Affiliate Marketing
The beauty of affiliate marketing is its simplicity. Why you might ask, well, you don’t have to make the sale, you don’t have to collect the money, heck, you don’t create or fulfill any of the products. If that’s not all, you don’t have to open a store or even have any inventory. You don’t even need to deal with the complicated supply chain. Stick with me, I will let in you on a system that will make you a six figure affiliate business, but first let’s look at the top 5 affiliate marketing websites in 2023.
Clickbank
Clickbank has over 100,000 affiliates worldwide and has paid over $5.7 billion in commissions for more than 25 years. They say that they have never missed a payment to their affiliates and their payouts are always on time.It’s perfect for youtubers, tiktokers and other influencers who want to monetize their content.
What I like About It
- It’s free to sign up to their affiliate platform
- You don’t need to go through a long verification process.
- They have a high commission structure offering upto 75% commission products
- Rest assured that as an affiliate you will be paid your commissions on time.
- They have a dedicated support system that caters to technical and account management queries.
- They have a training and education platform to train new and existing affiliates.
What I don’t like about it
- Their customer support is not reliable. Issues have been reported by users where you are left with more questions than answers to your question.
- Their refund policy is also a mess.As an affiliate you may lose your commissions if a product is refunded.
- Low quality products are many, which may not be worth promoting especially if you want to build a 6 figure affiliate business.
Commission Junction (CJ) Affiliate
CJ is also a large affiliate network with a market share of about 8.14%. Their partnerships cuts across big brands like Barnes & Noble, Priceline, Overstock. Commissions to affiliates annually is over $ 1.8 billion.
Those enrolled in CJ’s affiliate programs get access to world class brands and data to easily monetize their online business.
What I like About It
- CJ has a user-friendly platform which is intuitive and easy to use, making it easy for affiliates to find merchants to promote and publishers to navigate.
- CJ offers high commissions with some merchants offering commission rates as high as 50%
- CJ offers many advanced tools and features such as omnichannel tracking and content monetization.
What I don’t like about it
- You need to own and operate an active website
- The application process may be a challenge and not everyone is accepted to their platform.
- They have long payment delays with some merchants taking up to 60 days to pay their affiliates.
GiddyUp
Giddyup, though it’s the new kid on the block when compared to either Clickbank or CJ affiliate, it’s an excellent affiliate partner program with over 150 direct-to-consumer brands across various fields such as health and wellness, travel, gadgets and more. It has earned its partners over $1 billion trackable brand revenue in sales.
What I like About It
- Affiliates get exclusive access to their ecommerce brands.
- They create frictionless funnels to maximize your conversion rates and get the best results from traffic.
- Provides a creative library to assist your digital marketing assets and robust tracking so you can earn the most from each click.
What I don’t like About it
- You have to reach the $25 minimum in order to cash out.
- The analytic tools that Giddup uses are basic to say the least and don’t provide in-depth analysis of the business which is necessary to make sound decisions for your business.
- Since it’s a new platform I’m still hesitant to sink my money and energy into their platform.
Awin
Awin provides access to over 21,200 advertisers, including well-known brands and household names.
Awin accepts affiliates using social media channels such as Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and more.
What I Like About it
- Affiliates are given dedicated account management support
- They provide comprehensive reporting which allows affiliates to carry out detailed performance analysis for their businesses.
- Their affiliate marketing tools are one of the best which help affiliates build successful marketing campaigns.
What I don’t like about it
- A $5 deposit is required to join them.
- Affiliates go through a long compliance verification process.
Ebay Partner Network
Ebay is a household name and appeals to almost any demographic since it sells everything under the sun. However as far as commissions rates go, it only pays a commission on the profit made on a sale, and this varies depending on the product on sale.
What I like about it
- Appeals to any demographic
- They have a wide range of products enabling affiliates to choose from a wide pool of businesses.
- They provide access to detailed data and analytics.
What I don’t like about it
- Commissions are a percentage of the profit made on a sale.
- Their main support is a FAQ page though it is extensive with a number of articles that help answer a lot of common questions.
- It only pays out via Paypal which may inconvenience some affiliates.
Conclusion
Whether you are new to affiliate marketing or you are an existing affiliate, there is a share for you in this vast online business model. In my opinion all the platforms I have discussed above have something to offer an affiliate in terms of top offers to market, good commission rates and training and support.
However, as an affiliate myself, I have seen other affiliates struggling to get consistent sales or even their first sale. And it’s not because they are no good brands or products to market, it’s simply because they have not mastered the art of marketing what I like to call Authority Marketing.
That is finding a message that matters and using a system that does the hard lifting for them. This is what separates six figure businesses and struggling to make their first sale affiliates. As you weigh your options on which affiliate platform best suits you, take a look at Authority Marketing and what it’s all about. It could be the game changer in your affiliate business. It’s how the modern wealthy affiliates are making it big pretty fast.
