Affiliate Marketing

I first came across affiliate marketing around five years ago. I’d heard the term before, but I didn’t really understand what it involved or how people were actually making money from it.

That all changed when someone I knew took the plunge and started doing affiliate marketing full time. It wasn’t long before they were earning enough to completely change their life — and that lit a fire in me.

I started looking into courses, watching videos, and reading everything I could to learn more. Once I started following the step-by-step guidance, I was amazed — within just a couple of weeks, I had made my first bit of money online.

I’ll be honest with you: affiliate marketing does take effort. You can’t just sign up and expect money to roll in. You really need to read the guides, follow the advice, and stick with it. But the good news? It works. And once it clicks, it can become an amazing source of flexible income.

So on this page, I’m sharing some of the courses that helped me, along with platforms and tools that can help you start your own affiliate marketing journey too.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a way of earning money by recommending products, services, or websites to other people. When someone clicks your special link — known as an affiliate link — and goes on to make a purchase or sign up, you earn a small commission as a thank-you for referring them. It’s kind of like digital word-of-mouth, but with the chance to get paid for it.

You don’t need to create your own product, hold any stock, or deal with customer service. Your job is simply to connect people with something they might find useful, whether that’s a cashback site, a freebie app, an online course, or a product you genuinely love. Affiliate marketing is used by bloggers, YouTubers, Instagram creators, Pinterest users, and even everyday people just sharing links on Facebook.

It’s become one of the most popular ways to make money online because it’s flexible, scalable, and can even lead to passive income — where you earn from content you’ve already created. Whether you want to earn a little extra cash or build something long-term, affiliate marketing can fit around your life, your interests, and your time.

Why Is Affiliate Marketing So Popular?

Affiliate marketing has exploded in popularity over the last few years — and it’s easy to see why. For starters, it’s one of the few online income streams that doesn’t require a huge upfront investment. You don’t need to create your own product, hold inventory, or worry about customer service. All you need to do is recommend something you genuinely believe in and share your unique link.

It’s also incredibly flexible. You can do it from anywhere, on your own time, and fit it around work, kids, or other commitments. Whether you’re posting on a blog, sharing tips in Facebook groups, filming videos on TikTok, or even sending emails, there are endless ways to promote affiliate links that suit your style.

One of the biggest reasons it’s so appealing is the potential for passive income. That means you can write a post or create content once, and continue earning from it days, weeks, or even years later — without constantly trading your time for money. It’s empowering, especially for people looking to build income streams they can control.

And finally, affiliate marketing works in so many niches — from parenting to tech, beauty to budgeting, wellness to weird hobbies. Whatever you're interested in, there's almost certainly a program you can promote. It’s this combination of accessibility, scalability, and freedom that makes affiliate marketing such a powerful option for people all over the world.

Different Ways People Do Affiliate Marketing

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to affiliate marketing — and that’s part of what makes it so appealing. People from all walks of life use different platforms and strategies, depending on their interests, time, and comfort level. Here are some of the most popular ways affiliate marketers promote their links:

1. Blogging

One of the most long-term and scalable methods. Bloggers write helpful posts, reviews, how-tos, and listicles that include affiliate links. When visitors find their blog through Google or social media and click the links, the blogger earns a commission.

2. Social Media

Many affiliates promote on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Whether it’s a short video, a reel, a story, or a group post, social platforms are great for sharing quick recommendations with a personal touch.

3. Facebook Groups

Some people earn by helping others in Facebook groups — sharing affiliate links when someone asks for a product, service, or app they’ve used. You’ll often see this in money-saving, budgeting, parenting, and lifestyle groups.

4. YouTube & Video Reviews

YouTubers often create content around reviews, comparisons, or tutorials, and include affiliate links in the video description. It’s especially powerful if you’re confident on camera or like showing how things work.

5. Email Marketing

Some affiliate marketers build an email list and send helpful newsletters that include affiliate links. This is a great way to create repeat income and build trust with your readers.

6. Paid Advertising (e.g. Facebook or Google Ads)

More advanced users run ads directly to landing pages or product pages using affiliate links. This method can be profitable but requires testing, budget, and understanding ad policies.

7. Digital Product Platforms

Platforms like ClickBank let you instantly promote ebooks, courses, and tools with high commissions. It’s often used by people just getting started or those in the digital/info product space.

What Worked For Me

Over the years, I’ve tried pretty much every affiliate marketing method going — from sharing referral codes in Facebook groups to setting up a blog, even dabbling in TikTok affiliate videos and playing around with Pinterest. And while they can all work, the thing that made the biggest difference for me was investing in a few solid affiliate marketing courses.

Although most of the well-known affiliate marketing courses are based in the US, they absolutely still work for people in the UK. In fact, many of the strategies they teach — like setting up a website, writing blog posts, using email marketing, and promoting digital products — are completely universal.

That said, it’s true that there aren’t many well-known affiliate courses created in the UK. But as someone in the UK myself, I can tell you firsthand that these platforms still apply — I’ve followed them, earned from them, and used them to generate an income. Payments come through PayPal or direct deposit (often in GBP), and the tools they recommend are available globally. So don’t let the accent or the currency put you off — the knowledge still applies wherever you are.

The courses gave me structure, step-by-step guidance, and the confidence to actually take action. They helped me understand how to build something sustainable — not just chase quick wins. If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the different strategies out there, these are the ones that helped me the most and that I genuinely recommend:

Wealthy Affiliate

Best for beginners who want to build a long-term blog or niche website.

Wealthy Affiliate is an all-in-one platform that teaches you how to start an online business using affiliate marketing — even if you’ve never done anything like this before. It gives you everything you need in one place: step-by-step training, website hosting, keyword tools, and access to a helpful community.

Their courses walk you through how to choose a niche, set up your website, write content that brings in traffic, and add affiliate links to start earning. You can get started with a free plan, and upgrade if you want to unlock more training and tools. They also have their own affiliate program, so once you start learning, you can also earn by recommending Wealthy Affiliate to others.

It’s perfect if you want a structured path, don’t want to deal with tech headaches, and like the idea of creating a sustainable online income that grows over time.

Visit Wealthy Affiliate