How to Start Affiliate Marketing in 2026

[00:02] makes it sound like you'll be rich by next Tuesday. Neither is true, but affiliate marketing is one of the most realistic ways to start making money online without creating your own product, holding inventory, or answering

[00:17] customer service emails at 2:00 a.m. because someone's package got lost. So, what is affiliate marketing? You recommend products or tools you truly like, someone buys through your custom link, and you get a cut of the sale. The

[00:31] brand handles the product, shipping, customer support, all of that. You only have one job, and that is to help people figure out what's worth buying. And when you do it well, brands are happy to pay for that. So, in this video, I'm going

[00:47] >> [music] >> how to choose a niche that makes sense for you, how to find affiliate programs worth joining, and how to create content people genuinely trust instead of instantly scrolling past. I'll also show

[01:02] you how to track what's working so you can stop guessing and start doubling down on the stuff that actually makes money. Oh, and stay through chapter four because I'm going to walk you through one affiliate program specifically

[01:15] that's definitely worth knowing about. Let's get into it. setup is honestly pretty simple. You join an affiliate program, grab your

[01:29] custom tracking link, and put it somewhere people can find. Maybe in a YouTube description, a blog post, on an Instagram post or story, TikTok, whatever. Then, if someone clicks that link and buys something, you earn a

[01:42] commission. That's [music] it. The brand handles the shipping, the returns, and the lost package email at 2:00 a.m. You just made the recommendation. The reason this works is because people trust recommendations way

[01:56] more than ads now. Think about it. If a random ad pops up saying, "This is the best microphone ever." most people ignore it. But if a creator you already watch and love says, "I've been using this mic for a year and it's worth the

[02:11] money." that lands completely different. That's basically the whole affiliate marketing model. You're helping people find products, tools, or services that solve a problem they already have. And if your recommendation helps someone

[02:25] make a buying decision, you get paid for it. But this part matters. People can tell when you believe in something versus when you're just chasing a commission. That's why the best affiliate content usually comes from

[02:38] creators talking about products they already use naturally. It feels honest because it is. And I'll say this now because nobody online likes to, affiliate marketing is not fast money. The people making consistent income from

[02:52] this usually spent months, sometimes years, building content, trust, [music] and an audience first. So no, this is not a make $10,000 by Friday situation. But if you treat it like an actual business instead of a cheat code, it can

[03:08] absolutely turn into a real income stream over time. Chapter two, how to choose your niche. This is where a lot of people mess up right away because they pick a niche based entirely on the payout. And look, I get it. Finance

[03:22] content usually pays more than cooking content. Tech products usually pay more than home decor. But if you choose a niche you don't care about, you're probably not going to last very long because eventually you hit that point

[03:34] where you've made like 14 videos about something you barely even like and now creating content feels like homework. That is usually when people quit. What you want is a mix of three things. Number one, something you're interested

[03:48] in. Number two, something people are actively searching for. And number three, something that has affiliate programs attached to it. You need all three. And being more specific helps a lot. For example, fitness is way too

[04:05] broad. But if you hone in on home gym setup for small apartments, that's they're getting when they follow you. the easier it is for people to understand why they should follow you in

[04:18] the first place. And here is a quick way to test if your idea is viable before you commit to it. Go on Google and search something like best home gym products or home gym starter kit, but obviously with whatever your chosen

[04:32] niche is. If you're seeing a bunch of solid articles, videos, Reddit threads, YouTube reviews, that's a good sign people are actively looking for answers in that space. Then, check Google Trends and make sure interest in the topic is

[04:47] at least stable [music] and not completely falling off a cliff. And finally, click some of those product links and see if affiliate programs last thing you want to do is spend three months building content around a niche

[05:01] and then realize there's no actual way to monetize it. So, do the research first and your future self will thank you. Chapter three, how to find affiliate programs worth joining. The easiest place to start is honestly just

[05:14] already use. Like if there's a microphone you recommend to everybody, a productivity app you're obsessed with, a skincare product you keep rebuying, whatever it is, search the brand name plus affiliate program and see what

[05:30] comes up. Most established brands already have one and AI tools are pretty useful for this part, too. You can literally ask ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini something like, "What are the best affiliate programs for creators in the

[05:45] fitness niche?" Or, "What are the best recurring affiliate programs for e-commerce creators? And it'll give you a pretty solid starting point. Now, obviously, don't blindly trust the AI robot with your financial future. You

[05:59] still want to double-check the details yourself. Stuff like commission percentages, payout minimums, cookie windows, all of that matters. But, it's a fast way to discover programs you probably wouldn't have found on your

[06:12] own. One thing beginners often skip just because a brand doesn't publicly advertise an affiliate program, doesn't always mean they don't have one. Sometimes, you can literally just ask. Reach out through their website, DM

[06:26] them, email their partnerships team, or connect with someone on LinkedIn, especially if you already make content in that space. A lot of creator partnerships honestly happen way less formally than people think. The

[06:39] worst-case scenario, they say no. But, if you never ask, the answer is automatic automatically no, anyway. Once you've chatted direct brand programs, affiliate networks become very useful. Platforms like ShareASale,

[06:54] CJ Affiliate, and Impact [music] basically act like giant marketplaces full of affiliate programs you can apply to all in one place. And then there's Amazon Associates, which is kind of its own thing. The commission percentages on

[07:07] Amazon usually aren't super high, but people trust Amazon enough that conversion rates can still be pretty solid. Everybody already has their card saved, so the friction is low. But, one category I think people often tend to

[07:21] overlook initially is software and subscription-based products. This is the part where the income can start compounding. A lot of software companies offer recurring commissions, which means instead of getting paid once, you keep

[07:34] earning money every month that customer stays subscribed. So, one good video or tutorial can keep generating income long after you post it. That's why experienced affiliate marketers love SAS products and subscription tools. And

[07:48] speaking of that, did you know about the Shopify affiliate program? I'm going to cover that next, but before you join any program, ask yourself a few basic questions. How much does it pay? How long does the tracking cookie last? When

[08:03] do you get paid? And most importantly, why would someone realistically buy this? Because a huge commission percentage honestly means nothing if the product itself is bad or impossible to sell. Chapter 4, the Shopify affiliate

[08:17] program. Now, if your content is already about things like entrepreneurship, side hustles, e-commerce, making money online, or building a business, the Shopify affiliate program makes a lot of sense. Here's how it works. First, you

[08:32] apply for free at shopify.com/ Most applications are approved within 24 hours, and once that happens, Shopify gives you your own custom tracking link. Then, if someone clicks your link and

[08:47] signs up for a paid Shopify plan, you can earn up to $150 per qualified referral. And there's no cap on referrals, either, which is nice because limits on things once you start performing well. One thing I also like

[09:03] about Shopify's program is the timing window is way longer than most affiliate programs. Normally, with affiliate marketing, somebody clicks your link and you've got maybe 30 days for them to buy something before you lose credit for the

[09:16] sale. But Shopify gives people 30 days to start a free trial, and then up to 125 days for that trial to convert into a paid plan. Which honestly matters because starting a business usually isn't an impulse decision. People take

[09:31] time to think about it. Payouts go out on the 22nd of every month. The minimum payout threshold is only $10. [music] And Shopify lets you get paid in over 80 different currencies through direct deposit or bank transfer. So, if your

[09:44] audience is spread across different countries, that flexibility is pretty sweet. And the reason this program works well for creators is because it fits naturally into the content people are already making. If you're posting about

[09:56] side hustles, online business, content creation, selling products, freelancing, whatever, recommending Shopify doesn't feel random. You're just pointing your audience toward a tool that lines up with the goal they already had.

[10:11] That's usually when affiliate marketing works best. And if you want to check it application link down in the description below. Chapter 5: How to create content that your audience connects with. At the end of the day, the best affiliate

[10:25] content is usually just helpful content. That's it. Someone already has a question, problem, or thing they're trying to figure out, and your job is to help them solve it. The affiliate link should feel like a natural next step,

[10:39] not the entire reason the content exists. Because audiences online are honestly pretty good now at spotting forced recommendations. If the whole video feels like one long sales pitch, they're out immediately.

[10:53] The content formats that usually work best are reviews, comparisons, tutorials, and roundup lists. Reviews are great because people want to know something is actually worth their money before they buy it. So, talk about your

[11:06] real experience, what you liked, what annoyed you, and who it's good for. Comparisons work because people are usually already deciding between two options anyway. Like, Chat GPT versus Gemini. Or Shopify versus Etsy. You're

[11:22] helping someone make a decision faster. Tutorials are probably one of the strongest formats overall because you're showing someone how to do something while naturally using a product in the process. This video right now is kind of

[11:35] an example of that. And roundup content, like best tools for content creators or best beginner cameras under $500. Those work well because people like options.

[11:48] Plus, it lets you naturally include multiple affiliate products in one piece of content. But the biggest thing is this, recommend products like a real person. Talk about them the same way you would if your friend texted you asking

[12:02] what camera to buy or what software is worth paying for. That's the tone people >> [music] >> And also, disclosure matters for two reasons. It's legally required and your audience trusts you more when you say it

[12:16] out loud. If you're using affiliate links, tell people. A simple line like, links, which means I may earn a commission if you buy through them." Done. Most people don't care as long as the recommendation feels honest. And one

[12:32] >> [music] >> consistency matters way more than going >> consistency matters way more than going viral once. One review probably won't change your life, but 50 helpful pieces of content built around the same niche,

[12:45] that starts compounding over time. And that is usually how people build real affiliate income. Chapter six, where to promote your links. Once you have your content ready, the next question you're going to have to ask yourself is, "Where

[12:59] are people going to see it?" And honestly, the best platform is usually the one you already enjoy creating on. If you like making videos, lean into YouTube or TikTok. If you like writing, maybe it's a blog or newsletter. Don't

[13:13] force yourself into a format you hate just because somebody online said it converts better. That said, long-form content is usually the most valuable for affiliate marketing long-term. A YouTube video, blog post, or newsletter can keep

[13:29] driving clicks for months, sometimes years, after you posted. That's the nice part about search-based content. One good tutorial can keep working while you sleep instead of disappearing 24 hours later. And email lists are so

[13:44] underrated. Your audience might be smaller there, but those people chose to which usually means they trust your recommendations more. Social media works, too, but the strategy is a little different there. On Instagram, affiliate

[13:59] links usually live in your bio, a link hub, or an IG story sticker, because people typically aren't buying directly from a feed post. The content builds interest and trust first, then the actual conversion usually happens

[14:12] through the link in your bio. TikTok works a little differently. If you join TikTok Shop as a creator, you can tag products directly in your videos, so people can shop while they're watching. And depending on your niche, that can

[14:25] drive a serious amount of sales pretty fast. Another option people overlook is creating some kind of affiliate hub. Basically, one place, like a website, storefront page, or resource page, where people can find all your recommendations

[14:39] in one spot. Because if somebody trusts one recommendation from you, there's a for others, too. And wherever you're placing links, make them make sense within the content. Whatever you're filming, just link the

[14:53] stuff that's in it, like the equipment from your workout or the software from >> The closer the match, the more it converts. Chapter seven, how to track what's working. Once your affiliate links are live, you need to pay

[15:07] attention to what's converting, not just what's getting views. Because a video getting a ton of clicks doesn't automatically mean it's making money. Most affiliate dashboards will show you the basics: clicks, sales, and

[15:20] conversion rates. Start there. If something is getting tons of clicks, but nobody's buying, that usually means one of two things. Either the product isn't a good fit for your audience, or the content itself isn't convincing

[15:35] people enough to take action. But if something's converting really well, even with lower traffic, pay attention to that, too. Use the data to figure out what your audience wants more of, and then go make more of that. And once you

[15:49] start posting affiliate links across multiple platforms, UTM tracking becomes extremely useful. Basically, [music] UTMs are little tags you add onto a link, so you can tell where your traffic is coming from. So, if [music] the same

[16:02] affiliate link is in your YouTube description, newsletter, and blog post, UTMs help you see which one drove the sale. Otherwise, you'll know a sale happened, but not where it came from. And one more thing, do not obsess over

[16:18] your analytics every single day, because that is how people spiral. Check your numbers monthly instead. That gives you enough data to spot patterns, like what content keeps bringing people in, what products are converting consistently,

[16:32] and what topics are worth making more content around. The goal isn't just getting traffic, it's figuring out what your audience responds to, and then doing more of that. So, to recap, affiliate marketing really comes down to

[16:45] a few simple things. Pick a niche people care about, join programs that make sense for your audience, create genuinely helpful content, and stay compound. And if you're starting today, don't

[16:59] overcomplicate it. Pick one niche, find a few affiliate programs that fit naturally into it, then make one solid piece of content answering a real question people are already searching for. That's how this starts. And if you

[17:13] want to keep learning about affiliate marketing, e-commerce, and building online income streams, subscribe to Learn With Shopify. We drop new videos every week. Also, if the Shopify affiliate program sounds like a fit for

[17:26] your niche, just reminding you that I put the application link down in the the way to the end of this video, you're already ahead of most people because honestly, most people will watch content about affiliate marketing and never

[17:40] actually try it. The people who end up making real money with this are usually just the people who stay consistent long enough to figure out what works. >> And now, it's your turn. Before I wrap this up, leave a comment with a niche

[17:52] you're thinking about getting into down below because I'm always curious about what everyone's working on. I'm Kylie Moore, and I'll see you next time.