Introduction: My search for Passive income.
Learning how to earn a passive income on line is a major aspect of what my journey as an affiliate marketer is about. My first goal in joining Wealthy Affiliate was to build a real website, not the travel blogger site I had previously which was just a hobby. It was nothing more than a journal with lots of travel photos. So, my number one concern was to find a website hosting platform that would really help me build a true website that could become an online business for me. I do not remember how I found Wealthy Affiliate but I did and I joined their free tier. I never looked back.
So, what is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a beginner-friendly online business where you do not need to develop any products, manage any stocks, or deal directly with customers. You will be promoting products that already exist and then receive commissions from the companies that are selling the products. So, it is a way to earn money by recommending other peoples’ products or services and getting paid the commission after someone has clicked on the special affiliate marketing link that you placed in your articles.
You are a freelance salesperson who is working online. The affiliate link that the company you are partnered with will track which of their customers came from the link on your website. My website niche has to do with mid-range, multigenerational family travel planning so I have links that specially have to do with travel. Get Your Guide and Booking.com are two examples.
Building My Strategy:
I built a Travel Blogging Website with 30 articles indexed by Google in just 5 months and this last month I have been building this Business Website Building affiliatemarketing.com domain.. I am just starting here with this website but I have learned a lot and this new website will grow quickly with the help of Wealthy Affiliate.
Here is a screenshot from Jaaxy. I chose the topic for this article here because Jaaxy shows that the article topic has an excellent SEO score, a good pay per click score, and an excellent social media connection score:
This is an example of how the Jaaxy tool can help the creator develop topics and titles for attractive articles. But even with such tools like Jaaxy, there are essential ingredients in the life of an online marketer that these tools cannot help with. Two of these essential ingredients are constancy and patience. From travel blogging to affiliate marketing, my journey has just begun but I diligently continue on with constancy every day. That is necessary for anyone looking to succeed with an online business. And we must all be patient watching our successes grow slowly but surely.
I show up almost every day to my website to add something to its growth. I will add a new article or I will edit an article I posted recently. Maybe I will just be fine tuning an article or maybe adding a photo. I still have a lot to learn. For instance, I am just now learning how to create and add banners to articles. Still, I am very busy working on my websites doing what I HAVE already learned how to do. To build an online business, that is what you have to do. Return almost every day and do what you CAN do and celebrate any successful results, no matter how small the successes are.
Tips for new affiliate marketers:
1. Pick a focused niche
- Choose a specific topic you can talk about for years (e.g., “budget travel gear for women” instead of “travel”). I am actually still trying to bring out a focused niche that people need to know about.
- Make sure there’s both interest and products in that niche so you’re not creating content no one searches for or can buy from.
2. Promote products you actually trust
- Start with tools, services, or products you already use and genuinely like; it’s much easier to write convincing content. I am promoting only the two above mentioned services so far. I really do use them.
- Avoid “anything that pays”; misaligned or low‑quality offers can erode audience trust and hurt long‑term earnings.
3. Start with one main platform
- Pick a primary platform that fits your strengths: blog/website, YouTube, or one social channel like Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest. I have spending a lot of time lately, setting up a new Pinterest account specifically linked to this website. Jay has a series of lessons here in Wealthy Affiliate that guides us through the process for best optimization.
- Go deep instead of wide: get good at one traffic source before trying to be everywhere.
The photo below shows one of about 30 castings of The Thinker by Rodin. This casting is at the MET in NYC. We must keep thinking, keep researching, keep publishing.
4. Focus on helpful content, not just links
- Create content that solves concrete problems: tutorials, comparisons, “best of” lists, checklists, and in‑depth reviews. I hav’t gotten to “Best of list” articles yet but I do believe it is important to include some on my 2 websites.
- Make the affiliate link a natural next step, not the whole point of the post (answer the question first, then offer the product)When I first started, I would just offer up the link and then ask people to click on it. After reading the articles I had, I realized that it was too abrupt. So yes, absolutely make sure to introduce the links before just embedding them.
Now, if you are interested to explore beyond my article, here is a link to Wealthy Affiliate which is the hosting platform that guides me on the building of my websites. If you click on the link you can respond to the push notification and you will be sent to Wealthy Affiliates’ landing page. Peruse what they have to offer and if you want to sign up for their free tier, you will have ALL the time you need to build a website with the free core training lessons. You can click this link and check it out:
https://www.wealthyaffiliate.com?a_aid=2ee50e8b
Anyway, anyone who is interested in checking out how an almost computer illiterate person like me could develop 2 websites in less than 6 months, go ahead and click on the above link and then click on the join button at the top right hand corner of the landing page. It will be free to do so with no pressure at all to sign up for any upgrades. You can check out the free tier for as long as you want. I was on the free tier for 5 months.and already had 15 pages on my travel blogger website, www.roamreverie.com, before I decided to sign up for a premium tier.
You will have a viable website with the free training. You can then sign up for the premium tiers (there are 2 of them) ONLY if you want to go beyond a simple published website. Then you would develop SEO and Google analytics ranking and scaling as an online marketing business.
OK, here are a couple of videos for further information; This 1st one comes from one of the co-founders of Wealthy Affiliates. It is a 12 minute video. Please watch it. I promise you will be entertained and informed about one aspect of the growth and development of AI. Time spent watching this video will be time well spent. Kyle is a genius in this field and he is a very clear, precise speaker who speaks to the novice as well as to the veteran.
AI is being used more and more to create images and it continues to improve:
And another one, which shows the process that I used to create my 2 websites, starting with the choosing of the niche and the choosing of the domain name for each website. I used this same process to come up with my Travel smarter, wander deeply website and my Business Building Website niches and domain names. This video by Jay, a veteran here at Wealthy Affiliates, also shows the easy and quick process of choosing marketing categories for our chosen niches. Jay is another genius in the field and his video is only 6 minutes long so check it out:
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/magistudios/blog/niche-discovery-weekly-stationery#:~:text=Copied
Here is a bit of a FAQ section for those who would like to investigate the topic of this article from the perspective of people who are searching the internet :
1. What is affiliate marketing, in simple terms?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing model where you promote another company’s products or services and earn a commission when someone buys or takes a specific action through your unique link.
2. Can affiliate marketing really be a full-time career?
Yes, many people treat affiliate marketing as a full-time career, but it usually starts as a side hustle and grows over time as traffic, trust, and income build.
3. How do beginners get started as affiliate marketers?
Beginners typically choose a niche, build an online platform (like a blog, YouTube channel, or social media), join affiliate programs, create helpful content, and add affiliate links where relevant.
4. Do I need a website to become an affiliate marketer?
You don’t strictly need a website, but having one gives you more control and long-term stability compared with relying only on social media or paid ads.
5. What skills are helpful for an affiliate marketing career?
Useful skills include content creation, basic SEO, copywriting, analytics, and an understanding of your audience’s problems and buying behavior.
6. How long does it take to make money with affiliate marketing?
It can take several months to a year or more to see consistent income, depending on your niche, traffic strategies, and how often you publish quality content.
7. How much can affiliate marketers earn?
Earnings range from small side income to substantial full-time income, and depend on traffic volume, conversion rates, commission levels, and how well you optimize your offers.
8. What are the main steps to becoming an affiliate marketer?
Common steps include choosing a niche, researching audience demand, building an online presence, joining affiliate networks or programs, creating content, driving traffic, and tracking and optimizing results.
9. What tools do affiliate marketers typically use?
Many affiliate marketers use a website or landing page builder, analytics tools, an email marketing platform, and sometimes ad trackers and paid traffic platforms.
10. Do I need prior marketing experience?
No formal experience is required, but learning basic digital marketing concepts and staying current with industry trends will make you more competitive and effective.
11. What are the biggest challenges of an affiliate marketing career?
Common challenges include high competition, changing algorithms and ad policies, fluctuating income, and the need for consistent content creation and testing.
12. Is affiliate marketing passive income?
Some income can become semi-passive once content ranks and continues to get traffic, but maintaining and growing that income usually requires ongoing updates and experimentation
13. How do I choose the right niche?
A good niche usually combines your interests and expertise with real audience demand and products that pay sustainable commissions.
14. How do I find affiliate programs to join?
You can join large affiliate networks, apply directly to individual company programs, or use marketplaces that list programs by niche and payout structure.
15. Is affiliate marketing ethical?
Affiliate marketing is ethical when you promote products you genuinely believe in, disclose affiliate relationships, and prioritize your audience’s needs over quick commissions.
16. What types of content work best for affiliate marketing?
High-performing formats include in-depth guides, tutorials, product reviews, comparisons, and email sequences that educate and offer clear recommendations.
17. Can I do affiliate marketing alongside a full-time job?
Yes, many people start part-time, working evenings and weekends, then scale up once their income and systems are more consistent.
18. Do I have to show my face or build a personal brand?
No, but building a recognizable brand and personality often helps build trust, which can improve click-through and conversion rates.
9. How do I know if affiliate marketing is right for me?
Affiliate marketing suits people who are self-motivated, enjoy creating content, are willing to test and learn, and are comfortable with delayed results in exchange for long-term upside.
20. What are some next steps if I want to explore this career?
That’s it for now. I will update this article as needed. Thank you for spending time with me. MAC.
Oh, and you can start by learning the basics, picking a test niche, setting up a simple platform (like a blog or channel), applying to a few beginner-friendly programs, and committing to a content plan for at least 6–12 months. Here is a link to the platform I successfully learned and published with:
I love your story, Michael. It reminds me of when I first started building my own websites. I didn’t even know what a “domain registrar” meant back then. I just had a big dream and a borrowed laptop that barely worked. Like you, I learned by doing—one article, one plugin, one late-night experiment at a time. There’s an African proverb that says, “Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” That’s exactly what you’re doing by showing up daily to build your online home.
Your progress with Jaaxy and Wealthy Affiliate really speaks to consistency. Many people think success comes from talent, but I’ve learned it comes from showing up even when you feel clueless. I built my first 100 articles out of pure stubborn faith, not skill. I’m glad you’re celebrating the small wins, because that’s how giants grow quietly. Keep going, brother—you’re already doing what most only dream of.
John
Thank you so much for the comment. You are so nice to give me much confidence. I shall continue on. New Jaaxy really is great, giving me so many ideas and now I am just learning about the review long form article creater that just gave me today’s post. I am editing it now. There is so much to learn here. MAC
Thank you for sharing your journey, Michael; it’s both inspiring and relatable. I’m also starting out in affiliate marketing and building my sites through Wealthy Affiliate. It’s encouraging to hear how much progress you’ve made in just a few months, especially coming from someone who admits to being ‘almost computer illiterate.’ That made me smile because I’ve felt the same way at times!
I love your commitment to showing up daily and doing what you can do. That mindset is so powerful. I look forward to seeing how your business site grows. Please keep sharing your successes; they’re motivating for the rest of us!
Hello Alyssa. Thank you for the nice comment. Yes, I am here with Wealthy Affiliates every day. There is just so much to do. It boggles the mind. I do talk a lot about my experiences here with comments to various blogs that are posted each day. I can not help myself. LOL. thank you again for the comment. MAC.
Nice piece — it’s genuine, encouraging, and very human, which is a big strength in the affiliate marketing space where a lot of content feels robotic or overhyped.
What works really well is your authentic beginner-to-builder story. Saying you’re “almost computer illiterate” yet built two sites in months makes affiliate marketing feel achievable. That relatability builds trust fast. Your emphasis on consistency — showing up daily, editing, adding, improving — gives readers a realistic picture of the work involved instead of selling a fantasy.
Your use of proof elements (30 indexed articles, Jaaxy screenshot mention, timeline, free-tier experience) also strengthens credibility. It shows process, not just promises.
Where it could improve is structure and reader flow. Right now, it reads more like a stream of updates than a guided story. Breaking it into sections like How I Started, What Helped Most, What I’m Still Learning, and Advice for Beginners would make it easier to follow.
The calls to click links are clear, but softening the sales tone slightly and adding more personal insight between links would increase trust even more.
Overall, it’s motivating, transparent, and perfect for beginners who need proof that steady effort—not tech genius—is what builds an online business.
Hello Paul, thank you for the great comment. I am going to work on improving this article by following through with your suggestions. Thank you very much for the suggestions. I am going to work on this tomorrow first thing.
MAC.
Thank you for sharing your journey so openly; it really resonated with me. As a stay-at-home mom trying to find ways to contribute to our family’s finances, I’ve been looking into affiliate marketing, but honestly, I still feel a bit lost on where to begin. Hearing how your journey unfolded, especially the challenges and learning curve, makes it feel more real and a little less intimidating.
I appreciate how you showed that this isn’t an overnight success path, but something that grows with consistency and learning. That’s actually encouraging for someone like me who’s juggling home responsibilities and limited time.
If you could go back to when you were just starting, what’s the one thing you would focus on first to avoid feeling overwhelmed?
Hello Alexa, thank you for the very nice comment. I think the one main thing I would have done earlier with building my website was to research RankMath and join their free tier. RankMath has suggestions about what has to be done with every post and page to optimize them. I am following the suggestions for every article and it is bringing every article from a rank of 25 or 26/100 to around 60-75/100. I really wish I had started this 6 months ago! Anyway, thank you again for the great comment.
MAC