By Neil Patel

Are you looking to monetize your blog or earn a passive income? If so, you might be considering joining an affiliate network.

This is a complete guide to choosing the right affiliate network for your platform, including what an affiliate network is, why you should consider joining one, and a rundown of the top networks on the market.

What is an Affiliate Network?

An affiliate network connects publishers, like blog owners or influencers, with companies looking to promote their products or services.

These networks often offer reporting tools, training, and other resources to help you become a successful affiliate marketer.

The most popular example of an affiliate network is Amazon, which allows publishers and influencers to promote thousands of products and earn a commission for each purchase their readers or followers make.

How Do Affiliate Networks Work?

Affiliate networks work as a marketplace for affiliate programs. Publishers or site owners sign up, choose the products or services they want to promote and receive custom links that track how many people purchase from their sites. Then, they are paid a small commission (usually around 5%) for each sale.

Why Should You Join an Affiliate Network?

Affiliate networks can connect you to hundreds—even thousands—of brands. This makes them one of the most straightforward ways to monetize a blog or earn passive income.

Here are a few more benefits of joining an affiliate network:

• No need to chase payments; the platform handles it for you
• Choose products or services that make sense for your audience
• Some affiliate networks offer rewards and incentives—so the more you sell, the better your commission rates may be
• Access to analytics and reporting tools so you can track your progress

There are some cons to affiliate networks. For example, some offer very low commission rates or require sites to have a specific amount of traffic before they can apply. Overall, however, they can be a powerful way to monetize website traffic.

Top Affiliate Networks To Consider

Type in “affiliate networks” into Google, and you’ll see hundreds of platforms to choose from — some legit and others that look a little bit shady.

So how do you choose the right one?

Start by considering your audience. What types of products and services are your readers likely to be interested in?

For example, digital marketers are more likely to be interested in SEO tools than women’s fashion, so I might choose an affiliate platform that can connect me with online tools and marketing analytic platforms.

Here are a few other considerations when comparing the top affiliate networks:

• Commission rates: How much will you earn per sale? Networks can vary widely.
• Product/service selection: Will the network connect you with brands your audience will be interested in?
• Approval requirements: Some networks require your site to be well-established or have a certain amount of traffic.
• Other fees: Some affiliate networks charge fees for training or setup.
• Cookie duration: Cookie duration refers to how long a program tracks and gives you credit for a prospective buyer. Durations can vary drastically from platform …read more

  Source:: Kiss Metrics Blog

        

  

  Author: Aaron