Affiliate marketing can be challenging to break into. When I first started my blog, I was a college blogger, and I had no idea you could make money promoting other people's products. I wanted to start a series where I share affiliate marketing opportunities for various blogging niches. I wanted to start with my roots.
Want more affiliate marketing tips? Check out this podcast interview I recently did with Samantha on her podcast Offbeat Grad. We dish about affiliate marketing for about 50 minutes on the podcast episode. We talked about how I got started with affiliate marketing, my tips for success with affiliate marketing, and so much more.
Now, let's get into these affiliate marketing programs for college bloggers:
ACCO Brands
While ACCO Brands may not ring a bell to you as a college student, the brands they represent definitely will. Do you want to make money promoting huge companies like At-A-Glance, Day-Timer, Mead, Five Star, Swingline, and more? ACCO Brands is a conglomerate of seven brands on ShareASale. Once you are invited to promote ACCO Brands, you have access to a wide array of school supplies that you can promote on your website.
What Do They Sell: Planners, notebooks, calendars, and other school supplies.
Where To Find It: ShareASale
Commission Rate: 5.5%
Cookie Window: 30 Days
Amazon
If you've been on this blog before, you know how I feel about the Amazon program. As much as I am not a fan, I can't help but notice the reach this program has in the affiliate community. Amazon has so many items; I am not even sure the exact count. You are sure to find some fantastic products to link there. I encourage you to check out my recent blog post on this topic before you dive deep into the program, though. Approach Amazon with caution, and check out some of these other programs in addition to Amazon.
What Do They Sell: Everything you could probably think of.
Where To Find It: Amazon
Commission Rate: Depends on the product. Most products will land you less than 5%, but some are a bit higher or net nothing at all.
Cookie Window: 24 hours
Erin Condren
If you've been following me for a while, you know about my obsession with Erin Condren products. Are you looking to increase your affiliate income with the cutest products and a supportive affiliate marketing team to help you succeed? I love Erin Condren's program because they have one of the most communicative affiliate teams I've seen. I am always getting emails with opportunities to work with Erin Condren to promote new product launches. I've worked with the Erin Condren affiliate team on giveaways and product reviews before. If you are looking for a must join affiliate program, Erin Condren is it.
What Do They Sell: Customizable planners, notebooks, lifestyle products, and more.
Where To Find It: ShareASale
Commission Rate: 10%
Cookie Window: 30 Days
Grammarly
I've talked about my love of Grammarly on The Happy Arkansan a few times over the years. I use this software to check my grammar as a freelance writer and blogger. I also used this tool when I was in graduate school to proofread important papers. You can promote this software in several ways on your blog. Anytime you write about writing or productivity in college, Grammarly is an excellent tool to mention. New affiliates can get a free month of their Premium plan to test the service and write content. Plus, they even have bonus opportunities if you can bring a lot of sales to their company.
What Do They Sell: Editing software
Where To Find It: ShareASale or CJ
Commission Rate: $.20 per free registration; $20 per premium account upgrade
Cookie Window: 90 Days
Instaread
College students can't read as much as they'd like to. When I was in college, all of my extracurricular reading went out the window, and it was unfortunate, but I didn't have the brain space to devote to it. Instaread is the perfect compromise because it condenses knowledge from great books into easily digestible summaries and audio files. Your audience will never have to worry about being out of the loop when it comes to popular books like Dare To Lead, The Big Leap, or The Handmaid's Tale.
What Do They Sell: Summarized versions of popular books
Where To Find It: Awin
Commission Rate: 30%
Cookie Window: 30 Days
Magoosh
No matter what stage of the higher education process your readers are, Magoosh has them covered with excellent test prep materials. Whether your readers need help with the ACT, the GRE, or even the TOEFL, Magoosh has them covered. With regular emails and a dedicated contact for affiliate marketing questions, you have all the tools to find success with this program.
What Do They Sell: Test preparation materials
Where To Find It: ShareASale
Commission Rate: 10%
Cookie Window: 30 Days
McGraw-Hill Education
As a college student, you've probably used a McGraw-Hill Education textbook, but did you know they have an affiliate program? McGraw-Hill Education has a regularly updated data feed of over 6,000 products and lots of resources to help you connect with your readers. Textbooks can be expensive, but you can even promote their digital textbook offerings to make textbook purchasing more affordable.
What Do They Sell: Textbooks and other study materials
Where To Find It: ShareASale
Commission Rate: 8%
Cookie Window: 30 Days
Microsoft
If you've been around the block a while, you may have noticed that college students pretty much have to have a laptop or a computer these days. College assignments pile up, and many of them are due online. Are you team Windows? Well, join the Microsoft affiliate program for some exciting opportunities to make money. One of the best parts of this program is how lengthy the cookie window is, with 180 days to make a sale. You don't have to worry about being too salesy.
What Do They Sell: Computers, phones, game consoles, and more
Where To Find It: Impact
Commission Rate: Depends, but for most technology items, you can expect 1-2%.
Cookie Window: 180 Days
Skillshare
Online courses are all the rage these days. These courses can help promote in-class learning and help your readers understand the concepts they learn in and out of class. By promoting Skillshare, you will give your readers access to hundreds of courses by creatives, business minds, and more. These aren't your typical math and science courses, and they give your audience a chance to chase their passions while in school.
What Do They Sell: Online courses
Where To Find It: Impact
Commission Rate: $7 per premium trial or signup
Cookie Window: 30 Days
The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is another potential source for test prep material, but they don't stop there. You can also share their other services like on-demand homework help, college admissions counseling, and more. While the commission rate is slightly lower here than Magoosh, you also have an increased cookie window which may make it worth it for you as an affiliate marketer.
What Do They Sell: Test preparation materials and other interesting admissions/college related help
Where To Find It: ShareASale
Commission Rate: 8%
Cookie Window: 45 Days
Conclusion
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to affiliate marketing as a college blogger. You don't have to shy away from this way to monetize your blog. You need to do the work and give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen if you genuinely promote products you are excited about? Will no one purchase? Maybe, but you won't know if you don't put any links out there. Your readers want to support you because you provide them something in return. You might as well see what could happen.
It's so easy to “sell out,” when it comes to promoting affiliate links. It's all in how you approach this, though. Are you approaching linking as a money grab, or are you providing value? Be honest about your intentions and link to the products in a non-spammy way.
What affiliate programs are you a part of as a college blogger?
