5 Must-Know Lessons for New Affiliate Marketers in 2025
(The Secrets to Starting Right and Actually Succeeding)


As a busy mom craving a lot more balance (and maybe a little less chaos), here are my top 3 reasons that make this whole adventure totally worth it: The Why Truly Matters.......
1) Be There for Every Precious Moment: No More Missing Out
- You never have to miss an important moment with your kid(s) again. No more saying, "Honey, I have just a couple more calls, then we can play." Instead, you can be fully present whenever they need you. THIS IS THE BEST PART FOR ME!
- Whether it's attending every school event, family dinner, or just being available for those little daily moments, affiliate marketing gives you the freedom to be there without the constant pressure of work.
2) Work from Anywhere, Anytime with Affiliate Marketing
- Imagine taking a vacation without having to ask for time off, or handling a sick day for your child without the stress of calling in to work or struggling to work from home while caring for them. You are Free to Do what you need—no stress, no guilt.
- Beyond sick days, think about the freedom to travel whenever you want, purchase whatever you need, own your dream home - maybe even in multiple locations, or just enjoy the flexibility of working on your own schedule. Affiliate marketing makes this possible!
3) Grow Passive Income and Secure Your Family’s Future
- Picture this: You've put in the time and effort to build a sustainable income stream, and now you can live the life you’ve always dreamed of. Imagine taking long vacations, enjoying your time with family, and still earning money while you’re away. (Fun fact: My first sale happened when I was asleep and my second 2 days later while I was on a flight for a family vacation. The feeling was AMAZING and it was enough to keep me going)
- With the right mindset and dedication, affiliate marketing offers the potential for passive income, meaning you can secure your family’s future without sacrificing your time in the present.
Affiliate marketing offers the work-life balance we all crave, making it easier to focus on what matters most
1. It’s Not Passive Income from Day One
- Affiliate marketing isn’t a “set it and forget it” game, especially when you’re just starting out. It might seem easy—sign up for a program, throw a few links out there, and wait for the money to roll in—but that’s not how it works.
- At the beginning, you’ll need to put in some serious effort. You’ll be creating content, building an audience, and getting familiar with your products. I remember feeling overwhelmed with everything I needed to do—writing posts, choosing which affiliate products to promote, and figuring out how everything fit together.
- Here’s the truth: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Affiliate marketing takes time, patience, and consistency. The “get-rich-quick” stories on social media? They don’t show the whole picture. It took me months of hard work to see real results. If you’re just starting out, set realistic expectations. Put in the effort now, and the rewards will come, but it won’t be instant. I write this to manage your expectations but definitely don't shut them down! Keep at it, and you’ll start seeing progress.
2. Choosing the Right Niche is Everything (I know I know, what the heck is a niche...)
- First of all, take the time to really understand what a niche is and why it matters. It’s often at the top of every affiliate marketing guide, but no one really takes the time to explain what it actually means or why it's so important. Honestly, when I first heard about it, I thought it was just another marketing tactic to make me feel clueless and someone else feel like they had all the answers. But trust me, it does actually matter.
- Reality is, choosing the right niche is crucial, and it's something I had to learn on my own. A niche is a specific area of focus within a larger market. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, you focus on a smaller, more targeted group of people who share similar interests, needs, or problems. For Example, your niche could be "postpartum moms" within the broader market of Health and Wellness.
- "Niching Down" or really knowing your niche helps you connect with an audience that cares about what you’re offering. My advice? Pick a niche you are passionate about!! This will allow you to create content that speaks directly to the people you want to reach, which builds trust and makes them more likely to buy the products you recommend. A clear niche that you actually care about also helps you focus your efforts and avoid getting overwhelmed by trying to do too much.
3. High-Ticket Programs Are Game Changers
- When I first started with affiliate marketing, I focused on low-ticket items - think Amazon, Target, and Home Depot (commissions are typically 3-8%) I thought that selling more products would automatically mean more money. And while it's true that more sales can bring in more income, selling low-ticket items takes a lot of effort and many sales before you start seeing a decent return.
- What really made a difference for me was switching to high-ticket programs. Promoting a $1,000 product often takes the same amount of work as promoting a $20 item, but the payout is much higher. At first, I was hesitant to go for more expensive products, but once I gave it a try, I saw my earnings grow faster with fewer sales.
- High-ticket affiliate programs like ClickBank, Kinsta, or Shopify offer much bigger commissions (typically 10-50%), and with just a few conversions, you can make a significant profit. It's definitely worth considering if you want to see faster results.
4. Community Support Makes a Huge Difference
- When I realized the power of community, that’s when the tables really began to turn in my favor. Up until that point, I had been struggling on my own—buying courses, trying to follow strategies, but still feeling lost and unsure. I was second-guessing myself and questioning if I was even on the right track. It was frustrating, to say the least.
- Once I found a community of like-minded individuals, I finally had support. Suddenly, I wasn’t navigating the challenges alone. I had a group of people who understood my struggles, who shared their experiences and insights, and who encouraged me to keep going. It wasn’t just about learning the steps—I was able to learn from others, avoiding common pitfalls, and gain the confidence to move forward.
- Community made the entire journey feel more manageable. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I had a support system that helped me stay on track and pushed me to keep building momentum. I learned to celebrate my progress, no matter how small, because I knew others were right there with me.
- If you’re feeling stuck or uncertain, I can’t stress this enough: community support is a game-changer. Don’t try to go it alone. Find a community that’s genuinely invested in your success, and watch how it helps turn your journey around
5. There Will Be Ups and Downs—Stick With It
- This is one of the ugly truths and really speaks to your resilience. Realistically there will be times when affiliate marketing feels like it’s going great, and times when it feels like you’re stuck in a rut. I’ve been through both, and it can be frustrating. One month, you might make a sale every day, and the next, you might go weeks with nothing.
- My best piece of advice: KEEP GOING, persistence is everything. You have to stick with it, even when things aren’t going the way you hoped. That’s what separates the people who make it from the ones who give up too soon.
- In my own journey, the times when I wanted to quit were the moments right before things started clicking. Affiliate marketing is about testing, tweaking, and learning from your mistakes. Don’t let the downs discourage you. It’s the people who keep going, who refine their strategies and adjust along the way, who eventually see the long-term rewards.

I know how frustrating it can be to invest in programs that promise quick success but fall short. I’ve been there too—feeling ready to give up. But then I discovered Authority Marketing, and it wasn’t just another “get rich quick” scheme—it was a real, proven strategy that changed everything for me.
What makes Authority Marketing different is its focus on helping you build a sustainable, profitable business by leveraging four powerful business models—Affiliate Marketing, Ecommerce, Information Products, and Service Provision. It’s not about luck or shortcuts (although, technically, it’s a shortcut). It’s about learning how to effectively generate sales online and automate the process of selling any product or service to a global audience—24/7, even when you’re not working.
This strategy showed me how to stand out from the outdated methods and build multiple income streams from scratch in a reasonable time frame. It teaches you step-by-step how to build your brand, attract the right audience, and create that passive income stream you deserve. And it works automatically, so you're able to bring in money every day, without having to chase people or spend endless hours on social media.
Curious to see how it can work for you? Sign up for the free intro training videos below. You’ll get an inside look at how I built my business, and how you can start building yours too—plus, access to an exclusive 28-minute workshop that dives deep into how Authority Marketing can set you up for success.
Sign up for the Free Intro Series Here:

Ok so who am I and why would you listen to me....well, I'll tell you! I’m Kelly and I'm from Minnesota. For the last 16 years, I’ve worked in healthcare, which is a career I enjoy and have always felt fulfilled in.
6 years ago, I became a mom and like many who have children, my priorities truly changed! Although my priorities had changed, I was not in a position where I could adjust my work situation and I ended up constantly trying to juggle my career with being a mom. And for those of you who know, Mom Guilt is Real!
Like many of you, I learned about Affiliate Marketing while scrolling through social media. The idea of living a life where I wasn’t constantly worrying about work or finances felt like the freedom I’d been searching for. The thought of NEVER missing a moment with my daughter was all I really needed to COMPLETELY AND BLINDLY make my first course purchase! So I did it! But as I got started, something hit me—what if I can’t make this work?
Have you ever had those moments where your biggest fear is failing at something you desperately want to succeed in?
I really gave it my all. I bought course after course, convinced that each one would be the answer. But with every setback, doubt crept in. Was I just throwing money away? Being reckless? As the sole provider for my family, I started feeling irresponsible for chasing something that felt so out of reach. Honestly, I felt like a complete imposter—like this dream wasn’t meant for me.
At that point, success felt impossible—for me, of all people. Have you ever felt that way? Like you're standing in your own way because the fear of failing feels more real than the hope of succeeding?
SOOOO here’s the truth: we can all achieve what we set our minds to, as long as we don’t give up. I will say that one more time and I say it again if you keep reading, AS LONG AS WE DONT GIVE UP!! I kept pushing because my goal has always been clear—to create a life where I can focus on my daughter, and yes, on myself (maybe thats selfish...but is it though??) without the constant worry about money. After investing in programs that didn’t deliver, and facing setback after setback, I finally found the right path. I didn’t have any marketing or sales experience, and I started from nothing and with nothing, but after all the failures, I can now say—it was worth it.
So, I challenge you to ask yourself, What are you afraid of? What is your goal? Why are you pursuing this? Let my journey remind you that even through the hardest times, it’s possible to get there. And I’m living proof of that. Answer these questions and keep them in the forefront of your mind as you get started!!
I definitely stumbled a lot on this journey! I bought into the social media hype—you know, the promises of making millions with just an hour of work a day, using only my phone and Wi-Fi. I invested in courses, guides, and cheat sheets that claimed to offer quick riches with little effort. But it didn’t take long to see they weren’t a good fit for me. They didn’t align with my vision and, honestly, didn’t teach me anything meaningful!
Ultimately, I never gave up and once I found the right approach (Ill share in the next section) and trusted my instincts, everything changed. With patience (a lot of it!) and the right resources, so can you.....
My Key Takeaways AKA the DONT Section of the Article:
Don't Fall for the Social Media Hype: Find a program that aligns with your beliefs and also offers multiple avenues to reach your goals on YOUR timeline. As a working mom I needed something I could do when I had time. I also realized I would significantly benefit from mentorship as I started while working Full Time + hours and raising a daughter. Don't fall for the hype of the get rich quick programs promising minimal efforts, you will waste your money and time.
Don't Let Desperation Take Control - Your Messaging Matters: Honesty is Key! Tell the truth and make sure you believe in the product you affiliate for! In my early days, I was posting reels on social media using a booklet I purchased from another affiliate mom (from social media) who is making money selling her reels that went viral! It was completely ridiculous and inauthentic, didn't help me one bit and I didn't even believe in the product I was promoting. Please don't waste your time or money doing this (It makes me laugh even thinking about the fact that I did this but honestly speaks to the desperation I felt in making this work) You Do NOT need to be desperate, trust the process and it will work!
Don't Be Impulsive: I was really anxious to get things started and because of that I was initially really impulsive as well. I didn't take the time I needed to understand and learn the core principles and I hit A LOT of roadblocks. After taking a step back and essentially starting over with the right program, everything has fallen into place. It wasn't fast, IT HAS TAKEN MONTHS, but it was worth it and truthfully I enjoyed the journey
Don't Lose Focus: When I started, I had all the excitement in the world and I tried to promote too many things on too many platforms ALL BEFORE I truly knew what I was doing. As I'm sure you can imagine, that didn't get me the results I needed. Sure, I made a sale or 2 but nothing substantial. My suggestion is to choose 1 product and 1 marketing platform to start, master that FIRST then do more
Now, let me introduce you to the Authority Marketing Strategy—the approach I use daily to build my online business!
If you’re anything like I was, you’re probably running on coffee and calendar reminders — juggling work, family, and a never-ending to-do list — all while quietly wondering if this is really how life is supposed to feel.
That’s exactly why I started looking for something different. I didn’t want to choose between earning an income and actually being present for the people I love. I wanted both. And that’s what led me to affiliate marketing.
It’s one of the simplest ways to create an income stream from home (or anywhere) — no products to create, no inventory, no shipping. But here’s the truth no one tells you: simple doesn’t mean easy.
A lot of people jump in hoping for a quick fix or overnight success. I did too. But real, lasting freedom comes from learning the process and sticking with it — even when life gets busy, even when self-doubt creeps in.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. Honestly, I wish someone had handed me a cheat sheet at the start — it would’ve saved me a lot of wasted time and frustration. So, that’s what I’m doing for you.
Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been at it for a while and it’s feeling harder than you thought — you’re not alone. These are the five lessons I wish I’d known from day one.
And if you hang on to one thing, let it be this: the freedom you’re craving? It’s absolutely possible. Stick with it — you won’t regret it.



My Daughter and I! She is my whole world and my why!