What Is Affiliate Marketing ?

Idle minds can be easily influenced when we’re out of work or looking for that next challenge, then that shiny object comes along. It seems almost too good to be true and as life goes it usually is or is it ?

Affiliate Marketing is great for businesses in terms of bringing in revenue and developing backlinks and there are some great affiliate sites out there such as ;

• Compare The Market
• PC Part Picker
• Money Saving Expert

When I first heard about affiliate marketing I thought, ” this is a great idea , I can finally live off that blog I’m passionate about and rebrand it “.

I had heard about affiliate marketing before, but Tik-Tok was going crazy and these adverts kept on coming up asking for 7 dollars and you can live a dream life style. I should have known better really, but after seeing the ad a few times I thought of the old sales line ” got to speculate to accumulate”. So I paid my money and there was this big presentation and some info and templates I had access to for 2 weeks. After that, it was $900 , then $2500 if I wanted the “secret blueprint”. There is no such thing as this as we all know but the amounts this company were asking for was astonishing. It turns out that you would essentially be paying to be an affiliate of their organisation which means it would be a multi level marketing scheme as you would then be recruiting others by asking them to buy in $7 for the course . This is not the Affiliate Marketing I was looking for, there are some more genuine affiliate marketers out there. However , with companies like the aforementioned growing in numbers it is harder to trust anyone.

There are some great Affiliate Marketing sites and it is great for any business to employ Affiliate Marketing as part of a search strategy. In SEO terms it can be beneficial to build backlinks and if you employ your own Affiliate Marketing scheme for others to promote you on their behalf this can help also. A study showed that 80% of businesses use Affiliate Marketing. Furthermore, in June 2023 the size of the market globally is over $17 billion dollars. Therefore, it is obvious why any business would want to employ it as a strategy but he question is how realistic is it for someone starting from scratch to build an affiliate site ? Or is it just a hook to entice people into buying into get rich quick schemes ?

So tell me, what is affiliate marketing?

After seeing all of these get rich quick schemes advertised akin to that of a pyramid scheme I wanted to know the answer. How can I find out what affiliate marketing is and how to do it properly? What is an affiliate marketer and can they really pull in as much money as these ads claim? The truth is over time you could make a lot of money but this term “passive income” that is passed around is misleading. It is highly unlikely you can make thousands per month without putting loads of work in. However, it is true that you can affiliate market by creating content. This could be done a number ways such as;

Picking a Niche For Affiliate Marketing

This is something you need to do early on. It is important that you can create content around something which you are knowledgeable about. Therefore, it might be an idea to start talking about a hobby or interest. Alternatively, you might want to choose a hobby or interest that you want to learn about. The key is to choose something that will motivate you and something you can create content around. However, you will need to make sure you have something which is A) Profitable B) Something which solves a problem. If you don’t hit this criteria then you don’t have a promising affiliate marketing plan. Remember though, in time you will discover the right nice if you keep motivated and continue with your research.

More Detailed Examples of Affiliate Marketing Sites

This Is Why I’m Broke

A lesser-known but highly effective affiliate site is This Is Why I’m Broke. This site curates unusual, quirky, and trending products, often going viral on social media. Each product links out to retailers like Amazon using affiliate links. Its success comes from shareable content and tapping into curiosity-driven browsing, showing that affiliate marketing doesn’t always have to be serious or niche-heavy — it can also be entertainment-driven.

Skyscanner

Another great example is Skyscanner, which, while widely recognised as a travel search engine, also operates on affiliate partnerships. It aggregates flight, hotel, and car rental options and directs users to booking providers, earning commission on completed bookings. What makes this model powerful is its combination of utility and scale. Users return repeatedly because it solves a clear problem, while the affiliate structure monetises that traffic effectively.

A lesser-known but highly effective affiliate site is This Is Why I’m Broke. This site curates unusual, quirky, and trending products, often going viral on social media. Each product links out to retailers like Amazon using affiliate links. Its success comes from shareable content and tapping into curiosity-driven browsing, showing that affiliate marketing doesn’t always have to be serious or niche-heavy — it can also be entertainment-driven.

Money Saving Expert

One of the most well-known examples of affiliate marketing in the UK is MoneySavingExpert. The platform provides expert advice on saving money, alongside detailed comparisons of financial products such as credit cards, loans, and insurance. Rather than selling products directly, it guides users toward the best deals and earns commission through affiliate partnerships when users sign up via its links. What makes MoneySavingExpert so successful is its strong focus on trust, transparency, and genuinely helping users save money, which in turn drives high traffic and consistent affiliate revenue.

Top Affiliate Marketing Entrepreneurs

• Pat Flynn: Pat Flynn started his affiliate marketing journey in 2008 after losing his job. He created the blog “Smart Passive Income” to share his journey and eventually turned it into a thriving online business. His focus on providing value to his audience and building relationships has been key to his success.

• Michelle Schroeder-Gardner (Budgeting Wife): Michelle Schroeder-Gardner began her blog, “Budgeting Wife,” as a way to share her personal finance experiences. Over time, she built a loyal following and monetized her blog through affiliate marketing. Her dedication to helping others achieve financial freedom has propelled her to success.

• Neil Patel: Neil Patel, a renowned digital marketer, started his journey by experimenting with various online ventures. He eventually found success in affiliate marketing, leveraging his expertise in SEO and content marketing to drive traffic to his affiliate links. His strategic approach and willingness to learn from his mistakes have contributed to his impressive career.

As you can see from the above examples, it is really about leveraging the knowledge you have and inspiring others. All 3 of the above affiliate marketers have one thing in common. Every one of them is solving a problem for their audience.

How to Get Started as an Affiliate Marketer

I remember when I first embarked on my journey I decided to choose music was a passionate musician and studied it at degree level. I paid for courses I shouldn’t have and the course did not get me any further. If anything they set you back, as they are focussed on generating money for their own affiliate links and selling you courses. This is not a bad strategy on their part but paying an affiliate marketer for courses won’t build your business.

Step Zero

Pick your niche and do your research, you must think of things like where is your audience likely to be and what the best platform is. There is some who believe that the nice will find you. As corny as it sounds there is some truth in it. For example, what do you do day to day that you can communicate to others about.

• Who is interested ?
• Why would they be interested ?
• What type of content can you create to communicate with them effectively?
• What problem are you helping your audience solve?

Step One

You have your niche by now if not you need to pick it. However, the first step is choosing what content to create and which platform suits it best ?

Step Two

Content creation: This is the most important part as this is how you are going to interact with your audience. It is important at this stage not to think of the conversion but to focus on the awareness of your brand. What is going to make people come to you and how will you interact?

Lets look at a few examples with niches and how audiences may interact.

Travel? May be a blog would work ?

This is not a rule of thumb. You could use many platforms but why would a blog work. This would work if you were traveling you could make regular posts if you were travelling. There would also be plenty to talk about and plenty of pictures to post. Additionally, there would be plenty of opportunity to find affiliate links to your site.

Step Three

This is a big part and it is finding your audience, the most successful marketers will utilise various channels as this will help them increase their engagement. Furthermore, it can broaden the audience and open up opportunities for re-purposing content across multiple channels. It is important that your target audience are on these channels. publishing blogs is fine and eventually, with the right strategy articles will be found through search. However, you will be sharing at lot of your blogs on social media and utilising these channels to get your brand more recognised. This is a strategy that many influencers adopt.

Step 4

Analyse your competitors. You need to see what other people are doing in your industry and break it down like this;

• What is is it they’re doing that is effective?
• What channels are they using ?
• What strategies are they employing to engage audience?
• How can I adopt these methods and more importantly, how can I improve on them ?

Choosing a Profitable Niche in Affiliate Marketing

If you look online, you will hear many people say to choose a niche you are passionate about, while this is helpful and might be better at keeping you motivated, it’s not the full picture. Although this is a great place to start and may give you more to write about, you must consider how you will make this a profitable venture.

Before you start writing, you should think about what affiliate links you will have on your site, blog or further marketing materials such as newsletters or guides. This is a part of the journey where you really start being creative and do further research.

Before committing, ask yourself:

• Who is my audience?
• What problems do they have?
• What products can solve those problems?
• Is there search demand for this topic?

What Are The Most Profitable Niches in Affiliate Marketing

Niche	Why It’s Profitable	Example Website
Personal Finance	High commission products (credit cards, loans)	NerdWallet
Tech & Gadgets	High demand + frequent purchases	PCPartPicker
Health & Fitness	Evergreen demand	MyFitnessPal
Travel	Recurring bookings + global audience	Skyscanner
Online Business / Make Money	High affiliate payouts	Smart Passive Income
Software & SaaS	Recurring commissions + high demand	HubSpot

Why SEO Is Critical for Affiliate Marketing

SEO is critical for any affiliate marketing strategy as it is a very consistent and sustainable form of digital marketing. It is cost-effective, and depending on your niche, just a few tweaks can really boost your website’s online visibility. SEO allows you to:

• Rank on Google
• Drive consistent, free traffic
• Build long-term income

Common Affiliate Marketing Mistakes

Best Affiliate Marketing Books for Beginners

If you’re serious about learning affiliate marketing, investing in the right books can save you time and help you avoid costly mistakes. Below are some of the best affiliate marketing books for beginners, many of which I recommend based on industry reputation and real-world value.

Super Affiliate System – John Crestani

• Great for beginners
• Focuses on paid traffic + funnels
• Good practical strategies

Affiliate Marketing: Secrets – Chandler Wright

• Covers basics clearly
• Good entry-level guide
• Focus on building passive income streams

From Nothing – Ian Pribyl

• Strong mindset + strategy combo
• Realistic expectations (not get-rich-quick)

Frequently Asked Questions About Affiliate Marketing

What is affiliate marketing in simple terms?

It’s earning commission by promoting other people’s products online.

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy where you earn commission by promoting other companies’ products or services. You share a unique affiliate link, and when someone purchases through that link, you receive a percentage of the sale. It’s a popular way for beginners in the UK to start earning money online through content creation, blogging, or social media.

How much can beginners earn from affiliate marketing?

Beginner earnings in affiliate marketing can vary widely depending on your niche, traffic, and strategy. Some people earn a small side income of £50–£500 per month, while others scale to thousands as their website or platform grows. With the right SEO strategy and consistent content, affiliate marketing can become a reliable long-term income stream.

Is affiliate marketing free to start?

Affiliate marketing can be started with little to no upfront cost, especially if you use free platforms like social media. However, investing in a website, hosting, and SEO tools will significantly improve your chances of success. Many successful affiliate marketers treat it like a business and invest in long-term growth rather than relying on free methods alone.

How long does it take to make money with affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is not a get-rich-quick model, and it typically takes between 3 to 12 months to start generating consistent income. The timeline depends on how much effort you put into content creation, SEO, and traffic generation. Those who stay consistent and focus on providing value to their audience tend to see the best results over time.