Affiliate Marketing 102: Best Affiliate Programs In 2020
Affiliate programs are opportunities offered by different affiliate networks. If you are yet to have full knowledge about affiliate marketing and its terms, I recommend you check my last blog. To begin making money through affiliate marketing, the first step is to register with a network under a program. But as easy as it is, going into the wrong program at the early stage of your journey may discourage you forever. That is the reason I have compiled the best programs you can consider in 2020. These programs have a wide product range and possibly something for everyone. There are some niche affiliate programs which are also amazing but this list is for a more general audience.
1. Amazon Associates
Amazon Associate is a program that gives publishers the chance to market all forms of products, both physical and digital products. One of the reasons you will like to go for amazon affiliate is that they have already gotten the name and the trust. Almost everybody on the internet is aware of Amazon, and the fact that they do deliver products at the appropriate time is all you need to get your buyer’s confidence.
Another reason to consider Amazon Associates is that they have all kinds of products and cover different niches. Even as a beginner, you have the chance to test-run different markets to know which one brings you more profits. Unlike other programs, Amazon’s affiliate gives you a commission on products that are not among your affiliate product. So far, the buyer came through your marketing effort.
However, the Amazon commission rate can be considered low (as low as 0% and up to 10%) but could bring in considerable income if you get enough volume. Learn more about the amazon commission rate here.
Below is a live example of an Amazon Ad for a UNICOO – Crank Adjustable Height Standing Desk.
And this would be a custom ad for Ring Security.
2. Shopify Affiliate Program
Shopify is a popular eCommerce website where you can open a store. A blogger or any person interested in selling products online can easily select a niche in this platform and then begin to sell products. As a Shopify affiliate, your work is to refer people to open up a store on this website to get a commission. You can easily share your referral links on your blog, YouTube channel or after a training program.
The Shopify Affiliate program is one of the coolest and highest paying programs as far as affiliate marketing is concerned. Through this program, you have the potential of earning a commission of up to $2,000 per referral. Another benefit of this program is that just like Amazon, Shopify is the leading eCommerce platform. Therefore, people will like to open there store with them.
Warning: the Shopify Affiliate Program has several requirements that a beginner will not qualify for. You can however do “development store referrals” where you would setup a store for your client and then transfer it over to them.
3. eBay Partner Network
EPN, also known as the eBay Partner Network was launched in 2008. In case you don’t know, eBay is an eCommerce website that has been on the internet for more than two decades, and expects nothing less from their affiliate program. The platform works like others in which publishers are free to register, find products, and then begin to share affiliate links to internet users.
The fantastic thing about eBay is that they accommodate newbies in the business. They don’t care if you’ve just set up your blogs or there is still low traffic on your website. eBay is just ready to accept your application with their very straightforward requirement: simply link an item or share your finds through Facebook, Twitter, your blog or website.
The only grey area in the eBay affiliate program is that they pay a publisher for a product bought through the link shared within 24 hours. Or when a person bids on an auctioned products in 24 hours and then wins it within 10 days. Any other things apart from this do not get a commission. Meanwhile, not all products are profitable on this platform. There is a possibility of no commission and up to 6% with a low barrier to entry.
4. ShareASale Affiliates
ShareASale is yet another online marketplace you will like to start your affiliate marketing. The platform has been around for more than 20 years and still attractive. They offer over 3900 affiliate programs and 40 different categories from accessories to weddings. ShareASale merchants offer generous commissions and is easy to manage. They also have a responsive support team in place to help you out if you are having any difficulty.
For ShareASale you should have an established website with some traffic and a professional email address as something like [email protected] would most likely lead to rejection. Each merchant may also have their own qualification criteria and you need to join each program individually.
5. ClickBank
For those who are interested in digital products and large affiliate commission, ClickBank should be your first option. ClickBank is an online marketplace for digital products such as e-books, videos, and software. This affiliate network is where merchants sell their digital products, although it has not gained popularity like Amazon. And as an affiliate marketer, ClickBank offers you amazing benefits.
The first reason for considering this network is its handsome commission rate. ClickBank vendors can set a commission from 1% and up to 75% with some paying recurring commissions on subscription products . Some are scared of doing affiliate with this network because they think it looks too good to be true. But, the commission rates can be high on digital products due to its inherent nature and some vendors understand the lifetime value of a customer and are willing to pay a premium for acquisition.
ClickBank is beginner friendly and has training programs for purchase. Understanding the marketing process is very easy, and getting affiliate links is possible with a few clicks.
One disadvantage of Clickbank is that you have to work hard to find quality products because the network has a high quantity of products and you have to vet the quality yourself. It implies that affiliates have to go the stress of selecting a good product for their customers in order to minimize refunds and earn that high commission.
6. JVZoo Affiliates
Just like Clickbank, JVZoo is another place where you can do affiliate for digital materials. Becoming a member of this affiliate program is free and very easy. It offers up to 100% instant commissions, although some conditions are to be met to attain this commission for some products. Affiliate marketing on JVZoo is quite a nice experience, and newbies should look into this platform first before others.
For easy marketing and profit maximization, the network has put in place some software that can guide you in the journey. Some of it includes software that can help you synchronize your JVZoo affiliate links to your websites and various analytic tools. Their payment method is friendly with different online payment platforms including PayPal.
Over to you
For former or existing affiliates, feel free to leave a comment below with your opinion.
Affiliate Marketing Series
Affiliate Marketing 101: What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate Marketing 103: Winning Strategies for Affiliate Marketing Contests
Affiliate Marketing 104: 7 Unforgivable Mistakes Every Affiliate Marketer Should Avoid
Affiliate marketing 105: A Complete Guide to ShareASale Affiliate Program Mastery
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are ‘affiliate links.’ This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.
