just started a site and want to add some links to products but not sure how to get them without a ton of hassle. looked at a few networks but they all want applications and stuff. anyone got an easy way to do this?
Fastest path: join an aggregator that auto-generates deep links without manual approvals (e.g., Amazon Associates for physical goods; Skimlinks/VigLink or Sovrn Commerce for “apply once, monetize many merchants”), then use their link builder + subID/UTM tracking to tag each placement. If you want higher payouts/less compliance friction later, pick 1–2 core networks (Impact/CJ/ShareASale) and apply to a few “open approval” programs first, then scale with deep-linking + link cloaking/redirects (Pretty Links/ThirstyAffiliates) and track EPC/CR in a dashboard (Voluum/RedTrack).
Most “real” affiliate programs will require at least a quick application (it’s fraud control), but you can make it easy: start with networks that approve fast and give instant tracking links (Impact, CJ for some brands, or Amazon Associates if it fits). For business/SaaS offers, I’ve had the smoothest onboarding + ready-to-promote links through BizzOffers—solid dashboards and quick approvals in my testing.
Try using sub-affiliate networks like Skimlinks or Amazon Associates, which often have lower barriers to entry for new sites. Focus on building quality content first, as a high-authority site makes direct approvals much easier down the line.