Affiliate marketing is one of the most passive ways to generate revenue online, but it isn’t fully passive. In reality, publishers who make the most money with affiliate marketing put in a lot of thought, time & effort to promote their brand partners and increase conversions.
That said, this lucrative marketing tactic is expected to grow to $39,805.4 Million US by 2031. You can increase your share of that pie with some inside information about maximizing affiliate revenue.
If you’re new to affiliate marketing, check out our complete guide, How to Start Affiliate Marketing in Canada.
How to Make More Money From Affiliate Marketing
The following tips are based on over 25 years of affiliate marketing, as well as six years as an affiliate program manager. There are other ways to make more money from affiliate marketing, but these have proven to be my most lucrative tactics.
[DISCLOSURE: We may receive compensation for links to products on this website.]
1. Promote Canadian Businesses
The “buy Canadian” movement is picking up steam. Shopify recently reported an increase in sales for Canadian merchants in many categories, including mattresses, row boats, ribbons, and armchairs.
Canadians are looking for domestic businesses to buy from, and you can provide those options by promoting more Canadian products and services. Learn How to Find Canadian Affiliate Programs.
TIP: Even if the company is international, you can ask your affiliate program manager for a link that goes directly to the Canadian version of their website.
2. Add AI
Canadian marketers are proactively incorporating AI (92% say they already use AI) into their marketing efforts to boost efficiency and outcomes, according to Hubspot, with most respondents having a positive sentiment towards AI. In fact, 55% have fully integrated AI into their marketing strategy.
AI tools designed specifically for affiliate marketing have been scarce, but more general use of AI as a marketing tool has been helpful. I use Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity most at this point, but I’m looking forward to what the industry comes up with in the future.
3. Create Exceptional Content That Sells
Outstanding content has been the basis of super-affiliate success since the beginning. We didn’t have blogs or social media back then, but we used content on websites and in newsletters.
Today, the top five Canadian marketing trends resulting in the biggest ROI are:
- Short-form video content
- Inbound Marketing
- Content creation that reflects brand values
“The power of video cannot be underestimated in today’s marketing strategies,” cautions Hubspot. “Our survey revealed that platforms such as YouTube (89% increase in usage) and TikTok (49% increase in usage) have been key drivers in connecting with audiences and boosting ROI for brands in Canada, with this influence projected to further increase.”
Quality and value are the most critical components of content that sells, in my experience. Readers don’t want to be sold to or have their time wasted, and search engines are getting better at detecting low-quality affiliate content. Create original, value-driven content that engages and resonates with your target audience and the sales will follow.
TIP: Search engines favour real experiences and original photos. Try the products yourself, take your own photos, and/or do an ‘unboxing’ video.
The following types of content generate the most affiliate sales for me:
- News/trends/data
- DIY guides
- Gift guides (Here are some Affiliate Programs and Tips For Your Canadian Gift Guides)
- Niche information that engages our ideal customers or improves their life, especially ‘evergreen’ content.
Learn more about creating content that sells in How to Make More Affiliate Sales With Content.
4. Participate in Collaboration Opportunities
In recent years, the line has blurred between affiliate marketing and influencer marketing. That’s primarily due to the fact that not all affiliate marketers are influencers, and not all influencers are affiliate marketers.
Influencers are coveted by affiliate program recruiters for the same reason everyone else wants them: to get in front of their loyal followers. Networks have seen this profitable trend and are now facilitating influencer collaboration and recruitment through their platform. Hybrid affiliate / influencer deals are usually negotiable, and the campaigns offer more income opportunities to the publisher.
5. Choose High-Commission Products
There are two main types of affiliate offers that allow you to earn higher commissions: High-ticket (price) products and high-commission products.
High-ticket Products: If you can move products and services with high prices, even a low commission rate can generate a lot of revenue. This focus helps considerably at the retail level, where commission rates are usually low due to thin profit margins.
High-commission Products: Partner programs offering high commission rates or recurring commissions are a reliable way to increase your bottom line. For example, here are some high-paying Canadian meal kit services with affiliate programs. SaaS programs are plentiful as well, and usually pay more. Canada’s Partnerstack is a good place to find SaaS affiliate programs.
6. Stay Engaged with Affiliate Marketing Managers
It’s still tough to find a great affiliate manager. Most barely maintain affiliate marketing as part of their marketing department. However, it is improving as merchants realize the massive potential of expertly managed partner programs.
If you’re having success with a particular partner, talk to the affiliate manager about increasing sales even more. Then, ask them if they’re willing to increase the commission rate now, and as sales grow. Ask them about available bonuses, contests, or collaboration opportunities too. Additionally, inquire about cobranded landing pages, deep links, and anything else that could increase sales.
7. Start and Grow an Email List
It has become increasingly difficult to gain organic exposure online, whether it’s search engines, social media, Amazon, or another platform. While email communications have always been a very effective way to engage our audience, they’ve become even more critical as we attempt to diversify traffic sources to win the visibility game.
Grow your email list and use it as an additional source of affiliate revenue. You can promote products or services directly with ads or funnels, and bring subscribers back to your website.
Explore the tools available to you on your email marketing platform, such as automated emails. These tools are often underused by marketers, so you could gain a competitive advantage to further increase conversions. For example, Omnisend’s analysis of almost 1 billion marketing messages sent by Canadian brands revealed automated emails drove 29% of sales, though they represented just 1.3% of email volume.
TIP: Familiarize yourself with CASL and the anti-spam laws of any country your subscribers might be from.
To comply with data sovereignty laws in Canada, consider these Top Canadian Email Marketing Platforms with Data Sovereignty.
8. Trends & Challenges
Plug into your ideal customer profile to determine which trends or conditions are impacting them most. What problems are they dealing with right now? How can your affiliate partners’ products or services help?
For example, we all know budgets are tight right now so you may want to find affiliate partner products to help your audience cope. Check out these 10 Types of Affiliate Programs That Earn More in Tough Times.
9. Extra Effort
As you gain more experience, you may find some affiliate programs are worth more focus and effort. You could create landing pages, webinars, podcasts, tutorials, and funnels specifically for your partners. This affiliate marketing strategy expands your income opportunities and opens additional marketing channels. Start with programs you’ve already had success with to buffer the risk.
Have you found a great way to make more money with affiliate marketing? Please share your suggestions or questions below, or join us in the Online Business Canada Facebook group.
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Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business/marketing education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.
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OH! Now I’m so excited to look for Canadian businesses! I was trying to find them in search engines but that gets old after awhile. I just started affiliate marketing so I don’t have any tips but I’ll be back someday.
Traffic traffic traffic! The more I get the more I make. That only works in affiliate marketing if you’re locked onto a specific market though. Throwing up a bunch of ads for brands that pay most won’t earn a dime usually unless it’s somehow your followers. Follow tips like these to win.