The Land of Oz and Shinola

Written By Jonathan Bowen

Over the past few months, I've learned a lot about affiliate marketing. I started my journey a few years ago, but quit because that's what I do. ADHD is the land of shiny objects; there's always a shinier object.

With that being said, I couldn't have restarted this journey without the help of ChatGPT. I've had so many questions, and ChatGPT has been there with a lot of wrong answers to good questions. Seriously, ChatGPT isn't perfect, but it's allowed me to talk with my brain.

In the old days of 56k modems, there was Amazon Associates. ClickBank, Commission Junction, and LinkShare rose in its shadow. When coaxial cable started serving the new internet experience, Google AdSense conquered the scene.

Today, there are dozens and dozens of platforms.

CLASSIC & GENERAL AFFILIATE NETWORKS

  • Amazon Associates (1996) – the original affiliate program, still the biggest

  • Rakuten Advertising (LinkShare) (1996) – major global affiliate network

  • CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) (1998) – enterprise-friendly network

  • ClickBank (1998) – focused on digital and info products

  • Tradedoubler (1999) – popular across European markets

  • ShareASale (2000) – well-suited for small-to-midsize businesses

  • Awin (Affiliate Window) (2000 → merged into Awin in 2013) – massive global reach

  • buy.at (2002) – UK-based network, later absorbed by AOL

  • AvantLink (2006) – strong in outdoor and specialty verticals

  • FlexOffers (2010) – an aggregator with thousands of advertisers

AD MONETIZATION & CONTEXTUAL PLATFORMS

  • Google AdSense (2003) – contextual ad network that pays per impression or click

  • BuySellAds (2008) – curated ad marketplace for blogs, newsletters, and podcasts

  • Sovrn Display (part of Sovrn Commerce) (2009) – supports display and native ads

  • Carbon Ads (~2010) – minimalist, designer/developer-focused ad network

LINK AGGREGATORS & PASSIVE MONETIZATION TOOLS

  • Skimlinks (2007) – an automatic affiliate link generator for content sites

  • Advmaker (2008) – major affiliate network in Russian-speaking markets

  • Sovrn Commerce (formerly VigLink) (2009) – passive monetization via outbound links

  • Lasso (2016) – WordPress plugin for affiliate link management

  • Affilimate (2023) – analytics dashboard for all affiliate channels

SAAS / SOFTWARE AFFILIATE PLATFORMS

  • 2Checkout (formerly Avangate) (2006) – affiliate support for global software sales

  • Tune (HasOffers) (2009) – custom affiliate platform for brands and networks

  • Impact.com (formerly Impact Radius) (2011) – SaaS and eCommerce partner platform

  • Paddle (2012) – supports software and digital services

  • Partnerize (formerly Performance Horizon) (~2000s, rebranded 2014) – used by enterprise brands

  • PartnerStack (2015) – B2B SaaS referral and reseller ecosystem

  • FirstPromoter (2017) – ideal for recurring commissions and subscription tools

CREATOR-FIRST & SOCIAL COMMERCE PLATFORMS

  • LTK (formerly RewardStyle) (2011) – fashion and lifestyle influencer monetization

  • MagicLinks (~2016) – short-form video affiliate tool for YouTube/TikTok creators

  • Linktree (2016) – link-in-bio tool with built-in affiliate integrations

  • ShopMy (formerly ShopMyShelf) (2017) – creator storefronts with commission tracking

  • Afluencer (2019) – matches creators with affiliate campaigns

  • Beacons.ai (2020) – bio page builder with affiliate and commerce tools

  • Shopify Collabs (formerly Dovetale) (2020 / acquired 2022) – Shopify’s influencer platform

  • TikTok Shop Affiliate (2023) – lets creators earn from product tags

  • YouTube Shopping (2023) – native product linking for eligible creators

  • Flip (2023) – social commerce with live shopping + reviews

CONTENT & NEWSLETTER MONETIZATION PLATFORMS

  • Ghost (2013) – open-source CMS with native Stripe for subscriptions

  • Medium Partner Program (2014) – pays based on reader engagement

  • Substack Partner Program (2022) – offers referral commissions for newsletter growth

NICHE & REGIONAL AFFILIATE PROGRAMS

  • Walmart Affiliates (early 2000s) – direct retail program

  • Gentoo Media (GiG Media) (2007) – focused on iGaming and betting

  • Etsy Affiliates (early 2010s) – handmade and vintage-focused

  • Fiverr Affiliates (early 2010s) – freelance marketplace referrals

  • GameLink Affiliate Program (~2010) – adult/entertainment vertical

I know my way around Amazon Associates and Google AdSense enough to know this: AdSense, especially, isn’t easy. There are other rules, too—many I don’t understand. Like cookie windows, tracking overrides, and attribution decay. How long are links valid? It feels like there’s no clear answer.

I know that affiliate marketing is a well-worn path, but my idea is to give a part of my personal self in exchange for a small percentage of a sale.

I know that trust is HUGELY important. Whatever the case, I know I will tell the whole truth, not the half-truth, because a half-truth is a lie. Instead of lying, I'd rather remain entirely silent about a product.

As the man behind the curtain, I hope you will join me in trying to sell Shinola while continuing to maintain my values.

Jonathan Bowen

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