Do you feel your affiliate networks are working on your blog? 5 Affiliate Networks for Bloggers is all about finding the right network for you!
Last week I decided to do a Facebook poll with some our members to see which they use and if they like them, and I was pleasantly surprised by the results. I realized that I used the most popular affiliate networks for bloggers too! Do you?
Top Affiliate Networks for Bloggers
When looking at affiliate networks to use you need to ask a few questions to make sure you are using the best one for your blog.
- What Brands Do They Have?
- What is the Minium Payout Amount?
- How easy to use is their platform?
- Do they have banners?
- How much time will you have to spend managing your links?
I am going to list them in the order from our poll so you will know which was the most popular, and then decide if they are a company you want to work with.
[clickToTweet tweet=”What Affiliate Networks do you use? Are you happy? #bloggingtips” quote=”What Affiliate Networks do you use? Are you happy?”]
Amazon Associate Program
Amazon was the number choice for our members! If you are promoting products or crafts, they are probably a wise choice for you.
Pros:
- Huge Selection
- Easy to Make Links & Get Banners
- Low Minium Payment Amount of $10 via Direct Deposit or Amazon Gift Card
- Native Shopping Ads are simple to use.
- Bounties are a nice plus! (Bounties are special promotions that you earn a fixed commission if someone tries or signs up for a service.)
Cons:
- Short Cookie Tracking Period of only 24 hours.
- Low Advertising Fee of 1%-10% (in certain categories)
- Volume-Based Advertising Fee Rates for General Products of 4%-8.5% (Depends on how many order ship)
Disclosure: I, Haley Bradley, could receive a commission if you decided to use one of these companies in this post. See full disclosure here.
ShareASale
ShareASale has been in business for over 16 years! They have over 4,000 programs for you to join, so no matter what niche you are in you will find several that fit your needs. Personally, I love how they are very upfront with cookie lengths, payout percentages, and any pay per leads opportunities.
What our bloggers say:
The agency I make the most with each month is ShareASale, but that might be because I’ve been with them awhile. – Sarah Nenni-Daher
Pros:
- Over 4,000 programs to join
- Upfront Terms
- Easy to Use
- Fast Payments
- Direct Deposit or Check
- Make a Page Feature
- Custom Links (Great for Social Media)
Cons:
- Minimum Payout of $50 (may take a little bit if you are a small blogger)
CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate has many great things going for them! They have one of the cleanest websites to use. You can easily switch between advertisers and get your links fast. With over 2,800 advertisers I am sure you will find some to apply for!
- Over 2,800 programs
- Easy to Read Terms
- Fast and Responsive Website
- Supports Deep Linking
- Has Widget Builder
Cons:
- Minimum Payout of $50 (may take a little bit if you are a small blogger)
[clickToTweet tweet=”Learn all about the Affiliate Networks for Bloggers! #bloggingtips” quote=”Learn all about the Affiliate Networks for Bloggers!”]
IZEA
IZEA is a great platform to use if you want to advertise products from eBay or Target. You are automatically approved to with them, and they can be some of the harder accounts to gain access to. The biggest advantage they have is their sponsored content programs. It is a great way to get your feet wet if you are nervous about pitching to brands on your own.
What our members say:
I love IZEA- I mostly use them for sponsored social media posts! – Jennifer Smith
Pros:
- Access to eBay & Target
- Sponsored post opportunities
Cons:
- Only two merchants to pick from.
Rakuten LinkShare
Rakuten LinkShare is another great option for you. They have brands that are not on the other platforms. I like their easy to use website. My only negative is their reporting is a little tricky to get used to. It takes a little bit of playing around to find what you are after.
Pros:
- Different Brands than Other Platforms
- Easy Website
- Deep Linking
- Payment by Paypal, Direct Deposit, and Check (USA)
Cons:
- Different Reporting (may be hard to find some info)
- Minimum Payout of $50 (may take a little bit if you are a small blogger)
[clickToTweet tweet=”Don’t forget to check the cookie tracking length! #bloggingtips” quote=”Don’t forget to check the cookie tracking length!”]
Other Affiliate Options:
- Affiliate Network
- Flex Offers
- ClickBank
- iTunes
- eBay
Tips:
- Regularly update links
- Apply for new companies often
- Review terms
- Don’t use just one company, because most advertisers use only one platform, and you will limit you if you only have access to one platform.
What if you need something simple?
Another option is to use a company like Skimlinks or VigLink. They automatically turn your existing links into revenue generating links. They do all the work for you, but they also take a percentage of any fees you earn. They each have different ways to setup your account.
One way is they overwrite all your links (including previous affiliate links) to their tracking codes, so all your income is directed through them. Another option is they only change links of non-affiliated links. This is the way I use their services because sometimes it hard to be set up with everybody!
One negative about this approach is you are not building a relationship with the advertiser. So you are not able to pitch them for sponsored posts or rate increases. Plus, they do not supply you with banners.
Recap on Affiliate Networks for Bloggers
Don’t be afraid to have more than one account setup unless you are going with total coverage company like Skimlinks or VigLink. You will find that you need more options than what one affiliate company offers.
Remember to pay attention to cookie tracking lengths! It may be easier to link everything with Amazon, but they only have a 24-hour window for you to get credit for your referral.
Don’t link just to link! Make sure you keep your readers trust by only referring products/companies you truly use.