What is ShareASale? A Beginner’s Guide to Affiliate Marketing on ShareASale
If you're looking to monetize your blog or website, you may have heard of ShareASale. But what is ShareASale? Simply put, ShareASale is an affiliate marketing network that connects merchants with publishers. This allows publishers (bloggers, YouTubers, social media influencers, etc) to earn commissions by promoting merchants' branded products or services on their website.
With over 20 years of experience, ShareASale is one of the largest and most trusted affiliate networks in the industry. They partner with over 16,500 merchants in a wide variety of markets and niches, making it easy for publishers to find products that align with their brand and audience. Plus, their user-friendly platform allows publishers to easily generate links and track their performance.
To get started with ShareASale, all you need to do is create an account on their website. Once you've been approved, you can start browsing their merchant directory to find products to promote. From there, you can generate unique affiliate links and start earning commissions on any sales made through those links. Overall, ShareASale is a great option for publishers looking to monetize their website through affiliate marketing.
What is ShareASale?
ShareASale is an affiliate network that helps to partner website owners (affiliates) with brand products to promote for a commission. It simplifies the affiliate marketing process by allowing businesses to find affiliates to promote their products within the Sharesale network and lets affiliates work with many different brands through one platform.
As an affiliate, you can join the Shareasale network and gain access to thousands of products that you can promote to your audience. You should be able to find at least a few products that are relevant to your niche within Shareasale. The platform will help you create your affiliate links easily and many brands also provide graphics like website banners and sale banners if you want to display them on your site.
Shareasale is a powerful affiliate marketing network that connects online merchants with a network of affiliates. Their network of merchants spans across a wide variety of markets and niches, making it easier for affiliates to find the perfect products to promote to their audience. As an affiliate or merchant, you can join the network and gain access to a range of tools and resources to help you optimize your campaigns and grow your business.
Getting Started with ShareASale
ShareASale is an application-based affiliate program. This means you need to apply to be on their platform, your application is reviewed, and then you are approved or denied. You cannot start using the platform and earning commissions until your initial application to be on the platform has been approved.
This is REALLY important because if you are applying with a brand new website or social media accounts that have no published posts and no followers, your application will be denied because you have no visible audience.
You need to make sure you have at least 15 undated blog posts (preferably 25) or 5,000 followers on any platform before you start applying to affiliate programs. To learn more about how to be an effective affiliate marketer, make sure you take Sadie’s course here which will teach you the right way to be an affiliate – without being spammy or scammy.
How ShareASale Works
As an affiliate marketer or content creator, you can join ShareASale for free and browse through their list of merchants. Once you find a merchant that aligns with your niche, you can apply to become their affiliate. If the merchant approves your application, you will receive a unique affiliate link that you can use to promote their products or services. In addition to being approved by ShareASale to be on their platform, you will also have to be approved by each individual brand that you want to promote.
When a customer clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission. The commission rate varies depending on the merchant and the product, but it can range from a few percent to over 50%. On average, most affiliate programs in ShareASale use a 10-15% commission rate.
To become a successful affiliate marketer, you need to create high-quality content that resonates with your audience and promotes the merchant's products in a genuine and authentic way. You also need to stay up-to-date with the latest marketing trends and strategies to maximize your earnings.
Commission Structure
At ShareASale, they offer a variety of commission structures for brands to choose from. Here are some of the commission options available on their platform:
- Default Commission Rate: This is the base commission rate that you set for your affiliates. It is the rate that applies to all sales, unless you have set up a different commission rate for a specific affiliate or product.
- Tiered Commission Rates: You can set up different commission rates for different affiliates based on their performance. This incentivizes affiliates to work harder to increase their sales and earn higher commissions.
- Performance Incentives: You can offer bonuses or increased commission rates to affiliates who meet certain performance goals. This is a great way to motivate affiliates and encourage them to promote your products more effectively.
- Deep Link Commission: You can set up commission rates for specific products or landing pages. This allows you to reward affiliates who drive traffic to specific pages on your website.
Merchant Program for Brands
The merchant program at ShareASale is designed to help you grow your business by partnering with a network of affiliates who can promote your products or services to their audience.
Their platform provides you with the flexibility to have full control over how your program is set up, how to value each affiliate, and what information to track. With ShareASale, you can set up your program to offer commission rates, bonuses, and incentives to your affiliates based on your business goals and objectives.
ShareASale’s merchant program provides a comprehensive platform that allows you to set up and manage your affiliate program with ease. With access to a wide range of different merchants, you can promote products or services that align with your niche and audience, ensuring that you are promoting products or services that are relevant to your audience.
Shareasale vs. Other Networks
When it comes to affiliate marketing, Shareasale is just one of many networks available. In this section, we'll take a look at how Shareasale stacks up against some of its competitors, including Amazon Associates and CJ Affiliate.
Market Share
In terms of market share, Shareasale is not the biggest player in the affiliate marketing space. According to data from SimilarWeb, Shareasale has a market share of around 2.5%, compared to 6.5% for Amazon Associates and 4.5% for CJ Affiliate. However, it's worth noting that Shareasale has a loyal user base, and many people prefer it over other networks.
Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is one of the most popular affiliate marketing programs out there, and for good reason. With Amazon's massive product selection and brand recognition, it's easy to promote products and earn commissions. However, Amazon's commission rates are generally significantly lower than those offered by Shareasale, and there are restrictions on what and how you can promote.
CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction) is another popular affiliate network. Like Shareasale, it offers a wide range of products and services to promote, but it also has some drawbacks. For example, CJ Affiliate has a higher minimum payout threshold than Shareasale, and it can be more difficult to get approved for certain programs.
What to Consider When Choosing an Affiliate Network
When it comes to choosing an affiliate network, there are a number of factors to consider. Some of the key factors include:
- Commission rates
- Product selection
- Payout thresholds
- Approval requirements
- User interface and ease of use
Overall, Shareasale is a solid choice for affiliate marketers who are just starting out or who want to diversify their income streams. While it may not have the market share of some of its competitors, it offers competitive commission rates and a wide range of products to promote.
