Best Ways to Find Affiliate Programs for Your Niche

Seasoned vets and newbies frequently ask the same question: What and where are the best affiliate programs? My answer to this question will require answering that question with another question: What are you interested in promoting and writing about?

There is probably a great program out there that would match just about any interest you may have or know something about.

Head on over to ClickBank, my favorite source for the most popular programs. They tell you the percentage you receive on each sale, and they also put it in dollars and cents. They also reveal other statistics about each program that will help you determine if the program you chose is right for you to promote.

Your next choice is Rakuten, formerly LinkShare.

LinkShare pioneered online affiliate marketing, and today it runs the largest pay-for-performance affiliate marketing network on the Internet. With over 10 million partnerships in the network, it is the most successful pay-for-performance network of its kind.

Next is Commission Junction, which lets you maximize your revenue opportunities by developing sustainable relationships with top-tier advertisers. Perform and get paid for every sale and lead you generate. For qualifying publishers, take your program to the next level with their industry-exclusive solution for top performers.

There are more equally credible affiliate program sources on the web, but for the sake of simplicity and to keep this article to a minimum length, I’m going to limit these resources to the top three. If you like, you can go to your favorite search engine and continue your search for affiliate program resources.

Knowing a little something about what you want to sell will be to your advantage, but it is not required. The tools to find them are at our disposal. You just need to know where they are and what they will tell you.

Google.com would be a good place to start your search. If you type “affiliate programs” into the search box, you will get a list of literally millions of potential programs. Gael Breton at AuthorityHacker.com has curated a list of over 140 best niches for affiliate marketing in 2024. Your favorite subject—your niche—is sure to be on that list. Check it out here.

You don’t have to weed through that many sites. The first few pages should give you a few ideas as to what you want to promote. Try and stick with something you’ve got some background in.

For example, let’s say you have been working in a pet store for a while. See if you can’t find an affiliate program related to pets. Maybe pet food, pet training, pet care, etc. Perhaps you’ll want to target specific pets, like dogs, or dog training. Dog training and dog breeds are very popular right now, and I suspect they will be for quite some time to come.

Let’s say you have chosen dog breeds as a topic of interest. It is time to research that topic and see if there is indeed a market for it.

Do a search on Google for dog breeds. You’ll see that there are so many searches for “dog breeds” that it’s best to specialize in and search for one breed at a time.

I followed that bit of information by going to WordStream, a keyword research tool, and typing “dog breeds” into the search box. The information returned will prove to be an invaluable tool for making your affiliate program choice.

Try to find an affiliate program with at least a 50% commission or more if possible. You can choose a program with a lower commission. You won’t make a lot in commission unless you find a high-ticket item to promote. Ironically, it takes as much effort to promote high-ticket items as it does to promote programs that cost $20 each.

The time and effort spent promoting small-ticket items are the same as those spent promoting high-ticket items. The benefit is that you do not have to make as many sales with the more expensive item as you do with the smaller one.

So why waste your time and advertising dollars promoting products that only bring you a $20.00 commission when the same amount of time and money can bring you a commission of $200.00? Make decisions about your niche-related products based on math if you want to make money with niche marketing.

The best advice I can give is to learn as much as you can and be patient. Find out how to use free resources to promote your programs at the start. Don’t rush! Affiliate marketing is lucrative, but it is not a “get rich quick” game.

Don’t just dabble—aim high and create a game plan for success. Carve out your own corner of the internet with a unique domain and hosting, and build a site that shatters expectations.

Forget blending in with the sea of generic affiliate blogs; strive to craft a digital experience that’s head-and-shoulders above the rest. This sets you apart from the pack, elevating you above those who simply recycle the same tired pages. It signals to the world that you’re the real deal, a credible player who’s genuinely invested in building a thriving online business.

In the whirlwind of marketing, where results often feel like they can’t come fast enough, it’s easy to forget the power of patience. But remember, patience isn’t about passively waiting; it’s about steady action-taking and unwavering trust in the process. It’s about embracing the journey, knowing that every step, every setback, and every triumph is shaping you and your brand. So take a deep breath, embrace the long game, and let patience be your guide.

Happy marketing, and remember, the best is yet to come!