Pay-per-click advertising has been around for a while, and affiliate marketers know very well how to use these ads to make money. Signing up for a PPC affiliate program is one of the ways to get into the business.

So, we thought we’d share with you what to look out for in a good affiliate program, and give you some tried and tested examples to choose from and get a headstart with your PPC campaigns.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the best PPC affiliate programs on the market and how to measure them to pick one that will score conversions in 2022! 

What is a PPC affiliate program?

Most affiliates know the term PPC, which stands for Pay Per Click. It’s an advertising model in which advertisers pay commission to the publishers every time one of their ads is clicked on. That’s how PPC works in general terms. PPC ads are synonymous with both Facebook and Google Ads, which are two of the biggest names in the online marketing world. And it’s impossible to talk about PPC without mentioning the banner ads and the great brand awareness opportunities that come from them for affiliates, and merchants alike.

But do you know how to choose the right PPC affiliate program for your affiliate campaigns?

Pay Per Click Affiliate Programs for Affiliate Marketers in 2022

Pay-per-click programs often suit affiliates that have their own website, such as a blog, that they use to show their affiliate products to their customers. However, if you don’t have an affiliate website and prefer to do your affiliate marketing via a landing page, pop-up, domain redirect these can still be profitable when joining one. That’s because there are many affiliate programs that are based on existing and well-established brands. After all, who said PPC affiliate marketing needs to be done with a website?

PPC Referral Programs

One of the additional ways for earning extra income is the referral way. These referral programs are an additional way to boost your income via pay per click affiliate programs (that you will already be a part of) through referring other affiliates to join them, too. All you need to do is provide your affiliate referral link to other people interested in signing up, and after they start earning you will enjoy some passive income. It’s a no-brainer really.

What features should you look for in PPC affiliate programs? FAQ

We thought you might want to know what makes the difference between a good affiliate program and a great one. To see what you need to keep on your checklist when choosing which of these PPC affiliate programs is right for you, and your affiliate marketing campaigns. Take a look at the infographic below!

Here is a list of the features you should look for when choosing your affiliate program:

As you can see from the infographic, an affiliate looking for a PPC affiliate program should have a look at each aspect on this list and find what best suits their needs.

💡 Don’t forget the golden rule: find an affiliate program that matches your target audience.  

Ad formats

When choosing a PPC affiliate program the instinct might be to go straight for display ads, but try considering which ad format might get the most traffic. After all, we know that the more interested eyeballs on an ad, the higher the chance of success. So, think about the traffic volumes available through pop ads, domain redirect ads. These have some of the highest traffic volumes in affiliate marketing.

Payment models

There are a couple of different ways affiliate programs measure what counts as a conversion and how many conversions result in you earning your commission. There are:

• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) which is often used in lead-gen programs.
• Revshare, which splits the amount of the sale caused by the affiliate with them on a predetermined percentage term. E.g. 5% Revshare on a $100 purchase the affiliate earns $5.00.

Minimum traffic requirements

There are certain criteria you need to meet before some of the affiliate programs will let you sign up. That’s because they don’t want to waste their time and they want to make sure you’ve got a good amount of traffic flowing to your ads, so they might make some sales and it’ll be worth paying you a commission. However, there are some pay-per-click affiliate programs out there that don’t need minimum traffic requirements. So, if you are new to this affiliate thing, then they might be a good place to start.

Minimum payout threshold

On the other hand, sometimes there is no minimum traffic requirement, but there is a minimum payment threshold you need to earn within a given period for them to pay out your commission. So, keep that in mind too.

Payment method

This really depends on the affiliate program you choose, so pay attention. Every program is different, and how they choose to pay you for your conversions is up to them. Some bigger brands will pay you via PayPal, or other online payment accounts. Some will pay via wire transfer, and others prefer bank transfer. Some are even still writing checks for you to cash, and Amazon will pay you in gift cards if you want.

Payout time

This is the part we are all interested in — Which affiliate program pays out the quickest? When we know this we can start reinvesting in the next campaign, or simply treat ourselves from the earnings. Well, this will likely be indicated in the program description with Net followed by a number. For example, Net30 is 30 days, Net60 is two months, etc. This is basically due to the cookie duration from your ad which is dropped in the users browser and can attribute any sale made by them back to you, so that you get paid your affiliate commission.

Revenue share

As we have explained above, revenue share or more commonly, Revshare, is another common way of working out how much an affiliate will earn in commission based on the results of a transaction that they have influenced. It’s simply the amount that the brand decides it is willing to pay the affiliate in percentage terms based on the customer’s order total.

Be sure to look out for this as an option as it can pay well and some affiliate programs pay affiliates based on how much a customer spends in their lifetime.

This is often in the case of antivirus or VPNs programs, and it can be a real gold mine.

Referral program

As an affiliate, you’ll be well versed in what a referral program entails. But did you know that some of the affiliate programs you sign up for actually give you a kickback when you get other affiliates to sign up? Well, we’ve mentioned that at the start of the article, too, so you do now for sure.

Some of these also offer a commission on a Revshare basis by which we mean that if the affiliate you send their way performs well and earns money then you make a bigger commission as a result. So, don’t think of it as helping out your competition, but rather that they are another customer that can earn you some money.

Think you know what to look out for when picking the right PPC affiliate program for you now?

Good, now let’s show you some to choose from!

The Best PPC Affiliate Programs – Top 10 Most Profitable (examples)

As always there are so many different affiliate programs out there that we cannot simply cover them all in one article.

So, without further ado, let’s tell you about some of the most profitable and best PPC affiliate programs that you can use to make more money per click this year.

So, in no particular order, let’s begin…

1. Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates comes first, being one of the largest affiliate marketing programs in the world. But we aren’t saying it is the best PPC affiliate program, that’s for you to decide.

It helps anyone from YouTubers to bloggers, and publishers to monetize the traffic coming to their sites and in the process lets the affiliates make a profit on this mutually beneficial venture. The number of items available to promote is nearly endless with Amazon, there can be successful campaigns run from affiliate link-building which guides web visitors to the promoted products for a kickback of commission on anything bought here.

Additionally, there are Bounty Events, where an affiliate can earn a commission of $4.00 per customer that signs up to one of their other services, such as AmazonMusic, Prime Video, or a business account.

• Ad formats: Text, video, domain redirect, pop
• Minimum traffic requirements: Make 3 sales to keep the account running
• Payment models: 4% commission on any item whether it’s $5 or $5000, but up to 10% on beauty products.
• Minimum payout threshold: $100 but this can be raised for affiliates that want to be paid more.
• Payment method: Amazon Gift Cards, bank transfer (EFT), check.
• Payout time: Net 60
• Revenue share: 4-10% of the order.
• Referral program: None.

2. eBay partner network

eBay is one of the largest online marketplaces, connecting millions of customers and products all over the world. This creates opportunities for everyone.

Affiliates can simply choose from a range of products they want to promote or earn from any traffic that makes a purchase during the cookie window. One profitable tactic is driving visitors to eBays’ high-converting landing pages.

There is a bonus if you are a seller on eBay if you find your customers via email marketing, social media, or your blog, as long as they have a cookie on their browser then you will not have to pay eBay for that sale, eBay pays you for the customer (in a pay per click model) and you still make the 3% commission. This means you could make $9 on a $100 purchase. Whereas you would only make $3 if it was someone else’s products.

• Ad formats pop, domain, display, text
• Minimum traffic requirements: None
• Payment models: 3% revshare, but earn more if you own the products you’re promoting.
• Minimum payout threshold: $10 USD
• Payment method:  PayPal account or (b) by direct deposit if available for your country of residence
• Payout time: Monthly
• Revenue share: 3%
• Referral program: None

3. CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate (previously Commission Junction) assembles thousands of brands from small to large. It’s quite similar to ShareASale as it allows affiliates to find the right program for them, out of the many available options. They have a huge range of products and services, digital and physical. Once you choose the product/service you want to promote then you’ll be given unique affiliate links so that the sale can be attributed to you. It’s also important to note that CJ affiliate refers to advertisers as affiliate marketing publishers, so keep that in mind when browsing their site.

• Ad formats: Push, pop, domain redirect ads, text
• Minimum traffic requirements: None
• Payment models: Revshare, CPA
• Minimum payout threshold: US$50 (Direct Deposit) or US$100 (Check).
• Payment method: Transactions can be completed via paper check, direct deposit, or Payoneer. (Not PayPal)
• Payout time: Net-20
•  Revenue share: Yes
• Referral program: No

4. NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the most trusted brands in the VPN business, and their persuasive marketing materials mean if you show users the pitch then they’ll be sure to convert. Especially that individual support is offered for any inquiries affiliate partners might have, be it set-up or campaign best practices. The best part? Well… NordVPN has some of the highest commissions in the VPN market with a lifetime revenue share! So if VPN is your niche then this might be the affiliate program for you.

• Ad formats: Video, display, domain redirect, pop, push ads, (all traffic types)
• Minimum traffic requirements: None
• Payment models: Revshare
• Minimum payout threshold: $100
• Payment method: PayPal, wire transfer
• Payout time: Net30
• Revenue share: Yes! 100% for a 1-month sign-up with 30% more if they renew (lifetime).
• Referral program: Yes… but you’ll only get one month free of the service.

5. Skyscanner

Skyscanner is one of the leading global travel search sites. It provides instant online comparisons for flights, hotels, fares or car hires. Join the Skyscanner community to start earning flights and car hire affiliate programs. Note that their revenue share starts at 20% which gives you great value!

They can also be found via CJ affiliate, so, if you’ve already got an account there that might help.

This one is better to choose if you have a travel blog or website as they do not permit pop ads. If you are working on a travel blog and are looking to monetize it then being associated with a reputable organization like Skyscanner may boost your website’s popularity and get you paid at the same time.

• Ad formats: Text, widgets.
• Minimum traffic requirements: None, apart from being from a travel website/blog
• Payment models: Revshare
• Minimum payout threshold: $50
• Payment method: Bank transfer
• Payout time: Net 30
• Revenue share: Yes 20%-50%
• Referral program: No

6. ShareASale

ShareASale can be compared to Amazon Associates although it’s not restricted to the promotion of products from Amazon. However, you can also find other affiliate programs to sign up for and promote there. It also works well with social media, email, or website affiliate marketing. Whatever floats your boat. What’s more, is that they have a good referral program that can help boost your earnings too.

• Ad formats: Pop, domain redirect, push, text.
• Minimum traffic requirements: None
• Payment models: CPA, Revshare, CPS
• Minimum payout threshold: $50
• Payment method: Check, direct deposit, and ACH, Payoneer
• Payout time: Net 30 (on the 20th of every month)
• Revenue share: Depends on the offer, some are 10%
• Referral program: Yes! Affiliates earn $30 for referring affiliates once the affiliate marketer has generated $20 in commissions. Affiliates earn $150 for referring qualified merchants. A merchant becomes qualified when they have been active for 6 months or generated $100 in network fees.

8.  Booking.com

Booking.com is another program that gives affiliates the chance to work with one of the biggest names in the travel industry, and earn money as a team! Every affiliate marketer that signs up to promote the program simply needs to integrate Booking.com’s various travel products into affiliate websites to maximize the brand’s reach. Earning a favorable commission for each booking made through it in return.

• Ad formats: Text, widgets, display, pop, push, domain redirect
• Minimum traffic requirements: None
• Payment models: 25% commission on booking’s earnings for a sale, 30% for more than 50, 35% for more than 150 bookings, and 40% for more than 500 bookings in a month.
• Minimum payout threshold: 100EUR (roughly $120)
• Payment method: PayPal, or direct deposit paid in Euros (but can be adjusted to your currency if you contact them.
• Payout time: Net30
• Revenue share: Yes
• Referral program: None

9. Big Bang Ads

BigBang Ads specializes in SOI (single-opt-in) lead generation offers in more than 24 countries in Asia, Europe, South Africa, and Latin America. This affiliate program works best with pop, push, and domain redirect ads as CPA is well suited to these ad formats. It’s also different in nature from the other PPC affiliate programs as it has a higher minimum payout threshold of 500 Euros.

• Ad formats: Pop, domain redirect, push
• Minimum traffic requirements: None
• Payment models: CPA
• Minimum payout threshold: 500 EUR
• Payment method:  Euro via wire transfer for all entities.
• Payout time: Weekly or monthly available (Net7 or Net30)
• Revenue share: No
• Referral program: None

9.AdSense

AdSense (or Google AdSense) is next up and is arguably the biggest name in PPC advertising. It is, of course, Google’s advertising platform, and in fact, many other pay per click affiliate programs are Google AdSense compatible. That is also due to their useful built-in tools that help with campaign analysis.

However, be aware that it is possible to be banned from the program, they are particularly strict when it comes to click fraud. And it’s also important to note that their program was more profitable in the past, and caters mainly to US traffic, which we know is on the more expensive side.

• Ad formats: The large variety available on the Google display network, including text, video, and display.
• Minimum traffic requirements: None.
• Payment models: Up to $7 CPM/RPM – The publishers receive nearly 70% of the revenue attributed by Google for the ads.
• Minimum payout threshold: $100
• Payment method: Bank transfer (EFT), checks, Rapida.
• Payout time: Net 30
• Revenue share: No
• Referral program: None

10. GG.Bet

GG.Bet, or more specifically GGAffiliates their affiliate program, is used to find and partner with esports betting affiliates on a mutual basis. In addition, their website has a few landing page templates and images that can be helpful when creating the ads to promote them.

• Ad formats: Push, pop, domain, display, text
• Minimum traffic requirements: None
• Payment models: Revshare, CPA rarely
• Minimum payout threshold: $20
• Payment method: ePayments (USD), Skrill (USD), Neteller (USD), QIWI (RUB), Webmoney WMZ (USD), Yandex.Money (RUB).
• Payout time: Weekly payouts, cookie duration net 30.
• Revenue share: Offers starting at 40%, up to 60%, and more.
• Referral program: Yes, a percentage of their profits depending on profit level is sent back to you.

Learn the difference between affiliate networks
and affiliate programs now!

Zeropark Deals & Offers

Again, these are just a few from the never-ending list of affiliate programs that are impossible to fit into one article. Many of these affiliate programs mentioned above can also be found in the Zeropark Deals & Offers Tab. In this area (available to anyone who has topped up their account) you’ll find exclusive deals and bonus payouts for some of the industry’s best affiliate and digital marketing tools as well as some affiliate networks for you to check out.

Conclusions

Affiliate marketing is all about finding what works best for your target audience. Hopefully, by taking a look at these pay per click affiliate programs you can find the right fit for you, your ads, and your audience.

If you are still finding your niche, an affiliate program might be the right place to try and discover it. Remember that the features you need to look for in a PPC affiliate program are: checking the available ad formats; the minimum traffic requirements; the different payment models and thresholds; as well as the method that they will pay you your affiliate income and at what time frame; and finally an extra bonus — if they have a referral program.

It’s also worth mentioning that it is possible to find a PPC affiliate network where you can find offers from affiliate programs like the ones mentioned in this article, as well as other offers from smaller brands and different niches. It’s all about what makes sense for your affiliate business.

Did your favorite affiliate program make the list? Please let us know by leaving a reply here, or catch up with us on the forums!

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