Affiliate marketing is often spoken about when discussing side hustles. It is the process of recommending a product online and taking a commission for its sale. Yet in a saturated marketplace, filled with competition and dwindling attention spans, is it still viable? We discuss if affiliate marketing is still possible as a side business in the article below.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
An affiliate marketer is a person or company that recommends a product on behalf of another. These marketers can take the form of websites, social media personalities, YouTubers, or webmasters. When people follow their advice by clicking a link, they are directed to an action, usually buying the product. The affiliate marketer is paid for this, usually through a set fee or a percentage of the sale.
Affiliate Marketing in 2024
Once upon a time, affiliate marketing was seen as a golden ticket. In the early days, this may have been the case. However, it requires a lot more effort than it used to do. It is no longer enough to simply recommend a product on social media or YouTube. In fact, whole teams are often required to make it work, casting doubt on how it can be used as a side business alone. Done correctly, it is still a very profitable way to make money online.

For example, there are many online casino reviews that use affiliate marketing. The ones that rank and review real money slots often have complex, in-depth ways of doing this to gain the trust of users in a crowded marketplace. Checking gameplay, the experience of developers, their reputation, or bonus features requires a large team of experienced editors. This makes it hard to imagine that one person could compete working alone.
Possible Niches for Affiliate Marketing
If you already have an online following, either through a website or social account, then it may be easier to get started with affiliate marketing. Your niche will relate to what your account is about. It may be beauty, sports, or any other concept. All you need to do is find companies that are looking for marketers related to their products.
When you don’t have this, you are starting from scratch. This is tough, but it is not impossible. With effort and, crucially, time, you can still build a profitable affiliate niche. The keyword here is time: It will not be a quick fix.
The niche is the product that you are trying to sell. Certain niches offer more profit than others, due to a range of reasons. For example, SaaS and technology are extremely profitable. The reason for this is that fewer people can accurately discuss and sell these products. This is the same with personal finance.

Choosing a niche should not just go on the most profitable venture available. You will have to love this field. Working on it in every spare moment can quickly become tiring if it is something you care little about. People will also see through it and be unlikely to trust your recommendations.
Affiliate marketing is profitable. However, it is more a major business than a side hustle. If you have a social or online presence already, then it is easier to do. Starting from scratch will take time and effort and may even require some financial input to get the ball rolling.
