More than ever before, the internet is becoming a place where people go for social proof of products and services they might want to spend money on. Maybe you find yourself wanting to advocate for some of those items that mean the most to you. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, affiliate marketing jobs might be right for you.
Affiliate marketers have a diverse range of job opportunities available to them, whether you want to pursue this work full-time or part-time. Plus, you can make a solid income by sharing your honest reviews with others.
Let’s take a closer look at what you might do in some of these positions to explore what type of affiliate marketing gig might be right for you.
What Do You Do in Affiliate Marketing Jobs?
What exactly is affiliate marketing, and how can you make a living from this type of digital endeavor?
Affiliate marketing is actually a fairly simple and straightforward way to make a living, and all you really need is an audience that trusts you and your recommendations. Here is the breakdown of what happens when you work in affiliate marketing:
- You find a product or service you love or that you think would be helpful to your audience.
- You work out an agreement with that company to advertise their products/services.
- Digital marketing allows you to promote that product on your site, blog, or anywhere else you have a following using a unique code or link.
- The owner of the product/service gives you a cut of the money for referring others to their brand.
You might make a set amount of money to supply the company with a lead or earn a percentage of the sales coming from your specific link.
Keep in mind that it may not be an immediate payment. They may have purchased it days ago, and you are just seeing the payment weeks to months later.
If you need money in a hurry, affiliate marketing may not be right for you.
How Much Do Affiliate Marketing Jobs Pay?
Understanding what an affiliate marketer makes is a little complex because it ultimately depends on what type of role you take on. If you have a nine-to-five gig that you work in New York, NY, you may make more money than someone who works part-time from home.
Ultimately, the amount you make depends on your ability to convince others to try a product or service.
According to Zip Recruiter, the average affiliate marketing salary is $72,969. This is quite impressive, but keep in mind that it is just an average.
Influencer Marketing Hub has done their own research on how much affiliate marketers make, and the figures are all over the board. The vast majority of people (57%) make less than $10,000 per year. Still, an impressive 16% make between $10,000 and $50,000 per year.
If you’re looking to replace your full-time income, you might really have to hustle to get your legs under you in this form of digital marketing. However, there are lots of different ways you can approach affiliate marketing, so think about which of the following jobs suits you best.
How to Work Full-Time in Affiliate Marketing Jobs
There are six main areas where you can work, depending on your level of digital marketing experience. These options are suitable for a North America affiliate program, but you can manage them from anywhere in the world. Whether you’re in Los Angeles or New York, NY, you have the flexibility to work from just about anywhere.
Let’s dive in.
1. Start Your Own Blog
If you want to be in charge of your own destiny, you can foster ongoing relationships by starting a blog. This requires you to create content that resonates with your audience, drive site traffic, and figure out how you can maximize site conversions.
However, it also allows you to become an affiliate manager for anything you truly love and value.
Affiliate Lab is a great resource if you’re thinking about starting your own website and want to learn how to scale and grow with SEO. They can even help you rank, monetize, and ultimately flip your website for a profit if you want to build multiple sites and like the challenge of creating something new.
2. Pick a Niche and Build Affiliate Network Relationships
One of the easiest ways to become an affiliate manager is simply to pick a niche that speaks to you. Be as narrow as you can so that people know exactly what types of products you will recommend. The old saying that there are riches in niches certainly applies here.
Not to mention, it becomes easier for partner management when you know what you are about. You can keep a small stable of affiliate programs for your site and nurture those relationships.
3. Write Content for an Affiliate Marketing Program
Do you have a knack for writing content but don’t want to start your own site? Tons of blogs and other sites are looking for talented writers to create content on their behalf. This gives you the opportunity to earn a steady income that isn’t necessarily dependent upon how many sales you get.
Instead, you will typically be paid hourly or per word for your content.
If you want to get into writing content but lack basic writing skills, you can always try working with AI tools like Jasper to generate top-notch content.
4. Become an Affiliate Marketing Manager
Another avenue you could explore is affiliate marketing management. An affiliate manager works with sites to facilitate affiliate sales and marketing. For example, you might be responsible for approving the sites that apply to be a part of a brand’s affiliate program.
You may even provide them with images, videos, and other resources to make their digital marketing simpler and more on-brand for the company.
The ideal candidate for this role is someone who is data-driven, doesn’t mind the monotony required to track conversions, and can help a digital marketing program grow organically.
5. Site Operator or Content Manager
Maybe you like the content creation side of things but don’t necessarily want to do the writing on your own.
You can also become a site operator, overseeing the day-to-day workings of a website or keeping tabs on content production, performing keyword research, monetizing, hiring and managing authors, and much more.
This allows you to refine a strategy and keep your finger on the pulse of what could prove to be a thriving enterprise.
Affiliate marketing requires a great mind for business, and running a site or managing content production is a great way for experienced professionals to make their fortune.
6. Grow Your Social Media Following
A website isn’t the only place you can turn to when advertising an affiliate marketing program. Social media also allows you to create engaging content, ad copy, and more. It is just as direct as email marketing and allows you to run a business directly from Facebook or Instagram.
If you don’t yet have a large following, here is a quick guide on how you can become an influencer.
Places to Look for Affiliate Marketing Jobs
Whether you want to be an affiliate marketing manager or a content creator, you need to find jobs that are posted right now — not days ago! Here are some of the best online platforms to help you land a full-time gig doing what you love in digital marketing.
Upwork
Upwork is a great place to look for flexible jobs in affiliate marketing. All you have to do is sign up for a free account (or enroll in their paid plans for more perks) and search the job boards for your desired position. You’ll find everything from content creation to opportunities for affiliate partnerships with up-and-coming brands.
Other jobs you might encounter include social media management, advertisement creation, and more managerial roles.
Fiverr
If you know what type of role you want to take on, market yourself on Fiverr. From setting up an affiliate website to creating funnels and more, any skills you already have are worthy to include on Fiverr.
This is the opposite of how Upwork functions. Upwork allows clients to post available positions, and freelancers bid on them by creating a proposal for the scope of work. Fiverr is a platform where clients can browse available freelancers and reach out to them for a set fee.
Flexjobs
Flexjobs is very similar to Upwork, enabling freelancers to find full-time or part-time work from a remote position. Some roles are even hybrid, allowing you to visit a physical location, which could be great if you live in a hub of activity like New York or other major cities.
They are geared more towards careers instead of one-off gigs.
Final Thoughts: Which Affiliate Marketing Job Is for You?
Are you convinced that affiliate marketing jobs might be the right fit for you? No matter where you want to work or how you want to do it, there is tons of flexibility in the realm of digital marketing for products and services you love. You can create content or manage content for others – there is truly no end to what you can do in this field.
Decide which of these roles might suit your skills the best, and start applying for jobs today!