4 Best Affiliate Marketing Programs For Total Beginners
It’s completely up to you which program you start with, however, these are some of the most reputable and easiest to use for newbies.
Amazon Associates
Let’s start with the biggest name on the market! Everyone knows Amazon and everyone trusts them, which means the Amazon Associates program is a great place to begin. The plus point is that it’s very easy to start up and sign into and you’ll begin earning cash straight away. The other plus point is that Amazon has millions of products, so you’re not going to struggle to find something in your niche.
Amazon was the first big named site/store to start offering this type of program, so it’s been around the longest. To begin, you simply need to sign up, and you do that by visiting the main Amazon site and clicking on the ‘join now’ button in the affiliate section. You’ll be asked several questions, some of which are about your site and how much traffic you get. You’ll need to do a verification in order to check you are who you say you are and set up your payment method. From there you can choose your first product to promote and get started.
The only downside of this particular program is that the commission amounts can be quite low, so you need to choose your products carefully if you want to earn larger amounts over time.
eBay Affiliate Program
eBay is another big named company that offers an affiliate program and it’s another easy to use one for new starters. eBay also offers a lot of help and support via online tools, so you can find the answers to any queries you might have.
All you need to do is sign into eBay and apply to their affiliate program by answering the questions. Once you’ve completed the form and been accepted, you simply start looking for products you want to promote, obtain their specific link and add it onto your site for promotion.
eBay offers higher commission rates than Amazon, but that’s probably because the range of products is huge. You can also use PayPal as a payment method here too.
ClickBank Affiliate Program
The great thing about ClickBank is that you have access to a huge range of different companies in one place, so you can choose products which suit your niche perfectly. The program also gives you plenty of information and help on the site, so if you have questions or you’re struggling, you can find the answers you need and carry on, without losing time or revenue. This is the ideal option for beginners who want to cast their net a little wider than one particular business, i.e. Amazon or eBay.
In order to get started you simply need to visit the site and create your own account. As with the other programs we’ve already mentioned, you do this by answering questions and adding information about how you want to be paid. Once this has been sent and you’ve been approved, you can begin promoting specific products immediately.
These products can be found in the ‘marketplace’ section of the site and you’ll also find products which the site recommends for you. This is another tool which is ideal for beginners because it makes life a little easier at the start. You’ll also see how much commission you’re likely to make, which will help to inform your product decisions. Once you’ve chosen a product, you simply click on it and you’re given the URL to paste into your own site.
Rakuten Affiliate
Rakuten is another big name and it’s a great choice for beginners, however, you do need to ensure that you’re careful and play by the rules as they’re known to be quite strict with those who don’t use the site in the correct way. This can be difficult for those who have never used an affiliate program before, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the site beforehand and you shouldn’t run into any problems.
If you’re approved on the Rakuten program you’ll have access to a large number of products and you can use different merchants across a range of different product niches. The commission is quite good and although you can’t use PayPal as a payment method here, you can use most other options. The program is however free to use, as most are, and you will need to apply by answering many questions in order to register.
Once you’re registered, you’ll be able to find a specific niche of products quite easily and the site is very easy to navigate too. The site also has plenty of guidance to ensure that you’re following the rules and also plenty of advice on how to promote your products on your own site.
It’s Time to Get Started!
These four sites show you that affiliate marketing is open to beginners as well as those who are more experienced. This is a great way to earn some extra cash and build up a reputation amongst your customers. If you’re promoting products from big names, such as Amazon, your customers will instantly know that they can trust you and you’ll probably notice an increase in your own traffic/sales too.
All you need to do is choose your first program and get started. Work slowly, familiarize yourself, and learn as you go. Before you know it, you’ll be earning cash without really doing anything!
