Is there real money in affiliate marketing?
Daniel Santos
Updated on January 17, 2026
Affiliate marketing can be lucrative, but it takes a commitment of time and money to make it a real business. Traditional advertisements and selling your own products can help if your affiliate-marketing revenue dries up.
What is bad about affiliate marketing?
But affiliate marketing also has a bad reputation. Some affiliates engage in fraudulent, scammy behavior, and some misrepresent the products they promote in order to quickly ramp up their commission. 31 of these marketers currently run an affiliate marketing program at their business.
Who is the number 1 affiliate in the world?
Affiliate Networks Ranking (March, 2019)
| # | Company | Estimated Monthly Web traffic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakuten | 7m+ |
| 2 | Partnerize | 200,000+ |
| 3 | CJ Affiliates | 1m+ |
| 4 | Sovrn | 5m+ |
Is the affiliate marketing industry a legitimate industry?
There’s no denying that it’s a legitimate industry. Even so, since anybody can put up anything online these days, this form of marketing can often involve scams. That’s why it’s time for you to pay attention and bear these poisonous affiliate marketing hoaxes in mind!
Why does affiliate marketing get a bad rap?
The reason affiliate marketing gets such a bad rap is because of the proliferation of get-rich-quick offers everywhere. They promise you will make thousands of dollars overnight, or that you can just work 2 hours a day and have $5,000 in your bank account at the end of the week. Don’t fall for it.
What to watch out for in affiliate marketing?
If anyone tries to sell you a “secret system that works,” don’t believe them. Legitimate affiliate marketing takes a bit of time to learn and while you will make money from it, it doesn’t happen overnight. You need a strategy and you need to implement it well before you make any income. 3. No Product/Service to Sell
Do you have to pay an affiliate fee?
You should never have to pay a fee to sign up to a program. If you are asked to pay a fee to join, steer clear. It is most likely an illegal multi-level marketing scheme. Be sure to check out our forum post on how to tell the legitimacy of an affiliate program.
