses? Be clear on this because trust me, you will need support at one point or another.
Additional Resources to Find the Right Affiliate Program
We’ve given you a few quick tips to help you choose an affiliate program that is right for you. For more information, be sure to check out the following:
3. Build a Site
Steps 1 and 2 are all about research and figuring out what’s possible and profitable. Now, it’s time to start putting your research into action.
Assuming you don’t already have a website built, this will be the next step. Fortunately, building a site isn’t as complicated or labor-intensive as it was in the past.
If you’re a newbie to building sites, the easiest way to set up a site is by using WordPress. The WordPress CMS is very easy to use and while coding skills can come in handy, for the most part you will not require any tech knowledge to set up your site.
You need to follow a few steps to have your site up and running:
- Buy a domain.
Your domain is the address for your website (e.g., www.affilorama.com) so this is the first thing you will need to do when setting up your site. Considering there are millions of websites on the internet, it’s possible that the domain name you want may already be taken by someone else. So make sure you have several options in mind. Be sure to read our advice on how to choose a good domain name.
There are several places you can buy a domain, including our very own Affilorama Domain service. Other well-known options are: GoDaddy and NameCheap.
- Purchase and set up hosting.
If your domain is your address, hosting is like the actual house within which your site will live. It’s your own little slice of the internet — the place where all your website files live. Hosting is very affordable these days, so don’t unnecessarily scrimp on costs. Go with a reputable, reliable provider because your affiliate marketing business depends on it.
For more details on how to choose a reliable host, make sure to read our free lesson on What to Look for in a Hosting Provider. Some affordable and reliable hosting providers we recommend are GoDaddy, HostGator and BlueHost.
If you purchase your domain and hosting from different companies, you will need to link the two together. Don’t panic, it’s a simple process. Check out our lesson: Linking your Domain with Your Hosting.
- Install WordPress.
Once your hosting is set up, you need to install a content management system (CMS) for your site. We recommend WordPress because it is easy to use and a beginner (like you!) can quite quickly figure out how it works. Most good hosting providers will have a one-click install option for WordPress, which means it will only take you a couple of minutes and you will have WordPress installed on your site.
- Install your theme.
A WordPress theme provides all the styling of a site that you (and your audience) see on the front end. There are thousands of themes available, so choosing one might seem daunting at start. Our advice: go with something simple and easy to customize. You can always change it later.
The AffiloTheme is a great option. Completely customizable, and built specifically for affiliate marketers, you can use this WordPress theme to bypass much of the initial learning curve other affiliate marketers will experience. You can also search for themes on a site like Theme Forest.
- Create content.
Finally, once your site is ready, it’s time to create content for it. The content you create must be relevant to your niche but also interesting and engaging enough to keep your audience coming back. You should also ensure the site content is search engine-friendly. More details about content creation in Step 4.
Additional Resources for Building Your Site
For more information on building your first affiliate marketing website, we recommend the following resources:
4. Produce Excellent Content
Now that your site is set up and you’ve joined an affiliate program, you’re ready to begin perhaps the most time-consuming (but potentially rewarding) part of the affiliate business: Producing content.
This is where the overused but truer-than-ever phrase “content is king” comes into play.
Your goal for your site will be to establish it as an authority site in your niche, and the main way to do this is to consistently produce unique, high-quality content.
This could consist of:
- Product reviews.
Your affiliate site model could be based off writing reviews about different products or services. This is a common model and if done well, can prove very useful in generating affiliate income.
For example, The Wire Cutter is focused on writing reviews of several different kinds of products and helping their readers make the best decision about the product they want to buy. After reading a review on their site, if the user clicks through to the product/service using the affiliate link, The Wire Cutter will earn a commission from.
- Blog posts that address common problems, questions or issues relevant to your target market.
Creating blog content is a very useful and effective way of consistently building content on a site. When creating blog posts, it’s a good idea to do some keyword research to figure out what it is that your audience is interested in and searching for online. Also, be sure to research competitors, forums and social media to narrow down on topics for your blog.
For example, Security Guard Training HQ has a very extensive blog on a variety of topics relevant for anyone interested in security guard training, jobs and more.
- Evergreen content.
If you are building a site that has the potential for information that will never age and remain useful for your audience, you have the opportunity to create what is known as evergreen content. It’s important to carry out extensive keyword research before planning any evergreen content for a site like this, as your site could hugely benefit from the proper usage of keywords within such content.
For example, the content on Super Weddings is useful whether you’re organizing a wedding today or next year. All the content on the site is created accordingly. To make things easier for the audience, it is separated into categories to make it very convenient for the reader to find what they’re looking for. This, of course, is also very good for SEO.
- Informational products.
Giving away a free informational product such as an e-book, an email series or a mini-course is a popular tactic many affiliate marketers use. Usually, your readers will have to provide their email addresses to receive the product from you. You can then use this to sell to them via email marketing. Additionally, an informational product can generate interest in the actual product you’re trying to sell. If your product is popular enough and brings enough traffic to your site, you could also monetize the traffic in other ways, such as AdSense.
A good example is DatingMetrics, where you’re tempted with a Free Texting Crash Course in exchange for your email. The real marketing will begin once the user has downloaded this course.
The type of content you create for your website will largely depend on your niche, as certain types of content perform better in some niches than others.
Remember: Purchasing generic content is NOT an effective method to build your site. While it may be tempting to populate your site this way, in the long run it won’t help you to position yourself as an expert in your niche (and ultimately means less traffic and fewer sales).
Additional Resources for Creating Your Content
5. Build an Audience
Building an audience for your site will, in some ways, follow naturally once you start producing excellent content. An interested audience will not only bring you consistent traffic, but also result in consistent sales for you.
So how do you start building an audience for a completely new site? Here are some ideas:
- Promote your content via social media.
The easiest and most common way to start building an audience for a website is via social media. Depending on your niche and industry, you can choose from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and several other niche and location-specific networks. Building up an engaged and interested following on social media is a great opportunity to build relationships and once you have their trust, promote your products and services to them.
I’ll use MoneySavingExpert.com as an example again. The site has over 154,000 likes on its Facebook page and it connects with the audience by sharing links to content but also asking money-saving/budgeting related questions. The highly engaged readers then visit the website, where they read content and no doubt make purchases.
- Guest post on high-traffic blogs.
While your site is still new, it’s a good idea to start capitalizing on someone else’s audience. Continue focusing on building your own content, but also considering writing content for a few big, high-traffic blogs that are relevant for your niche. By writing content for a bigger site, you are able to get in front of another audience and showcase your expertise on a particular topic. This will eventually lead to more traffic to your site, as well.
- Build an email list.
Let no one tell you that email marketing is dead. An email list is crucial for every affiliate marketer. You can start building up your email list with a lead magnet (like the information products mentioned previously) or even just by encouraging your audience to sign up for your updates. You can then push your content to this audience via email and also direct them to your affiliate offers. Don’t be sleazy about the sales, but if you build up enough trust with your email audience; when the time comes, they will not mind purchasing a product from you.
- Use basic SEO techniques to increase search engine traffic to your site.
Organic search remains an important source of traffic for any website, so it’s important that you optimize your website for search engines as well. When creating your content, you must always do so keeping the reader in mind first, but don’t forget to follow a few basic SEO principles as well.
Learn SEO yourself or hire a good SEO marketer to help you maximize on-page and off-page SEO opportunities for your site. If your site starts to appear in search results for terms relevant to your niche, it will be a huge boost towards building your audience (and your sales)!
- Invest in paid advertising.
Many affiliate marketers use paid advertising to generate additional traffic to their site and drive more sales. Paid advertising on social media is often a good place to start, as these networks tend to be more affordable.You may also want to consider taking out inexpensive banner ads on small niche sites. Depending on your niche, Google AdWords could also be a good option to drive some paid traffic to your site.
Additional Resources for Building Your Audience
If you’re interested in learning more about how to build an audience and start generating traffic for your site, check out the following resources:
6. Promote Affiliate Offers
Finally, the part we’ve all been waiting for!
This, my friends, is where things really kick into high gear. Many fly-by-night affiliates will jump right to this step and bypass steps 1–5 completely. And this is what will set you apart.
Once you’ve shown that you can offer something of value in your niche, it’s time to continue adding value by promoting products that will be useful and helpful for your audience.
You can promote your offers in a number of ways. It will depend on the type of site you’ve built and also what you’re selling. Some ideas include:
- Product reviews.
Write honest, real reviews about products. Build up trust with your audience, and remember that they rely on your opinion. Don’t just point out all the positives of a product and gloss over the negatives. An honest opinion will be valued. Add compelling images and make mention of useful features, specifications and other details.
Your product review can then link to the page (with your affiliate ID attached), where your audience can make a purchase if they’re interested. If do, hooray! You’ve made your first sale.
- Banner ads.
You can put up banners on your site, to promote your affiliate offers. Most affiliate programs will usually provide their own creatives when you sign up for their offers. All you have to do is insert the banner on a highly trafficked page (your affiliate tracking is usually embedded within the code). Banner ads in the right locations can do a great job of driving sales.
Below are some examples of banners that Templatic provides to its affiliates.
- In-text content links.
This is a very common way to promote offers. For example, you will often see a blog post with links to certain products or services. If the reader clicks through and makes a purchase, the blog owner will make a commission. These in-text links blend in with other content on your site and are a great way of promoting an offer within your content, without being over-the-top salesy with banners.
- Email promotions.
If you have built up an email list, you could also promote your affiliate offers via email promotions. Just make sure you build up a relationship with your audience first instead of going for the hard sell straightaway. The emails you send out must contain your affiliate links to products so when your audience click through. the sale is attributed to you.
- Discounts and giveaways.
Many affiliate programs will often run promotions with good discounts or giveaways that might be attractive to your audience. For example, if you’re an Amazon Associate and the site have a big Holiday Sale, it would be the perfect opportunity for you to promote discounts to your website visitors. This is a great way to promote your offers while also providing good value to your audience.
When promoting affiliate offers, just make sure you are fully aware of all the terms and conditions attached to your affiliate program. Some programs can be strict about how they allow you to promote their products. For example, some may limit you to banner ads and links only, while others will allow you to use paid advertising, but won’t allow email marketing.
Also, make sure you have a disclaimer on your website that advises your audience that you may have links that promote affiliate offers. This is necessary for several affiliate programs and also a basic courtesy to your website visitors. In the U.S., the FTC mandates disclosure for affiliate marketers (and anyone issuing endorsements), as well.
Additional Resources for Promoting Your Offers
7. Rinse, Lather, and Repeat
Now that you’re done with Steps 1 – 6, Step 7 is simply to keep doing what you’re doing. Yes, seriously!
Your ongoing work as an affiliate marketer will be to repeat steps 4 – 6 on a continual basis. Building a site up to a point where it can make you consistent income takes a bit of work and you must be willing to constantly create, promote, market, innovate and of course, sell.
Review of Key Points
It can feel overwhelming to do all the necessary work involved in setting up your site and building your reputation. But trust me, once you’ve made that first sale, all the hard work will be worth it!
To sum it all up, making your first affiliate commission requires a bit of work but if you break it all down and follow it step by step, it won’t seem so overwhelming at all. Here’s a quick recap of what you need to do:
- Choose your niche.
- Research different affiliate programs and products.
- Build a site.
- Produce excellent content.
- Build an audience.
- Promote your affiliate product(s).
- Repeat steps #4–7 on a continual basis!
As you can see, there is a tried-and-true strategy when it comes to affiliate marketing for beginners. Put in the work, and you’ll soon be reaping the rewards of your first sale.
Do you feel overwhelmed about making that first affiliate sale? What’s holding you back from getting started? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll be happy to help.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
Cut Costs, Not Features with This Microsoft Bundle Deal
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
Software subscription fees can quickly add up, and for small-business owners, entrepreneurs, or freelancers, these costs can eat into profits. Businesses spend approximately 29% of their IT budgets on software, according to a 2023 survey by Gartner.
For business professionals who are looking to streamline workflow without paying steep subscription fees, the Ultimate 2019 Microsoft Bundle might be the perfect solution. For just $71.94 (regularly $927), this comprehensive four-part bundle offers Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019, Windows 11 Pro, Project 2019, and Visio 2019.
While it’s not the newest version of Microsoft’s software, it can deliver tremendous value for anyone seeking tools to manage their business, boost productivity, and work efficiently. The bundle offers a lifetime license, meaning you’ll get all the functionality you need without the recurring costs associated with subscription services like Microsoft 365.
However, it does come with Windows 11 Pro, which includes the recent AI updates. Windows 11 Pro delivers a modern, intuitive interface with enhanced security features such as biometric login and Smart App Control, making it ideal for professionals who prioritize privacy and usability. It’s also equipped with tools that support multitasking, such as Snap Layouts and Virtual Desktops.
For companies looking to reduce overhead without compromising essential functionality, making a one-time purchase of slightly older software is a smart financial move. This includes Office’s most popular productivity tools, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Project 2019 is a must-have for anyone who is managing large or small projects. It helps track tasks, timelines, and resources, making it easier to stay on top of deadlines and ensure your team moves in the right direction. Project 2019 gives you the tools to streamline processes and manage tasks efficiently.
Visio 2019 is ideal for creating professional diagrams, flowcharts, and organizational charts. It’s particularly valuable for visualizing complex data or workflows, which is essential for business owners looking to improve operational efficiency.
If you need a productivity boost without eating into savings, take a closer look at this bundle.
Get the Ultimate 2019 Microsoft Bundle with Office, Project, Visio, and Windows 11 Pro for $71.94 (regularly $927).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
3 Trends That Will Change the Future of Entrepreneurship
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The most recent data from the new Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report reveals a powerful trend for the future of entrepreneurship.
Young adults, aged 18-24, had both the highest entrepreneurial activity and entrepreneurial intentions in the United States, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2023-2024 United States Report. With similar results in 2022, this is not just a minor shift — it’s a fundamental change that could have lasting impacts on the economy and society.
I serve as the chair of the board for the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association, the entity that oversees GEM, which was founded in 1999 as a joint venture of Babson College and the London Business School. As the GEM U.S. team co-leader and a professor of entrepreneurship at Babson, I see firsthand the impact of the research created by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.
Here are three entrepreneurship trends from the new GEM report that are changing the landscape for the future.
Related: 21 Success Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs
1. Young entrepreneurs on the rise
For years, entrepreneurship has been dominated by older, more experienced individuals, but this year’s report shows that the youngest adults are now at the forefront. According to GEM, 24% of 18- to 24-year-olds are engaged in some form of entrepreneurial activity, a higher rate than any other age group. What’s driving these young entrepreneurs is equally remarkable: They aren’t just starting businesses to make money; many are deeply committed to making a positive impact on society and the environment.
These young entrepreneurs make sustainability a key priority. They are more likely than entrepreneurs from older generations to build businesses with sustainability as a core focus — whether that means reducing their environmental footprint or focusing on social causes. This shift toward impact-driven entrepreneurship isn’t just anecdotal. GEM data shows a significant number of young entrepreneurs taking real, measurable steps to create businesses that align with their values. With sustainability as their north star, young entrepreneurs appear to be simultaneously pursuing societal impact as well as profits.
However, it’s not all smooth sailing. While young people are leading the way in starting businesses, they are also discontinuing them at higher rates than their older counterparts. The discontinuation rate for 18- to 24-year-olds is 15%, the highest among all age groups. This is not surprising, given the challenges of inexperience and more limited access to capital. Starting a business is tough, and sustaining one is even more challenging. But despite these hurdles, the enthusiasm and energy that young people bring to entrepreneurship are undeniable, and with the right support, this generation has the potential to drive substantial change.
2. Tech gender gap narrows
One of the most promising findings in the GEM report is the narrowing gender gap in the technology sector. Historically, tech startups have been dominated by men, but 2023 saw a record-low difference in the number of men and women starting tech companies. The gap has narrowed to just 1%, with 8% of women compared with 9% of men launching businesses in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
This is a significant step forward and reflects broader efforts to support more women technology startups. Still, it’s important to recognize that while progress is being made, continued focus on providing equal opportunities is essential to ensuring this trend continues.
3. Optimistic outlook for Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs
Another highlight from the report is the optimistic outlook among Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. These groups showed stronger confidence in their entrepreneurial abilities and lower fear of failure compared to their white counterparts. Black respondents, in particular, demonstrated high levels of resilience and self-assurance, which is vital in overcoming barriers faced in starting and sustaining businesses. This optimism is encouraging, but there’s still much work to be done in assuring ecosystems offer equal opportunities for all aspiring entrepreneurs, regardless of their background.
Related: I Wish I Received This Advice as a Young Entrepreneur
A promising future
Reflecting on the key findings of this year’s GEM report, it’s clear that the entrepreneurial landscape is changing in meaningful ways. The rise of young, sustainability-driven entrepreneurs signals a future where business is not only about profit but also about making a difference. These young entrepreneurs are launching businesses at a time when the world is looking for solutions to some of its most pressing challenges — climate change, poverty and economic recovery.
Yet, to fully realize the potential of this next generation, there must be more focus on addressing the challenges they encounter. Young entrepreneurs need access to the right resources — whether it’s funding, education or mentorship — to turn their innovative ideas into sustainable businesses. The narrowing gender gap in tech is encouraging, but we must continue to foster environments that support women and other underrepresented groups in entrepreneurship.
The GEM report paints a picture of an entrepreneurial future driven by purpose, diversity and innovation. But it also reminds us of the work that lies ahead in making entrepreneurship more accessible and sustainable. If we can provide young entrepreneurs with the tools and support they need, we will not only see more businesses being created — we’ll see businesses that are making a lasting, positive impact on the world.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
These Are the Top Side Hustles to Work Less, Make More Money
In the best-case scenario, a side hustle could turn into a multimillion-dollar business that generates a passive income stream — but at the very least, starting a side gig could help pay some bills.
A new survey from personal finance software company Quicken shows that almost half (43%) of Americans with a side hustle, or an extra source of income added to a primary income, make more money and clock in fewer hours overall than those without a side hustle.
The three most popular side hustles pursued by those who work less and make more money were personal assistance (20%), cooking and baking (16%), and caregiving (16%). One in five people with side hustles said they were business owners, too, selling products online or offering services like photography.
The majority of people with side hustles (82%) said starting a side gig helped them financially, and kept them from living paycheck to paycheck. Most with side hustles (57%) had savings equal to at least four months of living expenses.
The survey also found that, for younger side hustlers, a way to an extra income doubles as a path to becoming more employable. 44% of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) choose to start a side hustle in order to obtain skills for long-term careers, much higher than the overall 18% of Americans who started a side hustle with the same motivation.
Quicken conducted the survey online, gathering responses from more than 1,000 Americans.
Additional research on side hustles, released in August by NEXT Insurance, showed that three out of five people bring in less than $1,000 monthly in side income, while 22% make $1,000 to $10,000 a month, and 15% make more than $10,000.
Related: Starting a Side Hustle Should Come With a Warning Label — Here’s What You Need to Know