Affiliate programs offer an excellent way for beginners to earn money online, even without websites or technical skills. Imagine being able to generate income simply by promoting products or services through social media, email, or other online channels. This is not just a dream but a very achievable reality with the right affiliate programs.

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The best part is that this can be a zero-risk business venture. You don’t need to invest in products or worry about shipping. However, it's essential to choose the right programs, especially if you're just starting out. With thousands of niches and tens of thousands of affiliate programs available, finding the best ones can be daunting.

To make it easier, we’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve compared the market and identified the top 5 affiliate programs for beginners. These programs offer high commissions, timely payouts, generous cookie windows, and, importantly, no website is needed to get started. This makes it simple and profitable to step into the world of affiliate marketing today.

What to Look for in an Affiliate Program for Beginners Without a Website

Setting yourself up with a great affiliate program as a first-timer all starts with ticking a few essential boxes:

No Website Requirement

A great affiliate program for beginners really shouldn’t require a website. You can promote affiliate links through social media, email marketing, and forums, so a website shouldn’t be a requirement. This flexibility makes it easier to start earning money without the technical challenges or costs of building and maintaining a website.

Reputation of the Brand

Trusted brands are more likely to convert leads into sales, as customers feel confident purchasing from them. A reputable brand also ensures you’re partnering with a reliable company, reducing the risk of negative experiences for both you and your audience.

High Commission Payments

Enhanced fixed commissions mean you earn more for each sale you make. Look for programs that offer competitive rates, ensuring your efforts are well-rewarded. This allows you to maximise your income potential without having to significantly increase the volume of sales.

Quality of their Services

High-quality products and services lead to higher conversion rates, as customers are more likely to buy something they see as valuable. Partnering with a brand that offers top-notch services ensures that the traffic you send their way turns into satisfied customers and boosts your earnings.

Large Order Values

Focusing on sellers with larger order values allows you to maximise your earnings with less effort, making your affiliate marketing efforts more lucrative. Even if you generate only a few purchases, each one can result in a substantial payout.

Longer Cookie Duration

Importantly, extended cookie durations give you a wider window for conversions. If someone clicks your affiliate link but doesn’t purchase immediately, a longer cookie duration means you still get credit if they buy later.

Based on each of the above, we singled out five of the very best affiliate marketing programs for newcomers in 2024 – all of which are open to first-timers without their own websites.

Best Affiliate Programs for Beginners without a Website

1. Media Mister Affiliate Program

GetAFollower Affiliate Program

If it’s your first time exploring affiliate marketing and don't have a website, GetAFollower is another excellent program to consider. This is a brand that offers authentic social proof for all major social networks and platforms worldwide, giving you a wide range of products to promote with universal appeal.

One of the standout features of GetAFollower is its 60 per cent fixed commission rate, which means lucrative earning opportunities right from the start. Their high conversion rate makes referrals easier because they're already a popular name in social media marketing.

Simplified tracking features ensure that keeping an eye on your sales and earnings is hassle-free. Plus, with a huge 8-month cookie duration, you benefit from delayed purchases made by your referrals, so you’re earning potential is extended.

No payout thresholds are imposed, which means that every single dollar you earn is yours to keep - regardless of the amount. High-quality customer support and a generous suite of additional resources all make it easy to get up and running as an affiliate partner. Promoting your referral links is a breeze; just mention their services in your blogs, social media posts, emails or marketing campaigns and the rest takes care of itself.

Quick startups and zero financial risks make GetAFollower an ideal choice for anyone looking to launch an online business. A great way to transform your digital marketing skills into steady revenues, without putting a penny of your own cash on the line.

Program Summary:

  • Commission - 60 per cent payable on every successful referral.
  • Payouts – Monthly via modes including PayPal  
  • Resources and Support: Post Affiliate Pro, banners, and customer support 
  • Cookie Duration - 8 months to collect repeat commissions 

3. Buy Real Media Affiliate Program

Aimed at everyone from businesses to bloggers to online retailers and influencers, Buy Real Media provides a wide range of bespoke growth solutions for all major and niche social networks. They've built a huge follower-base across the globe, along with one of the most user-friendly and accessible affiliate schemes on the web.

From the word go, you receive a wealth of promotional materials and optimised strategies to help you succeed. Additionally, the support you get is continuous; they guide you through every step of your journey to ensure you get the most out of your efforts. This is perfect for beginners, as it means very little time or effort required, and no real learning curve to negotiate.

The generous six-month cookie duration gives you ample time to earn commissions from your referrals, paid at a fixed rate of 60 per cent. Highly acclaimed among experts and new affiliate marketers alike, you can be up and running with Buy Real Media’s program in less than 48 hours. And once you have your affiliate link, you can place it almost anywhere - from social media to emails to product reviews to video descriptions and more. All great opportunities to reach a broad audience and maximize your earnings.

In terms of simplicity and user-friendliness, Buy Real Media's affiliate program is an excellent choice to consider if it’s your first time.

Program Summary:

  • Commission - 60 per cent payable on every successful referral
  • Payouts - Monthly via PayPal or Cryptocurrency
  • Resources and Support: Exclusive dashboard and promotional materials
  • Cookie Duration - Six months to collect commissions on repeat sales

4. Amazon Associates

The Amazon Associates Program welcomes new affiliate marketers from all backgrounds, allowing you to earn commissions by promoting Amazon products through unique affiliate links. With nearly one million active Amazon affiliates worldwide, it’s one of the biggest and most trusted affiliate programs on the web.

There's no need for a pre-existing website - you can promote their products through social media, emails, blogs, or anywhere you like. Once approved, you gain access to a vast catalog of products across numerous categories, so you can choose items that best match the interests of your audience.

Commission rates vary depending on the product category, ranging from one per cent to 10 pe cent. The program also features a 24-hour cookie duration, meaning that any purchase made within a day after someone clicks your link will earn you a commission. This window might seem brief, but the vast selection and constant consumer traffic to Amazon more than compensate for it.

Setting up is easy - simply apply, get approved, and start sharing your unique links. Promotional materials and tips are provided to help you succeed from the start, and there’s a huge network of affiliates you can reach out to for support along the way.

For beginners without a website, the Amazon Associates Program offers an accessible, credible, and rewarding way to start earning affiliate revenue. Its broad product range, reputable platform, and easy setup make it an outstanding choice for anyone looking to dive into affiliate marketing.

Program Summary:

  • Commission – Ranges from one per cent to 10 per cent depending on the product 
  • Payouts – Flexible monthly payment options
  • Resources and Support: Central dashboard, promotional materials
  • Cookie Duration – 24 hours from the time the link is clicked

5. ClickBank

As one of the largest and most established affiliate networks, ClickBank offers a vast range of products to promote, from digital products like eBooks and online courses to physical items. This variety ensures that you can find products that align with your interests, making them much easier to promote to your audience.

There's no need for an existing online presence or complex entry requirements. Simply sign up, choose the products you want to promote and get started. ClickBank provides newcomers with plenty of promotional materials and marketing tools, making it easy to hit the ground running.

With commission rates that can go as high as 75 per cent, there’s significant earning potential right from the start. The cookie duration is also generous - typically lasting up to 60 days but variable – allowing several weeks to earn commissions from your referrals.

To date, ClickBank has paid out over $6 billion in commissions to more than 1,00,000 active affiliates. This impressive track record speaks volumes about its reliability and effectiveness. And for those without a website, promoting ClickBank products can be done through social media, email marketing, forums, YouTube and so on.

A heavyweight in the online retail game, joining the ClickBank affiliate network has the potential to become a highly profitable partnership.

Program Summary:

  • Commission – Up to 75 per cent, variable based on product and niche 
  • Payouts – Flexible monthly payment options
  • Resources and Support: Exclusive promotional materials and marketing tools
  • Cookie Duration – Up to 60 days, variable by product and niche

How to Promote Your Affiliate Links Without Owning a Website?

Contrary to popular belief, you earn serious money through affiliate marketing without having an established online presence. It’s all about putting your digital marketing skills to the test, coming up with engaging content, and getting your affiliate links in front of the right people.

Just a few possible avenues to explore include:

Publish Articles on Free Platforms

One option is to write articles on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn, and share valuable content related to your affiliate products. Including your affiliate revenue links within the articles gives readers instant access to what you're promoting. This method is particularly effective as it provides useful information and insights, while at the same time subtly promoting your affiliate links.

Engage in Email Marketing

Send out newsletters or conduct full-scale email marketing campaigns with your affiliate links, providing valuable content to encourage clicks. Promote and recommend products or services they’ll actually be interested in based on what you already know about them. Take the time to make these emails personal – not generic. This helps establish trust and increases the likelihood of conversions, boosting your affiliate revenues.

Leverage Social Media Platforms

Use major social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to share engaging posts about your affiliate products. Include your affiliate links to give your fans and followers direct access to whatever you’re promoting. The key is to create engaging content aligned with their interests, presenting them with products or services you know they’ll be interested in.

Participate in Forum Discussions

Joining online communities like Reddit and Quora allows you to contribute valuable insights related to your niche. Over time, you’ll build the kind of authority and trust that makes you a go-to source of information. At this point, promoting affiliate links becomes as easy as simply embedding them in the posts you share with your followers.

Explore YouTube Marketing

YouTube's massive user base gives you an excellent platform for driving traffic and boosting sales without needing a website. Create YouTube videos showcasing your affiliate products through helpful reviews, tutorials, or demonstrations. Include your affiliate links in the video descriptions (or within the videos themselves) to make it easy for your viewers to take action.

Final Thoughts

It’s natural for the whole affiliate marketing landscape to seem daunting at first. After all, with no prior knowledge or experience, it can be difficult to know what to expect. But this is precisely where the appeal lies with the best affiliate programs for newcomers – those purpose-made to support first-timers from the ground up.

Each of the five programs outlined above has been tried, tested, and approved by thousands of newcomers from all backgrounds. You don’t need a website; they cost nothing to sign up with, and you get everything you need to set up a successful business. So, even if there is a (very) minor learning curve to negotiate, it’s a small price to pay for what you could be taking home in return.

FAQs

Can I Earn Money Promoting Affiliate Products Without a Website?

Yes – you do not need a website to make money as an affiliate. You simply need to promote your unique affiliate links to those who may be interested in the seller’s products or services, which you can do via online and/or offline channels you like.

What is a Good Affiliate Program to Start with as a Beginner?

Media Mister's affiliate program comes highly recommended. Along with being one of the easiest to get started with as a newcomer, it also boasts massive earning potential with a fixed 60 per cent commission rate and an unbeatable 365-day cookie duration.

Where Can I Post My Affiliate Links for Free?

You can post your affiliate links for free on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, on YouTube by creating informative videos in niche-specific online forums and communities such as Reddit and Quora, through email marketing campaigns, on free blogging platforms like Medium, and on Pinterest.

Are These Affiliate Programs Free to Join?

Yes, in fact all good affiliate programs should be 100 per cent free of charge to join. You should never be asked to pay a penny or make any kind of investment to get started, making the whole thing risk-free and open to even the most cautious newcomers.

 

 

(This article is part of IndiaDotCom Pvt Ltd’s Consumer Connect Initiative, a paid publication programme. IDPL claims no editorial involvement and assumes no responsibility, liability or claims for any errors or omissions in the content of the article. The IDPL Editorial team is not responsible for this content.)