With a niche in mind, you need to find affiliate programs to join. These are either individual companies offering commissions or affiliate networks that list many programs.
Types of affiliate programs: - Big Retail Affiliate Programs: e.g., Amazon Associates, eBay Partner Network, Walmart, etc. Amazon is very popular for beginners because they sell almost everything, so in many niches you can find relevant products. The downside: Amazon’s commission rates are relatively low (often 1-4% for many categories in 2025). But conversion rates might be high because everyone trusts Amazon. - Niche Retailers or Brands: Many brands have their own programs. For example, if your niche is web hosting, companies like Bluehost or SiteGround have affiliate programs (and pay high bounties per sale). If your niche is beauty, many cosmetic brands or stores like Sephora have programs. - Digital Product Marketplaces: Platforms like ClickBank or JVZoo have tons of digital products (e-books, courses, software) you can promote, often with higher commissions (like 30-70%). Be cautious though: quality on these marketplaces varies. Promote only products you vet as good, to keep trust with your audience. - Affiliate Networks: Sites like ShareASale, Commission Junction (CJ.com), Rakuten Advertising, Impact, etc. These are hubs that host programs for many merchants. You sign up to the network, then apply to individual programs within. Networks make tracking and getting paid easier across multiple merchants. - Software and SaaS: A lot of software companies (especially B2B) have affiliate or referral programs, some publicly, some you have to ask. They may call them “partner programs” or “ambassador programs”. - Info-product Platforms: If you follow course creators or membership sites, see if they have affiliate programs. For instance, many creators on Teachable or Thinkific offer affiliate commissions on their courses. Or membership sites like certain stock photo subscriptions, etc.
How to choose? List out products or services your target audience would want. Then research if those have affiliate programs by googling “[Product Name] affiliate program” or “[Brand] partners” or checking the website footer for “Affiliates.” If not the exact product, look for a competitor or related product that does.
As a beginner, consider starting with a mix: - Join Amazon’s program for a baseline ability to link to lots of items (especially if you’ll discuss various physical products). - Join 1-2 affiliate programs of products you personally use and love in your niche (easy to promote authentically). - Maybe join one network to explore other options.
Note that some programs have requirements (like a certain traffic level or content type) or need manual approval. Amazon Associates, for example, allows easy sign-up but you need to make 3 sales in the first 180 days or they deactivate you (you can reapply though). Some high-paying programs might want to see your website quality before approval.
Don’t over-apply to tons of programs at once – focus on ones most relevant to start. You can always add more as you expand your content.
Important: When you join, you’ll get access to affiliate links (unique URLs). Some programs also provide banners or creatives, but often just links and maybe a dashboard for grabbing links to specific products. Learn how to create product links in your program (like Amazon has a SiteStripe tool to generate links easily while browsing their site).
Also, recordkeeping: Keep track of your logins and terms for each program (commission rates, payment threshold, cookie duration – how long a click is tracked, etc.). For instance, Amazon’s cookie is only 24 hours (short), whereas some programs might track 30 days or more. And cookies can vary – some programs give you credit even if the user returns direct to site later, if they’re “last click” affiliate, etc. Just be aware of these differences as you optimize.