How to Find Affiliate Programs in 2025 (Beginner to Pro Guide)

Are you struggling to find the next right affiliate program? Have you built up fake volume and created great content, but are having trouble monetizing it? You ask yourself, “Where do they find these lucrative partnerships?”
With the rapid growth of the digital marketplace, the methods for finding and leveraging affiliate marketing programs have become more diverse and easier, allowing publishers to continue to monetize their passion and expertise effectively.
With years of experience in the performance marketing space, Adsnextgen will guide you on exactly how to find affiliate programs for your brand and audience. Whether you are just starting or you are a seasoned publisher looking for high-priced deals, this guide will help you.

Understanding affiliate programs

An affiliate program is a partnership arrangement where a business (the “merchant”) pays a commission to an individual or company (the “affiliate” or “publisher”) for generating traffic, leads, or sales through their marketing efforts. Essentially, you promote their products or services, and you earn a piece of the profit for every successful referral you make. It’s a win-win model built on performance.

When dissecting affiliate programs, there are different models to explore. For instance, pay-per-sale (PPS) is the most common, where affiliates earn a commission on sales driven through their marketing efforts. Other popular models include pay-per-click (PPC) and pay-per-lead (PPL), each offering unique advantages and aligned with varying marketing strategies. A significant factor in choosing the right program lies in its commission structure. Programs can have either flat-rate or percentage-based commissions. Understanding these nuances is crucial, as it directly correlates to potential revenue generation. Key Elements of an Affiliate Program:

• Affiliate Link: Unique URL that tracks sales or leads
• Tracking System: Monitors traffic, clicks, and conversions
• Commission Model: Pay-per-sale (CPS), pay-per-lead (CPL), pay-per-click (PPC), recurring
• Cookie Duration: Timeframe during which referrals are credited
• Affiliate Dashboard: Portal for monitoring earnings, clicks, and performance

Core Methods for Finding Affiliate Programs

Choosing the wrong affiliate program can cost you time, money, and trust. The right one aligns with your niche, converts well, and offers reliable payouts.

How to Find Affiliate Programs in Your Niche

Identifying your affiliate marketing goals is foundational in choosing the right programs and strategies. Whether you aim for profit maximization, traffic generation, or establishing niche authority, clarity on your goals will streamline your affiliate journey. Start by asking yourself: “Are you looking to generate immediate revenue or build a bigger presence for future profit possibilities?”

For those prioritizing profit, targeting high-ticket programs with large commissions may be a compelling route. These programs often demand more effort in marketing, yet the rewards can be substantial. For traffic-focused goals, consider low-competition niches that still demand high-interest, ensuring a steady inflow of curious and ready-to-convert visitors.

>>>> For more information, see Best CPA Traffic Sources for Affiliate Marketing in 2025 for Beginners

Moreover, establishing niche authority might involve selecting programs aligned with your interests or expertise. This approach not only taps into your passions but also leverages your domain authority, making your promotions appear more authentic and trustworthy. Align your marketing efforts by cross-referencing your goals with market demands and available affiliate opportunities.

Niche	Affiliate Program Example
Fitness	Bodybuilding.com, MyProtein
SaaS/Marketing	GetResponse, ConvertKit, SEMrush
Travel	Booking.com, Agoda, SafetyWing
Pet Care	Chewy, Petco, BarkBox

How to find companies with affiliate marketing programs

CPA Affiliate Network is the platform with the largest and most accessible market. We act as an intermediary, connecting thousands of merchants with publishers like you. This is the best place for you to start looking for affiliate programs. Top Affiliate Networks to Join:

Network Name	Best For	Key Features
ShareASale	Physical products, fashion, home goods	Huge variety of merchants, user-friendly interface, reliable payments.
CJ Affiliate	Software, retail, large brands	Deep reporting tools, established reputation, many Fortune 500 companies.
Impact.com	SaaS, tech, direct partnerships	Modern platform, automates contracts, great for direct brand relationships.
Rakuten Advertising	Major retail brands, cashback	Premium brand names, consistently ranked as a top network.
Awin	Global reach (strong in UK/EU), various niches	Over 25,000 advertisers, easy-to-use platform.
Adsnextgen	Global CPA offers, smartlink, mobile traffic	SmartLink & CPA campaigns, real-time tracking, beginner-friendly UI.

When you sign up for a network, treat your profile like a resume. Fill it out completely. Describe your website, your audience demographics, and your promotion methods. A detailed profile significantly increases your chances of being approved by top-tier programs. If you want to join a network, sign up with Adsnextgen.

How to find affiliate programs with Google Search

Don’t just Google “affiliate programs.” Search like an expert. Using specific search operators can help you cut through the noise and find exactly what you’re looking for. Don’t just Google “affiliate programs.” Search like an expert. Using specific search operators can help you cut through the noise and find exactly what you’re looking for. It’s a direct line to uncovering programs, especially in niche industries that might not be on the big networks. Instructions on how to search for affiliate programs on Google search in detail, use the following commands:

• "your niche" + affiliate program (e.g., "vegan cooking" + affiliate program)
• "your niche" + affiliate marketing
• "your niche" + become an affiliate
• "your niche" + partner program
• "product name" + affiliate (e.g., "air fryer" + affiliate)
• best {your niche} affiliate programs
• {brand} affiliate program
• affiliate programs for {product type}

This simple technique is one of the most powerful ways to find companies with affiliate marketing programs directly.

Check on Your Competitors (Ethically)

Researching your competitors’ websites will help you quickly find out what affiliate marketing programs they have and are running. If a competitor is making money with a particular offer, chances are it will work for your target audience as well.

Insight	What It Tells You
Outbound affiliate links	What affiliate products, networks, or services your competitors are promoting
Anchor text + URLs	Helps identify affiliate links like /go/, ref=, or redirect-style URLs
Top landing pages	Pages built specifically to promote affiliate offers (review, comparison, etc.)
Traffic sources	Find out where competitors are driving traffic (SEO, email, paid, social)
Monetized blog posts	Review-style content that earns commission (e.g., “Top 10 VPNs in 2025”)

Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can also show you a competitor’s top outgoing links, speeding up this process immensely.

Go Directly to the Source (Company Websites)

Finding the right affiliate programs is a crucial yet challenging aspect of entering affiliate marketing. With established marketing objectives, it becomes essential to connect them to suitable programs, ensuring both promotional quality and profitability. Explore diverse platforms from affiliate marketplaces to specialized networks to find synergies with your objectives. To uncover these opportunities, you need to consult some of your industry competitors. Below is a step-by-step checklist for systematically examining any company’s website for a hidden affiliate program.

How to find a company’s affiliate program on their site:

• Check the Website Footer: This is the most common location. Scroll down and look for links like “Affiliates,” “Partners,” “Become a Partner,” or “Refer a Friend.”
• Use the Site’s Search Bar: If you can’t find it in the footer, use their internal search and type “affiliate.”
• Check the “About Us” or “Contact Us” Pages: Sometimes, partnership information is listed there.

[Case in Point]: A popular productivity blogger I know primarily earns from promoting software they use daily (like Notion, Trello, and a specific project management tool). They went directly to each company’s website, found their partner program in the footer, and signed up. Because their recommendations are authentic, their conversion rates are exceptionally high.

Advanced Strategies to Find High-Value Programs

How to Find High-Ticket Affiliate Programs

A High-Ticket affiliate program pays a large commission per sale, often $100, $500, or even more. Selling one high-priced item can be more profitable than selling hundreds of low-priced items. These programs High-Ticket, generate significant revenue with less traffic and fewer conversions.

Where to look for high-ticket offers:

• Software as a Service (SaaS): Companies selling monthly or annual subscriptions often offer large and recurring commissions. Think of email marketing platforms, SEO tools, or webinar software.
• Online Courses and Digital Products: Creators of high-value courses often have very generous affiliate programs.
• Luxury Goods and High-End Electronics: Promoting luxury watches, high-tech drones, or premium home gym equipment can yield massive commissions.
• Financial Products: Credit cards, investment platforms, and loan services often have high Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) payouts.

To find good affiliate programs in the high-ticket category, search for terms like: "best SaaS affiliate programs" or "high-ticket affiliate programs for [your niche]".

Strategies to Find High-Ticket Affiliate Programs in YOUR Niche

The most profitable programs are those that are hyper-relevant to your specific audience.

• Think Beyond the Obvious: If you have a blog about hiking, don’t just look for hiking boots. Think about related products: GPS watches, high-energy snack bars, travel insurance for hikers, photo editing software for landscape pictures, etc.
• Use Niche-Specific Forums & Communities: Where does your audience hang out online? Join Reddit subreddits, Facebook groups, or specialized forums related to your topic. See what products people are naturally recommending. Often, those products have affiliate programs.
• Follow Niche Influencers: See what brands smaller, dedicated influencers in your space are partnering with. They often find unique programs that larger players overlook.

>>>> Learn More: Top 50 Affiliate Marketing Tools, Best Platforms Affiliates 2025

How to Reach Out to a Brand in a CPA Affiliate Network

Many companies have private, invite-only programs or may be willing to create a separate agreement for the right partner. A proactive approach shows initiative and can lead to exclusive deals.

How to Get an Affiliate Marketing Agreement Through Outreach:

• Find the Right Contact: Search for “Partnership Manager,” “Marketing Manager,” or a general marketing email address on LinkedIn or their company website.
• Write a Professional Introduction: Your email should be short and focused on value.
• Subject: Partnership Request: [Your Brand Name] x [Their Brand Name]
• Body: Introduce yourself and your background. Explain who your target audience is and why they are a perfect fit for your company’s product. Include key stats like monthly visitors or social media followers. Propose a partnership and ask if they have an affiliate or referral program.
• Keep it short and professional.

This is how you get an affiliate deal when it’s not public.

How to Find Affiliate Programs on Amazon (Amazon Associates)

The Amazon Associates program is arguably the most popular affiliate program in the world, especially for beginners.

Getting Started with Amazon Associates:

• Sign Up: Go to the Amazon Associates homepage and sign up. You’ll need an active website, blog, or YouTube channel.
• Find Products to Promote: Once approved, you can search for any product sold on Amazon.
• How to Get Your Affiliate Link:
  • The easiest way is to use the SiteStripe bar. After you log into your Associates account, a gray bar will appear at the top of every Amazon page you visit.
  • Navigate to any product page.
  • Click “Text” on the SiteStripe bar to instantly generate a shortened affiliate link for that product.
  • You can also get links for images or a combination of text and images.

While there isn’t a specific function for ithow to find affiliate program on amazon app, the links you generate on the desktop site work perfectly when clicked on mobile. Generate links on your computer and share them anywhere.

How to Find Affiliate Programs on Other Marketplaces (Shopee, eBay, etc.)

Besides Amazon, there are many other special Affiliate Marketing Programs on the market today.

• Shopee: If your audience is in Southeast Asia, the Shopee Affiliate Program is a must. Search for their program page directly on Google and sign up. The process is similar to Amazon’s, where you can create links for specific products.
• Ebay: The eBay Partner Network is another huge platform. It’s great for promoting used, unique, or collectible items.
• Etsy: If your niche is related to handmade, vintage, or creative items, the Etsy Affiliate Program (run by Awin) is a perfect choice.

Evaluating and Joining a Program

Use this checklist to vet any potential partners:

• Product Relevance & Quality: Is this product a perfect fit for your audience? Have you used it or would you use it? A genuine recommendation is always the most powerful.
• Commission Rate & Type: What percentage or flat fee do you earn per sale? Is it a one-time payout or a recurring commission (common with subscriptions)? Recurring is often more valuable long-term.
• Cookie Duration: This is the period after a user clicks your link during which you’ll be credited for a sale. A 30, 60, or 90-day cookie is much better than a 24-hour cookie (like Amazon’s).
• Earnings Per Click (EPC): Many networks show this metric. It’s the average amount earned per 100 clicks sent to the advertiser. A high EPC indicates a program that converts well.
• Payment Terms & Threshold: When and how do you get paid (e.g., PayPal, direct deposit)? What is the minimum amount you must earn before they pay out (the “payment threshold”)? Lower thresholds are better for beginners.
• Brand Reputation & Reviews: Is the merchant known for good products and customer service? A bad reputation can hurt your own credibility.
• Affiliate Support: Does the program provide marketing materials (banners, email copy)? Is there a dedicated affiliate manager you can contact with questions? Good support is a sign of a healthy program.

Use SEO tools to find affiliate links on blogs (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest)

SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest are invaluable for discovering affiliate links within blogs, allowing you to discern lucrative partnerships and markets ripe for entry. These robust platforms uncover product-related affiliations by revealing backlink profiles and traffic sources tied to competitor sites.

Ahrefs empowers affiliates by detailing comprehensive backlink analyses exploring domains referring traffic to specific content or pages through affiliate links. Recognizing domains acting as substantial revenue drivers indicates niche viability, broadening affiliate program considerations.

SEMrush amplifies this analysis, harnessing keyword exploration to identify high-performing content pathways that competitors or market leaders favor. By integrating this data with backlink tracking, you capture nuanced insights, enabling well-informed influencer and partner selections.

Ubersuggest complements these functionalities by crafting detailed traffic source breakdowns while tracing organic and paid search intersections. This confluence of influential data empowers affiliates to identify and cultivate strategically aligned affiliate opportunities tailored for impactful programs.

Harnessing these tools optimizes market penetration and elevates positioning, transforming analytic insights into actionable promotions that maximize affiliate revenue.

Tools to help you find and manage affiliate programs

With niche sophistication, you can deepen affiliate program management. Supportive tools now harness your strategies, streamline association processes, and grow market presence. By materializing these insights, your affiliate journey continually evolves and adapts to industry dynamics for optimization and leverage.

Affiliate network discovery tools (Affscanner, Offervault)

Affiliate network discovery tools like Affscanner and Offervault streamline the otherwise arduous task of identifying potential affiliate programs for marketers. They offer a consolidated view of diverse networks and offers, emphasizing simplicity and efficiency in discovering profitable partnerships.

Affscanner offers filters by niche, commission rate, and payout method, facilitating tailored program selection according to affiliate criteria. Enhanced by performance metrics and analytical insights, marketers gauge profitability and pursue lucrative collaborations aligned with marketing strategies.

Contrastingly, Offervault provides access as a comprehensive affiliate offers database. Highly valued for meticulous search capabilities, they encompass products, categories, and types of payout per offer or partnership. Offervault features extensive user tools to track and analyze performance, positioning marketers for high earnings.

For marketers exploring these strategic resources, Affscanner and Offervault furnish precise program insights, optimizing affiliate partnership choices among myriad offers across flourishing industry landscapes.

Link management tools (ThirstyAffiliates, Pretty Links)

Link management tools such as ThirstyAffiliates and Pretty Links serve essential purposes for efficient organization and promotion of affiliate links. These tools enhance WordPress functionalities with unique features, tailored to fit diverse marketing needs.

ThirstyAffiliates appeals through advanced options, offering features like link cloaking, tracking, and link health monitoring. Its vast array of functions suits heavy affiliates valuing comprehensive control over promotional outreach, enabling link scheduling and geolocation targeting to optimize global marketing efforts.

Pretty Links targets newcomers, emphasizing user-friendly solutions such as URL shortening and cloaking for clean, memorable links. Some capabilities here include automatic link creation and advanced tracking metrics for inspecting campaign efficiency. However, preferences for intricate management solutions slightly extend ThirstyAffiliate’s toolset reach beyond Pretty Link’s provisions.

Both tools enhance link strategies by embedding link integrity, combining tracking with precision and simplifying affiliate prowess in regards to link promotion and analysis.

AI-powered affiliate product finders

AI-powered affiliate product finders represent an advanced evolution in affiliate program exploration, amplifying efficiency and tailored marketing efforts. AI-driven automation provides targeted guidance to uncover profitable programs and products accurately and swiftly.

These tools conduct expansive market research by swiftly digesting complex data tables encompassing product performance and user engagement. Employing algorithms, they integrate competitive analysis for affiliates to position content atop profitable insights validated by historical data patterns. Their intrinsic AI capabilities facilitate predictions about potential high-performance affiliates by understanding audience sentiments and seasonal purchasing tendencies.

AI platforms incorporate immense data regarding consumer reviews, allowing seamless engagement and granular understanding of market favorites. Consequently, this mitigates risk by equipping affiliates with empirical evidence to fine-tune marketing strategies and maximize revenue opportunities.

For marketers traversing AI-powered resources, embracing these technologies opens pathways to informed decision-making processes ensuring tailored and calculated approaches best suited to propel affiliate marketing success.

FAQs

1. What is the most crucial factor when choosing an affiliate program?
   Understanding your marketing goals and how they align with a program’s offerings is crucial. Define whether focus is profit, traffic, or establishing authority in your niche, ensuring clear alignment.
2. How do I find affiliate programs in my specific niche?
   Leverage search operators or Google for precise results like “[niche] + affiliate program“. Additionally, immerse in niche forums, subreddits, and LinkedIn groups to identify relevant opportunities.
3. What resources are essential for a beginner affiliate marketer?
   Join beginner-friendly platforms with supportive environments. Engage in communities for sharing insights on methods and strategies. Resources like guides and tutorials aid early-stage adaptation.
4. Why is cookie duration important in affiliate marketing?
   Cookie duration determines the commission eligibility timeframe from consumer click behavior. Longer durations often enhance the potential for completing conversions across extended purchase cycles.
5. How can AI tools aid affiliate marketers?
   AI tools optimize affiliate discovery by analyzing vast product data, predicting trends, and refining decision-making. They recommend suitable programs based on niche dynamics, maximizing the outcome.

Navigating the affiliate program landscape requires a nuanced understanding and strategic actions. From uncovering niche-relevant opportunities to leveraging SEO tools, the journey of discovering lucrative affiliate options is multifaceted. Successful affiliating hinges on setting clear marketing goals, understanding audience needs, continually evaluating program offerings, and leveraging supportive technology. As digital markets evolve, innovation in tools and methodologies further empowers marketers to thrive. Whether entering through beginner-friendly platforms or employing advanced AI insights, affiliates equipped with diligence and flexibility are poised to transform prospects into exceptional achievements. By integrating these varied strategies and insights, affiliates fortify their ability to optimize engagement, creativity, and profitability, fueling lifelong marketing success.