Podcast Affiliate Marketing For New Podcasters

Affiliate marketing has been a smart passive income for various content creators (YouTubers, bloggers, etc.). With podcasts being mobile-friendly, they are conducive to promoting products and encouraging online transactions. Keep in mind about 71% of mobile searchers usually end up in a sale or action. There are plenty of brands that do not mind sharing the wealth either. About 81% of brands use it in some form or fashion. The best form to participate in podcast affiliate marketing is to conduct ads on your show. Nowadays, about 49% of people prefer to hear ads on podcasts than any other medium in comparison to 2019.  

Although many companies like online giant, Amazon, reduced their affiliate sale commissions due to the global pandemic, affiliate marketing is still a viable option to monetize your podcast. In 2020, 54% of super listeners were more likely to purchase a product when they heard advertisements on a podcast, according to Edison Research. Thus, it’s time for podcasters to join the club and stop missing out on potential revenue that can help run their podcast. 

Guest post by Anjuli “AJ Joyce“ Tuck

This blog post contains affiliate links. We may receive a small commission when you make a purchase.

What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is when you advertise a brand’s product and get paid a commission by generating a sale or gaining a new customer for them. There is more potential to make income from affiliate marketing versus the CPA (Cost Per Action) advertising route seen with YouTube’s Adsense approach. 

Numerous companies, big and small, offer affiliate marketing as a way to gain more customers, so you will be able to diversify your affiliate income depending on your monetization strategy. 

Cookies

Companies have the ability to track affiliate sales on dashboards by using cookies built-in affiliate links. Cookies track the customer’s online traffic on the company’s website to see if they made a purchase.  In action, the longer the cookie duration,  there is more time allotted to the customer to buy something on the website. If the cookie lasts a month or a year, you will still get credit for the sale generated and receive a commission. 

Podcast Integration 

When it comes to advertising on podcasts, you can integrate podcast affiliate marketing through personal discussions of the products or, more popularly, through ads. Depending on the brand’s rules on product copy (script), abide by their rules along with adding your voice to it, if applicable. Personalized host-read ads tend to project a more positive reputation for the brand and you as a host. As a result, your audience is more likely to buy the product from you in that case. 

When the episode is published, place your affiliate links within the show notes along with disclosure to declare your affiliation with the brand. 

How can I make affiliate income on my podcast?

1. Grow Your Listenership 

The larger your listenership, the more likely you can grow income for your podcast. However, you can have a small, engaged audience who can accomplish the same thing for you. As long as your podcast provides entertainment and value to the listener, you will be surprised what they will do for you in return. Always nurture your audience. Building their trust with you will garner you more affiliate sales in the long run. 

2. Diversify Marketing Strategies 

Social Media 

Most content creators create social media content around affiliate marketing to gain more income. For example, fashion bloggers and influencers make engaging Instagram Reels and Tik-Toks on different outfits they wear from Amazon. Depending on their audience size, they add the Amazon affiliate link to their stories or within the bio URL link for additional sales. In summary, this allows you to get creative with how you deliver ads to your audience. 

Be cautious not to come off overbearing by promoting products that provide value to your audience and advertising in select times. Please read the disclosure rules for advertising and sponsored content for various social media outlets to advertise ethically. 

3. Podcast Website 

Another marketing tool is posting your affiliate links on your podcast website with the corresponding show notes. Similarly, like on social media platforms, add a disclosure statement to adhere to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines. 

What products should I advertise?

Here are four rules to use when choosing what products to advertise. It is also perfectly fine to promote products that you haven’t used yourself as long as it benefits your audience. 

1. Products you use.  
2. Products within your podcast niche and values.  
3. Products that provide listeners value.
4. Products by high-quality brands.  

Where can I find affiliate marketing programs?

Here are 20 options that would be great to explore potential affiliate marketplaces. Be mindful to review each brand’s commission percentages and payout timeframes when deciding. 

Affiliate Marketplaces 

• Amazon Associates
• Clickbank
• Share-A-Sale 
• CJ Affiliates 
• Buzzsprout Affiliate Marketplace
• eBay Partner Network 

Web Services 

• Bluehost
• Shopify
• ConvertKit
• Ezoic

Online Courses 

• Skillshare
• Thinkific
• Teachable

Entertainment 

• Fandango

Travel

• Cheapflights
• Tripadvisor

Beauty

• Sephora
• Ulta

Home & Miscellaneous 

• Target 
• Barkbox
• Instacart
• Audible

Feel free to check out other companies that you think would be awesome to advertise on your show and see if they offer affiliate commissions in exchange. The more you diversify your platform, the more potential money you can make to invest in your podcast. 

Affiliate Marketing Ethical Tips 

FTC Disclosure 

The FTC regulates brand relationships with consumers and makes sure that they are fully aware of who is benefiting from what. To stay compliant with FTC rules, disclosures should be “clear and conspicuous’ every time when you say brand advertisements on your podcasts. It is highly recommended to add written disclosures to your podcast show notes in a similar fashion. 

Podcorn has a great breakdown of FTC guidelines for podcasters. Read more recommendations here.

Your Podcast Mission & Values

After the ramifications of brands hopping on board with various social causes with no real track records in 2020, consumers are more aware of how “socially conscious” brands are with their actions and products. 

Therefore, when selecting to work with a brand, ask yourself if these brands uphold your values and your podcast’s mission. You don’t want to be in a position where you are promoting products that don’t fully align with your podcast’s vision, along with your audience’s desires and needs.  

So what do you think? Ready to start monetizing with affiliate marketing for podcasts?

Learn how to create content that maximizes affiliate income by joining our podcasting community — WOC Podcasters Community. Inside the community, watch the replays of two of our affiliate marketing sessions.