Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide (Any Niche)

There are thousands of affiliate marketing programs out there. However, not all of them are beginner-friendly. Some are more complex than others. That’s why we created this guide to the best affiliate marketing programs for beginners. Here, you’ll find all the information you need to get started in affiliate marketing.

New to Affiliate Marketing?

Read our beginner’s guide to affiliate marketing.

The Nine Best Beginner-Friendly Affiliate Marketing Programs

Throughout this article, you’ll see examples of many affiliate programs. But what’s most important here are actually affiliate networks. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but a network is a place where you go to find the individual programs.

This guide shares the best networks for beginners—then within each network, we share some programs (and their niches) that you can sign up for. This approach ensures that, regardless of your niche, these networks will be great for you.

1. Amazon Associates Amazon Associates is the absolute best affiliate marketing program for beginners. You can sign up for its affiliate account in just a few minutes, and it sells virtually everything. So you’ll be able to promote Amazon products, regardless of your niche. However, its commission rates are very low, typically ranging from 1–3%.
   Still, it’s super easy to use.  
2. All the Big Box Stores Like Amazon, all the big box stores have affiliate programs that are really easy to use. These include Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, and Staples. While their commission rates are also low, they are an easy way to get started while you grow to eventually move to better-paying partners.
3. AvantLink AvantLink is a straightforward affiliate network for beginners. Some of the best and highest-paying affiliate programs available through AvantLink include:
• FFL123.com | 50% commission | Firearms/Tactical
• Super Speciosa | 40% commission | Health/Wellness
• Reddiyo | 30% commission | Cycling
• Wedding Hashers | 30% commission | Custom/Personalized Products
• Sprinkle & Sweep | 25% commission | Pet Products
4. ShareASale ShareASale is another popular network for affiliate partners. Some great affiliate options on ShareASale include:
• Northwest Registered Agent LLC | $100 commission | Business Registrant
• Promaster | 15% commission | Photography
• Print Games Now | 35–45% commission | Printing/Games
• FreshBooks | $55 commission | Small Business/Finance
• Aviron Interactive | $110 commission | Fitness
5. Commission Junction (CJ) CJ is one of the oldest affiliate networks, founded in 1998, and offers a wide selection of affiliate programs. Some cool programs on CJ include:
• Slova Cosmetics | 20% commission | Bath & Body
• Separatec Underwear | 20% commission | Clothing
• US Service Animals | 25% commission | Pets
• Puraclenz | 25% commission | Equipment
• eHarmony | 30% commission | Dating
6. Impact Radius Impact Radius has been extremely successful in the affiliate space, with brand partners including Airbnb, Adidas, and Lenovo. Some great affiliate options on Impact include:
• Canva | 16–80% commission | Graphic Design
• Pure Hemp Botanicals | 50% commission | CBD
• Thumbtack | 30% commission | Services
• Hyphen Sleep | 18% commission | Mattresses
• Skillshare | 40% commission | Education
7. Refersion Marketplace Refersion is highly successful, with brand partners including Amazon, Shopify, and BigCommerce. To find affiliates to partner with, sign up on the Refersion Marketplace. Some excellent brand partner options on Refersion include:
• ZUGU iPad Cases | 15% commission | Phones
• Peejamas | 10–20% commission | Kid’s Clothing
• Bodhi Dog | 20% commission | Pet Care
• LUNA Sandals | 10–30% commission | Footwear
• Bare & Bones | 20% commission | Food

How to Get Started in Affiliate Marketing

Found an affiliate program that works for you? Awesome—this section will give you an overview of how to get started earning your first affiliate dollars.

Getting started with affiliate marketing can be done in three steps:

1. Choosing an Affiliate Niche Your niche is the topic you focus on. It can be anything from a hobby to a lifestyle or any other topic you can think of. As long as there are people interested in the stuff you want to talk about, you can choose it as an affiliate niche.
   Examples of niches include:
• Gaming
• Travel
• Knitting
• Woodworking
• Online courses
2. If you’re not sure what to talk about, ask yourself:
• What am I good at?
• What am I curious about?
• What do I know a lot about?
• What do other people tell me I’m good at or compliment me on?
3. The overlap in your answers is often a good starting point. For example, if you’re good at and curious about entrepreneurship and people compliment you on your creativity, you could blog about finance and entrepreneurship.
   You can also use Ahrefs’ SEO Toolbar to find an affiliate niche while doing your everyday Google searches.
4. Creating Your Website and Content Once you have an idea of a niche, create a niche site by buying a domain name and website hosting, then linking your website to WordPress. Here’s a comprehensive video on how to get started.
   When your website is set up, do some basic affiliate keyword research to map out the content you want to create.
5. Promoting Your Content Once your content is created, it’s time to promote it to start driving traffic (and sales) to your new affiliate site. There are many ways to promote your content, such as sharing it on social media, doing email outreach to other bloggers, or even paid advertising.
   However, the best return on your investment is likely through search engine optimization (SEO). Ranking on the first page of search engines like Google ensures you get recurring traffic without constantly reaching out to promote your content or spending money on advertising.

Final Thoughts

With so many affiliate marketing programs out there, it can be overwhelming to get started. However, there are plenty of simple and easy-to-use affiliate programs and networks that you can get up and running in just minutes.

We hope this guide helps you to start your affiliate marketing journey. Ready to begin? Sign up for our affiliate program today and learn how you can maximize your earnings with expert guidance and support from Big Picture Strategies.