Finding the Right Affiliate Network for Your Side Hustle
When you first in affiliate marketing, one of the biggest questions is where to find products to promote. For most people just starting out, the best move is to join an established affiliate network rather than trying to partner with individual companies directly. While experienced affiliates with a solid track record might go for specific programs, a network is the ideal launchpad for beginners.
These networks give you access to a massive catalog of products from some of the world's biggest retailers. This means you can get started promoting items almost immediately. To give you a better idea of what's out there, let's look at a few of the most popular affiliate networks.
Amazon Associates
As you might guess from the name, this network lets you promote and sell products directly from Amazon. By joining Amazon Associates, you get immediate access to millions of items. When a customer clicks your link and makes a purchase on Amazon, you earn a commission. It’s one of the largest affiliate networks available and is heavily geared toward the American market. Your commission can go up to 10% of the sale price, and the rate often improves with a higher number of monthly sales.
eBay Partner Network
Another major online marketplace with its own affiliate network is eBay. While it’s not as popular as Amazon’s program among affiliates, that could actually be an advantage—less competition. It's worth noting that eBay's process for calculating affiliate payouts is more complex than many other networks, so if you're looking for simplicity, this might not be the best fit. However, the eBay Partner Network provides top-notch analytics and sales tracking, so you can dive deep into the data if that’s your style.
ClickBank
ClickBank is a huge network that focuses on digital information products. Think self-help guides, online courses, and ebooks on making money online. You'll find thousands of products to choose from, and many of them offer real value to customers. However, ClickBank has also been known to attract some low-quality programs and schemes. This is where you, as an affiliate, need to be selective. One of the best is to build trust with your audience by writing honest reviews—even calling out the bad products—and recommending better alternatives. This approach can lead to more loyal followers and future sales.
FlexOffers
FlexOffers is another powerhouse in the affiliate world, boasting over 5,000 advertisers across a wide range of industries. It was even named one of the top 20 affiliate networks back in 2015, making it a reliable place to get started with your affiliate marketing efforts.
Specialized Networks
If you’ve already decided on a specific niche and plan to stick with it, you can often find an affiliate network tailored to that area. This is a great strategy for building a focused . These specialized networks frequently offer higher commissions, more relevant statistics, and better support for marketers in that niche. While I definitely recommend looking into them, this might be a better move once you have more experience. For most , starting with a broad platform like Amazon or eBay is one of the safest and most effective ways to get your off the ground.
