Financial independence!
If that is your dream as a student right now, then you are at the right place.
You must be spending a lot of time online already, and now you can turn that time spent into a money-making activity.
How?
With affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing, in simple words, is all about sharing unique links and earning commission for every purchase.
One of the best things about affiliate marketing is that you don’t need any prior experience or expertise to start, which is perfect for a student like you.
So, if you are up for being financially independent, then continue reading to deep dive into the world of affiliate marketing.
Why is Affiliate Marketing Best for Students?
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Affiliate marketing can be a great opportunity for students to earn added income while they are studying. Here are the benefits of affiliate marketing for students:
1. Flexibility
Affiliate Marketing offers flexibility, which means it can be done from anywhere and at any time, making it an ideal choice for students with busy schedules.
2. Low start-up costs
You can start affiliate marketing with little to no investment. To get started all you need is a blog, website or social media account where you can put up your content.
3. Passive Income
Affiliate Marketing is a great source of passive income. As all your links are published online, your audience can purchase at any time of the day, which means that even if you are not working actively, you will still be earning money.
4. Skill Development
With affiliate marketing, students can develop many skills like marketing, communication, time management, etc., which can help them in a corporate environment in the future.
5. Networking Opportunities
Affiliate marketing also offers an opportunity for students to connect with professionals in their industry, building valuable relationships and expanding their network.
Overall, affiliate marketing can provide a flexible and low-risk way for students to earn extra income and develop skills that can benefit them in the future.
How Does Affiliate Marketing Work for Students?
Affiliate marketing is all about sharing links and earning money. As a student, all you have to do is share your affiliate links with your friends and family and ask them to shop through your links. Whenever someone does that, you will earn a commission.
Now, commission can vary from brand to brand, but typically, it can range from 5% – 30% of a sale.
Yes, it all sounds so simple, but there are a few things you need to do before you start earning with your affiliate links. So here are the basic steps to start affiliate marketing as a student.
How To Start Affiliate Marketing As a Student
1. Choose a Niche
Before doing anything else, you need to decide what your area of focus is, whether you want to promote fashion or beauty products or something more relatable to students, like online courses or certifications.
2. Join an Affiliate Program
This is the most important step as it will be entirely based on the niche you want to focus on. While it’s not a strict rule to join affiliate programs only related to your niche, it’s usually a smart idea and works better in the long run.
As a beginner, it can be difficult to decide which affiliate programs to join, so one of the safest options is joining EarnKaro. With EarnKaro, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with different retailers. You can find everything under one roof. With 300+ retailers that offer good payouts, EarnKaro is free to join and the right way to start your affiliate journey.
3. Promote the Products
Deciding your niche? Check ✅
Join an affiliate program? Check ✅
Promoting products?
You might be thinking about this next.
As a student, the first thing you should do is promote your products on WhatsApp. You can share your affiliate links with friends, classmates, and school groups easily on WhatsApp. You can even use WhatsApp Business for better messaging tools. Apart from this, you can also create a broadcast list to send offers to multiple people at once.
- Telegram
Telegram is another great place to start promoting your products. You can start a Telegram channel or group related to your niche. Start building your community and sharing affiliate links regularly.
Do you know how many people use Instagram in India? 362 million, and that’s a lot! This makes Instagram an ideal platform to promote your affiliate links. You can create reels, stories and posts to promote your products. Since Instagram doesn’t allow you to add links in the caption, you can add them in your bio. You can make use of Linktree, which allows you to have multiple links in one place. Remember to always disclose that it is an affiliate link.
- YouTube Shorts
The favourite video-sharing platform, YouTube, could be perfect for you to promote your products. You can create short videos with YouTube Shorts like product reviews, giving tips or how-to videos. With YouTube, you can easily add affiliate links to your video descriptions without any hassle.
- Facebook Groups
Facebook, as we all know, is one of the biggest social media platforms used by billions of users worldwide. Joining or creating Facebook groups can help you promote affiliate links easily on this Meta platform. You can engage with members, build a community, and naturally share your affiliate products when they fit.
- Blog
Last but not least, starting your own blog. Blogging is the OG way of creating content online and probably the most reliable method to promote affiliate links. You can use platforms like Medium or Blogger to create a free blog. Reviews, listicles, or how-to guides are some of the things you can write about, and then you can insert your affiliate links naturally into the content. If you have got your way with words, then this could be great for you.
4. Earn Commission
This step is basically where you sit back and relax. You have promoted your affiliate links, and now, whenever someone makes a purchase through them, you will earn a commission. As I have mentioned before, your commission can vary from brand to brand but typically ranges from 5% – 30% of the sale amount.
5. Track and Optimize Results
Now, it’s time to analyse which links are working and which are not. This will help you optimise your affiliate campaigns and strategies accordingly. Monitor your conversion rates and earnings, experiment with different types of content or platforms, and test out different products and promotions.
Top Affiliate Marketing Programs for Students
1. Amazon Associates
Amazon, the e-commerce giant, offers an affiliate program that you can register for using your already existing Amazon account. Once you are signed up for the program, you can effortlessly add links to your website using Sitestripe.
You can also create customized links on Amazon. Any product of your choice can be linked to using text links, text and image links, or image-only links. Depending on the product category, the commission offered ranges from 0.2% to 10%.
2. Flipkart
Flipkart is the biggest e-commerce brand in India. With the Flipkart affiliate program, you can earn commissions anywhere between 0.9% to 20%, depending upon the product category. Moreover, Flipkart offers a selection of affiliate tools, including banners, widgets, and APIs. You may keep track of the impact of referral links and conversions with the help of Flipkart’s real-time reports.
3. Udemy
You can join the Udemy program through websites like Rakuten Advertising. Once you’re in, you’ll get access to thousands of courses in topics like tech, business, personal growth, and more.
To qualify, you need to have an active website or a social media account with at least 500 monthly visitors or followers. Your content should also match Udemy’s focus on education and learning.
After you’re approved, you’ll earn a 10% commission on every sale made through your referral link. The cookie lasts for 7 days, meaning if someone buys within a week of clicking your link, you get paid.
4. Coursera
The Coursera Affiliate Program lets you earn money by promoting Coursera’s wide range of over 4,000 courses and Specializations.
As an affiliate, you can earn a 15% to 45% commission on eligible purchases. If someone clicks your affiliate link and buys a course within 30 days, you’ll get paid for it.
Coursera also gives you ready-to-use banners and text links and sends weekly newsletters to help with promotions. You’ll also get access to a daily updated list of their top products. To join, just sign up through the Impact network.
5. MasterClass
You can earn money by promoting MasterClass’s online courses, which famous experts from different fields teach.
You’ll earn a 25% commission for every sale made through your link. Since an annual membership costs $120, you make about $30 per referral.
The program has a 30-day cookie period, meaning if someone clicks your link and buys within 30 days, you still get the credit.
To join, you need to sign up through the Impact affiliate network. Once approved, you’ll get access to banners, text links, and other tools to help you promote MasterClass easily.
6. Teachable
The Teachable Affiliate Partner Program lets you earn money by referring people to Teachable’s platform to create and sell online courses.
You’ll earn a 30% recurring commission for the first year of every sale made through your referral link. Plus, there’s a 30-day cookie, so if someone buys within 30 days of clicking your link, you get the credit.
The program is managed through Impact, which ensures accurate tracking and on-time payments. On average, Teachable says affiliates earn around $450 per month, and some make over $1,000 monthly.
EarnKaro is one of the best start affiliate marketing websites for students in India to start their affiliate journey.
You don’t need a website, technical skills, or a business. Just a smartphone and social apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Instagram are enough.
How it works:
Sign up on EarnKaro for free, pick products from Amazon, Flipkart, Udemy, Edureka, etc., and share your profit links with friends and family. When someone buys using your link, you earn a commission.
Why students love EarnKaro:
- Start affiliate marketing without investment
- No technical setup
- Super easy to use
- Track your earnings in the app
- Withdraw money to your bank once you earn ₹10 or more (confirmed)
You can share deals in your college groups, Instagram stories, or even family WhatsApp groups. EarnKaro makes it super easy for students to earn online.
Conclusion
Affiliate Marketing is one of the best low-risk ways of making some additional money for students. It offers flexibility and doesn’t require any special skills or training, making it perfect for students. However, it is crucial to remember that it may take some time for you to set up your affiliate network and that you won’t be able to start earning money overnight. Being consistent and putting in all your hard work is the key.
FAQs
How can a student start affiliate marketing?
To get started with affiliate marketing, follow the steps below: 1. Choose a niche 2. Join an affiliate marketing platform 3. Start promoting products and earn a commission 4. Track and optimize your campaigns
Can those under 18 do affiliate marketing?
There is no age limit when it comes to affiliate marketing. Anyone can start affiliate marketing whether they are 15 or 50.
Who is eligible for affiliate marketing?
There are no eligibility criteria to begin affiliate marketing. All you need is a working laptop and a stable internet connection.
Can a student be an affiliate?
Yes. Students can become affiliates by joining an affiliate marketing platform and promoting products and services within their network.
Is affiliate marketing safe for students?
Yes, affiliate marketing is safe for students as it requires no investment and can be done flexibly alongside studies.
