The Best Way To Sell Affiliate Products On Shopify

Want to sell affiliate products on Shopify? This is a great idea; affiliate marketing is the most important client acquisition channel for 20% of brand marketers. Both shop owners whose products seek affiliate marketing and Shopify store owners who want to participate may find sanctuary in it.

This article is your oasis survival kit for selling affiliate items on Shopify, keep reading to learn more:

What Is Affiliate Products Marketing?

Affiliate marketing involves companies working with affiliates (publications, influencers, etc.) in a rewards-based system to promote brands and their goods to their audiences in return for a commission on every sale. Affiliates frequently promote things by writing a blog, recording a video, or posting their unique affiliate link on social media to sell the products.

Simply put, a third party, often a high-traffic website or a well-known influencer, pushes items or produces leads for a brand. They get paid a fee whenever a customer buys something through their outlet.

Rakuten/Forrester Research indicated that 80% of companies employ affiliate marketing. But there are different ways to play:

• Pay-per-action: Get paid for each click, lead, or sale you bring in. 99% of programs operate on a CPA (cost per action) payment basis. For example, Booking.com's CPA program pays affiliates for each hotel, airline, or other. travel experience purchased via their links.
• Revenue share: Earn a percentage of the total purchase amount. Perfect for subscriptions or variable-priced items.  Amazom.com is a good example of revenue share. In one of the most famous instances, Amazon, commission rates vary by product category. Affiliates get a cut of the sale, encouraging them to promote expensive things.
• Hybrid: A mix of both, often offered by larger companies. One example is Rakuten, a prominent retail platform that offers affiliates a flat fee per sale or a percentage of the order value, depending on the merchant and product category.

Ready to master affiliate marketing and boost your income? Explore affiliate marketing with Shopify. Expand your offers, make more money, and become a product expert.

2 Ways To Sell Affiliate Products On Shopify

Are you a Shopify owner brimming with ambition but maybe not ready to create your own product line? Or perhaps you're already established but hungry for additional sales channels? Buckle up because this guide unveils two distinct yet equally potent paths to affiliate marketing glory:

Option 1: Become a Champion Collaborator if you want to join the successful business owners who used advertising programs to sell other brands' goods. This method lets you use pre-existing product lines, consumers, and track records while concentrating on marketing and promotion. 

Option 2: Build Your Affiliate Army for those who want to build a network of ardent advocates to promote their business and open up new sales channels. 

Let’s read!

Option 1: Join An Affiliate Program.

You can create your own product line via Shopify, but other pearls may exist. Imagine tapping into recognized companies, various products, and a ready-made audience. One great thing is that it lets you become a Champion Collaborator through affiliate marketing:

Step 1: Select An Affiliate Program

You may read·"Click my bio link to shop on Amazon" somewhere in TikTok. Beginners may choose from several products with 10% commissions, so it wasn't surprising to see that over 900,000 individuals engage in Amazon's Affiliate program.

However, Amazon Associates offers a vast selection and decent commissions. But don't overlook the potential of smaller, niche-specific programs. Often, these provide personalized support, higher commission rates, and products uniquely tailored to your audience. Explore both options and see where the magic happens.

Some bigger network platforms, such as Affiliaxe or DFO Global, have access to thousands of merchants, which is great for growing your affiliate efforts.

Each partner program has its own requirements for who can join, so do some reading to see if you meet those requirements or are not a good fit for that program. 

Then, you need to sign up for an Affiliate Program account before you can move on to the next step.

Step 2: Replace Shopify's Add To Cart Button With An Affiliate Link

After step 1, you're part of a grand partner scheme like Amazon Associates. Now comes the exciting part: adding them to your Shopify shop.

Shopify makes affiliate marketing through affiliate platforms easier by letting you add third-party affiliate platform apps to your website. Many of the best partner marketing platforms have apps for Shopify. 

First, install the Outlink app on the Shopify App Store. It's your trusty sidekick for generating trackable affiliate links.

Next, add an affiliate product page to your Shopify shop as you would conventional items. This lets you show off the features and perks of your product while still giving customers a clear link to your partner site.

Read: How to add products and how to add digital products on Shopify if you don't know how.

Now, look through your list of products and pick the one whose affiliate link you want to create. The product edit page (where you name, describe, and price your wonders).

Then, go to the drop-down menu that says "More Actions...". There, you'll find the magical "Outlink" button. Click it.

Now, in the "Edit Outlinks" screen, paste in the URL of the external link, which should be the website of your associate partner.

You need to give it a clear and enticing label. As an example of this stage, we will modify the button name to "Buy on Amazon".

After that, turn the "Active" button to "On."

Finally, click "Save" and done. Your store now links to your affiliate goods, ready to turn interested consumers into commission-earners.

Visit your product page to see the change. Your stylish external link button will replace "Add to Cart". Customers will click it to visit your affiliate partner's site in a new window, and you'll earn those yummy commissions.

Bonus Tip: Remember to double-check your link for accuracy and use clear labels to entice customers. The more clicks, the merrier (and more profitable).

Option 2: Set Up A Shopify Affiliate Program

You've developed a successful Shopify shop with devoted customers. Now, you want to extend your services and increase your affiliate revenue. But where to begin? Success depends on choosing the correct affiliate program. Navigate the options:

Remember, your existing brand and product selection define your audience. Choose an affiliate program with products that complement your niche and resonate with your customers. Don't force a mismatch; it won't convert.

Not all affiliate programs are created equal. Ensure the program seamlessly integrates with your Shopify store, offering easy link generation, performance tracking, and commission payouts. Don't struggle with clunky technology; choose compatibility.

Follow these steps; you'll be ready to make your Shopify store's partner program work and make money:

Step 1: Select Products And Promotions 

Choose the right products to promote to start a successful affiliate program. This sets the stage for attracting motivated affiliates and maximizing results. Let's navigate this crucial step:

High-Value Heroes:

• Prioritize products with high average order value (AOV). Why? Affiliates get more from promoting $100 items with 5% commissions than $10. It's simply more rewarding for their efforts.
• Profit Potential: Low-value products might not be profitable if you offer pay-per-sale commissions. Remember, you need to cover affiliate commissions while maintaining your margins.

Help affiliates choose which items to promote and suggest extra ways to promote them to their audiences like. Offer additional promotions to incentivize purchases:

• Free shipping: This is a major motivator for shoppers, so consider offering it above a certain order value.
• First-time buyer discounts: The UK's first-time buyer rate is 53%, the highest in almost a decade. Welcome new customers with an exclusive offer, encouraging them to explore your store further.
• Scaled discounts: Motivate larger purchases with "buy more, save more" deals, increasing your average order value.

By providing excellent items, exciting promotions, and cultivating solid connections, you'll establish a Shopify affiliate program that flourishes, giving advantages for both you and your loyal affiliates.

Step 2: Setting Affiliate Prices And Commissions 

You've picked appealing Shopify affiliate program items and promotions. Commission arrangements are key to obtaining outstanding partners. Incentives encourage affiliates to promote your business and boost sales.

Choosing the Right Model:

• Percentage Commissions: A portion of each sale (e.g., 5-30%) goes to the affiliate. This encourages promoting higher-priced items for potential bigger rewards.
• Flat-Rate Commissions: A fixed amount per sale (e.g., $10 per item sold). This can be simpler to manage but might not incentivize promoting higher-value products.

Percentage commissions reign supreme, with an average range of 5% to 30%. Category-specific insights from Shopify Expert HeyCarson recommend 10% -40 % commissions depending on product type. A brief look:

• Beauty: 15%
• Clothing: 10-15%
• Food & Drink: 10-20%
• Health: 20-30%
• Pets: 10-20%
• Computers & Tech: 15-20%

To recruit and keep outstanding affiliates, provide a good commission plan. Offer reasonable prices, flexibility, and innovation to make your program successful and develop great connections that grow your company.

Step 3: Select An Affiliate App 

Affiliate program management is complicated, but Shopify's partners and app developers have simplified it. The Shopify App Store has several affiliate marketing applications to help you start, administer, and measure your program.

Set up your program via the onboarding process after choosing an app. This usually involves developing an affiliate registration form, determining compensation rates, and selecting items for your business.

Here are the top 3 affiliate marketing applications:

UpPromote Affiliate Marketing

Turn your fans and customers into brand advocates with UpPromote, the all-in-one solution for powerful affiliate and influencer marketing on Shopify.

Here's why UpPromote is your perfect partner:

• Start quickly with our easy-to-use platform; no coding is necessary.
• Sell Affiliate Products: With affiliate links and discounts, you may promote any product in your business.
• Customer Rewards: Create a client referral program with bespoke prizes and discounts to induce repeat purchases.
• Customize Everything: Customize affiliate links, forms, and an easy interface for you and your affiliates to match your brand.

UpPromote provides a free plan with an infinite number of affiliates in addition to a 14-day free trial. Monthly options that cost money start at $29.99.

Automizely Referral & Affiliate

Use Automizely to transform your clients and associates into enthusiastic brand champions who boost revenue! Integrating a robust affiliate and referral network into your Shopify business is a breeze with our platform:

Effortless Sales with Affiliates:

• Sell any product: Easily create unique affiliate links and track sales driven by partners, influencers, and even loyal customers.
• One-click referrals: Make it easy for customers to share your brand with friends and family through unique referral links.
• Automate workflows: Save time with automated reward emails, coupon deliveries, and commission payments.
• Match your brand: Tailor the look and feel of your referral widgets and emails to match your brand identity.

There is a free plan available for installation and usage of Automizely Referral&Affiliate.

GOAFFPRO ‑ Affiliate Marketing

Unlock simple sales growth by letting your audience recommend your items. GOAFFPRO's Shopify software makes it easy to build a robust affiliate network that transforms consumers, influencers, and bloggers into brand champions.

Sell More with Anyone:

• Sell any product: Easily create unique affiliate links for any item in your store, maximizing sales potential.
• Unlimited reach: Recruit and manage unlimited affiliates, expanding your marketing reach significantly.
• Automated tracking: Effortlessly track all referrals, sales, and commissions with GOAFFPRO's automated system.
• Mobile freedom: Equip affiliates with Android and iPhone apps featuring real-time updates and push notifications.
• Flexible rewards: Motivate affiliates with various options like commissions, cash payouts, and even free products.

GOAFFPRO - Affiliate Marketing offers a free plan with a 15-day free trial. Monthly paid choices begin at $29 per month.

Step 4: Recruit Affiliates

Social Media

Social media isn't just for connecting with customers. About 67.32% of affiliate marketers use social media this to engage with their clientele. It's a powerful tool for recruiting passionate affiliates who can champion your brand.

For example, If your store is a fashion brand, you may work with TikTok or Instagram micro-influencers who stand for sustainability and ethics. Influencers use their post to showcase outfits and share discount codes, driving traffic to the Reformation website.

Results: High brand recognition, engagement, and affiliate-driven sales.

Email Marketing

Forget relying on impersonal channels to recruit affiliates. Your engaged email subscribers are a goldmine waiting to be tapped! Here's how to leverage email marketing for maximum affiliate attraction:

Contact particular affiliates via email. Don't forget to clarify what benefits your partner program provides, such as good profit rates, extra rewards, and special access to items.

Also, think about "what's in it for them" and make sure your message fits with the beliefs and interests of your target. Show them how supporting your business will help them.

Lastly, make sure there is a clear action to take; don't leave users wondering. Use a big button or link to get them to learn more and apply.

Affiliate Networks

Do you think building a successful affiliate program requires a herculean effort? Think again. Affiliate networks like ShareASale and Rakuten Advertising unlock a universe of potential partners, simplifying recruitment and amplifying your brand reach. 

MVMT Watches is a great example of how Shopify brands can use Rakuten Advertising to grow very quickly with partner marketing. You may either join the MVMT Creator Community or become an MVMT Watches affiliate, earning 10% for each eligible referral. 

Shopify Collabs

Shopify Collabs is your one-stop shop for finding and connecting with influencers who ignite your brand. Forget juggling multiple platforms – manage everything from finding creators to tracking results directly within your Shopify admin.

Install Shopify Collabs today and:

• Find your perfect influencer match.
• Craft compelling campaigns.
• Watch your brand soar to new heights.

Don't just sell products, sell experiences. Partner with influencers and build a loyal community around your brand.

Start your free trial today!

Your Website

Your website is more than just a shop; it's a valuable recruitment tool for prospective affiliates already acquainted with your brand. Here's how you can use your website to recruit outstanding partners and propel your program's growth:

Make it discoverable:

• Prominent placement: Feature your program in an easily accessible link, like the footer or navigation bar. Don't let it hide!
• Dedicated landing page: Create an informative page outlining program benefits, commission structures, and application details.

Pro tips: Tired of clunky builders and disappointing results? Dominate your affiliate marketing campaigns with EComposer Builder, the best affiliate marketing landing page built specifically for Shopify success.

• Drag-and-drop editor for intuitive, code-free design - anyone can build stunning pages.
• Powerful customization: Tweak every detail to match your brand and campaign goals perfectly.
• Eye-catching design elements: Choose from countless fonts, icons, and animations.

Don't settle for average. Build landing pages that convert with EComposer!

Read more:

• How to Make a Landing Page in Shopify?
• 20+ High-converting Shopify Landing Page Templates
• 11 tips and examples for successful landing page copywriting

Step 5: Manage Affiliates

In the final steps, you need to know that many affiliates that join your program won't succeed despite their good intentions. Many of them even neglect to include your Shopify affiliate connections.

But don’t worry! Here's how to transform mere sign-ups into thriving partnerships:

• Shopify affiliate marketing apps: Utilize dashboards and reporting tools for convenient, comprehensive data analysis.
• Identify trends: Gain insights into what content resonates, which affiliates succeed, and where to optimize your program.
• Automate tasks: Streamline processes like commission payouts and performance tracking to save time and resources.

You can transform your affiliate program from a passive channel into a powerful growth engine by actively monitoring performance, providing ongoing support, and leveraging technology. Remember, engaged and empowered affiliates are your strongest brand advocates, driving sales and building lasting partnerships.

Tips For Shopify Owners To Sell Affiliate Products Successfully

Affiliate marketing opens a treasure chest of revenue potential, but unlocking it requires more than slapping links on your site. That's where organic content and mobile optimization are like the key and crown to your kingdom.

Forget robotic sales pitches and clunky mobile experiences. Today's savvy shoppers demand engaging content that seamlessly integrates with their on-the-go lifestyles:

Leveraging Organic Content

With over 40% of publisher commissions going to bloggers and content sites, it's clear that content is still king regarding trends. Create authentic, useful content that naturally promotes affiliate items. This increases trust, clicks, and conversions with a limited audience. 

Additionally, you can create detailed product reviews showing features, benefits, and possible uses, which help people decide to buy. Create video tutorials for visual appeal and engagement.

Remember to carefully link to your affiliate product pages from other relevant website content to optimize internal search ranking and user experience. In addition, work with relevant micro-influencers to feature your affiliate items in their content, allowing you to reach a larger audience.

While crafting compelling content is vital, the right tools can supercharge your efforts and turn them into powerful sales drivers. Here are some helpful tools for Shopify owners:

• Ahrefs: Uncover high-volume, low-competition keywords related to your niche and affiliate products. Track keyword difficulty and monitor your website's SEO performance.
• Semrush: Conduct comprehensive keyword research, analyze competitor strategies, and track your website's organic traffic growth.
• Sprout Social: Analyze the performance of your social media content and track engagement metrics.

Together with compelling organic content, these methods may attract qualified visitors, create trust, and turn them into loyal consumers via affiliate agreements. 

Mobile Optimization

The growing use of mobile devices has impacted all aspects of digital advertising, including affiliate marketing. Mobile devices drive over 50% of affiliate-referred traffic. Affiliate programs emerge as more people use smartphones and tablets to shop online.

This is why affiliate marketers need to optimize their websites for mobile devices. This makes it easy for people to use the site, which brings in more people.

Here are some themes specifically designed for mobile responsiveness, ensuring seamless product browsing and purchase experience:

• Ecomus by the.4

• Kalles by the.4

• Streamline by Archetype Themes.

• Story by Groupthought.

Also, you should utilize Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool to examine your website's mobile loading performance and discover areas for improvement.

By implementing these mobile-first strategies and leveraging the right tools, you can ensure your affiliate program reaches its full potential, engaging users and driving sales on their preferred devices.

Read more: How to make your Shopify shop mobile-friendly?

FAQs

1. Do I Need A Large Audience To Start An Affiliate Program?

No, you do not need a large audience to launch an affiliate program on Shopify. Having a bigger audience may assist, but success relies on audience quality and participation. The reason is:

Quality over Quantity: If your audience is interested and fits your affiliate goods' niche, your suggestions might be valuable even with a smaller audience.

Micro-Influencers: Niche micro-influencers with smaller but highly engaged followings may be more successful than wider influencers with less concentrated audiences.

Remember, building a successful affiliate program takes time, effort, and consistent optimization. Start with a targeted approach, focus on quality engagement, and gradually scale up as you refine your strategy and build trust with your audience.

2. How Do I Choose The Right Affiliate Products For My Store?

Selecting Shopify affiliate items that match your brand, audience, and marketing objectives is crucial. Key steps for guidance:

First, identify your target audience's age, gender, interests, and purchasing habits. What problems do they face? What solutions are they looking for? What platforms do they frequent? What type of content do they consume?

Next, analyze your industry trends, competitor offerings, and potential profit margins. Look for products within your niche that complement your existing offerings and resonate with your audience.

Finally, clearly disclose that you are using affiliate links and comply with FTC regulations.

3. Can I Use Paid Advertising To Promote Affiliate Products?

Yes, you may use paid advertising to promote affiliate products.

However, even with thorough planning, paid advertising for affiliate products carries certain risks and requires close adherence to regulations and program terms. Consider starting with organic content marketing and other options before venturing into paid advertising. 

Once you gain experience and understand the landscape, you can leverage paid ads strategically for targeted reach and potential sales growth.

Final Thoughts

Now, you have the plan, expertise, and resources to turn your Shopify business into an affiliate sales center. Remember that success comes from targeting the proper audience, establishing trust, and providing genuine value.

Most importantly, make it simple to create gorgeous, conversion-friendly landing pages. 

Say goodbye to coding with EComposer Page Builder - the best builder every Shopify owner can use. You may also increase sales by using built-in technologies such as Ajax Cart and cross-selling to keep consumers interested and purchasing. Use tools like Page Analytics and AI Content Generator to get deeper insights and improve your content.

Start your free EComposer trial today and experience the difference!