Affiliate Marketing 101: How It Works and How to Start

Affiliate marketing is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to make money online. You don’t need to create your own product, handle customer service, or deal with shipping. Instead, you earn money by promoting products or services created by others.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

At its core, affiliate marketing is a partnership between a company and someone who promotes their products, called an affiliate. When someone buys through the link you share with them, you earn a commission.

Let’s say you recommend a fitness app on your blog or social media. If someone signs up for this app using your affiliate link, you get paid. Simple as that.

How You Get Paid

Most affiliate programs pay in one of three ways:

• Per Sale: You earn a percentage of each sale.
  

• Per Lead: You get a commission when someone signs up for a service or email list, or fills out a form.
  

• Per Click: You earn money for each visitor you send to the advertiser’s site.
  

Where to Promote Affiliate Links

You don’t need a massive audience to get started. Here are a few common places affiliates share their links:

• Blogs or niche websites
  

• YouTube videos
  

• TikTok or Instagram posts
  

• Email newsletters
  

• Pinterest
  

• Facebook groups
  

Pick one platform to start with and grow from there.

How to Find Affiliate Programs

There are a couple of ways to find  affiliate products to promote:

1. Join an affiliate network like ShareASale, CJ, Warrior Plus, or Impact. These platforms list thousands of companies with products in nearly every niche.
   

2. Go directly to a company’s website and scroll to the bottom—look for a link that says “Affiliate Program” or “Partners.”
   

Stick to promoting products you believe in or have used yourself. Trust matters, especially when you’re starting out.

Tips for Beginners

• Don’t spam your links—always offer value first.
  

• Focus on helping, not just selling.
  

• Be honest about your affiliate relationship (this is also required by law).
  

• Keep learning. Follow blogs, YouTube channels, or newsletters focused on affiliate marketing.
  

• Track your results. Learn what works and what doesn’t to refine your methods.
  

Final Thoughts

Affiliate marketing isn’t a get-rich-quick trick. It takes time to build trust and traffic. But with patience, effort, and a focus on helping others, it can become a real source of income, whether you’re doing it on the side or full time.