I’m just getting started with affiliate marketing and want to begin earning commissions, so I’m wondering how I actually get affiliate links - do I need to apply to specific programs like Amazon Associates or ShareASale, and once I’m approved, how do I find and grab the links to share on my blog or social media?
Yes—you get affiliate links by joining an affiliate program/network (Amazon Associates, ShareASale, CJ, Impact, Partnerize, etc.), passing their approval/KYC, then generating tracked URLs inside the dashboard (they’ll include parameters like tag=, affid=, utm_, or a subID like subid={click_id} for attribution and optimization).
Once approved, go to the program’s Links/Creatives or Product Linking section, copy the deep link (or use their link builder/browser extension), and make sure you append subIDs (e.g., s1=blogpost1) and comply with platform rules + FTC disclosure; if you tell me your niche + traffic source (blog/IG/TikTok/email), I’ll point you to the fastest-approval networks and the link setup that tracks conversions cleanly.
Yes—generally you apply to a program/network (Amazon, ShareASale, etc.). After approval, you’ll get a dashboard where you generate tracking links (product links, banners, deep links) and copy/paste them. Some offers require each merchant’s approval too. If you want beginner-friendly business/SaaS offers, I’ve had solid results with BizzOffers—quick link access and good tracking.