I used to think “Passive Income” was a scam. You know, those guys on the internet standing in front of rented Lamborghinis yelling, “Buy my course and get rich!”
I rolled my eyes at them.
But then, it happened to me.
I was on vacation. I was sleeping in a hotel bed. I hadn’t touched my laptop in three days. When I woke up and checked my phone, I saw a notification: “You earned $14.50.”
I rubbed my eyes. I hadn’t worked. I hadn’t sold anything. I was literally drooling on a pillow while someone, somewhere, read an old blog post of mine, clicked a link and bought hosting from my link.
Btw if you are a blogger try out my favourite hosting ever below.
Bluehost (My Favourite One)
When I first started, the technical stuff scared me. I went with Bluehost simply because they make the setup process idiot-proof. You don’t need to know code, you just click a few buttons and your site is live. It’s perfect if you just want to focus on writing and not fixing servers.
Disclaimer: I earn a small commission if you sign up, at no cost to you.
That was the moment I realized: Affiliate Marketing isn’t magic. It’s just smart.
And the best part? You don’t need a product. You don’t need a warehouse. You just need an opinion.
Affiliate marketing sounds complicated, but it is actually very natural.
Imagine your friend comes over and says, “Wow, I love your new sneakers! Where did you get them?”
You say, “I got them at Nike. They are super comfortable.”
Your friend goes to Nike and buys the shoes.
In real life: You get nothing (maybe a “thank you”). In Affiliate Marketing: Nike pays you $5 for recommending them.
That’s it. You are just the Cool Friend who recommends good stuff. The company tracks your recommendation using a special link and if someone buys, they slide you a little commission.
Please, I beg you! Do not be the person who spams links on Facebook saying, “CLICK HERE BUY NOW.” Nobody likes that person.
Here is the right way to start in 2025.
Step 1: Pick a Niche
You cannot be an affiliate for everything. If you recommend dog food, lipstick and chainsaws on the same page, you look crazy.
- Pick one thing: Camping gear? Skincare for sensitive skin? Video games?
- Example: If you love reading, start a book blog.
Step 2: Join a Program
Where do you get the special links?
- Amazon Associates: This is the easiest place to start. You can sell anything on Amazon. The pay is small (usually 3-4%), but everyone trusts Amazon.
- Specific Brands: If you love a specific brand (like “Feastables” or “Prime”), go to their website and scroll to the bottom. Look for a tiny link that says, “Affiliate Program.”
Step 3: Create “Helpful” Content
This is the secret sauce. Don’t just post a link. Solve a problem.
- Bad Content: “Buy this blender.” (Boring).
- Good Content: “I tried 5 blenders to see which one actually crushes ice. Here is the winner.” (Helpful!).
Here is a cool fun fact about affiliate links. They have something called a Cookie.
Let’s say you write a post about a $10 book on Amazon.
- A reader clicks your link to see the book.
- They decide not to buy the book.
- BUT, they realize they need to buy a $2,000 TV for their living room.
- They buy the TV within 24 hours.
Guess what? You get the commission on the TV.
Because you sent them to Amazon, you get credit for everything they put in their cart for the next 24 hours. It’s like finding free money on the sidewalk.
“Making money while you sleep” is real. But there is a catch.
To make money while you sleep, you have to work really hard while you are awake.
You have to write the blog posts. You have to build the trust. You have to find the right products. You might work for six months and earn $0.
But then, one day, you will be sleeping. Or eating a sandwich. Or playing with your dog. And your phone will buzz.
And you will smile, because you finally built a machine that works for you, instead of you working for it.
