Starting an Affiliate Marketing Store — Quick Guide

11 minutes

14.11.2024

Starting an Affiliate Marketing Store — Quick Guide

With the internet offering new opportunities, it’s easier than ever to make money online. A famous quote by Warren Buffett says, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” This concept is the essence of affiliate marketing—letting people earn income any time, from anywhere. In 2022, affiliate marketing was valued at over $17 billion, showing its strong potential for generating profits by promoting other companies’ products through an affiliate store.

Affiliate marketing may already be familiar since it accounts for over 15% of e-commerce sales today. However, it isn’t a “get-rich-quick” plan. Success requires effort, patience, and smart strategies. Here’s a guide to setting up an affiliate store, engaging your followers, and selecting the best affiliate programs.

What is an Affiliate Store?

An affiliate store is a website that resembles an online shop but doesn’t sell its own products. Instead, it promotes items from other retailers. Using affiliate links, visitors are redirected to the retailers’ sites to complete purchases. This approach saves time, as you won’t need to handle inventory or customer service. Joining an affiliate program is usually free, allowing you to offer a range of products with little cost and more scalability.

How Affiliate Programs Work

Affiliate programs supply a unique link to each partner. This link has tracking capabilities (cookies) that credit a sale or lead to the affiliate if a customer purchases within a specified time. There are three main commission structures:

Purchase-Based: Paid for each purchase made through your link.
Traffic-Based: Paid for directing visitors, even if they don’t buy.
Customer Acquisition-Based: Paid when a new customer joins the brand through your link.

Types of Affiliate Programs

Understanding the different types of affiliate programs is essential for anyone looking to maximize their income through targeted promotion strategies. Each type serves a unique purpose, appealing to specific audiences and aligning with various content and promotion tactics. Here’s a deeper look into the structure and potential of popular affiliate program types, with insights from industry experts:

1. Search Engine Affiliates

Search engine affiliates use paid ads, like pay-per-click (PPC) and display ads, to drive visitors to affiliate links. This approach works well for affiliates skilled in researching keywords, understanding user needs, and optimizing ads to increase clicks.

Successful search engine affiliates organize their ad campaigns based on what users are looking for and where they are in the buying process. They use analytics tools like SEMrush and Google Analytics to track data and adjust their ads to get the best results, balancing the cost of each click with the chance of a sale. Affiliates can also use retargeting ads, which bring back users who previously clicked but didn’t make a purchase, boosting overall sales.

2. Influencer Programs

Influencer programs team up with popular social media users, bloggers, and content creators who have loyal fans. These influencers share products with their followers through genuine posts, like Instagram photos or YouTube reviews.

Influencer marketing works best when it feels real. Affiliates who choose products they actually like connect better with their followers. Smaller influencers (with under 100,000 followers) often get more engagement per post than big influencers, leading to more sales. Brands also give influencers special perks like early access, exclusive deals, or personal discount codes to keep their followers interested and engaged.

3. Review Websites

Review websites provide detailed information about products, including pros and cons, comparisons, and ratings. These sites help people decide what to buy by giving clear, honest feedback. They’re especially popular in areas like tech, gadgets, and software, where buyers like to read reviews before making a purchase.

The best review sites test products carefully and share both good and bad points, making them trustworthy. They often use special coding (schema markup) that adds features like star ratings in search results, helping them stand out and get more clicks.

4. Coupon and Deal Websites

Coupon sites focus on finding and sharing discounts and special offers for shoppers, making it easy to save money. These sites are popular for shopping deals and limited-time discounts, helping brands increase traffic through exclusive promotions.

Top coupon sites often work directly with brands to get special codes just for their users, making the offers more unique. They also use testing to see what works best for clicks and keep an eye on seasonal shopping trends, like Black Friday, to plan ahead and get more visitors.

5. Email Marketing Programs

With email marketing, affiliates collect a list of subscribers and send them promotions directly. Because the audience is already interested, emails often bring in more serious buyers compared to social media.

Affiliates organize their subscriber lists based on things like interests or past behavior, so they can personalize emails and boost results. Using personalized subject lines, including product reviews, testimonials, and special discount codes can make emails even more effective, especially around holidays or sales.

6. Affiliate Networks

Affiliate networks are platforms where brands and affiliates connect. Networks like ShareASale and Rakuten have thousands of brands, making it easy for affiliates to find products and manage different programs in one place.

Experienced affiliates use these networks not just for product access but for data insights too. Many networks offer performance stats like how often visitors buy, and which items have the highest order value. Affiliates can use these stats and run tests to find the most profitable programs and improve their results.

Additional Affiliate Program Types

While the above are the primary types, certain niche models can provide unique advantages:

Content Syndication Programs: These programs allow affiliates to republish their articles on other platforms, like Medium or LinkedIn, with affiliate links embedded. Content syndication increases reach, particularly for affiliates in content-driven niches like B2B tech.
Loyalty Programs: Some affiliates integrate with loyalty platforms, providing users with cashback or rewards when they purchase through affiliate links. This model works well for affiliates targeting value-conscious audiences who enjoy perks for repeated purchases.
Subscription Box Affiliates: Subscription-based products (like beauty boxes or meal kits) often offer recurring commissions, which can yield long-term revenue as subscribers renew. Affiliates promoting these services focus on demonstrating the product’s recurring value through unboxing videos, long-term reviews, or exclusive first-month discounts.

Best Affiliate Programs by Purpose

Choosing the right affiliate program can make a huge difference. Each program has its unique benefits, ideal for different types of marketers. Here’s a look at some of the best affiliate programs based on who they suit, what they pay, and how long their cookie lasts.

1. Amazon Associates

Ideal for: Bloggers, content creators
Commission: 1%-20%, depending on the product category
Cookie Duration: 24 hours

Amazon Associates is one of the most popular programs because of Amazon’s vast range of products. Affiliates earn a commission for almost any product a customer buys within 24 hours, even if it’s not the item they clicked on. This makes it perfect for blogs and content creators who want to link to different products.

2. AvantLink

Ideal for: Data-focused marketers
Commission: 25%-50%
Cookie Duration: 30 days

AvantLink is known for its advanced tracking tools and data-driven approach, making it ideal for affiliates who rely on analytics to guide their marketing. The high commission rates are another advantage, rewarding affiliates who can drive traffic and conversions through data-focused strategies.

3. Awin

Ideal for: Affiliates looking for brand variety
Cookie Duration: 30 days

Awin hosts thousands of brands across various industries, from retail to travel, offering affiliates a wide range of products to promote. This makes it perfect for those who want variety and flexibility in the brands they promote. With a 30-day cookie window, Awin allows affiliates to earn commissions from conversions made up to a month after the initial click.

4. ClickBank

Ideal for: Digital product promoters
Commission: 50%-70%
Cookie Duration: 60 days

ClickBank specializes in digital products like eBooks, courses, and software, and offers some of the highest commission rates in the industry. This program is ideal for affiliates focused on digital marketing, as its 60-day cookie period gives ample time to earn commissions.

5. Bluehost

Ideal for: Bloggers, web developers
Commission: $65 per sign-up
Cookie Duration: 90 days

Bluehost’s program offers a solid one-time commission per sign-up, and its three-month cookie duration is longer than many other hosting programs. It’s a great fit for affiliates who create web development or blogging content, as they can promote Bluehost as a reliable hosting option for new site owners.

6. Fiverr

Ideal for: Freelancers and content creators
Commission: $15-$150, depending on the service
Cookie Duration: 30 days

Fiverr’s program allows affiliates to earn commissions on a wide range of services, from graphic design to writing. With varying commission rates based on the service, it’s an appealing choice for content creators who can promote specific Fiverr services to their audiences.

7. HubSpot

Ideal for: Digital marketers
Commission: 30% recurring commission
Cookie Duration: 180 days

HubSpot is well-known in the marketing world, and its program offers a valuable recurring commission, making it highly profitable for affiliates focused on digital marketing. With a 180-day cookie period, HubSpot provides one of the longest windows for affiliates to convert potential customers.

8. Shopify

Ideal for: E-commerce affiliates
Commission: $150 per referral
Cookie Duration: 30 days

Shopify is a top e-commerce platform, making this program a good fit for affiliates in the online business space. With a flat $150 commission for each new Shopify store created through referrals, affiliates can earn handsomely by promoting Shopify’s e-commerce solutions.

9. Semrush

Ideal for: SEO and digital marketers
Commission: $200 per subscription
Cookie Duration: 120 days

Semrush is a powerful SEO tool, and its affiliate program offers high one-time commissions for new subscriptions. With a 120-day cookie period, affiliates in the SEO and digital marketing fields have an extended time frame to earn from each click.

10. CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction)

Ideal for: Established marketers
Commission: Varies by brand

CJ Affiliate, or Commission Junction, connects affiliates with a variety of well-known brands. The commission rates vary, but the platform’s large selection makes it perfect for experienced marketers who want access to high-profile clients and brands.

How to build an affiliate store: a step-by-step guide

Building an affiliate store is simple if you take it step-by-step. Each step helps create a store that reaches the right audience, features relevant products, and increases the likelihood of earning commissions.

1. Choose your niche

Start by choosing a specific niche that interests you or that you know well. Focusing on a narrower topic or product category helps you attract a more dedicated audience and reduces competition. This way, your store becomes a go-to source for people looking for that specific type of product or information.

2. Select a program

Next, find an affiliate program that matches the interests of your target audience. Look for programs with strong reputations, fair commission rates, and cookie durations that fit your needs. Large networks like Amazon Associates, Awin, or ShareASale offer a wide variety of products, while specialized programs can work well if you have a specific focus, like tech or wellness products. Choosing the right program ensures that you’re promoting products that resonate with your audience, which can lead to more conversions.

3. Create your website

Building your website doesn’t require advanced technical skills today, thanks to easy-to-use tools — especially if you opt for a no-code tool like SpreadSimple, which can turn a Google Sheet into a fully functional affiliate store. Make sure your website is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and loads quickly, as this creates a better experience for your visitors.

4. Develop content

Content is what draws visitors to your store and encourages them to make purchases. Create various types of content, like product reviews, comparisons, and tutorials, which add value and help users make informed decisions. Detailed reviews give honest insights, while comparisons help users choose between similar options. Tutorials or guides can showcase how a product works, increasing trust and credibility. High-quality content also improves your site’s search engine rankings, bringing more traffic to your site.

5. Promote your brand

Once you have your content ready, promote it across different channels to increase visibility. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest can drive traffic to your site, especially if your niche is highly visual. Email marketing can help you keep in touch with people who’ve shown interest in your store, while search engine optimization (SEO) ensures your content ranks well, making it easier for potential customers to find you.

6. Analyze Performance

It’s important to track your website’s performance to understand what’s working. Use tools like Google Analytics to measure visitor numbers, click-through rates, and conversions. Analyzing this data helps you see which products or content are most popular, allowing you to improve your approach and increase your store’s success over time.

Final thoughts

Creating a successful affiliate store requires planning and dedication, but the rewards are promising. Platforms like SpreadSimple simplify the process of launching a website without coding skills. Follow these steps, stay consistent, and you’ll be on your way to building a steady income stream through affiliate marketing.