If you want to make money with affiliate marketing, the first step is to find an affiliate network — a platform that connects companies with affiliates like you. ClickBank is a popular affiliate network, and you’ve probably seen both good and bad things about it on the internet. But is ClickBank legit? Can you really make money with ClickBank?
In this article, we aim to give you a clear breakdown on ClickBank so that you can decide if it is a platform worth your time or not. We’ll provide you with an in-depth overview of ClickBank, cover pros and cons, and show you how to get started as a ClickBank Affiliate. This article serves as an unbiased ClickBank review. To head straight to the sections which interest you most, click below:
Table of Contents
What is ClickBank?
ClickBank is one of the largest affiliate networks that connect merchants and affiliates. The system offers a selection of physical and digital products, such as eBooks and software. The company was founded in 1998 by internet entrepreneurs Tim and Eileen Barber. ClickBank has since paid out over $4.2 billion to affiliates around the world. ClickBank is entirely free to join, and you can potentially start earning today.
Is ClickBank Legit as an Affiliate Network?
It’s a common question that gets regularly asked across different forums and social networks.
This user on Quora asked if ClickBank is a scam:
So, is ClickBank legit? Is ClickBank a scam?
ClickBank has established itself as one of the top affiliate networks for marketers and bloggers alike. The company has never missed a payment in its 20+ years of operation. Pretty impressive track record if you ask us. ClickBank is a legit affiliate network that you can make some serious cash with. And there are affiliate marketers who are earning tons of income with it. The folks at Authority Hacker turned one niche site into a rather sizable income stream after a few months of hard work.
It took us about 30 seconds to find the screenshots above — there are dozens of businesses like Authority Hacker happy to show their success. ClickBank has a set of guidelines to ensure that products on its marketplace are legit. The company also routinely removes scams that manage to make it past its quality filters. This isn’t to say that everything on ClickBank is worth promoting. There are still many products in its massive selection that are questionable (although the same can be said for any affiliate network).
Like this product that’s currently on the ClickBank Marketplace:
The Diabetes Freedom landing page promises that those with type 2 diabetes can reverse their condition in less than two weeks. This is just one example of many questionable products on ClickBank. And you’ll find a number of them as you search for products to promote. There are undoubtedly quality products on ClickBank. If there weren’t, people wouldn’t buy anything that’s associated with this affiliate network.
But it’s still ultimately your responsibility to vet each product. Promoting low-quality products doesn’t just increase the likelihood of commissions getting reversed due to refunds. It also harms your reputation online.
That’s ultimately for you to decide. But if you build a site that provides value and you promote quality products, there’s no reason you can’t be successful with this affiliate network. ClickBank is free to join, so there’s no harm in checking it out for yourself. Note that you’ll need to live in an eligible country to join and submit an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) if you’re in the US. Once you finish creating an account, you can start browsing the marketplace. Keep an eye out for a welcome email where you’ll get a quick introduction to the company and links to several resources.
If you’re new to ClickBank, it’s a good idea to check out the resources that are available to you before rushing head-on.
ClickBank Learning Resources
ClickBank provides several resources to help their affiliates. Let’s look at some of these in more detail.
Knowledge Base
Start by navigating to the Knowledge Base.
Want to know how to change payment details or how to use HopLinks (referral tracking URLs) in your marketing materials? You’ll find those answers and more in the Knowledge Base. You can also navigate to this page for more advanced topics, such as how to use ClickBank APIs and third-party integrations.
ClickBank’s YouTube Channel
ClickBank has a YouTube series, where they offer tips, resources, and insights to ClickBank users.
Each week, ClickBank publishes new episodes to their channel that cover various topics on affiliate marketing. They also regularly bring in guest speakers who share more insights. Lastly, ClickBank offers a training program called Spark by ClickBank if you’re looking for an affiliate marketing course.
Spark by ClickBank Review
Spark by ClickBank is the official training program from ClickBank.
The actual course provides a ton of information on how affiliate marketing works and how you can start earning commissions by promoting products on ClickBank. Let’s take a closer look at what you get with Spark by ClickBank.
What’s Included in Spark by ClickBank? How much does Spark by ClickBank Cost?
Spark by ClickBank offers three different tiers, ranging from “Side Hustle” to “Super Affiliate.” They offer a range of courses, communities, and tools to help you on your affiliate marketing journey with ClickBank.
Side Hustle
Cost: $47/month
Features: Access to Side Hustle Courses, Side Hustle Community, Side Hustle Tools
F
Career Starter
Cost: $97/month
Features: Access to Side Hustle & Career Starter Courses, Side Hustle & Career Starter Communities, Side Hustle & Career Starter Tools
Super Affiliate
Cost: $1,997 one-time-payment
Features: Access to ALL Courses, Communities, and Tools
How to Find Legit Products on ClickBank?
The last thing you want is to promote a questionable product and risk harming your reputation in the process.
01 – Research the Product
Don’t just pick the first product you see. You’ll make more money as an affiliate marketer by promoting quality products that actually deliver on their promises.
Once your account is set up, look through the available categories and pick products that are relevant to your niche. If you have a fitness blog, you might promote a weight loss guide.
A good metric to look at is Gravity Score — the number of affiliates who have earned a commission in the last 12 weeks. This metric tells you that others have successfully promoted the product.
Another metric to look at is Avg $/sale. This tells you much you can expect to earn if someone buys through your link. Next, look at the product’s landing page. Does the product appear legitimate? Most importantly, is it something you would buy? A well-designed landing page is a good indicator of a quality product (but not always). If you see outlandish claims, you may want to think twice before promoting it.
02 – Read Online Product Reviews
Online users today rarely buy products outright.
More than 75% of US shoppers go online to read reviews before making a purchase. If they see mostly negative reviews about a product, they’ll likely reconsider their purchase. Search online for reviews about the product you want to promote. What are people actually saying about it? You can often find unbiased reviews on forums and social sites like Reddit. Resurge, a weight-loss supplement sold on the ClickBank Marketplace, received mostly negative reviews on Trustpilot:
If a product has numerous complaints like this one then move on.
03 – Look Up the Vendor
If everything looks good, be sure to look up the vendor. Have they launched other products in the past? What have other customers said about them? Reputable vendors on ClickBank will generally have a traceable online history. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are another good place to start.
04 – Buy the Product
Finally, consider buying a product that you want to promote. Some vendors may even give you the product for free or offer temporary access if you ask. Buying a product gives you first-hand experience with it, which in turn allows you to write a more thorough review.
ClickBank Alternatives
If you decide that ClickBank isn’t for you, that’s perfectly okay. There are tons of other affiliate programs that offer a range of products you can promote. Here are just a few of the more popular affiliate networks you can sign up for:
AppSumo
AppSumo is a popular affiliate network that offers many products with large payouts. It is completely free to join as an affiliate, and you can start promoting today!
ShareASale is another major affiliate network with over 4,500 merchants. The network boasts a wide range of physical and digital products.
Impact
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Impact is an extremely popular affiliate network, and our personal favorite to connect with large, trustworthy brands.
JVZoo
JVZoo is a great affiliate program if you’re looking to promote product launches. You can also sign up for JVZoo Academy for additional training.
MaxBounty
MaxBounty is also a great resource for finding affiliate products and brands to promote.
Conclusion
ClickBank is legit. You can make a good income as an affiliate marketer promoting products on this network.
But it’s still important to do your due diligence. The marketplace still has tons of spammy products, so be sure to thoroughly vet each product before you decide to promote an offer.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
What is ClickBank?
ClickBank is one of the largest affiliate networks that connect merchants and affiliates. The system offers a selection of physical and digital products, such as eBooks and software. The company was founded in 1998 by internet entrepreneurs Tim and Eileen Barber. ClickBank has since paid out over $4.2 billion to affiliates around the world.
Is ClickBank legit?
Yes. ClickBank has established itself as one of the top affiliate networks for marketers and bloggers alike. The company has never missed a payment in its 20+ years of operation. Pretty impressive track record if you ask me. ClickBank is a legit affiliate network that you can make some serious cash with. And there are affiliate marketers who are earning tons of income with it. The folks at Authority Hacker turned one niche site into a rather sizable income stream after a few months of hard work.
