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y friend Rob recently made thousands of dollars off of his affiliate code for Tesla,  from a video about  how a Model Y changed his life. Pretty cool, right? Big checks for a little work, that’s  the dream of affiliate marketing.

At its most basic level, affiliate marketing is one of the most accessible ways for podcast creators to start making money, just grab a referral link, and promote your favorite product or service to your audience. If everything goes right, someone will make a purchase, and you will be rewarded with a handsome commission.

The problem with affiliates is that gurus keep pretending that just because something is accessible, that means it’s easy. Sure, my friend Rob sold a few Teslas from his YouTube video, but guess what? Now he has to become the Tesla guy. He's selling leadership coaching, I don't think he wants to become the Tesla guy. 

The affiliate marketing industry offers endless possibilities for individuals looking to make money online, however, true success requires the right mindset, careful niche selection, and understanding what you want to achieve with your content.

There was a lot I didn’t know when I started in 2019, here are the key lessons that have allowed me to make the most out of affiliate marketing for me and my clients:

Start with Tools You Already Use

Look at the tools or services you already use and see if they have an affiliate program. I use a podcast hosting service called Captiva, so I started sharing my referral link in my podcast show notes. I don’t make bank, but it’s enough to cover my annual subscription. The lesson here is that you can’t sell something you don’t care about, your audience will know when you lack passion for the product that you’re promoting, this is bad for both your content and your bank account.

Target Your Niche

Tailor affiliate marketing to align with your audience’s specific needs and interests for better results. You need to make sure your affiliate products are something your audience would genuinely find valuable.

In my case, I’m targeting podcasters, so affiliate programs for hosting platforms, recording gear, or editing software make perfect sense. Remember, always take the perspective of your audience, is this product going to be something they’re missing in their lives? Look at yourself as a trusted curator, uncovering hidden gems, not shilling garbage.

Have Reasonable Expectations

Affiliate marketing should supplement your main revenue streams, not replace them. It’s great for covering minor expenses, but it takes a serious scale to live off. Affiliates should be a part of a broader monetization strategy, grounded in the idea that you are your most important product. Some people get so caught up in trying to make a few bucks off of their affiliate deals that they destroy what makes their channel valuable – don’t be this person.

Don’t Compromise Your Content

Speaking of, don’t let affiliate deals box you into a niche you don’t intend to dominate. While some creators thrive by focusing solely on affiliate marketing—think fitness influencers promoting supplements—this approach isn’t for everyone. Stay true to your brand and ensure affiliate marketing enhances, rather than limits, your content.

It’s seductive to target affiliates with high ticket items offering significant commissions, but if your audience doesn’t care, this can do more harm than good. It’s better to take it slow, introducing products you feel confident in, never abusing the trust your audience has in you.

Integrate Affiliates Naturally

Nobody likes feeling sold to. Instead of plastering affiliate links everywhere, weave them into your content naturally. If I’m talking about tools I use for podcasting, I’ll casually mention the affiliate code in context, like, “Hey, if you’re looking for a podcast host, here’s the one I use.” It feels more genuine and less pushy.

In general, use affiliate links strategically, like in podcast show notes, YouTube video descriptions, or in a CTA near the end of a blog post. They should be visible, but tasteful.

Ultimately, you should focus on promoting products you genuinely believe in, keep your approach authentic, and use affiliates as a way to provide additional value to your audience. Done right, it’s a win for everyone: you earn some extra money, your audience gets recommendations they trust, and the brands you work with grow their customer base.

Just remember: keep it real, and the results will follow.

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About Ryan Sullivan

Ryan is the founder of Podcast Principles and a podcast coach. In 2019, he was kicked off his company podcast because it “didn’t drive leads.” A month later, he quit and started coaching business owners on how to launch profitable podcasts. Since then, he has driven over 200,000 downloads, thousands of leads, and hundreds of episodes for B2B businesses.

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