Affiliate Marketing 101: Zero to £100k/Year

Follow these 101 lessons from zero to hero. Each section builds on the last to help you create a sustainable affiliate business.

1) Mindset & Foundations

1. Adopt a builder’s mindset: focus on assets (content, lists, relationships) over hacks.
2. Define a specific income goal (e.g., £8.5k/month) and break it into leads × CR × EPC.
3. Understand affiliate economics: EPC, AOV, cookie window, approvals, payout terms.
4. Choose one primary traffic channel to master first (SEO, YouTube, TikTok, or Ads).
5. Block time weekly for creation, optimisation, and distribution; treat this like a business.
6. Create a simple KPI dashboard: impressions → clicks → conversions → revenue.
7. Commit to a 12-month runway; consistency outperforms bursts.
8. Decide your ethical bar: honest reviews, clear disclosures, audience-first recommendations.

2) Niche & Audience Research

9. Brainstorm niches at the intersection of your knowledge, buyer intent, and monetisable offers.
10. Validate demand with keyword research (search volume + commercial intent terms).
11. Map audience pains, jobs-to-be-done, and success outcomes; write a one-page avatar.
12. Analyse competitors: traffic sources, top content, monetisation, link profiles.
13. Find underserved angles (e.g., UK-specific, beginner-friendly, eco-focused).
14. Quantify revenue potential: sample EPC × expected clicks; sanity-check seasonality.
15. Pick a niche scope (micro vs. broad) and lock it for 6 months.
16. Draft your positioning statement: “We help [who] achieve [result] by [how].”

3) Business Setup & Tools

17. Register a business entity appropriate for the UK; set up a business bank account.
18. Secure a domain that matches your positioning; check trademarks and social handles.
19. Set up reliable hosting and HTTPS; enable automatic backups.
20. Install a CMS (e.g., WordPress) or static site generator if you prefer speed/security.
21. Create branded basics: logo, colour palette, fonts, favicon.
22. Set up analytics: GA4, Search Console, and privacy-friendly session recording if desired.
23. Implement a password manager and 2FA for all affiliate and ad accounts.
24. Create a lightweight SOP hub (Docs/Notion) for checklists, briefs, and templates.

4) Affiliate Programs & Offers

25. Learn program types: physical, software/SaaS, info, finance, travel, marketplaces.
26. Join trusted networks: Awin, CJ, Impact, Rakuten, PartnerStack, ShareASale, ClickBank (selectively).
27. Apply to direct programmes (brands’ own portals) for better rates and relationships.
28. Evaluate terms: commission %, cookie length, attribution rules, country support, EPC.
29. Prioritise offers with recurring commissions or high LTV (SaaS, memberships).
30. Build an offer matrix by funnel stage: awareness, consideration, decision, post-purchase.
31. Track deep links and sub-IDs to tie clicks to specific placements.
32. Negotiate better rates once you show consistent volume and quality traffic.
33. Maintain an offer vault with notes on angles, promos, and compliance requirements.

5) Website & Tech Stack

34. Structure your site: Home, Category hubs, Reviews, Comparisons, How-tos, Deals, About, Contact.
35. Use a fast, accessible theme; pass Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS).
36. Install essential plugins: SEO (titles/meta/schema), caching, image optimisation, table builder.
37. Create compliant pages: Privacy, Terms, Cookie Policy, Affiliate Disclosure.
38. Implement cookie consent (UK GDPR/PECR) and clear affiliate disclosures above the fold.
39. Build comparison tables with dynamic fields (price, features, ratings).
40. Add universal CTAs (sticky bar, sidebar), and a Deals page updated weekly.
41. Create a link management system (Pretty Links/ThirstyAffiliates) for cloaking & tracking.
42. Set up site search and 404 capture to identify content gaps.
43. Create category “hub” pages to internally link clusters of related content.

6) Content Strategy & Production

44. Plan a 90-day content roadmap mixing review, comparison, and problem-solving guides.
45. Write briefs with search intent, target keywords, outline, FAQs, internal links, and offer placements.
46. Use real experience: photos, test results, pros/cons, and alternatives to build trust.
47. Create comparison frameworks: X vs Y, “best for” segments, price tiers.
48. Publish “how to choose” buyer’s guides to precede product reviews.
49. Add conversion blocks: top pick, budget pick, editor’s choice; explain why.
50. Embed short videos/gifs demonstrating products; repurpose to social.
51. Add schema (Review, Product, FAQ, HowTo) to enhance SERP visibility.
52. Create seasonal content (gifts, Black Friday, back-to-school) with update reminders.
53. Set a publishing cadence (e.g., 2 posts/week) and protect it with a content calendar.

7) SEO Fundamentals

54. Master search intent: informational vs commercial vs transactional.
55. Do keyword research by clusters; prioritise long-tails with buying modifiers (best, review, vs).
56. Craft on-page SEO: compelling titles, meta descriptions, headers, and descriptive alt text.
57. Build internal links from hubs to spokes; surface money pages from relevant how-tos.
58. Improve E-E-A-T: author bios, about page, editorial policy, and evidence of hands-on use.
59. Optimise snippets with FAQ and concise answers; target featured snippets.
60. Fix technical issues: crawlability, canonicalisation, orphan pages, duplicate content.
61. Monitor Search Console for queries, coverage, and manual actions; iterate monthly.
62. Refresh winners (update dates, pricing, images) and revive underperformers with new angles.
63. Localise for the UK (spelling, retailers, prices in £) if your audience is UK-heavy.

8) Social Media & Community Distribution

64. Choose one primary platform to pair with SEO (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest).
65. Create platform-native content: short demos, quick comparisons, “best for” lists.
66. Use link in bio/Linktree or your own “/go/deals” page; comply with platform disclosure rules.
67. Participate in relevant communities (Reddit, Facebook Groups, forums) with value-first posts.
68. Publish UGC-style clips showing real usage and before/after outcomes.
69. Run live Q&A or webinars for high-ticket offers; capture emails during registration.
70. Leverage Pinterest boards for evergreen buyer guides and seasonal lists.
71. Batch-produce content and schedule; analyse watch time, saves, and click-throughs.

9) Email Marketing

72. Pick an ESP and create a lead magnet aligned with purchase intent (checklist, mini-course).
73. Build a simple welcome sequence: story, value, top guides, best picks, deals.
74. Segment by interest and funnel stage; send tailored recommendations.
75. Run a weekly “deals digest” with expiring promos and clear CTAs.
76. Use UTM tagging and sub-IDs in links to attribute revenue to emails.
77. Regularly prune inactive subscribers to protect deliverability and ROI.

10) Paid Traffic (When You’re Ready)

78. Validate at least one converting offer organically before buying traffic.
79. Start with intent channels (Google Shopping/Search) or warm retargeting.
80. Drive to comparison or “best X for Y” pages; ensure fast load and clear top picks.
81. Track performance with server-side events where possible; respect platform policies.
82. Cap risk with daily budgets and hard CPA targets below your EPC margin.
83. Test advertorial landers for native/social ads to pre-sell ethically.

11) Conversion Rate Optimisation

84. Place primary CTAs above the fold and after key benefit sections.
85. Use comparison tables with sticky headers and “why we picked it” notes.
86. Add social proof (testimonials, screenshots, star ratings) where compliant.
87. Test button copy: benefit-focused (“Check price”, “See best deal today”).
88. Reduce friction: skim-friendly formatting, jump links, and clear next steps.
89. Run controlled A/B tests on headlines, tables, and CTA placement.

12) Analytics & Experimentation

90. Set up goals for outbound affiliate clicks and thank-you page events (where available).
91. Create a revenue model using network reports + sub-IDs to estimate EPC by page.
92. Review weekly: traffic, CTR to affiliates, conversion estimate, revenue per page.
93. Run monthly retros: kill low-value tasks, double down on proven formats.

13) Link Building & Digital PR

94. Launch link-worthy assets: data studies, calculators, checklists, or mini-tools.
95. Pursue HARO/featured source queries; maintain expert bios and author credibility.
96. Guest post selectively on relevant, high-quality sites; include contextual internal links.
97. Build partnerships with creators for co-reviews and roundups; swap traffic, not just links.

14) Scaling, Systems & the £100k Plan

98. Document SOPs for briefs, uploads, on-page SEO, tables, and internal linking; hire VA/editor.
99. Create a content production pipeline (ideation → brief → draft → edit → publish → update).
100. Diversify revenue: add supplementary offers, negotiate private deals, test recurring SaaS.
101. Build a 12-month roadmap to £100k: publish targets, traffic goals, EPC benchmarks, hiring plan.

Appendix: Quick Resources

• Networks: Awin, CJ, Impact, Rakuten, PartnerStack, ShareASale, Amazon Associates.
• Tooling: WordPress, RankMath/Yoast, Pretty Links, GA4, Search Console, Sheets/Notion.
• Compliance: Clear affiliate disclosures, UK GDPR/PECR cookie consent, ASA/CAP guidance.