Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: The Only Guide You Need In 2023 [Free Guide]

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy in which affiliates (also known as publishers) promote products or services on behalf of merchants (also known as advertisers) in exchange for a commission. Affiliates earn a commission when a user clicks on an affiliate link and makes a purchase or takes a desired action.

OR…

Affiliate marketing is a marketing strategy in which a business rewards affiliates for each customer brought by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts. Affiliates are typically website owners who promote a company’s products or services on their own site and earn a commission for each sale or lead generated as a result of their promotion.

Here is a detailed explanation of how Affiliate marketing works:

• Merchants (Companies, businesses, and Owners) create an affiliate program and provide affiliates with unique tracking links, banners, and other marketing materials to promote their products or services.
• Affiliates (you) place these marketing materials on their own websites, social media accounts, or other channels to reach potential customers.
• When a user clicks on an affiliate link, the merchant’s website is loaded in the user’s browser and a cookie is placed on the user’s device to track the sale.
• If the user makes a purchase or takes a desired action (such as a valid purchase, email submission, etc…) within the cookie period, the reward/sale is credited to the affiliate and the affiliate earns a commission.

Now you’re aware of affiliate marketing, let’s answer a few more questions…

Why Affiliate Marketing is the best way to make money online?

A few reasons why affiliate marketing can be a good way for beginners to make money online:

1. Low start-up costs: One of the main benefits of affiliate marketing is that it requires relatively low start-up costs. All you need to get started is a website or social media presence, which can be set up relatively inexpensively.
2. Low risk: Affiliate marketing is a low-risk business model that doesn’t require any inventory, customer handling, or manufacturing.
3. Flexibility: Affiliate marketing offers a lot of flexibility in terms of when and where you work. You can promote products or services on your own schedule and from the location of your choice.
4. Passive income potential: With affiliate marketing, you can potentially earn passive income, which means that you can continue to earn money from your efforts even when you are not actively working. This can be especially appealing for beginners who are looking for ways to make money online without a lot of upfront investment of time and resources.
5. Opportunity to learn: Affiliate marketing can be a great way for beginners to learn about marketing and e-commerce, as well as to develop valuable skills such as website design, content creation, and social media marketing.
6. Large market: The online market is vast and growing, which means that there are many opportunities for affiliates to promote a wide range of products and services to a large and diverse audience.
7. Support and resources: Many affiliate programs offer support and resources to help affiliates succeed, such as marketing materials, tracking tools, and training resources. This can be especially helpful for beginners who are new to affiliate marketing and may need some guidance and support as they get started.
8. Potential for growth: Affiliate marketing has the potential for significant growth as you build your audience and improve your marketing skills. As you continue to promote products and services and drive sales, you can potentially earn more money over time.
9. Diverse opportunities: There are a wide variety of products and services that you can promote as an affiliate, which means that you have the opportunity to find a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise.
10. Collaborative partnerships: Affiliate marketing involves working with other businesses and affiliates, which can be a great way to build relationships and collaborate with others in the industry.
11. Personal development: In addition to learning valuable skills and knowledge, affiliate marketing can also be a way to develop personally and grow as a professional. You can learn how to set and achieve goals, develop a strong work ethic, and build self-confidence and self-motivation.
12. Control over your own success: As an affiliate marketer, you have a lot of control over your own success. You can decide which products or services to promote, how to promote them, and how much time and effort you want to put into your marketing efforts. This can be a great way for beginners to take control of their own careers and build a successful online business.

Can anyone become an affiliate marketer?

Yes, anyone can become an affiliate marketer. Affiliate marketing is a way for individuals/publishers to earn a commission by promoting other people’s or companies’ products and services. To become an affiliate marketer, you generally do not need any specific education or qualifications.

However, there are certain skills and qualities that you need to develop over time to become successful in affiliate marketing.

Basic skills for affiliate marketing:

1. Website/blog: You will need something where you can publish your content to promote the products or services you are affiliated with. For this, you need a blog/website. However, it’s not always the case but it’s quite good to have your website or blog. So, affiliate marketing involves a little bit of web designing skills. You need a domain & hosting to get started. You can learn more about starting a blog here. 
2. SEO Traffic Generation: You will need to drive traffic to your website or blog in order for your affiliate marketing efforts to be effective. This can be done through search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, or other traffic generation methods.
3. Good writing and communication skills: You will need to be able to effectively communicate the value of the products or services you are promoting through your writing.
4. Familiarity with the products or services you are promoting: It is important to have a good understanding of the products or services you are promoting in order to effectively sell them to your audience.
5. Time and patience: Building an affiliate marketing business takes time and effort. You will need to consistently create and promote high-quality content in order to drive traffic and sales.

In addition to these basic skills, you may also want to consider learning more about SEO, social media marketing, and other digital marketing strategies to help you effectively promote your affiliate products or services. The most common skills are…

1. Marketing skills: Affiliate marketing involves promoting products and services to potential customers. To be successful, you should have a good understanding of marketing principles and be able to effectively communicate the value of the products and services you are promoting.
2. Storytelling skills: It’s one of the most powerful skills you need to learn over time to become a super affiliate. It involves using the HOOK, STORY, AND OFFER methods to drive prospects through a process that triggers their emotions and encourages them to make quick buying decisions.
3. Writing skills: Many affiliates create content, such as blog posts, reviews, or social media posts, to promote products and services. To be successful in this aspect of affiliate marketing, you should have good writing skills and be able to effectively deliver your message to your audience.
4. Analytical skills: Successful affiliates often use data and analytics to track their performance and optimize their marketing efforts. It can be helpful to have strong analytical skills and be able to interpret and use data to make informed decisions about your marketing strategies.
5. Persistence and determination: Building a successful affiliate marketing business takes time and effort. It is important to be persistent and determined in your efforts and to be willing to continuously learn and improve your skills.

Affiliate Marketing Statistics 2023

Top Affiliate Marketing Statistics: –

Affiliate marketing is a powerful tool for businesses to increase their online presence and sales. The market value for affiliate marketing is reached $17 billion in 2022, and 16% of online orders in the United States come through affiliate marketing. This indicates that it is an effective way to drive traffic to websites and increase sales. Additionally, 80% of brands have an affiliate program, while 84% of publishers also run one affiliate program.

The purpose of running an affiliate marketing program is to improve website traffic and increase sales. Affiliate marketers are often bloggers and influencers who promote products or services on behalf of companies. However, 57.55% of these marketers earn less than $10,000 annually from their efforts. Despite this, 80% of those surveyed dedicate 10% of their overall marketing budget to affiliate marketing as they recognize its potential for success.

Studies show that males compose 54% of affiliate marketers, while females represent 43%.

The popularity of affiliate marketing has significantly increased since 2016. This is due to the fact that more and more brands and publishers are taking advantage of these programs. According to the results of a survey, 80% of people surveyed reported investing 10% of their marketing budget into affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is a cost-effective way for businesses to reach their target audiences and increase sales. With 81% of brands running affiliate programs, it’s clear that this type of marketing has become an essential part of marketing strategies.

On average, an Affiliate Marketing Manager earns around $58,000 each year from online affiliate programs.

With SaaS-based products, you can earn a commission of between 20% and 70% from affiliate marketing. With commission rates ranging from 20-70%, it is possible to make a good return on your efforts. It is important to research the products you are promoting in order to ensure that you get a reasonable return for your efforts. Commissions for affiliates depend on the niche and item being sold, with some earning a fixed amount or a percentage of the cost of the item. Cost per action, also known as pay per lead, is another option where affiliates can earn a flat rate for each set action (ex. email sign-up, event registration, etc.) that a customer takes to be considered a conversion.

Affiliate Marketing was responsible for a 109% year-over-year increase in the Toy Industry in 2020.

Recent studies have shown that nearly 60% of businesses and marketing firms use Influencers as affiliates to drive conversions, using them as ambassadors to promote their products or services.

Data from CyberCash Worldwide shows that 74% of US online purchasers look through multiple affiliates before buying something.

Affiliate marketing has become a popular choice for both advertisers and publishers in the U.S., with 81% of advertisers and 84% of publishers turning to it.

The AffStat report shows that 35% of affiliates make at least $20,000 a year from affiliate marketing.

Approximately 46.2% of global internet users have an ad blocker installed. Ad blockers are becoming increasingly popular,

Approximately 46.2% of global internet users have an ad blocker installed. Ad blockers are becoming increasingly popular, with even Google Chrome offering an extension to block pop-ups and other distractions. Brands producing high-quality content won’t be impacted by the growing use of ad blockers. Instead, they can focus on creating content that resonates with their target audience and drives conversions. 65% of affiliate marketers use content marketing to generate traffic, making it an integral part of any successful affiliate marketing strategy. Blogging is a great way to boost campaigns and create leads, as well as build relationships with customers and prospects. Content marketing has a higher ROI than traditional tactics, so it’s worth investing in if you want to make the most out of your affiliate marketing efforts.

According to recent statistics, about 9% of affiliate marketers make more than $50,000 a year. This means that there is potential to earn a decent income through affiliate marketing, although the earnings vary significantly between different types of affiliates. PayScale estimates that the average annual passive income for affiliate marketers is $51,200 while Glassdoor’s data suggests that the average yearly earnings for affiliate marketers are around $66,000/yr. While these figures may seem high, it’s important to remember that this type of income requires significant effort and dedication in order to achieve success. Affiliate marketing can still provide decent returns depending on the industry and product promoted. With hard work and dedication, anyone can become an effective affiliate marketer and start earning a substantial income from their efforts.

The above data shows the importance of affiliate marketing and also depicts the affiliate marketing earning potential. It’s a vote of confidence and gives you reasons to start affiliate marketing in 2023 or beyond.

Now let’s talk about Affiliate marketing prerequisites and cautions. It can help you understand what you actually need to start affiliate marketing and what legal compliances are.

The Prerequisites and Cautions:

Prerequisites:

1. A website or online presence: In order to promote products and services as an affiliate, you will need a website or online presence where you can share your content and affiliate links. This can be a blog, social media account, or online store. Your website or online presence should have a professional appearance and provide value to your audience.
2. A niche: It is important to choose a specific topic or area of interest to focus on as an affiliate. This will help you target a specific audience and find relevant products and services to promote. When choosing a niche, consider factors such as demand, competition, and potential for earning commissions.
3. Affiliate programs: You will need to join affiliate programs in order to promote products and services and earn commissions. Research and compare different programs to find ones that fit your needs and goals. Consider factors such as the quality and reputation of the products and services, the commissions and other benefits offered, and the support and resources provided to affiliates.

Cautions:

1. Compliance with laws and regulations: It is important to ensure that you are complying with all relevant laws and regulations, including those related to privacy, data protection, and marketing practices. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can result in legal consequences and damage to your reputation.
2. Disclosing affiliate relationships: It is important to be transparent about your affiliate relationships and disclose that you are receiving a commission for promoting products and services. This helps to build trust with your audience and ensures that you are acting ethically.
3. Ethical practices: As an affiliate, it is important to maintain ethical practices and only promote products and services that you genuinely believe in and that will be beneficial to your audience. Avoid promoting products or services that are low quality or that do not align with your values.
4. Sustaining long-term success: Building a successful affiliate marketing business takes time and effort. It is important to be persistent and dedicated in your efforts and to continuously learn and improve your skills in order to sustain long-term success. This may involve staying up to date with industry trends, experimenting with different marketing strategies, and adapting to changes in the market. It is also important to set clear goals and objectives and to track your performance in order to identify areas for improvement.

Myths About Affiliate Marketing

These Affiliate marketing Myths may deter some people from pursuing it as a career or business opportunity. Some of the common myths include:

• Myth 1: Affiliate marketing is easy: While it is true that affiliate marketing can be a relatively low-cost and low-risk way to earn income, it is not easy. Affiliate marketing requires hard work, dedication, and strategic planning to be successful.
• Myth 2: Affiliate marketing is a get-rich-quick scheme: Some people believe that affiliate marketing is a way to quickly make a lot of money without much effort. However, this is not the case. Like any business, affiliate marketing requires time, effort, and patience to build a successful income stream.
• Myth 3: Affiliate marketing requires a large audience: While a large audience can certainly help affiliates drive sales, it is not a requirement. Affiliates can still be successful with a smaller, targeted audience if they are able to effectively promote products and services to that audience.
• Myth 4: Affiliate marketing is not a real business: Some people view affiliate marketing as a hobby or side hustle, rather than a legitimate business. However, affiliate marketing can be a full-time, profitable business for those who are willing to put in the work and build a successful affiliate marketing business.
• Myth 5: Affiliate marketing is saturated: Some people believe that the affiliate marketing industry is oversaturated and that there is no room for new affiliates to enter the market. While it is true that the industry has grown in recent years, there are still opportunities for new affiliates to enter the market and be successful.

Pros and Cons Of Affiliate Marketing

Pros of affiliate marketing:

• Passive income potential: Affiliate marketing can provide a source of passive income for affiliates, as they can earn commissions even while they are not actively promoting products or services.
• Flexibility: Affiliates have the freedom to choose which products or services they promote, as well as how and where they promote them. This allows affiliates to tailor their marketing efforts to their own interests and audience.
• Low risk: Affiliate marketing carries a relatively low risk for affiliates, as they are not required to invest in inventory or other upfront costs. They also have the option to terminate their participation in an affiliate program at any time.

Cons of affiliate marketing:

• Competition: Affiliate marketing can be highly competitive, as affiliates are vying for the attention and business of the same potential customers. This can make it challenging for affiliates to stand out and drive sales.
• Unpredictable income: Affiliate income can be unpredictable, as it depends on the success of the affiliate’s marketing efforts and the performance of the products or services being promoted. This can make it difficult for affiliates to plan for the future and may require them to diversify their income streams.
• Compliance requirements: Affiliates must adhere to the terms and conditions of the affiliate programs they participate in, as well as any relevant laws and regulations. Failing to do so can result in the termination of their participation in the program or legal consequences.

Types of products that affiliates can promote:

1. Physical Products:

Physical products are tangible items that affiliates can promote, such as clothing, electronics, household goods, and more. These products can be purchased directly from the manufacturer or from a retailer and shipped to the customer.

Pros:

• Physical products can appeal to a wide audience and have a high perceived value.
• It can be shipped to customers, making them easy to deliver.
• Affiliates can often earn a higher commission on physical products compared to digital products.

Cons:

• Physical products often have a lower profit margin than digital products, so affiliates may earn less per sale.
• They require storage and shipping, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
• They are subject to returns and exchanges, which can be a hassle for affiliates to manage.

2. Digital Products:

Digital products are products that are delivered electronically, such as ebooks, software, online courses, and more. These products do not require physical storage or shipping and can be purchased and downloaded instantly.

Pros:

• No storage or shipping is required which is making them easy and cost-effective to deliver.
• They often have a higher profit margin than physical products, so affiliates can earn more per sale.
• Can be accessed instantly, which can be appealing to customers.

Cons:

• Digital products may have a lower perceived value than physical products.
• These types of products are prone to piracy, which can impact sales and commissions.
• Digital products may require ongoing support and customer service, which can be time-consuming for affiliates.

3. Services:

Services are intangible products that affiliates can promote, such as consulting, coaching, or design services. These products are typically purchased by individuals or businesses and can be delivered remotely or in person.

Pros:

• Services can often command a higher price and offer a higher commission for affiliates.
• These are typically delivered remotely, making them easy to deliver.
• And have a high perceived value and be in high demand.

Cons:

• Services may require ongoing customer support and relationship management.
• Difficult to promote and sell compared to physical or digital products.
• These types of products may be subjected to customer satisfaction issues, which can impact sales and commissions.

4. Memberships:

Memberships are recurring products that affiliates can promote, such as subscription-based services or clubs. These products typically require a customer to pay a fee on a regular basis in order to access exclusive content or benefits.

Most Popular Affiliate Networks Among Bloggers/Publishers:

1. FlexOffers

FlexOffers is a popular affiliate network that offers a wide range of products and services in a variety of niches, including fashion, consumer electronics, and home and garden. With over 750,000 affiliates (publishers) and 10,000+ advertisers, FlexOffers affiliate partners have gained entry to multiple levels of digital performance-based marketing tools.

Top Categories you can find on FlexOffers:

1. Clothing and Accessories: Eyewear, footwear, swimwear, Jewelry, and watches.
2. Digital products: E-business & E-marketing, green products, Self-help, and sports
3. Health and wellness: Beauty and grooming
4. Dietary and Nutritional supplement

FlexOffers Affiliate Payment Method: Bank transfer, Wire Transfer, Check, and PayPal

2. Impact

It is an affiliate network that offers a wide range of products and services in a variety of niches, including fashion, software, and tools. It is known for its advanced tracking and reporting capabilities, as well as its wide range of promotional materials, such as banners and text links, to help affiliates promote products effectively.

• Impact offers a wide range of products and services in a variety of niches, making it a good option for affiliates looking to promote a wide range of tools, software, and services.
• Advanced tracking and reporting: Impact offers advanced tracking and reporting capabilities, including real-time tracking, so affiliates can track their performance and optimize their marketing efforts.
• Wide range of promotional materials: Impact offers a wide range of promotional materials, such as banners, text links, and coupons to help affiliates promote products effectively.
• Payment methods: PayPal, Check, Wire Transfer, Direct Deposit, and ACH Transfer

Overall, Impact is a popular affiliate network that offers a wide range of products and services, advanced tracking and reporting capabilities, and a wide range of promotional materials to help affiliates drive sales.

3. Clickbank

• Wide range of products: ClickBank offers a wide range of digital products in a variety of niches, making it easy for beginners to find products to promote that fit their interests and target audience.
• User-friendly interface: ClickBank’s platform is easy to use and navigate, making it simple for beginners to find and promote products and track their sales.
• Competitive commissions: ClickBank offers competitive commissions (up to 70%) on its products, which can be a good way for beginners to earn income through their affiliate marketing efforts.
• Support and resources: ClickBank provides affiliates with a variety of promotional materials and support to help them succeed, including banner ads, email swipes, and training resources.
• Flexibility: Affiliates can choose how and where to promote ClickBank products, giving them the flexibility to choose the marketing methods that work best for them.

MaxBounty is an affiliate network that connects affiliates with advertisers to promote products and services. As an affiliate, you can earn a commission by promoting the products and services of the advertisers on the MaxBounty network.

There is a wide variety of affiliate offers available on MaxBounty, including products and services in a range of industries such as:

• Health and wellness
• Finance and insurance
• Technology and software
• Surveys, sweepstakes, and making money online
• Tools, Apps, and browser extensions

Some examples of specific types of offers you can find on MaxBounty include:

• Physical products, such as supplements, fitness equipment, and home goods
• Digital products, such as ebooks, courses, and software
• Services, such as insurance, credit repair, and home security
• Subscription services, such as meal delivery or streaming services

Maxbounty Affiliate Payment method: PayPal, eCheck, ACH, Wire, Bitcoin, and Intercash

By promoting these types of offers, you can earn a commission for every sale or lead generated through your affiliate links.

Here are a few things that you need to be considering in 2023

• Trust — You can’t even sell $10 worth of product if people don’t believe your opinion. Sometimes if you are lucky you may get 1,2, or even 3 sales, but it won’t make you a fortune. It’s really hard to generate sales daily.
• Knowledge — You need to have some knowledge and a basic understanding of the product or service before you can recommend it.
• Confidence — Do not sell something that doesn’t empower you. Why did I say that? because it lowers your confidence. You have to choose an affiliate product wisely. Don’t choose garbage just because it offers a $100 commission.
• Patience — It takes time to consider Affiliate marketing a full-time business. In fact, it took me 3 years to make my first $149 affiliate commission.
• Focus — Only focus on one product, one traffic source, and one marketing strategy at a time.

If you work on the above factors, you are well on your way to starting Affiliate marketing. It’s the only qualification you need to have in 2023.

What Does Make Affiliate Marketing Successful…

• Right Product
• Targeted traffic
• Right promotional strategy

If you score 100 in all these three areas, you can definitely master affiliate marketing.

Okay… let’s start with the first option…

Right product

The right product is a product that solves a specific problem and has a clear goal. For example, Clickfunnels helps entrepreneurs automate their sales processes. With this, they can create funnels, set up an autoresponder, collect leads, and track their performance. So, it is solving a very subjective problem and providing a complete solution to marketers, individuals, and entrepreneurs.

So if anybody who is running an online business would be looking for something like Clickfunnels that can take care of all their marketing efforts.

Tips: How to choose the right product that converts

• Always choose a product that solves the real problem.
• The right product has nice, affordable, and reasonable pricing. Not too high or not too low.
• I recommend you look for product reviews on Trustpilot and other public review platforms to make sure that it is good to consider for affiliate marketing.
• Also, see how hard it is to promote the product. Sometimes it’s hard to promote a product if it is in a competitive niche. And also ensure whether or not you can create content around it. (Do I need to create videos, blog spots, tutorials, etc…)
• Look at the commission model: Remember if a product is offering huge commission, it is probably not the best product to promote. Always go with products that offer 20–30% recurring commission. In this way, you are going to make more money for months not just for a day or a week.

Okay, let’s jump into the actual step-by-step guide to start affiliate marketing for beginners

How to start affiliate marketing: A step-by-step guide

NOTE: you can jump over the second step if you really want to tap into a new market.

So far, I have discussed all the basics of affiliate marketing. Now let’s begin with the actual process of starting affiliate marketing from scratch. I’ll try to include each and every aspect of affiliate marketing from researching low-competition markets/niches to traffic sources and tools you need to scale your affiliate marketing business. So shit tight and start building a profitable affiliate business together.

NOTE: I’ll also share a to-do checklist to make the entire process super easy for beginners to follow.

Step – 1: Decide if your Passion has some monetary value

Most people tell you that you need to go outside and find a niche that suits your interest area. But it’s not always the case. In fact, if you look inside (within you), you are likely to determine something (Skill, knowledge, or expertise) that has high market demand. You can even do this by listing out all your skills and interest on a paper and analyzing if there is something that interests you a lot and also has a huge market potential.

For instance, if you love healthy cooking, you can make a list of sub-categories and see which one can produce the most demand and value. Once you figure out your true potential, you can then see what you can do with this to start affiliate marketing. I mean, you need to go deep into the market and see what experts are doing in that niche and figure out if you can do even better than what already exists.

Cooking is a great skill that most people consider a hobby. If that’s the case, why don’t you work in this area to become an expert? you don’t need to go into a new area of expertise, you can simply expand on this and start building your audience that you can monetize later.

NOTE: Make sure to measure the level of competition in your market/niche. Because if the market is too hard to penetrate, it might require a lot of time and effort to establish yourself.

A few different approaches you can take to determine if your passion has monetary value:

Research the market: Look into whether there are other people or businesses making money by doing something similar to what you’re passionate about. If there are, it’s a good sign that your passion could potentially have a monetary value.

Consider your skills and expertise: Do you have specific skills or expertise related to your passion that could be valuable to others? For example, if you’re passionate about writing and have a knack for editing, you could potentially make money as a freelance editor or proofreader. Or maybe you can start a blog and teach people how to write and edit. And recommend valuable resources/tools/services as an affiliate.

Look for opportunities to monetize your passion: Are there ways you can monetize your passion directly, such as by selling products or services related to it? Alternatively, could you use your passion as a way to supplement your income, such as by starting a side hustle or taking on freelance work related to it?

Consider your audience: Is there a demand for what you’re passionate about? If you’re passionate about a niche, it may be more difficult to find a market for it, but if you’re passionate about something that has a large and dedicated audience, it could be easier to monetize.

Ultimately, the key to deciding whether your passion has monetary value is to be proactive and do your research. The more you understand about the market and the demand for what you’re passionate about, the better equipped you’ll be to make an informed decision.

Remember: Affiliate marketing requires upfront work. If you can devote your time doing this, you can expect to make money with affiliate marketing passively. (Mark my words!)

Step 2: Find A Low Competition Niche

Finding a low-competition niche for affiliate marketing can be a great way to start your affiliate marketing journey and increase your chances of success. Here are some tips for finding a low-competition niche:

1. Start by brainstorming a list of topics or industries that you are interested in or have expertise in. This will help you narrow down your options and make it easier to find a niche that you are passionate about. To do this, you can use a variety of methods, such as:

• Making a list of your hobbies, interests, and skills
• Asking friends or family for ideas
• Researching popular trends or emerging industries
• Checking out online forums or communities related to different niches

For example, let’s say you are interested in the health and wellness industry. Some sub-niches you might consider within this larger niche could include natural remedies, fitness, exercise, or healthy cooking.

2. Use keyword research tools to determine the level of competition in your chosen niche. There are a number of tools available for this, such as Google Keyword Planner, KWfinder, SEMrush, Ahrefs, etc. To use these tools, you will need to enter keywords related to your chosen niche and the tool will provide you with data on the search volume and competition level for each keyword.

For example, let’s say you are interested in the natural remedies sub-niche within the health and wellness industry. Some keywords you might search for include “herbal remedies,” “essential oils,” or “natural remedies for anxiety.” If you find that these keywords have high search volume but low competition, it could be a good indication that this is a viable niche for affiliate marketing.

3. Check out popular affiliate programs and networks to see which niches they cover. Affiliate programs and networks are companies that provide a platform for affiliates to promote products or services in exchange for a commission. By signing up for these programs, you can access a wide range of products or services to promote as an affiliate. Some popular programs include Amazon Associates, Maxbounty ShareASale, and CJ Affiliate.

To find out which niches these programs cover, you can browse their websites or use the search function to find products or categories related to your chosen niche. For example, if you are interested in the home décor niche, you might see that Amazon Associates has a wide range of home décor products available for affiliates to promote.

4. Look for niche markets that are underserved or overlooked by larger companies. Sometimes, smaller or specialized niches may not be as well-known or popular, but they can still be profitable if you can find a way to reach your target audience. You can do this by researching niche-specific forums, blogs, or communities to get a sense of what products or services are in demand within that niche.

For example, you might find that there is less competition in the niche of eco-friendly or sustainable products. You could also consider targeting specific demographics, such as seniors or people with disabilities, as these groups may have unique needs that are not always well-served by larger companies.

5. Consider focusing on a specific sub-niche within a larger niche. This can be a good strategy if you find that the larger niche you are interested in has a lot of competition. By focusing on a specific sub-niche, you can differentiate yourself from other affiliates and potentially find a more profitable niche.

To find a specific sub-niche within the health and wellness industry, you might use Google Trends to see which topics are gaining popularity, or you could browse niche-specific forums and communities to see what products or services are in demand. You could also read industry blogs and publications to stay up-to-date on trends and emerging sub-niches within the health and wellness industry.

For example, let’s say you are interested in the health and wellness industry. Rather than competing with other affiliates in the general health and wellness niche, you could focus on a specific type of product or service, such as natural remedies for anxiety or plant-based protein powders. This can help you stand out from other affiliates and potentially find a more profitable market.

By following these steps and using the tools and resources mentioned, you can find a low-competition niche for affiliate marketing that is both profitable and enjoyable to work in. Remember to always do your research and be thorough in your analysis to ensure that you have the best chance of success as an affiliate marketer.

10 low-competition niches/topics/markets for beginner affiliate marketers to start an amazon affiliate website

1. Sewing
2. Dehumidifier
3. Dating and relationship
4. Hoverboard
5. Backup camera
6. Laptop table
7. Air Purifier
8. Fish tank and aquarium
9. Gaming chair
10. Energy, Power, and Rechargeable Battery

Step 3: Choose a Traffic source Or platform to build an audience

Okay, now you have the basic idea of affiliate marketing, it’s time to choose the right traffic source or platform to build an audience.

For example, let’s suppose, you are in the parenting niche, now if you want to drive targeted people to your blog/website, you need a relevant traffic source where people are interested in your niche and ready to spend money. Pinterest is the best platform to start your parenting blog. However Facebook and YouTube can be great alternatives, but Pinterest has the potential to reach more targeted people in your niche.

Similarly, people who are in the cooking niche can either go with Pinterest, YouTube, or Instagram. However, the most powerful platform for building a huge audience in cooking is YouTube.

So, you have to understand that it’s not about traffic, it’s about targeted traffic. Remember, No matter how profitable the niche is, your efforts are a waste if you choose an irrelevant traffic source or platform.

For your convenience, I have listed out a few traffic sources with relevance to their niches –

1. Instagram: Best for Traveling, beauty, Fashion, and health & wellness.
2. Pinterest: Best for Home decor, DIY & crafts, parenting, cooking, health, quotes, etc.
3. Reddit: Best for international news, entertainment tech, security, credit card, sports, etc.
4. Google: Best for all kinds of niches but it’s tough to rank on top for most of these competitive niches in the health, wealth, and relationship market.
5. Facebook: Best for entertainment, cute animals, dating & relationship, etc.
6. YouTube: Best for Entertainment, how-to tutorials, cooking, teaching/education, Fitness, etc.
7. Twitter: Best for Business, Startup, Technology, education, marketing, podcast, success stories, etc.
8. LinkedIn: Business, Technology, Marketing/ lead generation, Jobs & Career, etc.

How to choose a traffic source or platform to build an audience for affiliate marketing:

1. Audience demographics: Different platforms and traffic sources have different user demographics. For example, Instagram tends to have a younger audience while LinkedIn has an older audience. Consider which demographics align best with the products or services you will be promoting through affiliate marketing.
2. Audience interest: Consider the interests of the audience on each platform or traffic source. For example, a platform like Pinterest is heavily focused on lifestyle and home décor, which would be a great fit for affiliate marketing of products related to those topics.
3. Competitor analysis: It’s a good practice to do a competitor analysis on the platform you’re considering, check the existing campaign, strategies, and the audience they are targeting to get a better understanding of what works best for the platform, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
4. Platform’s community guidelines: It’s also important to check the platform’s community guidelines before starting, as you’ll want to ensure that your affiliate marketing campaigns comply with the guidelines and are not in violation of any terms of service.
5. Content saturation: It refers to the amount of content being published on a particular platform or traffic source. If there is a high level of content saturation, it can be more difficult for your content to stand out and be seen by potential customers. However, content saturation alone is not the only determining factor, you may want to look into other aspects like:
   • The audience that is active on the platform, the audience’s preferences, and the type of content they prefer to see.
   • The platform’s algorithm and how it displays the content.
   • Your competition and the type of content and campaigns they are running.
   • The niche you’re operating in and the type of products you’re promoting. Some niches are more saturated than others and you may have to put in more effort to stand out.
   • The engagement level of the audience on the platform, if the audience is highly engaged on the platform, it may be easier to reach them through your affiliate marketing campaigns.

Pro Tip: If don’t have enough time to build an audience, you may want to look into Paid traffic sources. For example, you can use Google Ads to promote your affiliate offers. However, you need money to drive traffic to your website/blog, it’s really a powerful method to see your marketing efforts quite early in the process.

Types Of Traffic

Okay, now you have the best of the best product. It’s time to drive the right audience to promote the product. For that, you need to drive targeted traffic to your offer. And here you have 3 legit methods to drive targeted traffic to your offer.

• Organic Traffic
• Social Media Traffic
• Paid Traffic

Organic traffic

It is the best form of traffic when it comes to driving long-term affiliate profit. But it’s the hardest traffic. It involves the right SEO strategies to rank high on search engines like Google, Bing, etc.

This type of traffic is best suited for bloggers who already have a blog and are willing to create valuable content around the product or offer you are about to promote.

For example, let’s suppose, you have a product in the health niche (say Weight loss supplement).

Now in order to promote this product with a blog, you need to create at least 15–25 high-quality blog posts related to weight loss tips and guides, and expert advice before you can expect to make affiliate commissions.

Remember you have to be careful about keyword research. Make sure to target high-converting long-tail keywords with buyer intent. You can do the SERPs analysis to understand the buyer’s intent. You can use keyword research tools like Ahref, Ubersuggest, Kwfinder, SEMrush, etc. to find the best of the best keywords that drive people to take action.

For example, you can create a blog post like this…

“30 Experts Reveals 30 Secrets to lose 20 Pounds in less than 6 Months”

Did you see how powerful this post is?

You need to work hard to craft something actionable that makes people click and read your article.

Similarly, you can create a checklist with an action plan to make people go through steps to help them lose weight.

You can even use ChatGPT or other AI tools to generate content ideas, hooks, and call to action for better results.

Once the content is ready, you need to do some off-site SEO link-building to rank higher on Google.

Downsides

• Time-consuming — you need to wait for months to see results. You can’t solely rely on SEO to drive traffic.
• Not good for someone who doesn’t have enough time. (I recommend you go with paid traffic. It’s instant, high quality, and targeted. “Google ads” is the best way to drive traffic. If you have decided to start with Google ads, you can grab a $500 free Google credit here.)
• You need to build topic authority to rank higher.
• It’s easy to quit — Most people quit before they can see some results.
• You have to trade so much time to make money

Social media traffic

The second form of traffic is social media traffic. It is easy to generate social media traffic than to generate SEO/organic traffic.

However, it is less targeted (YouTube is the exception. Highly targeted!) but can work great if you build a one-on-one relationship with your audience.

You have to produce highly engaging short forms content to make people take action. You can create Instagram stories, reels, and YouTube shorts to boost engagement. You can use tools like Canva Pro to create graphics. And Inshot to edit videos, and Pictory to add captions to your videos.

The only downside is that you need to create content regularly and also be so good at building relationships so that you can convince people to take action.

Paid Traffic

It is the best form of traffic to drive targeted people to your offer and make sales in less than 24 hours.

However, you need to create high-converting Ad creative and invest some money to drive traffic. But no worries, there are many tools like Adcreative.ai that uses artificial intelligence to help you create high-converting ad creative. And at the same time, if you decide to sign up with AdCreative.ai, you’ll get $500 free Google ad credit to run your ad with Google.

A few reasons why paid traffic is good…

• You don’t need to create a lot of content, a few high-converting pieces can do wonders.
• Traffic on demand — you can drive traffic whenever you want, and you don’t need to wait for the sun to go down.
• Quick results — You can see results in 2–3 days.
• You have more control over targeting and the type of traffic you can drive.
• You don’t need to trade time for money.

Downsides

• You need upfront investment (However, if you decide to use Google ads, then you can get a $500 free Google ads credit here. )
• You need to learn how to run paid ads on one of the following platforms Google, Bing, Facebook, etc. (I recommend Google ads.
• It takes time to optimize your ad campaign.

Okay, you have a product to promote, and a traffic source you want to use to generate targeted traffic. Now, it’s time to learn the promotional strategies that will generate results.

So, let’s begin…

Promotional Strategies

Driving the targeted traffic to an offer is challenging. You need to offer the right product to the right audience.

For this, first, you have to decide what problem your product solves and then see where you can find people who are actually having the same problem.

If you have a blog with high-quality content…

For example, if you’re promoting a weight loss product on Facebook, you need to look for groups of people that are actually asking for weight loss tips, and other stuff related to weight loss. You just need to enter into the discussion and add a valuable response, you can even share your blog article to help people find the solution.

In this way, you are going to drive highly targeted people to your blog that could be interested in buying the supplement you are promoting. Similarly, you can use LinkedIn and Twitter to promote your product.

If you’re using social media as a part of your promotion.

If you are using Social media for affiliate marketing, you need to build relationships with individuals who are interested in buying whatever you’re promoting.

For example, you can use Instagram stories to ask people questions related to the problems that your product solves.

if you using paid advertising

NOTE: Use a keyword research tool to find the best of the best KEYWORD ideas that you can use in your ad campaign.

This is the best method to drive instant results. For this, you need to decide what type of traffic source you want to use.

To get started, first you need to create a landing page. You can use Systeme.io or Clickfunnels to create your landing page/bridge page and set up your auto-responder.

After that, you need to go to Google ads and sign up for an account. Once done, you can claim a $500 free Google ads credit here.

Now you can set up your ad campaign, create ads, set your bid, add keywords, targeted locations, devices, etc.

Once your ad is approved, it’ll start receiving impressions and clicks.

But it’s not yet profitable, you need to keep an eye on ads to see whether or not it is converting. You need to focus on Headling, landing page, and ad relevancy to optimize your ads. You can also use tracking tools to track performance more efficiently.

Once you start getting positive ROI (Return On Investment), you can add more budget to it and scale it.

PRO TIP: Use a bridge page to capture the leads so that you can retarget your audience. You can later nurture your leads with valuable content, and build strong relationships to promote relevant offers.

Step 4: Find Content Creation Opportunities

There are a number of ways to find content creation opportunities for affiliate marketing. Here are a few ideas:

1. Look for gaps in the market: Research the products and services that are already being offered by affiliates in your niche. Identify areas where there is a lack of good quality content and create something to fill that gap.
2. Take advantage of seasonal opportunities: Many products and services have a natural buying cycle, such as holiday gifts, back-to-school items, and tax preparation services. Plan your content creation around these cycles to take advantage of the increased demand.
3. Analyze your audience: Identify the problems and pain points of your target audience and create content that addresses those issues and presents solutions in the form of affiliate products. You just have to think about how your content can help people with their problems and pain points.
4. Join affiliate networks: Many companies run their own affiliate networks, which can be a great way to find new products to promote. Joining these networks will give you access to a wide range of products and tools that can help you create effective content. (TIP #2: I often use Offervault and Clickbank to find the product and create content around those products in my niche, read the sales copy to understand the customer pain points, share them on social media platforms, and make extra affiliate commissions.)
5. Consider long-tail keywords: As you are researching the market, take note of the long-tail keywords (more specific, targeted keywords) that people are searching for. These can be a great way to find content opportunities, as they often have less competition and high buying potential.
6. Researching influencers and competitors: Pay attention to what influencers or competitor sites are in your niche, and use tools like Ahref or SEMrush to reverse engineer their content strategy to see what types of content and products they are promoting. This can give you good ideas on what is working well and what to test in your own marketing.
7. Ask brands for content opportunities: When you become an affiliate, companies/brands often contact you to work with you closely. You can directly ask them for the best content opportunities. They know their customer better than you, so they’re likely to give you better ideas.

TIP #3: I do love to talk to brands and ask them about the unique angle of promoting their product or service. And use different-2 angles to promote the same product. It really works!

Once you’ve found some content creation opportunities, the next step is to create content that is high-quality, engaging, and provides value to your audience. This will help you attract more visitors and ultimately lead to more sales and commissions.

Step 5: Create a Lead Magnet to Build Your Traffic Asset

As I said, driving traffic is one of the most challenging things you need to consider to get the consistent affiliate commission.

That’s why you need to build a traffic asset. It is something that you own and can help you drive traffic to your offer on demand. There are a couple of legit ways to build your traffic asset. Here are some of the best ways to build your traffic asset…

1. Email list
2. Create a Facebook group
3. Create a telegram Group

Building an email list is the most effective way to have your traffic asset. For this, you need to give something free to your audience in exchange for email addresses. Let’s understand with an example…

If you have a blog about relationships, you can create an opt-in page or a lead magnet to offer a Quiz or Assessment that your readers can take to evaluate the strength of their current relationships. This could include questions about communication, trust, intimacy, etc. Offer personalized results or a personalized report that provides insights and advice based on their responses.

Or maybe you can offer an eBook to teach people how to strengthen a broken relationship. In this way, more people are going to opt for it and you can build your email list quite easily.

Now, Let me show you an example of a typical lead magnet to help you understand. (I will also tell you how you can create something like this. )

It’s a lead magnet that I used to build my email list. You see I have simply given away a PDF of 100+ tools that can help bloggers in many ways.

I used “Systeme.io” to design and build this opt-in. It comes with all the marketing tools that you need to create a landing page, an opt-in form, a lead magnet, an in-built email marketing tool, automation/workflow, etc.

The best thing is that it has a free forever plan that allows you to create 1 funnel, 1 workflow, and manage 2000 contacts.

You can try Systeme.io. You can even check out the Systeme.io review to learn more.

Build Your Email List With Systeme.io

Step 6: Nurture your leads, Build Relationships, and Drive Sales

After passing through all the above steps, you are now well aware of affiliate marketing and know how you can start affiliate marketing in 2023. But you still need to build relationships with your audience, promote your offers wisely and make sales.

In order to nurture your leads, you need to create a series of email follow-ups to educate people about something they are interested in. Add some value to their time and help them accomplish their goals.

I use Systeme.io to set up my workflow 30 days ahead. It means, if you subscribe to my mailing list today, you are going to get 17 emails for the next 30 days. In this way, you are going to build a strong relationship with your audience.

Here are a few tips…

• You can use AI tools like Jasper, Writesonic, or ChatGPT to craft emails.
• You can ask Jasper to create high-converting subject lines
• Use HOOK, STORY, and Offer to drive sales.

Best Tools for Affiliate Marketing 2023

There are many tools available for affiliate marketing in 2023, and the best ones depend on your specific needs and preferences. However, here are some of the top tools that can help you maximize your earnings as an affiliate marketer:

1. Affiliate networks: Joining an affiliate network like ShareASale, ClickBank, or Maxbounty can help you find and promote products from multiple merchants in one place.
2. Keyword research tools: Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush can help you identify profitable keywords to target in your content and SEO strategy.
3. Content creation tools: Creating high-quality content is essential for successful affiliate marketing. Tools like Writesonic, Jasper, Frase.io, Grammarly, Canva Pro, and Adobe Creative Suite can help you create compelling and engaging content.
4. Affiliate tracking software: If you prefer to run paid advertising, then you can use tracking tools like Post Affiliate Pro, BeMob, ClickMagick, and Voluum to track your affiliate links, measure your campaign performance, and optimize your marketing strategy.
5. Email marketing tools: Email marketing is a powerful tool for affiliate marketing. Tools like Aweber, Mailchimp, Moosend, and ConvertKit can help you build your email list, create engaging email campaigns, and automate your email marketing efforts.
6. Social media management tools: Social media can be a great way to promote your affiliate products. Tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social can help you manage your social media accounts, schedule posts, and track your social media performance. ()
7. Landing page builders: Landing pages are critical for converting your website visitors into buyers. Tools like Elementor Pro, Leadpages, Unbounce, and ClickFunnels can help you create high-converting landing pages quickly and easily.
8. Funnel Building Software: If you don’t want to use Email marketing tools and landing pages separately, you can use funnel builders like Systeme.io, Clickfunnels, etc.

It’s enough for now, but I want to share proven affiliate methods that make me $2000 every single month. You can Subscribe to my mailing list to get these methods in your inbox. If you have already subscribed to my mailing list, you’ll receive all proven methods right in your inbox in just a few days.