How To Create an Affiliate Marketing Website in WordPress

What if your blog worked for you, even while you slept? Well, it can. To make that happen, you need to create an affiliate marketing website.

With affiliate marketing, you promote products you love and get a kickback on every sale. It's a great way to monetize your blog, build relationships with brands, and earn passive income!

Not sure where to start?

Don't worry! In this guide, I'll walk you through every step of creating an affiliate marketing website in WordPress. Even if you're a total beginner, I'll keep it simple and easy to follow!

So grab a cup of coffee (or your favorite beverage!), and let's get to it! ☕️

How affiliate marketing works

Before you create an affiliate marketing website using WordPress, let me explain affiliate marketing a bit more.

Basically, affiliate marketing is a way to earn money by promoting other people's products or services. You're like a matchmaker, connecting your audience with awesome products they'll love. And when they buy something through your special link, you earn a commission as a thank you!

Need a visual? Take a peek below! 👇🏻

How much can you make through affiliate marketing?

That depends on the product or service you're promoting and the commission rate offered by the company. It could be anywhere from a few percent to a whopping 30%! But, either way, it's an excellent way to earn passive income and grow your business.

Ultimately, affiliate marketing is a win-win for everyone involved.

The company gets more sales, you make money, and your audience discovers awesome products with your help. Plus, affiliate marketers often promote brands they already use, so spreading the word about them is easy.

I mean…You’re probably already recommending products and services you love. Why not get paid for it?!

Speaking of payment, there are a few financial ins and outs you need to know.

Types of affiliate marketing

Depending on your niche, you'll come across different types of affiliate marketing:

• Pay per click (PPC): Make money every time someone clicks your affiliate link, whether they make a purchase or not.
• Pay per lead (PPL): Make money when someone clicks your link and fills out a lead form or other pre-defined action.
• Pay per sale (PPS): Make money when someone clicks a link and makes a purchase.

Now that you know the basics of affiliate marketing, let's get to the fun part: creating your affiliate website! 👩‍💻

Steps to create an affiliate marketing website on WordPress

Step 1: Choose a niche based on your passions & demand

First things first, find your niche!

This is one of the trickiest parts of creating a website. There are so many options. How can you possibly pick just one? And how do you choose the right one?

So, here are three questions to ask yourself to help you decide:

1. What am I good at and interested in?
2. Who do I want to help?
3. How can I solve a problem they have?

Asking yourself these questions helps you find a subject you won't get sick of. And, chances are, some people have a problem you can solve in that niche.

So, it's pretty simple: Your interest + problem people are looking to solve = your jackpot niche! 🎰

Once you've found it, it's a good idea to make sure people are searching for it. An easy way to do this is by checking Google Trends to see what people are searching for.

For example, instead of just being a “food blogger,” specialize in Greek cuisine.

So, once you pick your niche, it's time to do some research!

Step 2: Find affiliate programs & affiliate networks related to your niche

Okay, now that you have your niche, it's time to check out the affiliate opportunities.

There are three main ways to become an affiliate:

1. Join an affiliate network
2. Apply to companies' affiliate programs
3. Reach out to individual companies

Let's cover all three to see what's best for you.

Join an affiliate network

This is the simplest way to access tons of advertisers from one platform quickly.

These networks have done the hard work for you. They put together different affiliate opportunities, so you can quickly search for programs to apply to!

Here are some popular affiliate networks to join:

• Amazon Associates: Become an Amazon affiliate and promote any product listed on Amazon.
• ShareASale: Another network offering various advertisers to apply to and manage in one location.
• Impact: Gives you access to many advertisers/merchants and some advanced reporting information.

These affiliate networks stretch across niches, so you can search within them and find some of the most popular brands in the world.

💡And here's an extra handy tip: Make a list of the companies and products you love. Then, check if they're on any of these affiliate networks. That way, you'll be ready to apply and start promoting as soon as your site is ready!

Promote products & services you already use

Think of a product or service you use regularly. Chances are they have an affiliate marketing program.

So, you know that list of companies and products you love? Go to their website and check. Often, they'll have an affiliate link in their footer.

Just like the affiliate program for WPTasty in the footer of our website:

Simply fill out the form and wait to be accepted!

Remember, though. These programs check your website, its traffic, and its content. So you want some content on your website before you apply.

Reach out to individual companies

Don’t see an affiliate program for the business you use?

Try reaching out to them through email or social media. Maybe the affiliate program is harder to find, or they may not even have one set up. And, in that case, you can be one of the first to spread the word!

So it never hurts to reach out with a friendly message and see where it leads!

Step 3: Choose your domain name & set up web hosting

If it feels like you're naming a child, that's because you sort of are!

A key part of building an affiliate marketing website is picking the right name! Mess it up, and your website is ruined forever!

Just kidding, of course!

But it is important to take time to consider your name carefully. For example, a domain like www.stevesawesomewebsiteaboutantiquesandrelics.com doesn't sound the best and isn't memorable.

Sorry, Steve.

So, what makes a good domain name? Here’s the kind of domain name to aim for:

1. Clear: People can quickly tell what your website is about
2. Short: Easier to remember and easier to type in
3. Uses keywords: Sends signals to search engines for better Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Struggling to come up with ideas? Use a domain name generator to get some inspiration!

Got a few ideas? Head to a domain name checker to see if it's available. You can get your domain name and web hosting together with many of the services listed below:

• BigScoots (recommended)
• Siteground

Once you find a domain name, it's time to pull out your card and pay up!

Don't worry, though. You can often get a domain name and web hosting for a reasonable price.

And that’s it! Now you’re ready to build your affiliate website with WordPress — the best website builder.

Step 4: Install WordPress

Now you're probably wondering, “Where can I create an affiliate marketing website?”

I recommend you create an affiliate marketing website on WordPress. Depending on your host, you may already have WordPress installed. For example, some hosts have a simple 1-click install so you can get into your WordPress dashboard right away.

If your host doesn't automatically include WordPress, you’ll need to install it yourself. This usually involves getting into your hosting control panel and installing it.

Once it's ready, follow the quick setup process. Then, it's time to choose how your WordPress website will look with a nice theme.

📝 A quick note: It’s important to know the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

WordPress.com is like renting a furnished apartment with all bills included. It’s set up, and you don’t have to worry about technical details, but you must pay a premium.

WordPress.org is like buying a house. You have full control over everything and can customize every little detail.

Step 5: Choose a theme & add plugins

WordPress automatically applies a default theme, but it looks basic and probably won’t attract many people to your affiliate content.

So, why not choose a different one to get started? WordPress has a bunch of free and premium options. Whether you want to wow people with your visual design or keep things clean and simple, you'll find a theme for you.

Some of the most popular WordPress themes are:

• Astra
• Divi
• Hero Themes

Next up are your WordPress plugins.

WordPress plugins help expand your website so you can do all kinds of cool things beyond content creation.

Let me go over some of the best plugins for affiliate marketing.

Tasty Links

Tasty Links is the best WordPress affiliate plugin.

Here's why: When you're an affiliate, you have tons of affiliate links to manage. Whether Amazon affiliate links or another affiliate program, Tasty Links helps manage them so you know which posts contain affiliate links.

Get Tasty Links!

Tasty Roundups

Roundups are one of the best affiliate marketing strategies for your content.

Have a product roundup of the best shoes? Or maybe you want to create an expert roundup, which is a great way to include links from multiple affiliate programs and make some extra cash!

A WordPress list plugin like Tasty Roundups makes creating those roundup posts super easy!

Formidable Forms

We don't realize it, but we use forms for everything.

And Formidable Forms is the best way to build WordPress forms. Plus, you can add quizzes, calculators, and more to mix up how you get clicks on your affiliate links.

MonsterInsights

Want to know the ins and outs of analytics when it comes to your site? Go with MonsterInsights.

Easily track your website analytics right from your WordPress dashboard. See how long people spend on your page, how many visitors you get, and much more, all in a simple report.

Check out our list of the best WordPress affiliate plugins if you want to learn more.

Step 6: Do keyword research & create a content marketing strategy

Now you need to start creating content.

But first, you have to know what your target audience is searching for! If you don't know that, you're just writing content and posting it without knowing if anyone is looking for it! And if no one sees your content, you can't make any money!

So, this is where doing your keyword research comes in.

Keyword research is finding out what people are searching for so you can make content to help them. Whether showcasing your favorite products, creating how-to content to solve a problem, or reviewing items — knowing what people want means you can make more money.

Here are some of the most popular tools for keyword research:

• Google Search: Start typing a keyword related to a piece of content you want to create. People are searching for it if it pops up in Google's Autocomplete. It may be worth making some content targeting that keyword!
• Semrush: While Google Search is free, Semrush requires a subscription. There may be better tools if it's your first affiliate marketing website and you're trying to keep costs low. But its powerful keyword research tools help you find what people are searching for. It also shows approximately how many people are searching for it.
• Ahrefs: Ahrefs is similar to Semrush. It's a premium option that helps you find detailed keyword information to be more specific in your keyword research.

Keep track of the information you collect to create a content strategy.

For example, you may notice many people are searching for things related to “winter backpacks.” Depending on your type of website, you could create multiple types of content to help target those keywords!

That way, you spread how you bring in money with affiliate marketing.

Step 7: Create content & include your links

Now it's time to actually create your content!

You've got your keyword research and know what programs or products you want to promote. Now it's time to do the work creating blog posts, landing pages, and more!

Make sure you change up the kind of content you create, too!

In today's age, sticking to one style doesn't cut it. You need to create text, audio, video, and everything in between to reach the biggest audience possible! And don't limit it to only your website. Spread your affiliate links through email marketing, social media, and other sources!

The most successful affiliate websites have taken the affiliate marketing process and turned it into a machine to create excellent content.

So follow their lead, add affiliate links throughout your content, and watch your affiliate marketing website become a cash-generating machine!

Easily manage all your links!

Tips for affiliate marketing success

1. Start an email marketing list early

If you create an affiliate marketing website and don't use email marketing, you're missing out on a huge opportunity.

After all, who's more likely to buy than someone who has asked to hear from you regularly?

So add newsletter signup forms to your website and stay in touch with your fans. Then, send out targeted affiliate offers to your email list and watch your affiliate income grow. But be sure to give high-quality content to your newsletter subscribers. Don’t just spam them with affiliate links.

The quickest way to get an unsubscribe is by coming off as self-interested and sales-focused.

But your readers will gladly return the favor if you provide value.

2. Use social media to increase your reach

Social media may seem like a fun place where you post pictures of your food, but it's so much more!

Social media gives you the chance to connect with your audience in a way that you can't with just website or email.

And you know what? That connection goes a long way toward increasing your sales. That's especially true if you use the platforms to create unique content for the products!

So, work social media into your marketing strategy to connect, grow, and, ultimately, SELL!

3. Analyze and adapt to drive traffic

A key way to build your audience is to know what it wants.

And you can only know that by analyzing your audience and researching what they want. What is the best way to do that?

Analytics.

The most common type is Google Analytics (GA), but we recommend MonsterInsights because it brings GA straight to your WordPress dashboard. But inside Google Analytics, you can see exactly who your audience is: age, gender, behaviors, and more. 

Then, use that information to help create your content. 

If you want to know their problems, concerns, or needs, head to some forums!

Check forums in your niche, or use Reddit and Quora to see what people are asking about your niche! And you can pay attention to how many comments/views the posts get. If a post has thousands of views/comments/upvotes, then there are A LOT of people searching for that!

And that’s a great way to get to know your audience more in-depth.

FAQs about affiliate marketing

1. What type of website is needed for affiliate marketing?

Almost all websites can be affiliate marketing websites, but some are made for them.

These websites include:

• Review or comparison sites
• Blogs
• Coupon websites

However, you should always check your website type and see if you have any opportunities before creating your affiliate site.

2. How much does it cost to build an affiliate website?

The costs will vary depending on several factors.

First, you can use free platforms to get started and only have to pay for a domain name and hosting. If you choose this route, you could keep your monthly costs low (around $10-$50).

Prefer a more professional and custom design for your affiliate marketing website? You’ll need to hire a developer or web designer to create your website for affiliate marketing.

And this will increase the price dramatically.

3. Which niche is best for creating an affiliate marketing website?

The honest answer is there isn't a “best” affiliate marketing niche.

And that's because it depends on:

1. Market demand
2. Competition
3. Commission rates

Choose a niche you're passionate about, and people are searching for, and you'll be fine!

Ready to create an affiliate marketing website?

If you're ready to start your affiliate marketing business, know it's the perfect time!

But also know that affiliate marketing requires a lot of hard work, consistency, and patience. If you'd like to know more, you can check out our post on the best WordPress Amazon affiliate plugins or subscribe to our YouTube Channel. We cover ways to boost your affiliate income and easily manage affiliate links.

We can't wait to see what you build! Let us know your ideas in the comments and how you'll get started creating an affiliate marketing website!