What is affiliate marketing? Strategies and examples

Last Updated on March 24, 2025 – by monetizedeal

Affiliate marketing is an online marketing technique where you can earn a commission every time by promoting or selling other brands’ products or services. This advertising model is based on third-party publishers to generate leads for the company’s products. If you are looking for a convenient way to make money, try affiliate marketing and earn fee incentives by advertising various products online. 

It’s a win-win for both parties- third-party publishers can earn income without spending too much time or money, while companies can expand their reach through affiliate promotion. 

So, what are you waiting for? Follow this easy procedure to become an affiliate marketer and earn passive income.

Step-by-step procedure to Become Affiliate Marketer 

Follow these comprehensive steps to launch and scale your affiliate marketing business. 

1. Decide on a niche- First, you need to select what kind of product you want to promote. It’s a crucial step to choose the right product category or niche to sell to your target audience. 
2. You must select a specific topic your content will focus on- Whether you’re into travel or fashion, choose the right niche to build trust and credibility. 
3. Choose an Affiliate Marketing Platform- To kickstart your online business, select an appropriate marketing platform like MonetizeDeal to take advantage of the best offers and high commission rates. 
4. Sign up for Affiliate Marketing Platform- After choosing the best option, visit the platform’s website, create an account, and explore the available programmes to promote with your referral link. 
5. Join an affiliate marketing program- it is time to choose a high-paying affiliate programme, copy the product affiliate link, and share it on your preferred channel.
6. Share the offers on your preferred channel- With everything in place, you can boost your income by sharing product links on your preferred channel including website, or social media platforms.  

Best Affiliate Marketing Platforms

1. Amazon Associates 

Amazon, one of India’s biggest online marketplaces has launched its affiliate marketing platform called Amazon Associates. In this program, affiliates can earn upto 20% commission through referral links and access a reporting dashboard to track their earnings and performance. 

Content creators can benefit from Amazon’s affiliate marketing platform to earn money by sharing product links on their social media platforms. With a monthly payout system and direct deposit payment method, you can boost your current passive income in no time! 

Company and Payment Details 

• Establishment- 1996
• Commission Percentage- 1 to 20%, depending on product type. 
• Payment duration- Monthly, with a 60-day delay
• Payment Method- Direct deposit or Amazon gift certificate

2. Rakuten

Being a Cashback platform with a large community, Rakuten offers various rewards to consumers for purchases made through its marketplace. This global network provides a marketing platform where businesses can connect with third-party publishers to promote their products or services, earning commissions in return. 

Affiliates joining Rakuten can partner with different brands to earn whopping commissions and access a variety of merchants offered within a network. Cool, right? You can access advanced resources like a personal dashboard, and analytics portal to examine your marketing campaigns. 

Company and Payment Details 

• Establishment- 2005
• Commission Percentage- Based on different Merchants. 
• Payment duration- Monthly, within 30 days payout system
• Payment Method-Direct deposit, PayPal, or check.

3. eBay Partner Network

eBay, a pioneer in online marketplaces since 1995. eBay Partner Network is a marketing platform where you can sign up, share listings, and boost your earnings with a diversified revenue stream. This program offers a commission based on the percentage of total sales, depending on the product category.

This online marketing platform provides credit services for your final value fees when you share your product and it sells. The amount you make as an affiliate marketing partner varies from 1% to 6%. Every item is available for commission. 

Company and Payment Details 

• Establishment- 1995
• Commission Percentage- Based on product category
• Payment duration-  Monthly, with a $10 minimum balance
• Payment Method-Direct deposit or PayPal

4. MonetizeDeal

MonetizeDeal is a Tech-enabled Affiliate Marketing platform that aims to lead the commerce space, using Youtube, Instagram, and other social media sites. This e-commerce platform allows content creators to share their products and serve brands seeking scalable, data-backed influencer campaign solutions. 

Our platform allows affiliate marketers to earn a profit on tracked purchases from product referral links. Being a pioneer in Affiliate Marketing services, MonetizeDeal constitutes a team of budding content creators who are committed to excellence. 

Company and Payment Details 

• Establishment- 2019
• Commission Percentage- Based on product category
• Payment duration-  90 Days or more
• Payment Method-Direct deposit

5. CJ Affiliate 

CJ Affiliate platform partners with big brands like Priceline, J.Crew, Overstock, and Barnes & Noble. This affiliate marketing platform connect the gap between advertisers and publishers to promote products and services online. Also, it offers advanced tools like content monetization and interactive onboarding to attract consumers.

Established in 1998, CJ Affiliate has become the world’s most established marketing network designed to help you achieve growth, intelligence, and sustainable growth. According to Glassdoor, The average CJ Affiliate salary ranges from approximately ₹3,20,274 per year (estimate) for an Affiliate Marketing Associate.

Company and Payment Details 

• Establishment- 1998
• Commission Percentage- Depends on the advertiser 
• Payment duration- Up to two monthly payouts, around the 20th and 28th.
• Payment Method-Direct bank transfer or Payoneer 

 Top Affiliate Marketing Strategies

1. Post Content On your Affiliate Website- While affiliate marketing is a solid option to start earning money online, you need to create a portfolio of your content to seek partners and boost your marketing platform. 
2. Diversification of Affiliate Marketer- Don’t put your marketing eggs into one basket, follow the good rule of thumb that suggests you partner with various marketers to sustain a significant financial status. 
3. Maintain the relationship with your audience- An unpopular yet key opinion in affiliate marketing is to sustain a loyal audience base that cares about your content. 
4. Understand the ins and outs of the products you’re recommending- Build a trustworthy reputation. Offering high-quality content and thoroughly researched articles enhances credibility. 
5. Share discount codes- These redeemable codes on the product do an outstanding job of converting leads. Being a marketer, you can share discount codes through social media platforms, emails, and more. 

Earning Potential through Affiliate marketing

As we all are now aware of affiliate marketing and how it works, let’s understand how can you make money through this online business. These 3 specific terms allow you to make money as an affiliate marketer.

• Cost-per-click (CPC): You are paid for each visitor you send on the company’s website.
• Cost-Per-Lead (CPL): You get paid as per leads you have generated for the company. 
• Cost-Per-Sale (CPS): This payment model allows you to make money based on purchases made through your direct affiliate link. It is usually commission-based varying by companies and products. 

According to Glassdoor, . Affiliate marketers make an average of ₹5213182.66 a year, with earnings ranging from ₹3327563.40 at the low end to ₹6575899.10 at the high end.

Top 5 tips for better earning in affiliate marketing

1. 
2. Understand the basics- Before going into affiliate marketing, It is must to understand the basics of affiliate marketing that includes mechanics, benefits, key players, and payment models.
3. Identify your niche- Choose a niche that interests you with a balance between its market demand, personal interest, and the potential for profitability.
4. Qualify your niche- Check for its competitiveness through various factors including search trends, assessing competitors, profitability access, and more. 
5. Recommend product via story- Personalized touch in content allows you to share and communicate with a target audience on a better level. Therefore, it’s recommended to share your experience with product descriptions and referral links. 

Top Affiliate Programs to Consider 

1. Flipkart Affiliate Program- This program offers a commission of upto 15%, it allows you to promote a wide range of products like electronics, clothing, skincare and more.
2. Myntra Affiliate Program- One of the best fashion affiliate programs, it offers you an opportunity to earn upto 10% commission on every purchase via your referral link. 
3. Hubspot Affiliate Program- This is a perfect program for bloggers, content creators, and site reviewers to earn recurring commissions of upto 30% based on the product tier of each product. 
4. SEMRush Affiliate Program- The digital marketing software offers a highly beneficial affiliate program with a last-click attribution model and an opportunity to earn upto $200 on every sale through your link. 
5. Fiverr Affiliate Program- Looking to boost your passive income? Join the Fiverr affiliate program and earn up to $1,000 for a single conversion. 

Conclusion

Affiliate marketing is a great alternative to boost your additional income and become a self-reliant individual. Here’s everything you need to know about this amazing online business model. From Marketing strategies to step-by-step procedures, you can find all the relevant information regarding this online business idea. Best affiliate marketing platforms allow you to intensify your earning potential and programs help in guiding you to choose the right category to market.