How to choose your affiliate marketing programs

The first thing you need to be aware of is that the best affiliate marketing program for you might not be the best for someone else. This will depend solely on the business you run or want to start.

6 Factor to Consider with Affiliate Marketing Programs

1. Niche
2. ROE (Return on effort)
3. Commission structure
4. Cookie lifetime
5. Requirements
6. Scams

Niche

The most important factor is the niche you have chosen and who you are targeting. The affiliate program should be relevant to your niche. So, if you target the fitness niche, your affiliate offer needs to be related to that. If not, then there’s a tiny chance that anyone will buy the products you promote.

ROE

This is important to have in mind with everything you do in affiliate marketing. The ROE focuses on how much you get out of the work you do. You should always promote the affiliate products that give you the highest return on effort so you don’t waste your time. This is not only based on the commission’s payout but also on how much the product sells. If you need to generate twice as many clicks to get a sale but only receive 25% more commissions, then the ROE will be better on the lower commissioned program.

Commission Structure

There are typically two ways for an affiliate to earn commissions, one-time payout and recurring payouts. You should always consider choosing a program that offers recurring payouts, so you can continue to profit from the customers you generate. With that in mind, as long as your ROE is good, one-time payouts can be very profitable as well.

Cookie Lifetime

Unfortunately, it’s not everyone that clicks on your links and buys right away. But this doesn’t have to mean that you don’t make a profit. Because of smart affiliate cookies, it’s possible to make a profit if the visitor returns later on. The cookie lifetime will determine how long the visitor can wait to buy where you still earn a commission. So, the longer the cookie lifetime, the better your chances are of making a commission.

Requirements

Most affiliate marketing programs let anyone promote their products but only when you follow their guidelines. For example, some affiliate programs require you to make specific disclosures, and others require that you only promote the affiliate links a certain way. Likewise, some require that you only use their promotional materials, where others let you create your own. This can present challenges for some affiliate businesses, so always make sure that you understand the requirements and guidelines before promoting a new affiliate marketing program.

Scams

There are a few ways to detect if an affiliate marketing program is legit or a scam. The first sign can be if they don’t disclose how much you can earn per sale before signing up. This can be a strategy to attract affiliates, so it’s not a given that it’s a scam. Furthermore, if you are required to purchase a package to become an affiliate, then watch out. Legit affiliate marketing programs are almost always free to join, and they disclose the requirements and earnings before you sign up. The best way to avoid scams is by only choosing to promote recognized brands or use affiliate networks and marketplaces.

The Best Affiliate Marketing Programs

1. Affiliate Networks
2. Online Marketplaces
3. Top brands with affiliate programs

Affiliate Networks

Using an affiliate network is almost always a great place to start. Affiliate networks are websites that have many different affiliate programs you can choose from. This makes it easy to choose different products to promote. Most affiliate networks offer affiliate programs in many different niches. The most popular affiliate networks include:

• ClickBank
• JVZoo
• WarriorPlus
• Share A Sale

Online Marketplaces

This is also a great way to get access to many different products you can promote. Online marketplaces are also a great way to find physical products to promote. The commission is often lower on physical products, but they can still be very profitable. The most popular online marketplaces include:

• Amazon
• eBay
• Walmart
• Alibaba / AliExpress

Top Brands

Promoting recognized brands have multiple advantages. Firstly, the visitor typically already trusts the company, which makes the sale easier. Furthermore, you can be certain that it’s legit, and they will payout your commissions. Lastly, it gives you the possibility to promote a brand that you truly believe in and have used for many years. The best way to find out if a brand offers an affiliate program is to check out their website. The affiliate program is typically listed in the footer area. Alternatively, make a Google search for “brand-name affiliate program.” Top brands with affiliate programs include:

• Apple (iTunes)
• Dell
• MindValley
• WordPress
• Expedia
• Various colleges

Final Words 

The most important thing is that you do your research according to the factors above. With that in mind, it shouldn’t paralyze you, and the faster you get started, the faster you can earn commissions. You can always change the products you promote, so it’s better to get some experience than researching for weeks. Furthermore, you should always promote multiple products, so you have a higher chance of making sales. This also allows you to make multiple commissions from the same visitor. Lastly, choosing different types of products, both physical and digital, is recommended. Not everyone would buy an e-book or online course, but most people have bought a physical book. So, combining these will increase your chances of earning commissions.