Hey there, Simon here. Today, we’re diving into 10 successful affiliate marketing website examples to see what they’re doing right.
We’ll explore their:
- Web design
- Content strategies
- Monetization methods
The goal here is to equip you with actionable insights and inspiration you can then take to build your own successful affiliate marketing site.
But I’ve got to be honest:
Finding successful affiliate websites in the post-Google’s Helpful Content Update and March 2024 Core Update apocalypse wasn’t easy…
Time and again, I came across great sites like TheGamingSetup.com that have gone from 373,000 monthly pageviews down to barely 1,000 in the last 12 months.
It’s absolutely devastating. Imagine going from over 10,000 views/day down to just 30.
And it’s not like there’s a Google support number you can call. There’s no pre-warning. Your traffic and income just evaporate overnight.
I don’t want this to happen to you.
So let’s go through and look at these successful affiliate marketing website examples to see what they’re doing differently to not only survive the recent Google updates but to continue to grow and thrive.
And whenever you’re ready to launch your $10k+ a month Amazon affiliate marketing business, click my Wealthy Affiliate link below to get instant access to AI tools, step-by-step courses, and a vibrant community of over 2.9 million affiliates.
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Alright, let’s get into the first affiliate marketing site example:
10 Best Affiliate Marketing Website Examples
Site 1: Roasty Coffee
Site 2: RunRepeat
Site 3: The Modest Man
Site 4: Casual Photophile
Site 5: Serious Eats
Site 6: CleverHiker
Site 7: Homebrew Academy
Site 8: Tom’s Guide
Site 9: NerdWallet
Site 10: Wirecutter
1. Roasty Coffee
RoastyCoffee.com is a simple yet beautiful and elegant affiliate site in the coffee niche focusing on helping coffee addicts brew amazing coffee at home.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Jan 2015
- Posts: 1400+
- Posts/year: 155 (2.9/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 30,000
(Please note I used Mangools to get these figures and they’re just a rough estimate)
One thing you’ll notice right away is they’re actively building their email list. They’ve placed their opt-in form prominently on the site.
I like the subtle humour in their CTAs because it shows they understand their audience and know how to connect with them.
If you look at the menu you can see they focus on publishing in three main content categories:
- Buying guides (money keywords)
- Coffee facts (informational keywords)
- How to brew (mix)
How They Make Money
I would say the vast amount of the income generated on this site is coming through the best buy guides, best-of lists, and specific product reviews.
They’re monetizing mainly through the Amazon affiliate program but others as well.
And if you go back to the homepage, they’re promoting subscription boxes for recurring commissions. I really like that; it’s really smart.
Key Takeaways
- Build An Email List From Day 1 – bUILD A LIST FROM DAY 1
You don’t have to wait. Use a tool like GetResponse and start building your email list from day 1.
- Nice mix of info and money keywords Mix info and money keywords
One thing this site has done absolutely right is get a nice mix of informational and commercial or money keywords.
A lot of affiliate marketers go for the 20/80 rule – 1 money keyword per every 4 info keywords. I would flip that on its head and do 1 info keyword for every 4 money keywords.
- Find recurring affiliate programs
Whatever niche you’re in, try to find products you can promote that will earn you recurring, monthly revenue.
It could be some kind of subscription service, membership site – anything people pay monthly for because then the compound effect kicks in and your earnings can accumulate substantially over time.
- Build multiple income streams
The Amazon affiliate program is a great starting point but don’t end there. There are 10,000s of affiliate programs out there that offer higher commission rates so you want to take advantage of those.
2. RunRepeat
RunRepeat.com is unashamedly focusing on money keywords in the running shoes and athletic footwear niche.
Their tagline says it all: “600+ shoes reviewed and rated.”
Quick stats:
- Launched: Aug 2014
- Posts: 869
- Posts/year: 90 (1.87/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 2.6m
So this site has been around for a while and they focus on show reviews and show buying guides and that’s it.
And they do A LOT of them: their content is broken down into 206 buying guides and 663 reviews.
What sets them apart? They go the extra mile.
Seriously, they’re next level:
While everyone else is copying images from Amazon and repeating generic descriptions, these guys are cutting shoes in half and setting them on fire.
They have a team of about half a dozen runners, hikers and powerlifters who buy the shoes, review them and take their own pictures.
This will definitely shoot up their Google E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) score and at least partly explains why they’re doing so well.
How They Make Money
RunRepeat attracts buyer-ready traffic through their reviews and buying guides and primarily monetizes through Amazon and other affiliate programs as well.
Key Takeaways
- Double down on what’s working
This site isn’t trying to do too much or be all things. By narrowing in on doing shoe reviews and doing them well, they’ve become the trusted source people go to before buying a new pair of shoes.
Being successful without affiliate marketing isn’t complicated. It’s about focusing on what works and repeating it enough times so you gain momentum.
- Centralise affiliate links where possible Centralise affiliate links
RunRepeat’s buying guides have zero affiliate links. They only link to the specific product shoe reviews, which kinda makes sense.
This may result in lower click-throughs, but higher conversions as you’re warming people up more and could very well help make the site look like spammy in the eyes of Google.
- 10x your competitors
Don’t waste time trying to copy competitors, 10x them. Think about how you can go above and beyond to be the best in your niche.
3. The Modest Man
TheModestMan.com is an affiliate marketing site all about men’s style and fashion.
I believe this site started out targeting men of shorter stature and then pivoted to all men.
Quick stats:
- Launched: May 2012
- Posts: 1,169
- Posts/year: 97.4 (1.87/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 661.5k
As you can see, this site has a very simple layout and logo. They’re not trying to be too fancy here.
Right on the homepage you can see their main content categories; style advice, product reviews, outfit ideas and men’s hairstyles. This straightforward approach helps visitors easily find what they need.
How They Make Money
The Modest Man monetises primarily through affiliate marketing and ads, promoting high-ticket items like luxury Akashi Kama collections, Carl Friedrik suitcases and pre-owned Rolex watches which can go for $7k a pop.
A genius way they monetise is through their “Outfit Ideas” section where you can “Shop This Look”. I’m guessing this cool little strategy converts very well for them.
Key Takeaways
- Keep it simple
All the super successful affiliate sites we’ve looked at so far are super simple. And it works. So keep your site simple too and remember over 60% of web traffic is mobile, so prioritise mobile first.
- Your audience is your niche
I see a lot of beginners making the mistake of thinking a product category as a niche but that’s simply not the case – it’s your target audience.
If this site chose the “men’s watch niche” then they’d be leaving a lot of money on the table. Instead, they chose “men who want to be more stylish” and talked about products their audience would be interested in.
- It’s OK to pivot
If you start your site and realise further down the line you went too broad or too narrow with your niche selection, it’s OK to pivot. And actually, sometimes it’s the right move to make.
- Add an interactive element
Like their “Shop This Look” feature, can you add anythign to your site that helps visitors find what they want easier?
It could be as simple as a 3-question quiz with a product recommendation at the end.
- Go big
Don’t be afraid to look for high-ticket items in your niche to earn big commissions. I guarantee there are people out there looking for them and ready to buy them.
4. Casual Photophile
CasualPhotophile.com is a website focused on photography, covering a wide range of topics including camera reviews, photography techniques, film photography and gear recommendations.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Apr 2014
- Posts: 873
- Posts/year: 87.3 (1.68/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 257k
They’re on Facebook, YouTube and X but their main social media is their Insta account with 31.2k followers.
Their reviews are written in a really easy-to-understand, accessible way, they use all their own photos and it’s clear the reviewers know what they’re talking about.
How They Make Money
eBay seems to be their affiliate program of choice. The pros of promoting eBay (like Amazon) is that they have millions of products and everyone knows and trusts them so they convert well.
Interestingly, this site also used to have ads on their site but felt the negative user experience outweighed the extra income, so they took the ads off and opened up a $4 a-month membership to give loyal fans a way to support the site.
Key Takeaways
- Use your own photos
When you’re writing reviews for your affiliate site, use your own original pics where possible. I promise it’ll boost conversions because people can see you actually own the product.
- Get social
It’s a good idea not to rely solely on Google for traffic, but when looking at socials for additional traffic sources, choose one or two that make the most sense for your niche.
- Consider other revenue streams
When building out a website, start with affiliate marketing but who knows, maybe you can add additional income streams in the future like ads, a membership site or selling your own courses or products.
5. Serious Eats
Coming in as the biggest site on this list, SeriousEats.com is an affiliate site on steroids.
They cover food recipes, how-to cooking guides, best food and best equipment lists.
They’ve been around for nearly two decades and in that time have built up a strong content library and reputation for themselves.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Apr 2006
- Posts: 3000+
- Posts/year: Unknown
- Monthly pageviews: 35.4m
They run a weekly email newsletter and have an impressive 381k subs on their YouTube channel, 553 followers on Insta and 376k followers on Pinterest.
The food niche is super competitive, so what makes this site stand out?
I think it’s to do with their easy-to-follow guides and their step-by-step photos. That and they’re super proactive on social media.
How They Make Money
They add Amazon affiliate links for ingredients within recipes and Amazon and other cooking affiliate programs for kitchen equipment.
That’s a nice mix of low and high-ticket affiliate commissions right there. And as we know, once you send someone to Amazon, they end up buying other random stuff and you make commissions on all of it.
Key Takeaways
- Think long-term brand
SeriousEats is a great example of how your affiliate marketing website can grow into a household name.
So, don’t think in terms of building an affiliate marketing website, think in terms of building a brand.
6. CleverHiker
CleverHiker.com is a site founded by Dave Collins that offers detailed gear reviews, hiking guides, trail recommendations, camping tips for beginners and general advice on how to enjoy the outdoors.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Oct 2012
- Posts: 381
- Posts/year: 31.75 (0.61/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 298k
They only have a few hundred posts but they update them regularly. And every single piece of content is packed with original, stunning photos of their adventures. It’s clear they live the outdoorsy lifestyle.
This site is a great example of you can take any passion or hobby and turn it into a sizable online income. We don’t have any income reports to go by, but let’s just say Dave is easily earning 6 figures per year on this site.
How They Make Money
You’ll see occasional affiliate links to Amazon but they’re promoting at least a couple of dozen of other affiliate programs, promoting products like tents, sleeping bags, hiking shoes and backpacks.
Key Takeaways
- You don’t need a gazillion posts to rank
When it comes to content, it’s quality first and quantity second.
What’s impressive about this site is that with just less than 400 posts, it’s pulling in a few million pageviews a year. This is the type of site people (and Google) like.
- Success = passion + profitability
I say it all the time: you’ll be way more successful if you choose an affiliate marketing niche you genuinely enjoy.
Now, if you can find a niche you enjoy and it’s got a ton of obvious products related to it then you know you’re onto a winner.
7. Homebrew Academy
HomeBrewAcademy.com is exactly what it sounds like; it’s an affiliate site all about how to brew your own beer at home. They publish how-to guides and best-type posts.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Jan 2015
- Posts: 292
- Posts/year: 30.98 (0.59/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 253k
It looks like they’re going all in with Pinterest as well, where they’re getting 1.2 monthly views.
How They Make Money
They promote homebrewing equipment on Amazon, as well as their own online homebrewing courses. They also generate revenue through Google Adsense.
Key Takeaways
- Your site doesn’t need to be pretty
I see a lot of affiliate marketing beginners get fixated on the layout of their site and how it looks.
Make your site easy to navigate and keep your content easy to find and you don’t need all the fancy bells and whistles.
- You don’t need to publish daily
Once you’ve got your site up and running, you don’t need a crazy publishing schedule to keep it going. Just a couple of posts a month is enough to keep everything ticking along nicely.
Of course, if you want to continue growing your traffic and affiliate income then the more content you create, the more money you will make.
8. Tom’s Guide
TomsGuide.com is a massive, well-known review site in the tech niche with buying guides, how-to articles and reviews on smartphones, laptops, TVs, smart home devices and more.
The goal of the site is to help consumers make informed decisions about their tech purchases by offering detailed product analyses, comparisons and recommendations.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Aug 2000
- Posts: Millions
- Posts/year: 200,000 (3,846/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 32.4m
Their publishing rate is just mind-blowing. What started as a small site back in 2000 has now grown into a multi-million dollar-a-year business with a team of 40+ writers.
The tech space is super competitive, so what did they do to stand out?
Well, the thoroughness of their reviews is unmatched. They focus on user experience, ensuring their content is not only informative but also easy to understand and enjoyable to read.
How They Make Money
Tom’s Guide pulls in millions each month from Amazon alone. On top of that, they rake in revenue through various other affiliate programs and ads.
Key Takeaways
- Focus on quality content
Like Tom’s Guide, prioritise creating detailed, high-quality content that answers your audience’s questions and solves their problems.
- Give people a choice
A cool way to build trust and increase conversions is to give people an option of buying something, say through Amazon, BestBuy or Walmart if they prefer.
- You can scale up
You’ll probably start as a one-man band. You might find you love it and decide to stay solo. But as your affiliate site and commissions grow, you’ll have the option to build a team and scale your income.
9. NerdWallet
NerdWallet.com is a personal finance website that covers topics like credit cards, banking, travel, investing, mortgages, loans and insurance.
They provide detailed product comparisons, reviews, and financial advice to help consumers make smart financial decisions.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Feb 2009
- Posts: Unknown
- Posts/year: Unknown
- Monthly pageviews: 242m
How They Make Money
They partner with financial affiliate programs and make money every time someone signs up for a credit card, loan or insurance policy.
Key Takeaways
- Expertise matters reason #1
Most sites on this list are based on hobby niches. This one’s an expertise niche. So when choosing a niche, think about what professional experience you have and if you can turn that into an affiliate marketing business.
- Expertise matters (for a different reason) (reason #2)
Be careful about going into medical and financial niches unless you’re qualified to speak on that topic.
Nerd Wallet is in the financial niche which falls under Google’s Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) guidelines, so you’d need to prove you’re a financial expert to be in with a chance to rank.
10. The Wirecutter
This list wouldn’t be complete without talking about Wirecutter.com.
Whereas Toms Guide targets tech reviews, Wirecutter does it all; from best bath mats to best flea treatments for dogs.
Quick stats:
- Launched: Aug 2000
- Posts: Millions
- Posts/year: 200,000 (3,846/week)
- Monthly pageviews: 32.4m
The reviews on this site are just as thorough as the other ones we’ve seen and their images are beautiful, but what I do like is how they target different kinds of buyers by adding sections like “Budget Pick” and “Best For…”
The New York Times bought this site in 2016 for a substantial $30 million payout for the site owner.
How They Make Money
They create specific product reviews and top-10 lists that rank well in search engines and earn commissions through the Amazon affiliate program and others.
Key Takeaways
- There are limitless keywords
There are millions of keywords you can target in your niche, so don’t limit yourself.
Use a keyword research tool like Mangools to look at different variations and long-tail keywords to attract a broader audience.
- Authority builds over time
Wirecutter have got to the stage where they could write reviews on pretty much anything and they’d probably rank in the top 3 because they’ve built up authority.
Focus on creating in-depth, valuable content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience, be consistent with it and your site will grow over time.
- You’re building a digital asset
One of the pros of affiliate marketing is you can earn monthly revenue and, at the same time, build a digital asset you can sell in the future for 40x the monthly revenue.
Ready To Launch Your Successful Affiliate Site?
Now you’ve seen these top 10 successful affiliate marketing examples, I hope you can see what’s possible.
Most of these sites are:
- Simple
- Built around specific topics
- Target buyer-ready keywords (top 10 lists, reviews)
- Promote products their audience needs and wants
And if you’ve never built an affiliate website, I’ve got you covered.
Follow my Affiliate Marketing Guide For Beginners and I’ll walk you through the exact process step by step.
And of course, if you have any questions at all about starting affiliate marketing, drop me a comment.