In this week’s episode of the Extra Paycheck Podcast we’re talking about finding and using different affiliate programs for your online business.
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Affiliate marketing is my favorite business model and I make it very obvious in my blog and my podcast.
Amazon associates program (affiliate program) is one of the most popular programs out there. However, not everyone can be a part of it for several reasons. Some people simply get their application rejected because their website doesn’t have enough quality content or doesn’t seem active enough. Other might live in a state that does not allow people to become amazon affiliates.
This might seem like the end of affiliate marketing venture to some but there is a solution. Believe it or not, Amazon isn’t the only platform with a great affiliate program. There are many amazing platforms which you can take advantage of and earn commissions as an affiliate marketer.
In this episode I am sharing some of my favorite affiliate networks and I am also sharing a few different ways of finding affiliate programs for your online business.
1. ShareASale
ShareASale is a very reputable platform. Obviously it’s free to join for affiliates. ShareASale hosts thousands of popular brands such as WayFair, Sears, Reebok and many others. Commissions range from 4% to 50%. Some vendor prefer to pay out a flat fee per sale such as $10 or $100 (depending on the product of course). ShareASale has always paid my commissions on time and I’ve been their affiliate for at least 9 years now. Check them out, it’s a great platform.
2. CJ Affiliate By Conversant
Formerly known as Commission Junction, CJ is probably world’s biggest affiliate network. You’ll be able to work with huge brands and small companies. CJ is free to join and gives you access to tens of thousands of sellers. CJ marketplace offers physical and digital products as well as services. Do you have a travel site and want to promote travel insurance? Then check out Commission Junction.
3. eBay Partner Network
Yes, eBay has its own affiliate program as well. As eBay partner you can promote every single product that’s being sold on eBay. Your commissions is 50%-70% of eBay’s profit. For example, eBay charges 8% fee for a completed listing in the electronics category. Let’s say a seller just sold a used ipod for $100. eBay will charge $8. You as an affiliate will earn 50% of that $8. Now these numbers will change a lot depending on the category and on your performance but I am sure you get the idea.
The only reason I do not love eBay partner program is that it’s hard to keep track of items that sold. I do not want to link to an item that is no longer available. However this program is good and can earn a lot of money for an affiliate that uses it properly. Of course it’s free to join just like the previous 2 platforms that I mentioned.
4. Private Affiliate Programs
While most businesses will work with a big platform like ShareASale or CJ, some decide on running their own private affiliate programs. There are of course negative and positives sides to it and I explain the potential issues in the episode. I also talk about finding these private affiliate programs. Scroll up and press the PLAY button to hear the full episode.
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– Alex
