How To Start Affiliate Marketing With No Money In 2023: Complete Guide

Updated: May 2, 2023

Written by Eddy Ballesteros Personal Finance & AI Expert: Learn More

Affiliate marketing can be a great way to make money online.

However, getting started as an affiliate marketer can also be difficult if you don't have any money. This guide will show you how to start affiliate marketing with no money and succeed.

We cover everything from choosing a niche to getting your first affiliate sale. So, this guide is for you whether you are just starting or looking for ways to improve your affiliate marketing business.

If you purchase through our partner links, we get paid for the referral at no additional cost to you! For more information, visit my disclosure page.

I've been doing affiliate marketing for over a year on this blog and YouTube channel.

It's how I make most of my money online, and how I was able to quit my job and work from home full-time.

YouTube & Blogging Affiliate Revenue

Affiliate marketing is great for people who want to start making money online, but it's not the only way. You can also make money through blogging, YouTube, or by selling digital products online.

But this guide is for beginners who want to know how to start affiliate marketing with no money.

Let's get started so you can become a successful affiliate marketer that started without spending money.

TL;DR:

  • There are free traffic sources to start with
  • An affiliate network will provide you with free marketing tools
  • You can use your personal brand to promote affiliate products
  • Reinvest your profits back into the business

Why Is Affiliate Marketing A Good Business Model?

Affiliate marketing is a great business model for those who want to make money online.

You can grow your affiliate marketing business on any social media platform, and it's easy to start affiliate marketing for free since you can start with free organic traffic sources.

The affiliate marketing industry is growing rapidly, and there are many ways to make money as an affiliate marketer. You can promote affiliate products on your social media accounts, website, or email marketing. 

There are also many affiliate networks that you can join to find products to promote. If you're looking to make money online, affiliate marketing is a great option.

Beginner Steps To Start Affiliate Marketing With No Money

You may have seen affiliate links before and not even realized it.

Wonder how people make money online and grow their affiliate business? It's not as difficult as you may think.

If you're interested in affiliate marketing, there are some beginner steps you can take to get started. 

One way to get traffic is through search engine optimization (SEO) or optimizing your website for search engines. This can be done by ensuring your site's content is relevant and keyword-rich.

You can also grow your affiliate business through social media by creating engaging content and building relationships with potential customers on popular social media platforms.

By following these tips, you can start affiliate marketing with no money and grow your business into a profitable side hustle.

Let's dive into how you can start affiliate marketing with little to no money.

1. Write for Free Blogging Platforms

When it comes to writing for free blogging platforms, there are a few different options out there.

WordPress.org (Recommended) and WordPress.com are the most popular, but Medium is also a great option. 

You can also review different blogging tools online.

Side note: WordPress.org is free, but you must pay for a web hosting company such as BlueHost or WPX. Hosting can cost $3.25 per month.

Each platform has pros and cons, so it's important to understand how to write for each one before you start. So look into starting a blog and read this to get blogging tips.

One of the benefits of writing a blog post across different platforms is that you can reach a wider audience and direct readers to your affiliate offers.

However, it's also important to keep your audience in mind when you're writing an affiliate blog post

Remember that your goal is to provide value and help people solve their problems. With that in mind, choose a platform that will allow you to reach your target market.

Use an affiliate marketing tool like Lasso to create engaging display boxes with your unique affiliate link.

Affiliate Link Plugin
LassoWP LassoWP
4.5
$39/month

Do you see this beautiful affiliate display? Yup, it's built with Lasso. Lasso is the perfect solution for bloggers who want their affiliate links on full display.

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

So, no matter which platform you choose, creating articles can be a great way to start affiliate marketing with no money and build passive income in the future.

2. Start Affiliate Marketing On YouTube

If you're not already on YouTube (the second largest social media platform), now's the time to start and create YouTube video content.

YouTube is a powerful social media platform with over 1 billion users worldwide. And is one of the best free platforms for making affiliate sales.

You can create YouTube videos around your affiliate offers and build an audience. To be successful, you need to create engaging content that will appeal to your target audience. 

Eddy Balle YouTube Channel

There are so many ways you can make money on youtube, but of course, the best free way would be to sell other people's products.

That means focusing on topics relevant to your niche and selecting keywords that people are searching for so you can attract potential customers.

Most successful YouTubers are transparent about their affiliate posts, and this way, it's easier to brand yourself as an affiliate marketer and promote affiliate products.

Once you publish a few videos, you can start promoting your affiliate offers through social media posts and earn money. 

If you can get people watching and subscribing to your channel, you'll be well on your way to making money with affiliate marketing.

I've been on YouTube, allowing me to earn recurring revenue through affiliate programs and YouTube Adsense. This is a combination of income through Google and YouTube's suggested feed.

YouTube Adsense

3. Start Affiliate Marketing On TikTok

There's no stopping the TikTok train. The short-form video platform has taken the world by storm and shows no signs of slowing down.

For affiliate marketers, TikTok presents a unique opportunity compared to other social media platforms to reach a wide audience with creative content. 

I highly recommend starting a TikTok account and start building passive income by selling other people's products (Or even your own products in the future).

And best of all, you can do it with no money down. Simply sign up for affiliate programs with your favorite brands and start creating short-form content that promotes their products.

If done right, you could quickly become one of the most successful affiliate marketers on TikTok. 

Many affiliate marketers have built a successful affiliate marketing business with affiliate programs such as:

  • Personal finance
  • SaaS
  • Affiliate Marketing Courses
  • Online Business Tools
  • Digital Marketing
  • Home & Lifestyle
  • Education

So instead of placing affiliate links directly on your bio, you should create an affiliate site or landing page and capture emails.

Email marketing is a great way to start affiliate marketing with no money because you can use the email list to promote affiliate offers, product launches, and other events. 

Free landing pages include:

  • Linktree
  • Koji
  • Groovefunnels
  • & other link-in-bio apps

You can then move on to reinvest your affiliate income by selling and hosting digital products online.

4. Start An Instagram Affiliate Marketing Business Model

By creating and growing an engaged following on platforms like Instagram, you can tap into a vast audience of potential customers for the affiliate products and services you promote.

Social media has become one of the most powerful free tools in affiliate marketing.

And with the recent introduction of affiliate link support in Instagram Stories, it's never been easier to start driving sales from your profile. 

Eddy⚡️ (@eddyballe) • Instagram photos and videos

Here's how to get started: 

First, choose the affiliate products you want to promote. For best results, choose products that align with the interests of your target audience.

Then, create high-quality content that showcases the products in a positive light.

Be sure to include affiliate links in your posts and stories so your followers can easily purchase the products you're promoting. Finally, interact with your followers and build relationships with other influencers in your niche. 

This is major for anyone who is looking to start an online business.

What does this mean? You'll need to:

  • Reply to comments
  • Post content daily
  • Send personal cold DM's
  • Attract new leads

By taking these steps, you'll be well on your way to affiliate marketing success on Instagram.

5. Becoming an Affiliate Marketer Using Facebook

Setting up a Facebook profile can be a great way to get started as an affiliate marketer because Facebook is still the largest social networking platform in the world.

The only issue is that you must consistently create content and find Facebook groups.

But if you're creative and consistent, you can use your Facebook profile to build an audience and drive traffic to your affiliate links. 

Eddy Ballesteros Facebook

Here are a few tips:

  • Use engaging cover photos and profile pictures. This is your chance to make a good first impression, so ensure your photos are eye-catching and professional.
  • Fill out your bio completely. Include a brief description of who you are and what you do, as well as links to your website or niche blog.
  • Consistently post interesting and engaging content. This could include blog articles, infographics, images, and more.
  • Make sure to include affiliate links in your posts to start generating sales.
  • By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to affiliate marketing success on Facebook.

The bottom line, there are many ways to get started in affiliate marketing with no money.

This is probably the cheapest and easiest method to get started in Facebook affiliate marketing. 

6. Promote Affiliate Offers On Twitter

One of the best free traffic sources is promoting your affiliate offer on Twitter. Without spending money on paid ads or influencer marketing, you can grow an audience on Twitter and promote any affiliate product.

It's not that hard to grow on Twitter, and you can use an AI tweet generator to schedule and create tweets using artificial intelligence.

Eddyballe twitter viral

Not only that, but this can teach you content marketing skills that will allow you to take to other platforms and grow online.

Affiliate Marketing Business FAQ

Need some answers on your new affiliate marketing efforts? Here are some frequently asked questions that can help shed some light on this popular marketing technique:

How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?

Essentially, affiliate marketing involves partnering with other businesses to promote their products or services. In exchange for doing this, businesses pay affiliates a commission for every successful referral that leads to a sale or lead.

Affiliate Marketing Tutorial

You can easily earn affiliate income by creating content online and focusing on a particular niche market.

What Are The Benefits Of Affiliate Marketing With No Money?

Affiliate marketing with no moolah has many benefits, including reaching a larger audience, building brand awareness, and increasing sales.

Additionally, you don't need any money to get started with affiliate marketing. And that in itself is a huge benefit.

How Much Can A Beginner Make In Affiliate Marketing?

This depends on your niche, audience, and the affiliate products or services you promote.

However, it is possible to make a full-time income from affiliate marketing with a little effort and dedication.

I would recommend promoting products that provide recurring commissions or high-ticket items so you can make more affiliate sales with less traffic.

What is The Best Way to Find Affiliate Programs?

  1. The best way to find affiliate programs is to search for them online. Many websites list affiliate programs, and you can usually find a program that suits your needs.
  2. Another way to find a good affiliate program is to contact companies directly and ask if they have any programs available. Many companies will be happy to provide you with information about their affiliate programs and discuss their requirements for affiliate partners.
  3. 3. You can also find programs by networking with other businesses in your industry. Ask if anyone knows of any programs that would be a good fit for your business.

What Are The Best Affiliate Marketing Programs For Beginners?

Many affiliate marketing programs are available, but some of the easiest to join include Amazon Associates, ClickBank, ShareASale, and MaxBounty.

These affiliate marketing programs have a wide variety of products or services to choose from, which makes them ideal for beginners.

You can also lookup affiliate network marketplaces such as:

  • Partnerstack
  • CJ Affiliate
  • Rewardful
  • Rakuten Marketing
  • Digistore24

To get approved for these top affiliate networks faster, I recommend having a niche website or setting up web hosting to show you are legit.

Can Beginners Do Affiliate Marketing?

Yes, beginners can absolutely do affiliate marketing. In fact, affiliate marketing works for beginners and you can easily promote products without any money. 

All you need is a website or niche blog and some helpful content, and you can start generating affiliate sales in no time.

What is the Best Way to Build my Social Media Audience for Affiliate Marketing?

1. Use Relevant Hashtags

One of the best ways to build your social media following is to use relevant hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to get your content seen by more people, as they allow you to reach a wider audience.

When choosing hashtags, be sure to choose ones that are relevant to your niche and have many users.

2. Follow and Engage with Other Users

Another great way to build your social media following is to follow and engage with other users. When you follow other users, they will be more likely to follow you back.

Additionally, when you engage with other users' content, they will be more likely to do the same with your content. Make sure to like and comment on other users' posts regularly.

3. Post High-Quality Content

If you want people to follow you, you must post high-quality content. Your content should be interesting, informative, and relevant to your niche.

Additionally, your content should be well-written and free of grammar and spelling errors. People are more likely to follow accounts that post high-quality content.

4. Use Attractive Images

Another tip for posting high-quality content is to use attractive images. People are more likely to stop and look at an image than read a long block of text.

canva mockup tutorial

When choosing images for your posts, be sure to choose bright, colorful, and eye-catching ones. Additionally, avoid using stock photos whenever possible.

5. Be Consistent

Finally, it is important to be consistent when posting on social media. If you only post sporadically, people will be less likely to follow you.

However, if you post regularly, people will be more likely to take notice of your account and become followers.

How To Start Affiliate Marketing With $100 Dollars

Even though this guide shows you how to start affiliate marketing with no money, I understand that some people may have a budget of at least $100.

So if you have $100 in spending money to spend on affiliate marketing, here are a few things you can do:

Use a web hosting platform such as WPX and buy a domain name.

Our Top Pick
WPX Hosting WPX Hosting
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WPX is the perfect choice for those who need high-quality hosting that can accommodate up to 5 websites. It comes with a caching plugin, insane support, and CDN in-house which makes it easier to create WordPress websites!

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Set up your affiliate marketing website or blog and start creating content.

Use a free WordPress theme to create simple landing pages and direct traffic to your affiliate links.

Then pay for Surfer SEO to optimize your existing content to compete with your competitors. This is what I do to earn money and generate traffic for my content marketing business.

Conclusion

That is how to start affiliate marketing with no money. As a recap:

  • Make sure you pick a good affiliate program
  • Use free social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok
  • Create valuable content that's completely free to watch
  • Use a free or paid tool to capture emails
  • Send visitors to your affiliate website or link

Please feel free to share this epic guide with anyone who might want to start a successful affiliate marketing business and grow their social media presence.


About the author, Eddy Ballesteros

Eddy is an AI, SEO, and personal finance blogger who uses and tests products to help others improve their lives through AI and financial literacy. With years of experience in online business, he deeply understands the latest AI and SEO trends. Eddy is also well-knowledged in personal finance and committed to sharing his knowledge and expertise with his readers.

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