What is Affiliate Marketing and How to Get Started: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide

The affiliate marketing is one of the most popular and effective methods to make money online. If you are a beginner and wondering how to get started or just want to learn more about affiliate marketing, this article is for you.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a process where an affiliate promotes the products or services of a company and earns a commission for each sale or action resulting from this promotion. This means that you earn money when users click on a link, buy a product or sign up for a service through your link.

How to Do Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a commission-based advertising model where you (the affiliate) promote the products or services of another company. When someone buys that product through your link, you earn a percentage of the sale. Here are the basic steps a beginner should follow:

1. Select a product or service to promote

First, you need to find a product or service that interests your audience. Here it is important to consider your niche and find products related to it. For example:

• If you blog about technology, you can promote technology products such as laptops, smartphones or software.
• If you have a fitness blog, you can promote health products, nutritional supplements or sports equipment.

It is also important to choose products that you trust and believe are of value to your audience.

2. Become an Affiliate partner of a company

The next step is to find companies or platforms that offer affiliate programs. These companies will provide you with a unique affiliate link that you will promote. When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you will receive a commission.

Popular affiliate platforms for beginners:

• Amazon Affiliate Program: Ideal for beginners as you can promote millions of products from Amazon.
• Fiverr Affiliates: Instead of products, you can promote services provided by freelancers in various categories (e.g., designers, developers).
• CJ Affiliate: Another great platform with plenty of options from various companies.
• Linkwise: Ideal for promoting e-store products with a wide network of partners.

3. Promote products through various channels

Once you become an affiliate partner, the next step is to promote the product. You can use various methods to share your affiliate links:

• Blog/Website: Write product reviews or articles about how these products solve specific problems. For example, if you are promoting a software tool, you can write a user guide with affiliate links for purchase.
• social media: Use your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or TikTok channels to promote products. If, for example, you are influencer, you can post images or videos showing the products in action and include affiliate links in the caption.
• YouTube: If you have a YouTube channel, you can unbox products, show how they work or do reviews and include affiliate links in the video description.
• Email marketing: If you have an email list, you can send product recommendations to your subscribers with affiliate links.

4. Earn commission when a purchase is made

When someone clicks on your affiliate link and completes a purchase, you earn a commission. The amount of commission depends on the program you have chosen. For example. Amazon Affiliate Program offers 1-10% supplies depending on the category of products, while the Fiverr Affiliates can offer commissions up to 30% for specific services.

5. How I get paid in affiliate marketing;

In affiliate marketing, you get paid through commissions earned each time someone completes a purchase or other desired action (e.g., sign-up) through your affiliate link. The payment process differs depending on the platform or company you work with. Typically, most platforms, such as Amazon Affiliate Program or the Fiverr Affiliates, they pay either monthly or per a certain limit of winnings, which can range from 50€ to 100€. Payment methods may include bank transfers, payments via PayPal, or cheques, depending on the platform. It is important to check the payment terms of each platform before you sign up to know when and how you will receive your winnings.

Here are some practical examples and tips to help you better understand how affiliate marketing works in practice:

Example 1: Product promotion via Blog

Let's say you have a blog that deals with personal development. One of the products you want to promote is a popular self-improvement book sold on Amazon. You write an article titled: "The best self-improvement books for 2024". In each book recommendation, you include your affiliate link from Amazon. Every time a reader buys one of the books through your links, you earn a commission.

Example 2: Promoting services via YouTube

You have a YouTube channel where you talk about online tools and services. Do you want to promote your Fiverr. You create a video titled "How to Find the Perfect Freelancer for Your Project" and talk about how Fiverr works and why you prefer it. In the description of the video, you put your affiliate link, and every time someone signs up on Fiverr and uses the platform, you earn a commission.

Example 3: Using Social Media

If you have a strong Instagram profile and your followers are interested in fashion products, you can work with a fashion affiliate program. Post photos wearing the products you want to promote and include your affiliate link in your bio or caption. Every time someone buys from your link, you earn a commission.

How to Succeed in Affiliate Marketing

If you are a beginner in affiliate marketing, here are some useful tips to optimize your efforts:

1. Choose products or services you love

When you choose products you are interested in or use yourself, the promotion becomes more authentic. Your readers will understand your dedication and are more likely to trust your recommendations.

2. Create quality content

Content is the key to success in affiliate marketing. If your article, video or social media post is useful and offers value, you will gain the trust of your audience and drive them to actions such as purchases through your links.

3. Do SEO to get organic traffic

Responding to search engine optimization (SEO) can increase the traffic to your website or blog. When people search for information on Google, you want your content to appear in the top positions of the results. This will help you increase your sales and commissions.

4. Analyse the results and adapt your approach

Monitor the performance of your affiliate links through the analytical tools provided by the platform you use (e.g. Amazon or Fiverr). See which articles, posts or videos bring in the most sales and adjust your strategy accordingly.

5. Build relationships with your audience

Building trust with your audience is the most important element to succeed in affiliate marketing. Respond to their feedback, give honest reviews and provide advice that is valuable.

Revenue from Affiliate Marketing

The revenue from affiliate marketing depends on many factors, such as:

• The type of products you promote.
• The commission offered by the affiliate program.
• The number of visitors you bring to your website.
• The effectiveness of your affiliate links.

For example, programmes such as Fiverr Affiliates can offer high commissions per sale, while the Amazon Affiliate Program offers lower rates, but has a huge volume of products you can promote.

How long will it take before I make money from Affiliate Marketing;

The length of time it will take to make money as an affiliate depends on several factors, such as the quality of the content you create, the traffic you attract and the promotion strategy you follow. For most beginners, may take a few months to see consistent revenue, especially if they are building their audience from the ground up. However, if you already have a strong blog, YouTube channel, or strong social media presence, you may start to see results much faster, even within weeks. Consistency and patience are keys to achieving significant income from affiliate marketing.

Companies That Offer Affiliate Marketing Programs

There are many companies that offer affiliate programs for different markets and sectors. Some of the most well-known ones are:

• Amazon Affiliate Network: The most widespread platform for the promotion of natural products.
• Fiverr Affiliates: Excellent platform for promoting freelancers and digital services.
• Affiliate by Conversant: Ideal for promoting products and services in a wide range of categories.
• Linkwise: Ideal for promoting products in a wide range of categories and with a wide network.

Guide to Choose the Right Affiliate Network

Choosing the right affiliate network is critical to your success in affiliate marketing. Each platform has its own features, its own products and commissions, and different tracking and advertising methods. This guide will help you choose the right affiliate network for you by introducing the most popular affiliate programs, including Linkwise, and comparing their key features.

The Amazon Associates is the most popular affiliate program because of its wide range of products. As an affiliate, you have the ability to promote almost any product sold on Amazon and earn commissions on sales.

• Advantages:
  • Huge variety of products.
  • Consumer confidence in Amazon.
  • You earn a commission on all purchases made by the user after clicking on your link (even for products you do not promote).
• Disadvantages:
  • Low commission rates (1-10%).
  • Short cookie duration (24 hours), which means that the purchase must be made within the day to get the commission.
• Suitable for: Those who want to promote natural products in a wide range of themes, such as electronics, fashion, home goods, etc.

The Fiverr Affiliates is an excellent choice if you are interested in promoting services rather than products. Fiverr is a popular platform for freelancers offering services such as design, web development, marketing and writing.

• Advantages:
  • High commission rates, up to 30%.
  • Cookie term is 12 months, which gives you a great margin to earn commission.
  • High demand for freelancers in various sectors.
• Disadvantages:
  • Promote only services, not physical products.
• Suitable for: Those who want to promote digital marketplace services and freelancers.

The CJ Affiliate is one of the largest affiliate marketing platforms and works with well-known companies in various industries. It enables you to promote products and services from different sectors such as technology, fashion, travel and more.

• Advantages:
  • Variety of products and services from major companies.
  • High commissions in certain categories.
  • Performance monitoring and analysis tools.
• Disadvantages:
  • It requires more experience and can be complicated for beginners.
  • Strict criteria to be accepted to certain programmes.
• Suitable for: More experienced marketers who want to promote products from big companies and earn high commissions.

The Linkwise is the leading affiliate network in Greece and cooperates with many large Greek and international companies. It is an excellent choice for those who wish to promote products and services locally.

• Advantages:
  • Focus on the Greek market with partnerships from large local companies (such as Public, MediaMarkt, Plaisio).
  • It offers high commissions on specific brands.
  • Excellent support and ease of use, ideal for beginners.
• Disadvantages:
  • Limited compared to global platforms in terms of product range and variety.
• Suitable for: Those who want to promote products in the Greek market or those who have a local audience.

The ShareASale is one of the most widespread affiliate marketing platforms with partnerships from thousands of companies. It offers products and services in many different categories and is easy to use, making it ideal for beginners.

• Advantages:
  • Wide variety of products and services in many categories.
  • Simple interface, ideal for beginners.
  • High commissions for certain campaigns.
• Disadvantages:
  • Although it has a wide selection, you may not find niche markets.
• Suitable for: New affiliate marketers looking for an easy platform with a wide variety of options.

Affiliate Networks Comparison

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Network

Choosing the right affiliate network depends on your needs, your target audience and your topics. The Amazon is ideal for the promotion of natural products, while the Fiverr stands out for promoting digital services. The Linkwise is an excellent choice for those who want to focus on the Greek market, with many local partnerships and good support.

Regardless of which network you choose, make sure it matches your themes and the preferences of your audience. Success in affiliate marketing largely depends on consistency, strategy and choosing the right partnerships.

1. Subject matter (Niche): The affiliate network you choose must be related to the type of products or services you want to promote. For example, if you have an audience interested in technology products, the Amazon or the Linkwise with its partnerships with Greek technology stores is a good choice. If, on the other hand, you want to promote services, the Fiverr is the best option.
2. Supplies: The commission rate is important for your revenue. The Fiverr Affiliates offers high commissions, while the Amazon has lower prices, but gives you access to a huge range of products. If you're targeting a local market, the Linkwise offers excellent choices for Greek brands with decent rates.
3. Duration of the Cookie: The duration of the cookie is the time your affiliate link remains active. The longer the duration, the more chances you have to earn commission from late purchases. The Fiverr has a 12-month cookie, while the Amazon just 24 hours.
4. Service and Support: It is important to choose a platform that offers good support. The Linkwise is renowned for its local support in Greece, which can help you in the beginning.
5. Available Products and Services: The variety of products and services you can promote affects your success. The Amazon and the CJ Affiliate offer a wide range of products, while the Fiverr focuses on services.

Is affiliate marketing worth it?

Affiliate marketing is definitely worth it, as long as it is done strategically and with the right choice of partnerships. Based on the information we've analyzed, it offers opportunities to earn through various networks such as Amazon Associates, Fiverr Affiliates and others, covering both physical and digital products. Commissions can be substantial, depending on the network, and the cookie duration ensures that conversions will be tracked and rewarded for a long time. Affiliate marketing is ideal for those who want to generate passive income or promote services to specific markets, while offering flexibility and growth opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)