What is an Affiliate Platform?
An affiliate network is a service that links businesses and publications (also known as affiliate marketers). The network serves as a “middleman” to make it simple for publishers and companies delivering programs to connect. Brands may quickly locate and hire affiliates to advertise their products and create new sales channels.
The most well-known illustration of an affiliate network is Amazon, which enables publishers and influencers to advertise thousands of products and gain money from each sale made by their readers or followers.
Brands frequently make use of affiliate networks when:
- Lack of sufficient outbound sales support
- Invest little in advertising
Want to connect with new people?
Publishers benefit from affiliate networks because they give them the means to identify programs and manage affiliate commission payments. They simplify the process of working with influencers and affiliates for brands.
A program (often) relates to a single brand, which is how an affiliate network and affiliate program differ. On the other side, creators can find and join thousands of programs through an affiliate network.
Why Should You Join an Affiliate Network?
You can connect with hundreds or even thousands of brands through affiliate networks. They are, therefore, among the easiest ways to monetize a blog or generate passive revenue.
Pros:
- Additional advantages of joining an affiliate network include the following:
- Chase payments are not necessary because the platform takes care of everything.
- Select goods or services that your target market will find helpful.
- Some affiliate networks include bonuses and incentives, so your compensation rates may increase the more you sell.
- Having access to reporting and analytics tools so you can monitor your progress
Cons:
- A constrained number of promotions for publishers
- A small number of categories for publishers to advertise
- Fewer possibilities for payout
- The authorization procedure might be more stringent
10 Best Affiliate Platforms And Networks in 2022
1. Awin (Formerly Affiliate Window):
Awin, a streamlined variation of the original Affiliate Window, is another well-known affiliate network that gives you access to over 13,000 different companies. Awin acquired ShareASale in 2017, but the two still run separately and work with distinct merchants.
Thanks to its 13,000+ merchants, Awin provides a wide range of options for both tangible and digital goods.
Here are a few of the well-known household names:
- Etsy
- AliExpress
- HP
- XE (money transfer)
- StubHub
- Identify Armor
- Gymshark
There is also a tonne of smaller dealers in different markets.
Awin was founded in Germany; therefore, even though there are many US and foreign companies, the merchant list has a slight European slant. Another affiliate platform is this one.
2. CJ Affiliate (Formerly Commission Junction):
CJ, formerly known by the longer name of Commission Junction, is another affiliate network that brings together thousands of different merchants under one roof (a lot like ShareASale). You may connect with thousands of large and small retailers through CJ, which ranks alongside ShareASale as one of the largest affiliate networks. There are 2,696 different merchants at the moment.
Major offline and online companies that use CJ include:
- Lowes
- Overstock
- Max Office
- Priceline
- GoPro
- IHG (Hotels)
- Grammarly
Additionally, there is a tonne of smaller retailers.
Similar to ShareASale, you may apply to each of these merchants separately from the CJ dashboard. After that, you can build links and look at statistics. Though I think ShareASale’s learning curve is a little bit higher than CJ’s affiliate dashboard’s, once you get the hang of it, I like CJ’s affiliate dashboard better than ShareASale. Another affiliate platform is this one.
3. Avangate Affiliate Network:
Avangate Affiliate Network is an affiliate network focusing on software and digital goods rather than physical ones. Another affiliate platform is this one. For example, you’ll gain access to well-known software companies like:
- Bitdefender
- Kaspersky
- Hide My A$$ (the VPN)
- Awario
If your website routinely advertises digital items, you should join Avangate Affiliate Network because it gives you access to more than 22,000 different pieces of software in total. Please be aware that, until 2017, 2Checkout and Avangate were under the same corporate umbrella. Avangate Affiliate Network is the affiliate network you should join, and the original Avangate tool has been integrated with 2Checkout.
4. FlexOffers:
You can access more than 12,000 unique advertisers and merchants with the aid of the reputable, well-liked affiliate platform FlexOffers. FlexOffers is one of the most attractive dashboards and adds more than 50 new merchants daily, so you can always find the newest savings there.
FlexOffers has unrestricted access to many contracts from big and small organizations, including endorsements from well-known brands like Priceline.com, Macy’s, Skechers, Lenovo, and more. You may explore a comprehensive list of every company if you want to research your options before signing up. Like the other big affiliate platforms, FlexOffers has been around for a long, so you can be confident that it won’t go any time soon. Another affiliate platform is this one. FlexOffers also provides each publisher with a dedicated account manager, which is a nice touch. Your account manager can help you choose the finest offers to promote and support you in enhancing other aspects of your affiliate marketing strategy.
What you need to know about FlexOffers and how to use them
With more than 12,000 merchants, you may find real and digital goods in all markets. Product categories and specializations. The typical commission rate is subject to change depending on the specific shop you choose to join.
Cookie life expectancy: Dependent upon the specific retailer you register with.
5. eBay Partner Network:
As the name suggests, eBay Partner Network is the company’s companion network. It allows you to advertise eBay listings and earn a commission. Also, look at other alternatives to Google AdSense. Yes, you can purchase anything advertised on eBay, giving you access to a broad range.
The only downside is that many of its products are transient due to eBay’s auction-based business model (though you can also find plenty of permanent listings). Another affiliate platform is this one.
What You Should Know About The eBay Partner Network
- Product/Niche Types: Although most items are physical, you can sell anything on eBay and find digital goods.
- Depending on the product category, you can anticipate receiving between 50% and 70% of eBay’s revenue as a commission. You are not receiving the total cost of the item; instead, you are receiving a fraction of eBay’s commission.
- Although the cookie lifetime is 24 hours, you can still receive a commission even if the auction lasts up to 10 days (as long as the person placed a bid within the first 24 hours).
6. ShareASale:
ShareASale is one of the most well-known affiliate networks. Unlike Amazon Associates, which focuses only on Amazon products, ShareASale runs affiliate programs for over 4,500 big and small retailers. These businesses allow you to build connections, register an account, and retrieve your data from the ShareASale dashboard. You should be aware that each shop requires a different application and approval process, which is rather typical for an affiliate network like this. Another affiliate platform is this one.
ShareASale is an excellent option for both digital and physical goods in general.
On the digital side, there are several WordPress theme and plugin stores, hosting providers, etc. There are many big and small retailers on the ground level. For instance, in addition to Warby Parker (sunglasses), Sun Basket, Wayfair, Reebok, and the NFL Shop, thousands of other small and large enterprises exist. Regardless of the market your website or blog is in; you may find some offers worth promoting.
Why you need to know about ShareASale
Various physical and digital products covering various themes make up the product/niche.
The typical commission rate is subject to change depending on the specific shop you choose to join.
Cookie life expectancy: Dependent upon the specific retailer you register with.
7. Amazon Associates:
Associates is an excellent option if you like to market tangible things on your website. You can receive a percentage of every sale made on the website using Amazon Associates. Because you receive a commission on every new item a referral purchases, even if it wasn’t the one you connected to, this scheme is even more beneficial. Check out the top Twitch viewers bot.
For example, you would still get paid even if a consumer clicked on your link to buy a $500 TV instead of the $5 toothbrush (as long as it happened within the cookie length and the TV wasn’t already in the customer’s basket). Before, the amount of income or sales you produced determined the pay rate you got from Amazon Associates. Based on the category that each product is in, Amazon’s flat-rate commission structure, which went into effect in January 2017, gives you a predetermined percentage:
Because you no longer have to worry about exceeding a specific sales volume threshold to obtain a more significant income, which may have displeased some high-volume affiliates, this change makes Amazon Associates even more tempting for smaller businesses. Another affiliate platform is this one.
What you need to know about Amazon Associates
Types of products: Anything available on the Amazon website (including products from third-party vendors).
The typical commission fee might range from 1% to 10%, depending on the category.
Cookie shelf life: Cookies last for 24 hours. However, you will only get a 90-day cookie for that specific product if you persuade clients to add it to their shopping carts.
8. Rakuten Marketing (Formerly LinkShare):
The well-known affiliate network Rakuten Marketing, formerly LinkShare, has several significant shops as members. Known merchants include:
- Walmart
- Buy The Best
- Macy’s
- Papa John’s
They do have a few smaller stores even though their network (which “only” has” around 1,000 merchants) isn’t as extensive as ShareASale, CJ, or Awin’s.
As a result, if you wish to access a wide variety of merchants, you might be better suited to one of the other networks. Rakuten is an excellent substitute if you want to use heavy equipment. Intriguing qualities include the capacity to rotate advertisements without the aid of an outside solution.
What you need to know about Rakuten Marketing
There are over 1,000 merchants, so you may still find offers in most niches.
Product/niche types: The typical commission rate changes depending on the shop you choose to join.
Cookie life expectancy: Dependent upon the specific retailer you register with.
9. Clickbank:
Similar to Avangate Affiliate Network, ClickBank is another affiliate network that features several digital products in addition to tangible things. Additionally, look at Tumblr. Compared to ShareASale and Awin, which include many massive, well-known platforms, ClickBank unquestionably has more “smaller” merchants. Numerous stores sell things like eBooks, online classes, and membership websites. While these stores may not be as well recognized as well-known national or international names, they can provide fantastic savings if they fit your niche. But there is also a downside; some of the ClickBank products are just subpar. Even though ClickBank has upgraded its vetting process to weed out dubious vendors, you should use caution when choosing which merchants to promote.
What You Need to Know About ClickBank
- Product types: Although some physical products are accessible, ClickBank favors digital goods (and ClickBank makes it easy to filter between the two).
- The amount of the standard commission fee varies depending on the individual merchant you work with. There are both flat-rate and percentage commissions available.
- Depending on the specific retailer you join, the cookie lifetime varies but usually is 60 days.
10. Walmart Affiliates:
Amazon Associates is undoubtedly the best-known name in the affiliate sector if you sell tangible things. Yes, there is a reason for that. Amazon controls almost half of the US eCommerce market. In contrast, only Walmart has 3.7% of the online retail market (eBay is in second place with 6.6%, as you’ll see next). However, since Amazon Associates switched from its old commission structure to its new category-based strategy, the Walmart affiliate program became slightly more tempting because it offers more significant commissions than Amazon in some areas.
For instance, regarding toys, Walmart charges 4% while Amazon only charges 3%. Additionally, unlike Walmart’s three-day lifespan, Amazon’s surveillance cookie only lasts one day (24 hours). Another affiliate platform is this one. You only need to test this once if you sell many material things. If you already use Amazon and Walmart offers higher commissions in your category, consider switching to their affiliate program to see if you can make more money (in either direction).
The facts you should be aware of regarding Walmart Affiliates
- Anything offered on the Walmart website is a product type (which includes some third-party vendors)
- Between 1% and 18% on average is charged as commission. Most categories have a distribution of 4% to 1%.
Which affiliate network should you choose?
Regarding affiliate platforms and networks, you don’t have to choose just one, which is excellent! So, this is a trick question. Sign up for all the networks that interest you rather than just one if you want to find the best advertising and incentives.
There are just two compelling arguments in favor of limiting your platform usage:
- Convenience – It’s unlikely that you often want to log in to 11 different dashboards.
- Minimum payments – If you spread your traffic too thinly, it could be challenging to continuously reach each platform’s minimum reward.
