Is Affiliate Marketing Legit? The Truth Behind the Earnings (2024)

Have you ever wondered how people earn passive income by promoting products or services from other companies? Welcome to the world of affiliate marketing!

In this blog post, I’ll shed light on the truth behind affiliate marketing and answer the question, “is affiliate marketing legit?”

But beware; every opportunity comes with its fair share of obstacles. I’ll also unveil the top 9 affiliate marketing scams and tell you how to launch a legit affiliate business.

So, let’s jump right in!

Key Takeaways  

Affiliate marketing is a legitimate way to earn money online.
It’s a standout business model in the online marketing world because you’re promoting products without the hassle of inventory or customer service headaches.
Affiliate marketers have potential earnings of $80+K/year.
To become an affiliate marketer, invest in your education, pick a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise, create social media accounts & write SEO content.
Learn about affiliate marketing from the Legendary Marketer programs!
Be aware of common affiliate scams like paying for fake programs, cookie stuffing, MLMs, and more.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Think of affiliate marketing as a referral program that’s taken to the next level.

It’s an innovative marketing strategy where you, acting as an affiliate, partner up with brands to promote their offerings.

You join an affiliate program, get unique links, and then share them far and wide. When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.

But it’s not just about slapping links everywhere and hoping for the best. Successful affiliate marketing hinges on building trust with your audience.

Is Affiliate Marketing Legit?

Yes, affiliate marketing is legit. With credible affiliate programs, this business model can be a game-changer in building a successful affiliate marketing business.

Affiliate marketing is a fantastic way to rake in some passive income. Choose right, steer clear of the dodgy stuff, and you’re on your way.

Keeping your eyes peeled for affiliate marketing scams is crucial – yep, they’re out there. Beware of those shady affiliate marketing scams and products that smell fishy.

You know the ones – promising overnight riches, flashing those get-rich-quick schemes, or pushing products that are about as real as a three-dollar bill.

How Much Affiliate Marketers Make

There’s no cookie-cutter answer regarding affiliate marketers’ earnings.

The income range for affiliate marketers swings from a modest few hundred bucks to a whopping several thousand dollars each month.

Affiliate marketers can average $80K yearly, but it depends on the size of your business and how you market your affiliate links.

It’s about joining a legitimate affiliate program first, marketing it to the right users who will buy-in, and then expanding your business from there.

Top 9 Affiliate Marketing Scams For Affiliates & Affiliate Managers

1. Paying To Join Programs

Avoid affiliate marketing scams like pay-to-join programs. These pay-to-join programs cleverly coax you into forking over a fee, dangling the carrot of big profits.

But often, these programs are either non-existent or stingy on payouts.

Here’s a golden rule in affiliate marketing: legitimate affiliate programs and affiliate networks are mostly free to join and the best place to start your business.

Free affiliate programs are how affiliate marketing remains a low-cost business idea!

2. Fake Products & Services

Fake products and service scams in affiliate marketing involve promoting non-existent or non-functional products or services to earn commissions.

Either you don’t get any money, and the customers are also cheated out of their money, or you’re the fraud pocketing their dough- and neither is okay!

Affiliate fraud harms legitimate businesses and erodes trust in the affiliate marketing industry.

So, how do you shield yourself from falling into this trap? Well, it’s all about due diligence.

Before you promote any product or service, be sure to thoroughly investigate its legitimacy. Ensure that it genuinely adds value to your audience.

By doing so, you not only protect yourself from these fake ads and potential transaction fraud but also contribute to upholding the integrity of the affiliate marketing industry.

3. MLMs & Pyramid Schemes

Affiliate marketing fraud, MLMs (Multi-Level Marketing), and Pyramid Schemes often show up disguised as genuine affiliate marketing programs.

Still, they are one of the most common affiliate marketing scams where you pay out and may not earn any money.

These setups lure you with the prospect of making money online, but there’s a catch: you’re usually required to pay in and get others to join under you.

While MLMs might skate by legally, pyramid schemes are outright illegal and a shaky foundation for anyone’s business.

If you aim for real success in digital marketing, your best bet is to stick with legitimate programs and reputable advertising companies.

4. Get-Rich-Quick Fakes

Get-rich-quick schemes are often disguised as legitimate business opportunities. They have become synonymous with “affiliate marketing scam” and “affiliate fraud.”

These scams prey upon our desire for financial success and passive income. They often lure people in with promises of instant wealth and the opportunity to earn without much effort.

Many of these schemes often involve promoting fictitious products or services that either never existed or fail to deliver on their extravagant claims.

To avoid the fake product scam, use caution and conduct thorough research before diving into any program that sounds too good to be true.

5. Bot Traffic (Spoof Traffic)

Bot traffic, also known as spoof traffic, is a form of affiliate marketing fraud in which scammers use automated software to generate fake traffic to a website.

This helps them apply to affiliate marketing programs that require certain traffic requirements- where they can even fake sales (that get returned) and earn commissions.

Regularly monitor your traffic sources and deploy bot detection tools to identify and prevent fraudulent traffic from wreaking havoc on your affiliate marketing campaigns.

6. Click Spammers

Click spammers are digital tricksters who use automated software to create an illusion of many people clicking on affiliate links and affiliate websites.

But here’s the catch: those clicks often lead to no actual sales. It’s like making a lot of noise without any real action, a clear form of affiliate fraud for those tracking clicks and cookies.

To keep your affiliate marketing game strong and protect yourself from these click spammers and potential affiliate marketing scams, you’ve got to keep your eyes wide open.

Keep a close watch on your website traffic, and use trustworthy tracking software to ensure you’re counting only the real conversions.

7. “Gurus” And Online Courses

Fake gurus and online courses are scams that promise people quick and easy money but never deliver on their promises.

These scams often involve promoting fraudulent techniques or selling courses with little to no value, like insider secrets and revolutionary techniques.

However, more often than not, they’re just smoke and mirrors, and their courses are as empty as a deflated balloon.

To steer clear of these scams, you’ve got to be a savvy online detective. Always start by doing thorough research and reading reviews from reliable sources.

8. Cookie Stuffer

Beware of the ‘Cookie Stuffer’ in affiliate marketing scams. This sly trick involves affiliates in an affiliate marketing program slipping a cookie into a user’s browser without their okay.

The result? They snag commissions from multiple affiliate networks on sales that never really happened.

This devious act is not just a typical affiliate scam; it undermines the whole spirit of making money online.

It’s a serious no-go for most affiliate marketers and affiliate websites, who work hard to keep things above board.

Cookie stuffing hurts not only businesses but also chips away at the integrity of the affiliate marketing community.

9. URL Hijackers

Another common affiliate marketing scam is URL hijacking. It’s essentially a deceptive scheme.

Frauds create a fake website or product name that looks strikingly similar to a well-known brand or website.

Their main goal? To trick unsuspecting users into clicking on their dubious affiliate links.

However, the danger doesn’t stop there. This scam can lead to all sorts of problems, from spreading malware to other malicious activities like stealing money.

To keep your affiliate marketing business safe, connect with customers over issues and look for any sites and social media accounts using your name or something similar.

How To Become An Affiliate Marketer

Having understood the intricacies of affiliate marketing and how to sidestep scams, you might be curious about how to embark on your journey with an affiliate program.

Here’s a step-by-step guide and my affiliate marketing tips to help you get started:

Take An Online Course

Before you jump into the affiliate marketing world, it’s wise to learn a little about it first. Enrolling in an affiliate marketing course can be a smart move.

Affiliate marketing courses are packed with valuable insights and strategies and are a boon for budding affiliate partners. They’re your secret weapon in joining the ranks of successful affiliate marketers.

Programs like Legendary Marketer can help marketers learn more about affiliate marketing. They offer various courses and blueprints.

I took the 15-Day Challenge and bought the Blueprints for Affiliate Marketing and have been very happy with the content- learn more about them and more in my in-depth Legendary Marketer Review.

Pick Your Niche

For new affiliate marketers, picking the perfect niche is the key to unlocking your potential in affiliate marketing.

Your particular niche is where you’ll showcase your skills and knowledge and match your passions as well as the interests of your audience.

Think about what excites you, then match what’s in demand and a good selection of affiliate sites and programs.

Making affiliate marketing work for you starts here. Get this right, and you’re on your way to an affiliate marketing website success!

Launch Your Website

Once you’ve chosen your niche, it’s time to launch your affiliate website.

A website showcases your expertise, creates valuable content, and promotes the affiliate link for affiliate products or services.

To set up your website, choose a web host like Bluehost, start a WordPress page, and start creating content that resonates with your target audience.

Remember, a professional and user-friendly website is key to building trust with your audience and driving conversions for the programs you promote for your affiliate partner.

Create Social Media Accounts

Social media is crucial in promoting your affiliate marketing business.

Creating social media accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest allows you to reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your website.

Use these platforms to share your content, engage with your followers, and build a community around your niche.

Write SEO Content

Generating high-quality, SEO-optimized content is key to attracting organic traffic to your website and enhancing the probability of earning commissions from your affiliate partnerships.

To write effective SEO content, start by doing strategic keyword research to identify relevant keywords and phrases your target audience is searching for.

Then, create value-driven content that incorporates these keywords naturally and provides solutions to your audience’s problems.

My trick to writing better SEO content? I use Surfer SEO to get keyword suggestions and compare my content to the top-ranking articles on Google!

Join Affiliate Programs

You can join affiliate programs once your website and content are set up.

By joining reputable affiliate networks, you’ll be well on your way to earning commissions and growing your online business.

These programs connect you with merchants and provide unique affiliate links to promote their products or services.

To find the perfect affiliate program, follow these steps:

Research different programs available in your niche- check out top blogs in your niche to see some suggestions.
Choose the ones that offer competitive commission rates and have high conversions.
Look for programs with reliable tracking systems and excellent customer support.

Add Affiliate Links To Content

After joining affiliate programs, it’s time to add affiliate links to your content.

Adding links naturally and strategically within your content is essential for driving conversions and earning commissions.

Here are some tips for adding affiliate links effectively:

Include a brief description of the product or service you’re promoting.
Use anchor text that is relevant to the product or service.
Place your affiliate links within the body of your content rather than just at the end.
Use a call-to-action that encourages your audience to learn more or make a purchase.

Get Traffic To Your Channels

Driving traffic to your affiliate marketing website and social media is like fueling the engine of your affiliate marketing efforts.

To ramp up your traffic, think about using a variety of tactics. Start with SEO to make your site more visible on search engines.

Then, sprinkle in some paid advertising to get in front of new eyes quickly. Don’t forget about email marketing; it’s like sending out invites to a party.

And, of course, social media marketing can’t be overlooked- it’s where you get to be creative and engage with your audience.

The more traffic you get, the better your chances of earning those sweet commissions from your affiliate partnerships.

Track Your Affiliates Performances

Keeping tabs on how your affiliates are doing is crucial for fine-tuning your marketing efforts and boosting your income.

It’s all about tracking those key numbers: how many sales each affiliate link brings in, what kind of affiliate payout you’re getting, and peeping into your affiliate partner’s account to see their performance.

Most affiliate programs provide tools for this kind of tracking. This lets you see which affiliate partner is a superstar and what might need more support for conversions.

High-Ticket Affiliate Marketing Programs

To maximize your earnings as an affiliate marketer, consider joining high-ticket affiliate marketing programs.

These programs offer lucrative commission structures that can significantly boost your income. But they also have the backbone of success stories to prove they aren’t scams!

Here are some of the top high-ticket affiliate programs:

Shopify

Everyone’s looking to hop onto Shopify, from small startups to big businesses, and that’s where you, as an affiliate, come in.

Shopify’s affiliate marketing program is a real gem for those looking to make serious cash.

It’s not just any affiliate program; it’s high-ticket, meaning you can earn pretty hefty commissions for every sale- up to $150 per sign-up.

As a big name in the e-commerce world, Shopify gives its affiliates a golden ticket to promote a platform that’s already a crowd favorite.

Bluehost

Bluehost’s affiliate program is another high-ticket option with many affiliate marketers talking.

It’s all about promoting their web hosting services, which are super popular, especially among bloggers and small businesses.

Bluehost offers some pretty sweet commission rates. Each successful referral brings in $65, which is pretty solid.

Read more about it in my Bluehost Affiliate Program Review to get my full take on it.

Fiverr

Fiverr’s affiliate program is quite the catch for those eyeing high-ticket affiliate marketing opportunities.

Known for its vast freelance services marketplace, Fiverr allows affiliates to earn hefty commissions by promoting it to people seeking countless gigs.

There’s much to choose from online services from graphic design to digital marketing services.

The commissions can be quite generous, ranging from $15 – $150+, depending on what you’re promoting.

Convertkit

ConvertKit’s affiliate program is a catch for those looking to dive into high-ticket affiliate marketing.

It’s a popular email marketing tool that’s a favorite among bloggers, content creators, and small businesses.

What makes it a high-ticket deal? ConvertKit offers some nice commission rates. For affiliates, every successful referral to their service leads to 30% over 24 months of usage.

Teachable

Teachable’s affiliate program is a standout option for those diving into high-ticket affiliate marketing. As a platform for online courses and teaching, Teachable offers a unique angle for affiliates.

You get to promote a service that’s in high demand – think educators and entrepreneurs looking to create and sell courses online.

Teachable’s commission rates are attractive, giving you up to 30% of sign-up payments.

FAQs

What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based strategy where you, as an affiliate, partner with businesses to promote their products or services.

You get your unique affiliate link to share. When someone clicks on this link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.

It’s a popular way to make money, leveraging platforms like blogs, social media, or websites.

Is affiliate marketing a legit career?

Yes, affiliate marketing is a legitimate career path that has boomed over the last decade.

You can work with various brands as an affiliate partner to promote products or services.

The key to making affiliate marketing real and successful as a career is building a strong online presence and audience and effectively marketing products that align with your audience’s interests.

Can I actually make money with affiliate marketing?

Yes, you can make money with affiliate marketing. You promote products or services and earn a commission for each sale or lead generated through your unique affiliate links.

The key to success in affiliate marketing is choosing the right products to promote, building a strong online presence, and effectively reaching and engaging your target audience.

What affiliate marketing niches are there?

There are numerous affiliate marketing niches to explore.

The most popular include health and wellness, fashion, tech and gadgets, home decor, and finance.

When choosing a niche, pick one that resonates with your interests and expertise.

Is becoming an affiliate marketer worth it?

Yes, becoming an affiliate marketer can be worth it, particularly for those aspiring to be successful affiliate partners.

It offers the flexibility to work from virtually anywhere, set your schedule, and the potential to earn a substantial income.

However, it’s important to note that success in affiliate marketing requires time, patience, and consistent effort to build affiliate traffic.

What are some common affiliate marketing scams?

Many affiliate marketing scams FAQ questions are for customers who don’t want to get cheated out of money or affiliate managers who don’t want to pay fake commissions.

These scams paying to join programs, cookie stuffing, MLMs, and get-rich-quick schemes.

Some other affiliate frauds used by dishonest affiliates include bot traffic, click spammers, transaction fraud, fake products, and URL hijackers.

What are some high-ticket affiliate marketing programs?

High-ticket affiliate marketing programs, ideal for affiliate partners and other affiliates looking for more substantial earnings, include Shopify, Bluehost, and more.

These programs offer attractive commission structures and strong conversions, making them highly lucrative affiliate opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Affiliate marketing is indeed a legitimate way to make money online. It offers a flexible and potentially lucrative opportunity for those willing to invest time and effort.

It’s important to approach this field cautiously and be aware of and avoid common affiliate marketing scams.

New affiliate marketers should conduct thorough research, choose reputable programs, and stay vigilant against common scams.

With a careful, informed approach using my steps and tips, a successful affiliate marketing business can be a rewarding venture.

So, why not embark on your affiliate marketing journey today and unlock your potential for success?