How influencers make money from affiliate marketing and the networks they use

Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok offer affiliate marketing programs to creators. Some influencers make thousands of dolla...

Sydney Bradley

Jun 7, 2023, 00:51 IST

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How influencers make money from affiliate marketing and the networks they use

Sydney Bradley

Jun 7, 2023, 00:51 IST

Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok offer affiliate marketing programs to creators. Some influencers make thousands of dolla...

Influencers frequently share links to their Instagram Stories or below their YouTube videos.
Those links are often affiliate marketing links that let creators earn a commission on sales.

All those links on Instagram Stories or below a YouTube video aren't all for the convenience of the viewer — they're how many influencers make money from affiliate marketing.

What is influencer affiliate marketing? When someone makes a purchase on a website after clicking through a trackable link or using a specific code, the influencer who posted it can earn a commission from that sale in what's called affiliate marketing.

Influencers often use affiliate marketing as a way to earn income outside of sponsored posts or ad revenue on videos.

From brands like Amazon or Revolve to affiliate marketing platforms like LTK or MagicLinks, there are a handful of ways for influencers to earn a commission from promoting products on social media.

"There's a very low barrier to entry to using affiliate programs," influencer Kara Harms previously told Insider. "That's why it's such a powerful tool for all content creators, but especially new ones, to monetize their content quickly and effectively."

Here are 9 top platforms influencers used to make money from affiliate links

There is often no minimum follower count needed to make money from affiliate marketing. This is one reason it's become popular among "nano" and "micro" influencers (with between 1,000 and 100,000 followers) to start making money and working with sponsors as content creators.

Check out 7 top brands that work with micro influencers on Instagram, TikTok, and more

How lucrative affiliate marketing is for an influencer depends on several factors such as their following size, engagement, and which industry they are in. It also depends on the commission rates brands and platforms put in place.

For instance, some finance influencers can make a decent portion of their income from affiliate links alone. They might work with investing apps like Robinhood or Acorns.

One personal-finance influencer, Tori Dunlap, told Insider she made more than $200,000 in eight months. Other influencers say they earn a few hundred dollars here and there.

Some influencers even text their followers with links to their favorite products as a way to drive sales. Social media platforms themselves have tried to dabble in affiliate marketing as well, such as Instagram's short-lived native affiliate program that had some creators earning hundreds of dollars until it ended in August 2022.

Insider has talked with many influencers and industry experts about affiliate marketing. Here's a rundown of what they told us they have earned.

How much do influencers get paid from affiliate marketing?

We spoke with a handful of influencers about how they incorporate affiliate links into their content. Several detailed their monthly earnings. They ranged from about $50 per month to more than $25,000 per month.

Here's how much money 11 creators make from affiliates: