Best Affiliate Programs for Bloggers

Are you a blogger and wondering how to generate income on your blog? In this post, I will discuss my favorite affiliate programs, ones that I personally use and generate revenue with. I have tried quite a few and these are the only ones that remain on my site, that have been consistently producing affiliate income.

What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is the easiest way to earn money on your blog. After signing up to be an affiliate, you are given a unique link that tracks you, and when someone uses your link to buy a product, you get a small commission.

Commissions range anywhere from a few cents to a few hundred, depending on the company.

Best Affiliate Programs to Make Money

RAKUTEN

Rakuten offers cash back from over 2,000 stores, with new stores being added daily. It’s really easy to use, just to to their site, type in the name of the store you are shopping at and shop as you normally would. You can also install a browser extension that will automatically tell you if the site you are on offers cash back.

You get paid 4 times a year, via PayPal, super easy and can be very profitable! Each referral will get you $25 or more, once they make their first purchase on the site within 90 days.

AMAZON ASSOCIATES

Amazon Associates is one of the most popular affiliate programs out there. Who doesn’t shop on Amazon? The links are easy to generate and place on your site.

Amazon’s commissions have recently been lowered, however it’s still one of my top earners. Note that Amazon is very specific in how you can use their links and they’re serious about disclosure so be sure to read the rules before joining.

SKIMLINKS

Skimlinks is one of my favorite affiliate programs out there! Instead of joining every single company’s program out there, here you have them all in one place. You can link to virtually any retailer and get compensated for it. It’s super easy to use and a must have for bloggers in any niche.

AWIN

AWIN is another huge favorite of mine, that pays regularly and one I haven’t had any issues with. Because they take their publishers seriously, you will have to pay $5 to register. Once you make your first sale, that will be refunded to you. This is to prevent spammers from signing up. It’s definitely worth it, I highly recommend this program!

YOUR PREFERRED HOSTING COMPANY

Since you’re obviously a blogger, chances are you’re using one of the big hosting companies. I personally use Siteground, which has a referral program as do pretty much all the others. Check in with your host and see what kind of referral compensation they offer.

SHARE A SALE

ShareASale is another affiliate program that has multiple programs all in one place, making it easy to track without having to sign up for many individual programs. It’s easy to use and there are so many companies on there, that it’s bound to fit whatever niche you blog about.

OTHER WAYS TO EARN MONEY AS A BLOGGER

HEARTBEAT

Heartbeat is an awesome way to earn some extra cash just by posting products on your Instagram, YouTube, etc. You can browse the various companies that are looking for influencers and apply. Things like yogurts, kombucha or chips and guacamole. Once approved, you will shop for the product (they will reimburse you) and post on your social media using their specifications. We have done a few campaigns through Heartbeat and they were easy, fun and the pay out was quick.

And there you have it. These are all programs that I personally use and recommend to other bloggers. The sky is the limit with how much you can earn! Whatever program you choose, make sure that the products you promote align with your audience.