Are you looking for a way to earnpassive incomewithout having to stock, manufacture products or trade your time for money?
You might consider creating an affiliate marketing website.
However, with so many other affiliates, how canmake sure your website stands outand really drives the traffic - and income - you need to make your passive income dreams come true.
It starts with an easy-to-navigate website, high-quality content, affiliate marketing tools, and a profitable niche.
To that end, we'll look at eight examples of successful affiliate marketing websites and talk about what works and what strategies you can apply to your own successful affiliate marketing website.
But before we delve into the examples, let's talk about whataffiliate marketingit is, and how you can use it tobuild a passive income.
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What is affiliate marketing?
affiliate marketingIt's a way ofearn passive incomepromoting other people's products or services and earning a commission when users follow your affiliate link.
Essentially, you act as a marketer for another business and earn income when someone buys a product or service through your affiliate link. For example, you could write a digital marketing blog post reviewing your favorite marketing tools. Many of these tools haveaffiliate programs, so when your readers sign up for the tool, you'll earn a small commission. Sounds pretty easy, right?
Well, to succeed, you'll need to repeat the last step a few hundred times.
Why do you need a great website to succeed in affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing might sound pretty easy – just add some content and let the money flow, right?
The problem is that the affiliate marketing industry is very saturated.
Today, the affiliate marketing industry is worth$12 billion, which means that there are many other sites in almost every niche trying to do the same thing.
On the other hand,81%of brands rely on affiliate programs, so while there's a lot of competition, there's also a lot of opportunity.
The most effective affiliate marketers know that making sales starts with building trust.
So how do you do it? Let's look at some of the most successful.affiliate marketing siteexamples
Key point
The most effective affiliate marketers know that making sales starts with building trust.
9 Examples of Affiliate Marketing Websites You Can Learn From
You have to be willing to invest time and energy in building alucrative affiliate marketingsite web.
But, you might not know where to start.
Let's take a look at some of the most successful examples of affiliate marketing sites, including the strategies they use to engage users.
#1. whoishostingthis.com
Whoihostingthis is a site dedicated to reviewing hosting companies andwebsite builders. Hosting is a very competitive niche, but also a very lucrative one.
Its content includes super-detailed reviews of some of the most popularhosting companies, including this one from BlueHost.
Take a look at the table of contents, which makes it easy for readers to find any resources or concerns they might have about the host.
They also offer comparison tables, making it easy for users to compare different hosts to find the right one for their needs.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- The use of a table of contents in posts to make it easier to read.
- The use of internal links that lead to other useful content.
- Comparison tables so users can easily compare features between hosts and web builders.
- Screenshots andtutorialsthat explain how the features work in depth.
- In a lucrative niche (hosting) where most companies use affiliate product marketing.
- SEO-optimized posts that drive organic traffic instead of relying on paid ads, which can eat into profit.
Income: Whoihostingthis has not released official revenue figures, but hosting affiliates typically earn between $50 and $150 per customer sign-up.
#2. cape cutter
WireCutter is a popular review site owned by The New York Times. They have built a solid reputation among consumers by providing in-depth content on a wide range of products, including electronics, home and garden, kitchen, travel, credit cards,present lists, and more.
Here's an example of one of your recent posts onnoise canceling headphones:
While they offer direct product reviews, this post addresses the questions users often have about noise canceling headphones. Its main purpose is to inform customers and capture surveys from users who are interested in noise canceling headphones but are not yet ready to buy.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- Its content marketing strategy includes covering a broad product niche, including travel, home and garden, and electronics. This broad coverage also helps to diversify your affiliates' sources of income so they aren't dependent on just one.affiliate network, such as Amazon Affiliates.
- They use narrative and educational content in addition to reviews, which are more engaging and help build audience trust.
- High quality images to help users see products before purchasing.
Income: Generated$150 millionin e-commerce revenue in the first four years. (The NYT bought the site for $30 million, and the proceeds are no longer separate from the overall NYT profit.)
#3. Sleepópolis
Sleepopolis is a mattress review site founded in2014by Derek Hales. It was later acquired by Casper after a court battle, but it's still one of the best mattress comparison sites out there.
While the site's homepage is a little bland, there are several strategies you can learn from.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- Detailed content on every type of mattress, pillow, and sheet you can imagine.
- Eenvelope to pageit shows who they are, which helps establish trust. The page includes photos of your team and personalized bios.
- The site is easy to navigate due to the navigation bar and category pages, which are displayed front and center on the site's home page.
- Comparison guides help you get snippets from Google and make it easy for users to find exactly what they are looking for.
Income: Estimated annual income of$ 5,7million
#4. car seat Answers
Carseat Answers aims to answer the number one question on many parents' minds: which car seat should I buy to keep my child safe?
And while it may seem obvious, there are dozens of factors that can affect the answer, including the child's age and size, the car they drive, and whether or not the family travels frequently.
Overall, the site is pretty straightforward (proving you don't need a $40,000 website to make a decent income as an affiliate marketer!) However, it's packed with useful information.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- The use of a comparison chart to promote different affiliate products, which can be sorted by model, minimum or maximum weight, seat depth and weight.
- It covers a topic that people are passionate about (keeping their children safe) and has complex answers: there are hundreds of car seats on the market and tons of rules and laws that can be really confusing.
- Easy-to-navigate navigation bar with drop-down menus to make it easy to find the information you're looking for.
Revenue: I couldn't find revenue for the site, but they get over 2,500 hits a month according to SEMrush.
#5. 100 days of real food
100 Days of Real Food is a blog and affiliate website founded by Lisa Leake in 2010. She originally decided to share the changes she was making to her own family's food choices by eating only real food for 100 days.
Over the years it has become a great platform to share resources on clean and healthy eating.
The site includes a variety of healthy recipes, blogs and other tips for families looking to improve their health by cutting out processed foods.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- The use of social proof, including ratings from readers and websites where your content has been featured:
- Separate content based on where the reader is on their journey, making it easy to find the right type of content.
- Various sources of income. While they rely on some affiliate income from Amazon, the site also monetizes its site by promoting its own products, including cookbooks and courses. 100 Days also partners with advertisers to create sponsored posts. This diversity ensures that the site will survive even if Amazon downsizes its Amazon affiliate.commission rates, For example.
- Incredibly active social media presence, helping to drive website traffic from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Income: Lisa does not publish income statements, but has three New York Times bestselling books, 1.6+ Facebook followers, and 130,000 Instagram followers. Her husband also works for the site full time.
#6. the dot boy
When it comes to examples of affiliate sites, you'll find The Points Guy's site comes up a lot. The site is often considered a shining example of affiliate marketing done right.
The site is packed with useful information for travelers looking to earn points through credit card hacking, but it also covers industry news, credit card comparisons, and new and luxury airline reviews.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- TPG makes money from credit card referral bonuses, which is a very lucrative sector of affiliate marketing. But instead of just covering credit cards, they targeted users who use "travel hacks" to earn points and travel cheaper.
- they focus onbuild an email list, (even when travel is reduced due to the coronavirus) using a very relevant tip:
They also cover the latest news, which is not related to credit cards but is relevant to their audience:
- TPG uses an exit intentpop up the emailto generate more signatures. This is important because credit card records often have a long decision cycle: by capturing these leads, they can continue to feed readers through email marketing.
- Incredibly in-depth blog posts covering credit cards, travel destinations, and even topics likeCar insurance.
- They are working to diversify their income by offering events, tools, apps and communities.
Revenue:While TPG doesn't publish income statements that you can find, it was sold to BankRate in 2012 for$20 millionand again to Red Ventures in 2017 for $1.24 billion.
#7. That's why I'm broken
That's Why I'm Broken is an Amazon affiliate partner site that has conquered the oddball market.
Unlike some of the bigger Amazon affiliate sites, This is Why I'm Broke takes a more casual approach to affiliate marketing. The often tongue-in-cheek site searches the internet for the most unusual and interesting products.
The website itself is nothing to write home about, but clearly design isn't everything.
Despite its simple design, the site has found some strategies that really work.
One of the most effective strategies they use is a plethora of social proof in the form of reviews and "saves".
And that social proof is powerful.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- The site's tongue-in-cheek style appeals to its target audience of younger Internet users.
- Their fun product discoveries often go viral, generating tons of free traffic.
- They offer giveaway guides, which are a fun and informative way to promote affiliate products.
- It's an unusual niche site, people looking for crazy products, so the competition is pretty limited.
- Pricing and “savings” stand out, serving as social proof.
Even if you don't buy any of the weird products they promote, This is Why I am Broke can still make you money as an Amazon affiliate site as long as you click on an affiliate link and buy something on Amazon within the next 24 hours. .
Yield: Despite not disclosing official numbers, the owner hasshared, "It's a very lucrative business model: It's a low-cost website full of affiliate links that are shared at viral traffic levels."
#8. studious
Bookish is an affiliate site dedicated to all things book-related. They publish a wide range of reviews, interviews and book lists, all related to reading.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- Diverse sources of income: Bookish participates in affiliate programs through IndieBound, Amazon, Etsy, Barnes & Noble and other retailers. They also promote their own books, through NetGalley and book club kits.
- They offer a wide range of content, not just book reviews but also interviews, anti-racism resources (which are timely), and tips for going on a reading spree.
- They use engaging quizzes like this one that keep readers engaged and entertained:
Revenue: The Bookish website is owned by NetGalley, which uses the NetGalley book sharing website. With no revenue reports available, NetGalley receives 22,500 organic visits per month, according to SEMrush.
#9. Let's go
Another company that offers a way to earn money as a sideline, or even a mainline, isLet's go. Being a lesser known name among the examples of affiliate marketing sites mentioned here, Kommo brings many benefits to anyone who chooses to become an affiliate.
It specializes in a very different market than the others listed here: software. Specifically, aCRMSystem to manage companies and their ways of relating to customers.
In general, the affiliate program is quite simple, offering up to 35% commission without having to invest a dime. Kommo relies on professionals as well as marketing companies to provide affiliate services.
Why this affiliate marketing example works:
- It's pretty straightforward and attracts the attention of a mixed group of people.
- They offer in-depth courses and training to those interested in joining;
- The product sold is highly sought after in today's market;
- They have a strong and well-known product.
Final Thoughts on Creating a Successful Affiliate Website
Affiliate marketing can be incredibly profitable; However, market saturation means that affiliate marketers must create a user-friendly authority site with strong, useful content to attract visitors.
As you can see from the affiliate marketing website examples above, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.generate traffic and revenue. A simple website with quality content can still generate high levels of revenue.
As an affiliate marketer, your main goal should be to provide high-quality, useful content in the first place. And be sure to diversify your income. Don't rely entirely on an affiliate marketing program like Amazon or your income will be at the mercy of a third party.
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