{"id":146759,"date":"2022-09-19T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=146759"},"modified":"2023-12-01T09:03:42","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T14:03:42","slug":"become-affiliate-marketer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/become-affiliate-marketer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become an Affiliate Marketer (5&nbsp;Steps)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to create a passive income, work from anywhere, and create more freedom in your&nbsp;life.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But how does one become an affiliate marketer? Does it cost anything to get started? How long does it take to actually make&nbsp;money?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve been in affiliate marketing for nearly a decade and have built three separate affiliate marketing businesses, two of which make six figures\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And today, I\u2019m going to teach you exactly how to become an affiliate marketer, just like I&nbsp;did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the basics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">New to affiliate marketing?<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n\n\n\n<p>Read our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/affiliate-marketing\/\">beginner\u2019s guide to affiliate marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How do affiliate marketers make money?\" data-section=\"how-affiliate-marketers-make-money\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do affiliate marketers make&nbsp;money?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/affiliate-marketing\/\">Affiliate marketing<\/a> is about promoting someone else\u2019s products or services using an affiliate link, then making a commission if the person who clicked on your link buys something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most affiliate marketers promote their affiliate links on various channels, including their website and blog, YouTube channel, or social media channels. They may create content that talks about the \u201cbest vacuum cleaners for pet hair\u201d and link to the vacuum cleaners they discuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2472\" height=\"954\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1-youtube-affiliate-example.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube affiliate marketing example\" class=\"wp-image-146767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1-youtube-affiliate-example.jpg 2472w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1-youtube-affiliate-example-680x262.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1-youtube-affiliate-example-768x296.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1-youtube-affiliate-example-1536x593.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1-youtube-affiliate-example-2048x790.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2472px) 100vw, 2472px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the consumer of that content clicks through and buys the vacuum cleaner, that company then sends the commission payment to the bank account of the affiliate marketer\u2014typically at the end of the month after accruing and accounting for all the sales of that&nbsp;month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But you can do more than simply review products. One of the beautiful things about affiliate marketing is that the ceiling is as high as your own creativity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can place affiliate links in nearly any piece of content you create, whether that\u2019s promoting a VPN service on a video about starting an online business or sending the link to your friends any time they ask where you got your cool&nbsp;shirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that begs the question\u2014how does one find affiliate programs to join and promote?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Where to find affiliate programs\" data-section=\"where-to-find-affiliate-programs\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where to find affiliate programs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three main ways to find affiliate programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On affiliate platforms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By performing a Google search for <code>[company name] affiliate program<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By reaching out to companies directly and asking them<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The first method\u2014affiliate platforms\u2014is by far the easiest and fastest way to find a lot of options. Some of these platforms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/avantlink.com\/\">AvantLink<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cj.com\/\">Commission Junction<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/impact.com\/\">Impact Radius<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shareasale.com\/info\/\">ShareASale<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Etc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply create an account on these platforms, head to their \u201cmerchants\u201d section, and start browsing what they have. Many of them allow you to browse based on category, as you can see in ShareASale below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1302\" height=\"1052\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2-share-a-sale-affiliate-dashboard.jpg\" alt=\"ShareASale affiliate dashboard\" class=\"wp-image-146768\" style=\"width:586px;height:473px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2-share-a-sale-affiliate-dashboard.jpg 1302w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2-share-a-sale-affiliate-dashboard-526x425.jpg 526w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2-share-a-sale-affiliate-dashboard-768x621.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1302px) 100vw, 1302px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Most affiliate dashboards work in this same way or very similarly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you can\u2019t find anything that interests you or have something specific in mind, you can always do a Google search to see if a company has an affiliate program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1698\" height=\"962\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/3-ikamper-affiliate-program-google-search.jpg\" alt=\"Google search for iKamper affiliate program\" class=\"wp-image-146769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/3-ikamper-affiliate-program-google-search.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/3-ikamper-affiliate-program-google-search-680x385.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/3-ikamper-affiliate-program-google-search-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/3-ikamper-affiliate-program-google-search-1536x870.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, the company iKamper has an affiliate program page on its website. But not every company will have an affiliate program advertised on its website anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In these cases, there\u2019s still hope\u2014some companies either don\u2019t openly advertise their affiliate programs or can be convinced to start one for&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pick up the phone and call the company whose products you\u2019ll like to promote. Ask a representative if they have an affiliate program. You\u2019ll probably need to be redirected to the company\u2019s marketing manager or even the owner\u2014depending on how small the company is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell them you want to partner with them and send them traffic and sales in exchange for a small commission on each purchase. It\u2019s a win-win\u2014they get more sales without spending anything, and you get money in the&nbsp;bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How to create and track an affiliate link\" data-section=\"create-and-track-affiliate-link\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to create and track an affiliate link<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As an affiliate marketer, you\u2019ll want to familiarize yourself with how affiliate links work. These are your bread and butter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most affiliate links contain your unique affiliate ID. Sometimes, you can choose what this is; other times, it will be a randomized string of numbers and letters. This is just the code that associates clicks and sales with your affiliate account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, one of my affiliate links looks like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/outdoorsyinc.go2cloud.org\/aff_c?offer_id=4&amp;aff_id=1064\"><code>https:\/\/outdoorsyinc.go2cloud.org\/aff_c?offer_id=4&amp;aff_id=1064<\/code><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see the portion <strong><code>aff_id=1064<\/code><\/strong>. That ID is what links the sale to my account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to your affiliate ID, you may also be able to add some advanced tracking to help you know where any clicks on your link came from. This is a good practice to get into, as it will help you determine which pieces of content and which products are generating the most money for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This advanced tracking typically includes a \u201cSource,\u201d which is the location of the link. Examples of sources may be \u201cemail-newsletter\u201d or \u201cbest-vacuum-for-pet-hair-youtube.\u201d It helps you understand where the clicks and sales came&nbsp;from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if I were to add a source to my above link, it would look like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/outdoorsyinc.go2cloud.org\/aff_c?offer_id=4&amp;aff_id=1064&amp;source=ahrefs-article\"><code>https:\/\/outdoorsyinc.go2cloud.org\/aff_c?offer_id=4&amp;aff_id=1064&amp;source=ahrefs-article<\/code><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you can see the <strong><code>&amp;source=ahrefs-article<\/code><\/strong>. If you were to theoretically click that link and rent an RV through it, I would receive a commission and know that you found my link from this article, thanks to the added source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can often also include sub-IDs, click IDs, and many more. But that\u2019s a bit too advanced for this guide. Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/supermetrics.com\/blog\/track-affiliate-sales-google-analytics\">this guide to affiliate link tracking with Google Analytics<\/a> for more&nbsp;info.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Is affiliate marketing worth it?\" data-section=\"is-affiliate-marketing-worth-it\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is affiliate marketing worth&nbsp;it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the big question: Is it worth getting into affiliate marketing right&nbsp;now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The answer, in my eyes, is a resounding <em>yes<\/em>. I\u2019ve built my life, my career, and my freedom on affiliate marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The benefits of affiliate marketing are that <strong>you don\u2019t have to carry any inventory, deal with customer service, ship anything, or make any of your own products or services.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All you have to do to make money as an affiliate marketer is research and promote the products and services you love. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s one of the best business models to create recurring, passive revenue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you\u2019re someone who doesn\u2019t mind a steep learning curve and working hard to grow an audience, affiliate marketing is definitely worth it. It just takes time and dedication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How to become an affiliate marketer in five steps\" data-section=\"become-affiliate-marketer-five-steps\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to become an affiliate marketer in five&nbsp;steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So you\u2019re ready to become an affiliate marketer? Here are the five steps to get started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Choose an affiliate niche<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step is <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/find-affiliate-niche\/\">deciding on your niche<\/a>. That is\u2014what category do you want to talk about and promote?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples of affiliate niches include hobbies, broad topics, lifestyles, or pretty much anything. If it\u2019s something someone\u2019s interested in, it can be an affiliate niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some niches are more lucrative than others. Any niche in the finance space will often have very high-paying affiliate programs, for example. But it\u2019s also an extremely competitive space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Historically, I\u2019ve chosen all my niches purely based on personal interest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To succeed as an affiliate marketer, you will need to create a <em>lot<\/em> of content around a topic, probably for years to come. If you choose something that doesn\u2019t interest you\u2014no matter how lucrative its affiliate programs may be\u2014you probably won\u2019t succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, obviously, this is your choice. You know yourself way better than I do. If you think you can research and create thousands of pieces of content about something you\u2019re not interested in if it means you make a lot of money, then by all means go right&nbsp;ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To think of a niche, ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What am I interested in learning about?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do I know a lot&nbsp;about?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do other people tell me I\u2019m good&nbsp;at?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The overlap of your answers can help you decide what to talk&nbsp;about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But before you commit to a niche, take it to step #2.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Analyze the competition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I will caveat this section by saying that you can succeed in any niche with enough dedication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, not all niches are created equal. <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/affiliate-marketing-niches\/\">Some are highly lucrative<\/a>\u2014and competitive\u2014while others are less competitive but may not make as much&nbsp;money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of your decision will depend on how much money you need to succeed in your own personal goals. Do you want this site to take over as your primary income or just become a small side hustle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Either way, analyzing the competition of your potential niche is easy. Just head over to Google and search for some broad keywords you think you may want to get traffic from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, let\u2019s say you want to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/start-a-blog\/\">start a blog<\/a> about mountain biking. A lucrative keyword in this space may be \u201cmountain bike gear.\u201d If we look at the search results, we can quickly assess how difficult it may be to rank on Google for this keyword:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1706\" height=\"674\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4-analyzing-competition-on-google.jpg\" alt=\"Analyzing competition for mountain bike gear on Google\" class=\"wp-image-146770\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4-analyzing-competition-on-google.jpg 1706w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4-analyzing-competition-on-google-680x269.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4-analyzing-competition-on-google-768x303.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4-analyzing-competition-on-google-1536x607.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1706px) 100vw, 1706px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, the #1 result is from REI\u2014a highly authoritative business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I scroll down, I also see Amazon, Trek Bikes, and many other high-authority websites also ranking for this keyword. At a glance, this tells me the competition is&nbsp;steep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To back this up with better data, you can install Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo-toolbar\">SEO Toolbar<\/a> and see the Domain Rating (DR) of competing sites, as well as a score of how difficult it may be to rank for a given keyword and how many people search for that keyword per&nbsp;month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1686\" height=\"1236\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/5-ahrefs-seo-toolbar-data.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' SEO Toolbar data\" class=\"wp-image-146771\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/5-ahrefs-seo-toolbar-data.png 1686w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/5-ahrefs-seo-toolbar-data-580x425.png 580w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/5-ahrefs-seo-toolbar-data-768x563.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/5-ahrefs-seo-toolbar-data-1536x1126.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1686px) 100vw, 1686px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This data allows you to quickly glance at information showing how competitive a keyword (and, potentially, a niche) is on Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you can also use our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keyword-difficulty\">free keyword difficulty checker<\/a> to check this information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2032\" height=\"1388\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/6-ahrefs-free-keyword-difficulty-checker.jpg\" alt=\"KD score of keyword &quot;mountain bike gear,&quot; via Ahrefs' free keyword difficulty checker\" class=\"wp-image-146772\" style=\"width:610px;height:416px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/6-ahrefs-free-keyword-difficulty-checker.jpg 2032w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/6-ahrefs-free-keyword-difficulty-checker-622x425.jpg 622w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/6-ahrefs-free-keyword-difficulty-checker-768x525.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/6-ahrefs-free-keyword-difficulty-checker-1536x1049.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2032px) 100vw, 2032px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This KD score of 29\u2014on a scale of 0\u2013100, 100 being the most difficult\u2014is actually fairly easy in comparison to most keywords. But it doesn\u2019t tell the whole&nbsp;story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a brand-new website, this will be a hard keyword to rank for. <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/what-is-seo\/\">Search engine optimization (SEO)<\/a> takes time and effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to learn more about how to do keyword research and determine competitiveness, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-competitor-analysis\/\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/competitive-analysis\/\">our full guide here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, what you need to know is that if you want to rank for high-value keywords on Google (that bring you free, recurring traffic), you should look for niches with keywords that each have a KD score of less than&nbsp;20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can\u2019t find that, it doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t use that niche. It just means it will take more time, effort, and learning than a lower-competition niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some guides to help you determine competitiveness on channels other than Google:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/youtube-keyword-research\/\">How to Do YouTube Keyword Research in 3 Easy&nbsp;Steps<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/corp\/blog\/marketing\/content-marketing\/youtube-competitive-analysis\/\">7 Tips for YouTube Competitive Analysis&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/competitive-analysis-on-social-media\/\">How to Do a Competitive Analysis on Social Media<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Pick your affiliate marketing method(s)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve determined that your niche isn\u2019t too competitive for your liking, it\u2019s time to choose which methods you\u2019ll use to promote your affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are five main methods most affiliate marketers use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Build a website and do&nbsp;SEO<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start a YouTube channel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grow a following on social media<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Craft an email newsletter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make a podcast<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Which method(s) you choose will depend entirely on how you prefer to create and share content.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a good writer, a website and SEO may be your best bet. If you love photography, social media is probably your game. If you\u2019re great on camera, think about doing a YouTube channel. If you love to talk, start a podcast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve seen successful affiliate marketers using each of these methods. Rather than trying to explain how to do each individual one, I\u2019ll just show you examples of successful affiliate marketing for each method and link out to guides for that method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Websites and&nbsp;SEO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are TONS of examples of successful affiliate marketing websites. In fact, we\u2019ve done case studies on a lot of them. Here they&nbsp;are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/amazon-affiliate-websites\/\">7 Successful Amazon Affiliate Websites (That You Can Learn&nbsp;From)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/amazon-affiliate-marketing\/\">How to Build a Successful Amazon Affiliate Site (Step by&nbsp;Step)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wirecutter-seo-case-study\/\">Wirecutter SEO Case Study: 5 Ways to Win at Affiliate Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>YouTube channels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>YouTube, like Google, is a search engine. Which means it\u2019s also a great source of free, recurring traffic. Here are some helpful articles if you want to take this&nbsp;route:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/youtube-seo\/\">YouTube SEO: How to Rank Your Videos From Start to Finish<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-more-views-on-youtube\/\">14 Proven Ways to Get More Views on YouTube<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.authorityhacker.com\/youtube-affiliate\/\">Ultimate Guide to YouTube Affiliate Marketing by Authority Hacker<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Social media channels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this is my least favorite method of affiliate marketing because it requires constant learning and content creation, it is still an option. Here are some useful resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/affiliate-marketing\/\">Using Social Media for Affiliate Marketing: 4 Tips to Get Started<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/influencermarketinghub.com\/tiktok-affiliate-marketing\/#:~:text=TikTok%20does%20not%20allow%20users,your%20links%20and%20redirect%20traffic.\">Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing on TikTok<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shopify.com\/blog\/instagram-affiliate-marketing\">Affiliate Marketing on Instagram: 7 Ways to Make More&nbsp;Money<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Email newsletters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While email newsletters are better as a supplementary channel to your other channels, it\u2019s possible to have ONLY a newsletter\u2014like my friend, Mike, does with his channel <a href=\"https:\/\/thetonic.us\/\">The Tonic<\/a>. He uses a combination of affiliates and sponsored ads to monetize his&nbsp;list.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what to&nbsp;know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/supermetrics.com\/blog\/how-to-build-an-email-list-for-affiliate-marketing\">How to Build an Email List for Affiliate Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/popupsmart.com\/blog\/affiliate-email-marketing\">How to Launch an Affiliate Email Marketing Campaign Like a&nbsp;Pro<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/blog\/tabid\/6307\/bid\/32028\/25-clever-ways-to-grow-your-email-marketing-list.aspx\">39 Simple Ways to Grow Your Email&nbsp;List<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Podcasts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From \u201cThe Tim Ferriss Show\u201d to \u201cEntrepreneurs on Fire,\u201d there are LOADS of examples of successful podcasts that monetize with affiliate marketing and advertising. Here are some resources to get you started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.podcastinsights.com\/start-a-podcast\/\">How to Start a Podcast: A Complete Step-by-Step Tutorial<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sidehustlenation.com\/monetize-a-podcast\/\">12 Ways to Monetize a Podcast<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Create and share world-class content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless of which channel(s) you choose, if your content isn\u2019t good, you simply won\u2019t succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-creator\/\">Becoming a successful content creator<\/a> means honing your craft, going the extra mile, and putting out content that\u2019s better than everyone else\u2019s. <strong>The better you get at creating world-class content, the more money you will make as an affiliate marketer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can\u2019t teach you how to make amazing content for every possible channel in this one guide. That\u2019s what the links in the last step are for\u2014to show you what\u2019s working and how you can do it better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What I can tell you is <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-write-great-content\/\">what it takes to create great content<\/a>\u2014regardless of the channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In my opinion, all content needs to do one of two things: <strong>entertain or inform.<\/strong> If you get good at one of these, you will succeed. If you get good at both of them, you will thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To create better content, ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is my goal with this content?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can I give the most amount of information in the least amount of time and effort on the part of the consumer?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can I take anything away to make my point clearer?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can I spin this in a way to make it more interesting or entertaining?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What points can I make that my competition is missing?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can I make this more&nbsp;fun?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you go through these questions every time you write a blog post or film a video, you will improve the quality of your content over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some examples of what I personally consider to be world-class content:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZIoMgeSjWxM&amp;t=1s\">Tips for How to Film Yourself<\/a>: In this video, Dunna uses excellent video editing, great organization, and entertaining cuts to explain how to film yourself better. He focuses on education and usefulness first, making money second.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.julian.com\/guide\/write\/intro\">Julian Shapiro\u2019s Guide to Writing Well<\/a>: This is one of the most well-done guides on how to write non-fiction that I\u2019ve ever read. It is put into digestible chunks, well formatted, and to the point. Again, the focus is on value first, monetization second.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eofire.com\/podcast\/billwidmer\/?sfw=pass1660765265\">How to Rank on Google\u2019s Front Page in Less Than 3 Months<\/a>: This is a podcast episode I did with John Lee Dumas from EOFire. While I didn\u2019t personally monetize it with affiliate offers, I gave high-value information in order to gain SEO clients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Continue to grow your audience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Affiliate marketing doesn\u2019t end after you create a few pieces of content and start making some money. You have to continue to scale it&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first, you will be doing everything. Creating, editing, uploading, publishing, and marketing all of your content. Coming up with ideas. Reaching out to people for promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But eventually, as your affiliate links begin to bring in a profit, it\u2019s a good idea to reinvest these profits to scale up your ability to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples of this include <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/outsourcing-writers\/\">hiring writers<\/a> or video editors, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-marketing\/\">spending money on paid ads<\/a>, and even <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-team\/\">building an SEO team<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t rest on your laurels as you bring in passive income. Take it from me\u2014I got lazy after one of my websites blew up, and it eventually crashed 60% because of it. Keep on top of your game, and your affiliate business will continue to feed you for years to&nbsp;come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting an affiliate business is one of the most lucrative ways to earn recurring, passive income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it does take a lot of time and dedication to learn how to do it and create all the content you need to be successful. You will likely have to work for a long time with little income to&nbsp;show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If hard work and a steep learning curve don\u2019t scare you and you want true financial freedom, I can\u2019t recommend this business model enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have questions? Message me <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/billwidmer\/\">on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>But how does one become an affiliate marketer? Does it cost anything to get started? How long does it take to actually make&nbsp;money? I\u2019ve been in affiliate marketing for nearly a decade and have built three separate affiliate marketing businesses,<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":174,"featured_media":147060,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[379],"tags":[],"coauthors":[434],"class_list":["post-146759","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-affiliate-marketing","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Become an Affiliate Marketer (5 Steps)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What to know to get started? How much does it cost? How long does it take to actually make money? 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