At no extra cost to you, some or all of the products featured below are from partners who may compensate us for your click. It's how we make money. This does not influence our recommendations or editorial integrity, but it does help us keep the site running. Read our full Disclosure.
Affiliate marketing is often touted as one of the best ways to make passive income online. You might have heard countless stories about people earning thousands, sometimes even tens of thousands, of dollars per month simply by promoting products or services online.
The idea sounds amazing — promote a product, share a special link, and earn a commission on every sale made through that link. But there’s one big catch: most of those successful affiliate marketers start with an audience. They have followers, subscribers, or a built-in network of people who trust their recommendations.
So, what if you don’t have an audience? Can you still make money with affiliate marketing? The short answer is yes — and in this post, I’m going to show you the exact step-by-step strategy I used when I started with zero followers, zero subscribers, and no email list. This same strategy has helped me earn over $10,000 a month consistently for the last five years.
If you’re ready, let’s dive in.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
Before we get into the strategy, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page about what affiliate marketing actually is.
Imagine you’re watching a video or reading a blog, and you see a recommendation for a product — say, a camera like the Canon 90D. You might wonder, “What camera are they using?” Instead of just telling you the model, the person might share a link to buy that exact camera on Amazon. That link is special because it contains a unique referral code that tracks if you buy the camera.
If you click on that link and make a purchase, the person who shared the link earns a commission from Amazon. The best part? If you buy other things during the same shopping session, the affiliate marketer earns a commission on those as well, even if it’s not the camera. Amazon calls this their way of saying thank you for referring a customer.
This is why affiliate marketing is such a win-win: you get help finding a product you want, and the affiliate marketer earns money for referring you.
The Challenge of No Audience
Most people think you need a big social media following or a large email list to succeed with affiliate marketing. But that’s not true. You can start from zero. The key is to leverage search engines like Google and YouTube, because that’s where people go when they have questions or want to learn something new.
When you type a question into Google or YouTube, what do you usually see? Blog posts, articles, and videos from everyday people just like me. These pieces of content are written or recorded to answer specific questions people have.
How to Use Search Engines to Your Advantage
Here’s the secret sauce: you don’t need an audience if you can get your content to show up when people search for answers online. To do this, you create content that targets the exact questions or problems people are searching for. This is often called using keywords or longtail keywords — phrases that people type into Google or YouTube when they’re looking for something very specific.
For example, if someone wants to learn how to sell dog treats from home, they might type “how to sell dog treats” into YouTube. If you have a video that answers that question, your video can show up in the search results. When they watch your video and see a link to a dog treat bakery course that you promote as an affiliate, some will click your link and buy the course. You earn a commission, even though you didn’t have a big audience to start with.
Finding Your Niche and Competitors
When you’re just starting, you might wonder what products or services to promote. One easy way to find ideas is to study your competitors. Look for bloggers, YouTubers, or content creators in your niche and see what affiliate programs they’re promoting. You can do this by:
- Checking the links in their blog posts or video descriptions.
- Hovering over links to see if they look like affiliate links (often they have extra words or codes after the domain name).
- Noticing what products or services they recommend frequently.
For example, I once found a popular blogger promoting a “Home Dog Bakery Workshop” with an affiliate link. I researched the course, applied to their affiliate program, and then created content specifically targeted at people searching for ways to sell dog treats. That video still earns me money years later because it answers a question people are actively searching for.
How to Research What People Are Searching For
A fantastic tool to figure out what people want is the YouTube search bar. Start typing phrases related to your niche, and YouTube will auto-suggest popular search terms based on what other users are typing.
For example, typing “dog treats” might suggest:
- “How to sell dog treats”
- “Homemade dog treats recipe”
- “Dog treat bakery”
These are all keywords people are searching for. By creating content that answers these searches, you increase the chances of your videos showing up in results.
Creating Content That Converts
Once you know what people are searching for, your goal is to create helpful content that answers those questions and includes your affiliate link in the description or somewhere easy to find.
You don’t need fancy equipment or a huge production budget. Many successful affiliates just use screen recordings or simple talking-head videos. Tools like Loom allow you to record your screen and explain how a product works without ever showing your face. But if you’re comfortable, showing your face builds trust and connection with your audience.
The key is to create value — help people understand how the product works, why it’s useful, and how it can solve their problem. If you do that, they’ll be more likely to click your affiliate link and make a purchase.
Example: Using AI Tools as a New Affiliate Niche
Let me give you a recent example. AI software tools are booming right now, and many have affiliate programs with recurring commissions. One tool I researched is Murf AI, which helps create marketing videos with realistic voiceovers.
I looked up videos about Murf AI on YouTube, and found that creators with even small audiences were getting decent views. This told me there’s demand for “how to use Murf AI” content. So, if I were starting today, I’d apply to the Murf AI affiliate program, learn how the tool works, and create tutorial videos or reviews answering common questions.
When someone searches “how to use Murf AI,” my video could show up. If they click the affiliate link in the description and buy the software, I earn a recurring commission every month.
Tips for Maximizing Your Affiliate Earnings
- Apply for multiple affiliate programs within your niche to diversify income.
- Always ask the affiliate manager if you can offer exclusive discounts to your audience to increase conversions.
- Use keywords strategically in your video titles, descriptions, and blog posts to improve search visibility.
- Consistently create tutorials, reviews, or “how-to” content — these tend to perform well because people want to know how something works before they buy.
- Consider using an EIN number instead of your Social Security Number when signing up for affiliate programs to protect your privacy. Many programs require tax information, so this is a good tip to know.
The Power of Patience and Consistency
Affiliate marketing is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes time for your content to rank on Google and YouTube, and for people to start finding and trusting your recommendations. But with consistent effort, you can build a reliable stream of traffic that earns you passive income for years.
The strategy I shared today is exactly how I started making over $10,000 a month — without any initial audience. You don’t need followers or fancy tools, just the willingness to learn and create content that answers real questions.
Bonus: Learn More with My Affiliate Marketing Class
I’ve recently launched a detailed class on Skillshare called “How to Make Money with Affiliate Marketing.” It dives deeper into:
- Different types of content that make the most money
- How to get more clicks on your affiliate links
- Navigating affiliate programs safely and efficiently
- Picking profitable niches and products
Skillshare is an online learning platform with thousands of classes taught by industry professionals, perfect for beginners and pros alike.
If you want to check out my class and start learning right away, the first 500 people who sign up through my link will get a free one-month trial of Skillshare, which includes access to my entire class library.
Final Thoughts
Affiliate marketing is accessible to anyone who’s willing to put in the work to learn and create content that helps people. Even without an audience, search engines give you the opportunity to reach millions of potential customers who are actively searching for solutions.
Start by choosing your niche, studying your competition, applying for affiliate programs, and creating helpful content optimized for search. Over time, your videos and blog posts will bring in traffic and commissions — all without needing thousands of followers or a massive social media presence.
If you’re serious about starting affiliate marketing but don’t know where to begin, this step-by-step approach is the best place to start.
Feel free to share in the comments: What niche are you interested in? Or, if you’re unsure, let me know — I’m happy to help you brainstorm.
Here’s to your affiliate marketing success!