FREE Workshop

How to Start Affiliate Marketing (Beginner Tutorial)

generate your sales Jul 02, 2025

If you're searching for a realistic way to earn money online without needing your own products, affiliate marketing is a proven option. I’m going to take you through the basics of what affiliate marketing is, how it works, and what steps you need to take in order to get started as a beginner.

You'll learn how to discover brands and products with affiliate programs, how to set up your affiliate accounts, and effective ways to promote your unique tracking links. I'll also share which platforms can help you reach the audience best suited for your chosen products and how to maximize your chances of success.

Key Takeaways

  • Affiliate marketing allows you to earn by promoting products you trust.
  • Setting up accounts and sharing unique tracking links is straightforward.
  • Choosing the right platforms and strategies increases your results.

Understanding Affiliate Marketing

What Is Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a way for me to earn a commission by promoting products or services that I know and trust. When someone purchases through my unique affiliate link, I receive a small commission fee. I don't need to create my own products—I'm simply recommending brands I use and believe in.

Key Components of the Affiliate Marketing Process

There are three main players in affiliate marketing:

Role

Description

Merchant

The company or creator offering the product or service

Affiliate

Me, the person promoting the product and guiding people to the merchant

Customer

The person who clicks my affiliate link and makes a purchase

The process is straightforward. I sign up for an affiliate program, get a unique tracking link, and share that link with my audience. When someone buys through my link, the merchant handles fulfillment, and I earn a commission.

Why Affiliate Marketing Is Ideal for Beginners

Affiliate marketing is well suited for beginners because:

  • Low startup costs: I don't have to invest in inventory or product development.
  • Location flexibility: I can work from anywhere with an internet connection.
  • No fulfillment needed: The brands I promote take care of product delivery and support.

It's important for me to promote only products and services I use and get good results from. That way, I can confidently answer questions and support those who purchase through my link.

Steps to Start Affiliate Marketing

Identifying Suitable Brands and Products

I always start by considering which brands and products I actually use and trust. It's important to promote only those I know and can genuinely recommend, as people may ask me questions about how I use them and what my results have been.

A simple way to find affiliate options is to search for "[Brand] affiliate program" on Google. For example:

Brand

Search Term Example

Apple

"Apple affiliate program"

Nike

"Nike affiliate program"

Shopify

"Shopify affiliate program"

Amazon

"Amazon Associates program"

I focus on brands I love, which makes promotion more authentic and much easier to support with real experience.

Evaluating Affiliate Programs

Once I've identified brands and products, I dig into the details of their affiliate programs. I check for things like:

  • How commissions are paid (flat fee or percentage)
  • Minimum payout thresholds
  • How tracking links are managed
  • Any terms and conditions

I use affiliate dashboards to review available products and check how unique tracking links are created. This step helps me evaluate if a program fits my content and audience.

Establishing an Affiliate Account

To get started, I set up an official affiliate account with the brand or company. This typically involves:

  1. Filling out an application form on their affiliate website or portal.
  2. Waiting for approval (some platforms are instant, others review applications).
  3. Accessing the affiliate dashboard to generate unique tracking links.

Once my account is ready, I use these links to share products or services on my chosen platforms. I often use a landing page or direct links, depending on what works best for my audience and channel.

If I need to update or switch out offers, I do so on my landing page, which keeps things organized without needing to change my public content.

Finding and Joining Affiliate Programs

Researching Affiliate Opportunities

I always start by thinking about the brands and products I already use and trust. It's important to only promote products that I know well, as people may ask me questions about how to use them or why I recommend them.

Once I've decided on a few brands, I look for those that offer affiliate programs. Here’s a quick list of ideas to get started:

  • Make a list of products and services I use daily.
  • Check if those brands have affiliate programs.
  • Focus on items I can confidently recommend and provide feedback on.

Utilizing Search Engines to Discover Programs

I rely on search engines to uncover available affiliate programs. A simple search like “Apple affiliate program” or “Nike affiliate program” usually shows me if a brand offers one.

To find options:

Search Example

Purpose

Apple affiliate program

See if Apple has an affiliate program

Amazon affiliate program

Find Amazon Associates information

Shopify affiliate program

Locate Shopify’s affiliate resources

[Brand Name] affiliate program

Check for a specific brand’s program

Search engines also return blog posts, news, and official resources. This helps me compare programs and choose what fits me best.

Opening Affiliate Dashboards and Acquiring Tracking Links

After choosing a brand, I set up an affiliate account on their official site. Most programs provide a dashboard where I can create and manage my unique tracking links.

This process typically involves:

  1. Signing up for the affiliate program.
  2. Accessing the affiliate dashboard provided.
  3. Creating my unique tracking links for specific products or offers.
  4. Using those links in my promotions—whether in social posts, videos, or landing pages.

For more flexibility, I sometimes use a landing page. I place my tracking link behind buttons on the landing page, so if a program changes links, I only update the landing page link without changing my public content.

With each click and purchase through my link, my dashboard tracks everything, and commissions are credited to me based on the program’s terms.

Effective Promotion Strategies

Choosing the Right Platform for Promotion

I focus on platforms where my audience actively seeks information, like YouTube, because it serves as a search engine and supports evergreen content. Sharing content on different platforms—such as social channels, blogs, or YouTube—allows me to broaden my reach.
A quick comparison of popular platforms:

Platform

Strengths

Considerations

YouTube

Evergreen content, searches

Requires video creation

Blogs

SEO, detailed information

Regular updates helpful

Socials

Quick sharing, broad reach

Content lifespan is short

I select my primary platform based on where I find engaging with my audience most effective and sustainable.

Creating Valuable Content Around Products

When I promote a product, I go beyond just sharing a tracking link. I make content—videos, posts, or infographics—demonstrating how I use the product and the specific benefits I've seen.
Here are key steps I follow:

  • Share my genuine experience with the product.
  • Explain how it works and which features I find most useful.
  • Answer common questions my audience might have about the product.

Showing real use and results builds trust and increases the chance that viewers will click my affiliate link to learn more or make a purchase.

Leveraging Landing Pages Over Direct Links

Instead of simply placing an affiliate link, I often use a dedicated landing page. For example, I might create a URL like mywebsite.com/product and direct my audience there.

Benefits of using landing pages:

  • I can update the affiliate destination link if the offer changes—without altering my published content.
  • I have control over the look and feel of the page, improving the user experience.
  • It centralizes my promotions and tracking in one place.

When someone clicks the button on my landing page, they’re taken to the merchant’s site via my unique tracking link. This approach is flexible and helps maintain a streamlined promotion process.

Best Platforms for Affiliate Marketing

YouTube as a Search Engine

I choose YouTube to promote affiliate products because it's more of a search engine and provides evergreen content. When I publish a video, I can add my affiliate link in the description or use a landing page URL, making it easy for viewers to access the offer. YouTube allows me to visually demonstrate the products I use, which increases trust and helps potential customers see real-world benefits.

Advantages

Details

Evergreen Content

Videos continue to attract views over time.

High Engagement

Viewers can see demonstrations and tutorials.

Easy Link Sharing

Affiliate links go directly in descriptions.

Social Media Channels

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter make it easy to share affiliate links quickly with a wide audience. I can use posts, stories, or tweets to recommend products and add my unique tracking link. This helps me reach followers instantly and respond to feedback or questions in real time.

  • Quick sharing: Post links with a short caption or story.
  • Engagement: Respond directly to questions about the product.
  • Visual content: Share photos, infographics, or short videos showing the product in use.

Blogs and Websites

On my blog or website, I can create detailed guides, reviews, or resource pages featuring affiliate products. This gives me complete control over the content and layout, and allows me to insert affiliate links naturally within the text. Landing pages also provide flexibility; I can update the tracking links anytime without changing existing articles.

How I use my website:

  • Publish product reviews and step-by-step tutorials.
  • Create resource sections with affiliate links.
  • Use buttons or banners that direct visitors to my tracked offers.

Maximizing Your Success as an Affiliate Marketer

Promoting Products You Trust

I only promote products and services that I have personally used and had good experiences with. This way, I can confidently answer questions and provide genuine recommendations to my audience.

When choosing brands, I start by thinking about what I currently use and like. For example, if I use a lot of Apple products, I would search “Apple affiliate program” to see if they offer opportunities for affiliates.

It’s better to focus on a few brands I truly trust rather than trying to promote everything to everyone. This approach helps build trust with my audience and makes it easier to share real insights.

Building Authentic Audience Relationships

Once I have my affiliate accounts set up, I focus on sharing my experiences with the products in an honest way. I make videos, write posts, or create infographics that show how I use the products and why I recommend them.

If I can include demonstrations or explain how the product benefits me, I find that my audience responds better. For instance, when I share how I use Kajabi for my business, it’s not just a pitch—it’s a genuine story and walkthrough.

Here are some ways I engage:

  • Videos: Showing the product in action
  • Posts: Answering questions and sharing tips
  • Landing Pages: Centralizing my recommendations and updating links easily

Optimizing Tracking and Conversion

I always use unique affiliate tracking links provided in my dashboard. This makes it possible for me to see exactly when someone has clicked or purchased through my link.

To make things more advanced, I often put tracking links behind buttons on dedicated landing pages. This allows me to update links later without changing all my online content. For example, I share a simple URL like mydomain.com/product which I can update anytime.

Tip

Method

Get Tracking Links

Use the affiliate dashboard to generate your unique URL

Use Landing Pages

Place tracking links behind buttons

Share on Multiple Platforms

Post links in videos, socials, blogs

This setup also helps keep my content evergreen. If the affiliate offer changes, I can swap out the tracking link behind the scenes and keep my public links the same. This way, I maintain a smooth experience for my audience while maximizing conversions from my efforts.

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