Gawker Media, a network of websites known for pillorying the powerful in media, tech and politics, has helped sell millions of cable ties to readers looking to control their tangled messes of electronic cords.

Gawker has also been hawking flashlights, laser printers, headphones, car phone chargers and a 42-piece Rubbermaid set, by including in its posts prominent links driving users to purchase those products on sites such as Amazon.

That a media company which prides itself on cutting through corporate spin would have writers pitch the hottest electronics deals may come as a surprise. But Gawker is increasingly pumping resources into affiliate marketing efforts.

According to Chief Executive Nick Denton, the company helped drive around $150 million worth of e-commerce transactions this year. Gawker takes a cut of those sales. In 2014, the company generated around $10 million in e-commerce revenue for itself, Mr. Denton said in an email, adding that he expects the number to be “quite a bit” higher for 2015.

Gawker, like other media companies, has been on the hunt for new ways to make money as it becomes harder to generate revenue from display advertising.

The company, whose stable of sites includes Deadspin, Gizmodo, Jezebel and its namesake title, isn’t shy about using the tactic. On Wednesday, the editorial staff of Gawker.com published a post about the “best things we bought in 2015,” highlighting items like a trash can, a water resistant shower speaker and two vacuums, with links to purchase those products. “Gawker Media may get a commission,” multiple disclaimers say at the bottom of the post.

Photo: Gawker

A look at some of the most popular products purchased via Amazon gives a rough idea of how sales are going. Some 20,667 readers, for example, have purchased an Anker external battery charger, according to an Amazon widget on the Gawker site. Given its current price of $89.99, that would be about $1.8 million in total, though the price may have varied over time.

How much of that might Gawker take home? The commission rate on Amazon varies based on product and quantity. When asked by a reporter on Twitter, Shane Roberts, Gawker Media’s director of commerce, said in a tweet that the company’s “normal commission rate is 4%.” That could give Gawker about $74,000 in revenue for shepherding sales of the Anker charger. Mr. Roberts’ tweet was later removed.

As for the Velcro ties, 31,535 readers have purchased a 100-pack on Amazon, which currently run for $4.99. That’s $157,000 in cable ties, which could add $6,300 into Gawker’s coffers, assuming a 4% cut.

All told, the 10 best-selling items from a Gawker list posted in September might have brought in about $345,000 in revenue for the media company. To be sure, prices may have changed, and Gawker could receive a better rate than 4% on some items, so that revenue figure is potentially higher.

Affiliate marketing of this variety is nothing new. It’s been a popular tactic for e-commerce and direct-response marketers for over a decade. But as online publishers look for new revenue streams beyond display ads, the practice could see something of a resurgence.

According to Mr. Denton, audiences for sites such as Gizmodo and Lifehacker show a higher propensity to purchase than those of other sites.

“Product recommendations don’t work for everyone, but if you’ve got brands associated with key product categories, an affluent audience and the right kind of context and credibility, it’s a valuable second revenue stream,” he said.

Gawker Media, a private company that does not typically release financials, earlier this year opened its books to some extent amid a legal battle with professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. The company said it turned an operating profit of $6.5 million on revenue of $44.3 million in 2014.

Write to Steven Perlberg at steven.perlberg@wsj.com and Jack Marshall at Jack.Marshall@wsj.com