Affiliate marketing is one of the oldest ways of making money online in Canada and it can be very lucrative if you focus on the right programs. Merchants may have an in-house affiliate program or join networks like Share-A-Sale, where thousands of website owners can partner up with them for a percentage of sales they make. Affiliates add the merchants’ banners to their website, or write content around a text link. They can also promote merchants in their newsletters. Clicks on the links are tracked and commissions are paid through the network or directly if the program is independently operated.
There are thousands of affiliate (partner) programs available to Canadian website owners and bloggers, which makes it difficult to select a few to focus on. We all want to choose the most lucrative offers but it’s hard to say which ones will be successful. Some may pay less but convert more, or vice versa. The final outcome will depend on how well the program is matched to your website visitors and how good you are at affiliate marketing in general.
You will also want to consider seasonal shopping, which starts earlier online to allow for shipping time. “Seasonal” can be anything from calendar holidays to actual seasons, such as promoting school supplies and wedding affiliates during the Summer months, and tropical destination travel in Winter. Additionally, if your target market includes Canadians you’ll need merchants that are based in Canada or ship to / serve Canada (all of the merchants listed below fall into these categories).
A little inside info can go a long way in affiliate marketing. I manage several websites and blogs, a number of which participate in affiliate programs to generate revenue. There is a broad range of sectors covered between them, making this compilation beneficial for most affiliate marketers. I’ve ranked them according to the amount they brought in for each individual website, and combined totals when multiple sites earned from the same merchant. I’ll be doing this for you every month or so in the hopes of saving you some time, and ultimately increasing your income.
Top 10 Earning Affiliate Programs for May, 2016
Our top performing affiliate programs for May in Canada showed Canadians are excited about Spring. From gardening to home improvement, Spring sales have sprung! Weddings are also creeping into sales statistics. Mother’s Day spiked flower delivery sales and gift items. Father’s Day brought an uptick in sales of tools, electronics and men’s clothing toward the end of the month. Summer travel reservations are on the rise as Canadians plan their Summer vacation.
1. BigCommerce – Wildly popular hosting and eCommerce platform that accommodates all types of eCommerce (even drop shipping). When we checked for basic Canadian compatibility, they stated, “Canada is in our top three largest markets.” Commissions are $60.00-$398.00 per sale and $40 per enterprise lead.
2. Shopify Canada – With so many Canadian businesses and individuals starting to sell online (often with little or no experience), an “out of the box” eCommerce platform is appreciated. This software is Canadian and rich in features for everyone from the individual seller to large businesses. Shopify pays 200% per sale, which can be up to $2400 (although I’ve yet to see anything close to that from one sale).
3. Performance-Based Affiliate Network – Focuses on environmentally-friendly “Eco” merchants. Includes a “Ships to Canada” section to make it easy for Canadian affiliate marketers to find links. Their commission rate is 50% per sale.
4. World Wide Brands – Offers lifetime access to upwards of 10,000 wholesale companies and drop shippers in Canada and around the World. Members also enjoy dozens of drop shipping training videos, market research, mobile access, and a discussion forum. Pays a 25% affiliate commission per sale.
5. Expedia Canada – A popular travel deal search service for flights, hotels, etc. Pays up to 6% per “completed stay”.
6. Flowers Fast – Very high commissions for this category at 20% per sale, and they’re one of the very few merchants who pay commissions for your own purchases too. They deliver in both Canada and the USA as well to select international destinations.
7. Wishpond – Lead generation software for creating landing pages and contests (Facebook sweepstakes, photo contests, Instagram hashtag contests, etc), track leads, automate eMail campaigns and more. Wishpond is based in Canada. Earn 30% of sales.
8. Embroidery Machine Designs – Canadian company selling machine embroidery pattern downloads. Earn 40% of sales.
9. Pet Wellbeing Inc. – With a shipping location in Canada, Pet Wellbeing does quite well on both sides of the border. Earn 10% of sales of natural pet health and wellness products.
10. Roam Mobility – A Canadian company offering unlimited talk, text and data for Canadians traveling in the USA, by connecting to Roam Mobility’s wireless network with their Travel SIM Card. They provide a permanent US phone number, which appeals to frequent travelers. Roam Mobility was voted the Best Prepaid SIM for Canadians by PC Magazine, and its products have been featured in the Vancouver Sun, CBC, CTV, Business in Vancouver, and The Globe and Mail. They’ll pay you 30% per sale.
This search will provide a list of our top earning affiliate programs for other months.
INSIDER TIPS!
- Free, extensive affiliate training and affiliate marketing tools can be had through the masterminds at Affilorama.
- Free affiliate marketing courses, community and more from The Wealthy Affiliate.
- If you’re looking for a profitable niche that isn’t too saturated, start with keyword research and competitive intelligence using the acclaimed Long Tail Pro tool that “super affiliates” love.
What was your top affiliate marketing earner for May? Please share your success or questions in the comments below.
✔ You may also be interested in reading:
Top Two-Tier Affiliate Programs for Canadians
10 Hot Product Niches to Sell or Drop Ship Online in Canada
10 Low-Cost Side Businesses you can Start Online from Home
——————————————
© CanadiansInternet.com – Content on this website may not be used elsewhere without expressed permission. Thank you for respecting the effort that we have put into our original content.
DISCLOSURE: We may receive compensation for links to products on this website. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Our content is provided for informational purposes only and does not guarantee results.
COMMENTS ARE MODERATED – Legitimate comments will be published after a short delay. Spam, trolling and brand bashing will not be published.
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.
Melody has worked with many businesses in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.
Can’t wait to go full time affiliate marketing. Even just a newsletter has been bringing in some funds. Thanks for the ideas.
Thanks for sharing! I’m a newbie and can use the tips. Thanks!