Signing up for Affiliate Networks and Merchants

• What are Affiliate Networks?
• What are Merchants?
• What are Publishers?
• Identify Relevant Networks & Merchants
• Sign up for Networks
• Sign up for Merchants

What are Affiliate Networks?

An Affiliate Network is a platform that allows Publishers (affiliates) to effortlessly form partnerships with Merchants (retailers or advertisers). When you drive a sale to a Merchant, the Merchant pays a commission to the Affiliate Network, which then passes your share of the commission on to you, the Publisher.

Examples of Affiliate Networks include CJ, Impact, Rakuten, AWIN, FlexOffers and Amazon. You can see a full list of Networks supported on Affiliate.com here.

What are Merchants?

Merchants (AKA retailers, advertisers) are businesses that offer affiliate programs to promote and sell their products or services through affiliate marketing. They can range from small businesses to large corporations and can operate in a variety of industries, including e-commerce, finance, travel, and more. For example, Walmart, Target, and Petsmart are types of merchants.

What are Publishers?

Publishers (AKA an affiliate), is someone who promotes a product or service on their website or other digital channels in exchange for a commission on any resulting sales or leads. In this case, you are a Publisher.

Identify Relevant Networks & Merchants

To start using Affiliate.com, it is recommended to be signed up with at least one Network and Merchant. To help identify which Network and Merchant to sign up with, you can use Affiliate.com's Merchant Lookup Tool.

Using this Tool, you can see which Merchants belong to which Network, discover Merchant product count, and compare Networks and Merchant offerings.

For example, Walmart and Target (Merchants) are supported on Impact (Network). Barnes & Nobles and Nike (Merchants) are supported on CJ (Network). Nordstrom and ASOS (Merchants) are supported on Rakuten (Network).

It is recommended to select Networks that work with Merchants in your geographical region and offer products you want to promote.

Sign up for Networks

Once you have identified which Network(s) you want to join, you can find a link to all the major Networks here, where you'll sign up as a Publisher/Affiliate.

Before applying, make sure your site has high-quality, legitimate content as each Network has its own sign-up rules .

• Tips for Applying to Networks
  • Ensure Content Quality: Publish high-quality blog posts or articles on your site.
  • Incorporate Visuals: Add images throughout your site
  • Create a Logo: Display a unique logo in your header
  • Add Pages: Add an About page, Add Privacy and Terms of Service pages, and add a Contact page 

Sign up for Merchants

After you've been accepted into one or more Networks, you can start applying to Merchants supported by those Networks. To apply, simply log into the Network, search for the Merchant, and apply to their program. Keep in mind that approval depends on various factors, such as the traffic and sales you generate, your website's niche, and its overall design.

• Tips for Applying to Merchants
  • Update Your Profile: Make sure your Network profile is complete with all relevant details, including information about your business and marketing channels.
  • List Your Websites: If you manage multiple sites, include each one in your Network profile.
  • Target Relevant Merchants: Focus on applying to Merchants whose products align with your niche
  • Ensure Quality Content: Before applying, make sure your website offers valuable, high-quality content

Now, head over to your Affiliate.com account to manage all your new Network and Merchant relationships in one place.