As they say with most things in life, the hardest part is simply getting started. When it comes to joining an affiliate marketing program, that statement is truer than ever.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of affiliate programs to join, all claiming you’ll have the most success with them, but clearly they can’t all be right.

If you’re looking to join an affiliate program, I highly suggest you read this article to discover the top five affiliate programs in recent times in order to guarantee yourself a successful affiliate career.

Clickbank

Being present in the affiliate marketing game for over 17 years now, Clickbank is huge operation that focuses on digital information products. With over 6 million unique products, Clickbank is easily one of the largest online retailers to date.

Due to their longevity and continued success, the company reaches a whopping 200 million customers around the world. The categories on their website in which you can purchase products from spans from “Business/Investing,” all the way to “Spirituality, New Age & Alternative Beliefs.”

The products and services that you would be able to promote and offer as an affiliate are endless and you’re guaranteed to find something related to your own site and niche.

Rakuten

Rakuten.com, formerly known as Buy.com, ranks among the top three e-commerce companies in the world. Boasting over 90,000 products from 38,500 shop owners and more than 18 million customers, Rakuten is easily a great place to start out as an affiliate.

They even possess a flagship model—Rakuten Ichiba—that is the largest e-commerce site in Japan and among the world’s largest by sales. If you’re considering getting into the affiliate marketing game, Rakuten is great first stop.

CJ Affiliate by Conversant

Previously known as Commision Junction, CJ Affiliate by Conversant reaches millions of online consumers through their affiliate marketing network. The Conversant Incorporation is made up of multiple, successful companies.

These companies include Commission Junction, Dotomi, Greystripe, Mediaplex and ValueClick Media.

Amazon Associates

Amazon is an absolute beast among online retailers and continues to expand more and more. It is one of everyone’s go-to sites when looking to make a purchase online and it truly is a household name/brand/company.

As the largest Internet-based retailer in the United States, its affiliate program has proven to be one of the most successful out there. Called Amazon Associates, its affiliate networks allows you to tap into over a million products to advertise to your customers.

Due to this abundance of products ranging across all categories, it allows you to zero in and focus on products related to your niche because Amazon has it all. If you have a website about a certain topic, no matter how weird or random it may be, I guarantee you that Amazon has products related to it that you can advertise as an affiliate.

ShareASale

ShareASale has been in business for 15 years exclusively as an affiliate marketing network and their technology continuously receives praise for its speed, accuracy and efficiency. Due to this, their reputation as a fair and honest business is one widely known and never doubted, making them one of the best affiliate programs to do business through.

Featuring merchants such as the MLB Shop, Lulu’s, Nascar Superstore and many, many more popular sites, ShareASale is a no-brainer for those looking to join the affiliate marketing business.

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