When I first stumbled into affiliate marketing years ago (back in 2008), I had no clue what I was doing.
I watched a few YouTube videos, read some blog posts, and honestly… I overcomplicated everything.
Looking back, I wish someone had handed me a simple, real-world guide that didn’t require a degree in marketing or a tech background. That’s exactly what I’m going to give you here.
If you’ve been curious about affiliate marketing — or maybe you’ve heard about programs like LiveGood and wondered how to actually start — this post is for you.
What Affiliate Marketing Really Is
Affiliate marketing is just a fancy term for recommending products you believe in and earning a commission when someone buys.
That’s it.
Think about the last time you told a friend about a great restaurant or a movie you loved. You were basically doing affiliate marketing — you just didn’t get paid for it.
Why I Recommend Affiliate Marketing for Beginners
If you’re starting from zero experience, affiliate marketing is one of the smartest business models you can choose because:
- You don’t have to create a product — no inventory, no shipping headaches.
- It’s low cost — you can start with a small budget or even free platforms.
- You can work from anywhere — I’ve written posts from my kitchen table and even from my phone in the car (not while driving, promise).
- It’s scalable — once you figure it out, you can earn from multiple products without more hours in the day.
Below is a picture of a few checks I received from different affiliate programs back when I was started out. Notice the dates on the checks are from 2013.
Important Note: Often times chasing multiple “streams” leads to multiple “trickles”, or worse, nothing at all.
Focusing on one thing, not chasing shiny objects can be a super power. Here’s what I’m currently focusing on building. WATCH VIDEO HERE
Step 1: Choose a Niche You Care About
One of my early mistakes was chasing “whatever seemed profitable” instead of picking something I actually cared about.
If you’re not interested in your topic, creating content will feel like homework and you’ll probably eventually quit when you come across your first hurdles and realize this actually takes effort.
Look for a niche that has:
- An audience actively buying (search volume and demand).
- Products with good commissions (I like 20%+ or subscription-based).
- A personal connection (so your content feels authentic).
Example: I’m in the health & wellness niche because I care about feeling good, having energy, and helping others do the same — which made LiveGood a natural fit for me.
Step 2: Pick a Solid Affiliate Program
Not all affiliate programs are worth your time. A few things I look for:
- Quality products that I’d use myself.
- Commissions that make it worth the effort.
- Residual income potential (subscription products = monthly paychecks).
💡 Pro Tip: LiveGood checks all three boxes. I actually joined as a customer first because the products worked for me. The affiliate side was a no-brainer after that.
📌 Related: How to Choose the Right Affiliate Program for Long-Term Success
Step 3: Build Your “Home Base” Online
This could be:
- A blog (like the one you’re reading now).
- A YouTube channel if you like video.
- Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook.
- An email list (highly recommended for long-term success).
The key is to have at least one place where people can consistently find your content.
Step 4: Create Content That Helps, Not Just Sells
If your content is just one sales pitch after another, people will tune you out.
Instead, focus on helping first:
- Share how-to guides that solve a problem.
- Write honest reviews of products you’ve actually tried.
- Do comparison posts to help people choose between options.
- Create lists like Top 5 Ways to Boost Your Energy Naturally — and mention your affiliate product as one of them.
- Put some genuine effort in it.
Step 5: Get Traffic to Your Content
This is where most beginners get stuck, they publish a post and expect people to magically show up.
It doesn’t work that way.
Some ways to get eyeballs on your content:
- SEO: optimize for keywords so people find you on Google.
- Social media sharing: post valuable tips and point followers to your content.
- Email marketing: build a list and send updates.
- Sharing in relevant communities: without spamming.
📌 Related: LiveGood VS Traditional “Old School” MLMs
Step 6: Track What’s Working
Once you’ve got a few pieces of content out there, check your stats:
- Which posts get the most views?
- Which links get the most clicks?
- Which products actually sell?
Double down on what’s working and improve (or remove) what isn’t. Use the classic 80/20 rule.
Final Thoughts
If you’re starting affiliate marketing from scratch, here’s the best advice I can give:
Pick a niche you care about, choose products you believe in, and focus on helping people before selling.
That’s exactly how I approached LiveGood — I joined for the products, saw the results for myself, and then started sharing my story.
If you want to see how I’m doing it (and maybe join my team), you can check it out here: Join LiveGood