Introduction
Affiliate ProgramsAffiliate Programs: Turn Recommendations Into Revenue
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based business model where you earn commissions for promoting other companies' products or services. When someone purchases through your unique tracking links, you receive a percentage of the sale—without ever handling inventory, customer service, or product creation.
This flexible sidegig allows you to monetize your influence, whether you have a blog, social media following, YouTube channel, or email list. You're essentially getting paid to recommend products you believe in, creating a potential income stream that can grow from supplemental earnings to full-time revenue.
With low startup costs, multiple monetization strategies, and the ability to scale without proportional time investment, affiliate marketing stands out as one of the most accessible online business models for beginners while offering unlimited potential for experienced marketers.
Quick Facts
- Startup Costs: $50-$500
- Income Potential: $100-$10,000+/month
- Time to First Dollar: 1-3 months
- Time Commitment: 5-20 hours/week
- Skills Needed: Content creation, basic marketing, niche knowledge