Affiliate Marketing Specialist
Earn and manage commissions the honest way: pick the right programs, build content readers trust and track every payout.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Duration
- ~35 hours
- Live
- 35/101
- Free
- 1
No credit card required. No marketing experience needed.
Program map
35
35 of 101 workouts live today
One bar per module, in program order.
- Has free workouts
- Pro
- Coming soon
From the fundamentals to your own work.
Shared foundations, a focused specialty, and projects that bring your practice together.
1The Marketing FunnelStart here1 freeThe journey that turns a stranger into a customer, and a customer into a loyal fan, plus the metrics that measure each stage.6 workouts, 35 min
- 1What is a marketing funnel?5 min5 minFree
- 2Awareness: meeting someone who has never heard of you6 min6 minPro
- 3Consideration: the "why you?" question6 min6 minPro
- 4Conversion: from click to sale6 min6 minPro
- 5Loyalty: the hidden bottom of the funnel5 min5 minPro
- 6A metric for every stage: CPM, CTR, CVR, CPA, ROAS7 min7 minPro
2Target Audience and Value PropositionNo ad works until you know who you are selling to: personas, segmentation and a clear value proposition.5 workouts, 29 min
3Marketing Metrics and KPIsKnowing which numbers really matter: choosing KPIs, unit economics, profitability and setting realistic targets.6 workouts, 37 min
- 1Metric or KPI? Numbers tied to a goal6 min6 minPro
- 2CAC, LTV and payback period7 min7 minPro
- 3ROAS is not enough: profit margin and break-even ROAS7 min7 minPro
- 4The North Star metric and the metric tree6 min6 minPro
- 5Vanity metrics: the likes and followers trap5 min5 minPro
- 6Setting realistic targets: past data, seasonality and budget6 min6 minPro
4The Digital Channel MapSearch, social media, marketplaces, email and messaging: what each channel is good for and where your customers actually spend their time.6 workouts, 34 min
- 1Paid, owned and earned media5 min5 minPro
- 2Search: capturing intent (Google, YouTube, AI assistants)6 min6 minPro
- 3Social media: creating demand6 min6 minPro
- 4Marketplaces: where many shoppers start (Amazon, Etsy, eBay)6 min6 minPro
- 5Email, SMS and WhatsApp: reaching your own audience5 min5 minPro
- 6Choosing channels on a tight budget6 min6 minPro
5Affiliate and Partnership MarketingComing soonGrowth through other people's audiences: affiliate programs, referral partnerships, co-marketing, commission models and fraud you need to watch for.6 workouts, 34 min
- 1How affiliate marketing works: links, cookies, commissions5 min5 minComing soon
- 2Choosing a program model: networks, in-house, hybrid6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Recruiting and onboarding partners6 min6 minComing soon
- 4Co-marketing and cross-promotion deals6 min6 minComing soon
- 5Tracking, attribution and affiliate fraud6 min6 minComing soon
- 6Measuring partner ROI and paying out5 min5 minComing soon
Portfolio project: Launch an affiliate program. A program one-pager, a partner outreach list of 20, a commission and terms sheet, and a tracking checklist.
6Affiliate Networks and ProgramsComing soonChoosing a niche and the programs worth promoting: how networks work, what the terms really say and how to get approved.6 workouts, 35 min
- 1Choosing a niche and offers that fit your audience6 min6 minComing soon
- 2Networks and direct programs: Awin, Impact, CJ, Amazon Associates6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Reading the terms: commission, cookie window, EPC, reversals7 min7 minComing soon
- 4Applying and getting approved5 min5 minComing soon
- 5Comparing programs with a scorecard6 min6 minComing soon
- 6Platform risk: rates change and programs close5 min5 minComing soon
Portfolio project: Compare five programs for a niche site. A program scorecard comparing five programs, a ranked shortlist of three and a one-page application plan.
7SEO BasicsComing soonUnderstanding how search engines work, choosing the right keyword and optimizing a page for it.6 workouts, 36 min
- 1Crawling, indexing, ranking6 min6 minComing soon
- 2Keyword research and search intent7 min7 minComing soon
- 3On-page SEO: title, meta description, heading tags6 min6 minComing soon
- 4Content quality and E-E-A-T6 min6 minComing soon
- 5Internal linking and site structure5 min5 minComing soon
- 6A first look at Google Search Console6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: SEO for a category page. A keyword map, an optimized page draft and a before/after comparison table.
8SEO Tools and Keyword Research in DepthComing soonDoing real keyword research with the tools the job asks for: Search Console, Ahrefs, Semrush and free alternatives, from a seed list to a prioritized keyword map.6 workouts, 36 min
- 1The SEO toolset: what each tool is for5 min5 minComing soon
- 2Search Console: the free tool you'll use every week6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Building a seed list and expanding it6 min6 minComing soon
- 4Volume, difficulty and intent: reading the numbers correctly7 min7 minComing soon
- 5Finding competitor keyword gaps6 min6 minComing soon
- 6Prioritizing into a keyword map6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: A keyword map for an online store. A keyword research sheet, a competitor gap analysis and a prioritized keyword-to-page map.
9Content Strategy and Topic ClustersComing soonContent that brings in business instead of random blog posts: topic clusters, content for each funnel stage, writing briefs and refreshing old content.6 workouts, 35 min
- 1Topic clusters and pillar pages6 min6 minComing soon
- 2Mapping content to funnel stages6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Giving writers a good brief6 min6 minComing soon
- 4The content calendar and production process5 min5 minComing soon
- 5Refreshing old content: the fastest SEO win6 min6 minComing soon
- 6Measuring content performance6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: A 6-month content plan. A topic cluster map, a 6-month content calendar and one complete content brief.
10Affiliate Content: Reviews and ComparisonsComing soonWriting the pages that earn commissions: honest reviews, comparison tables and buying guides that readers trust and search engines keep.6 workouts, 35 min
- 1Buyer-intent keywords: best, vs, review, alternatives6 min6 minComing soon
- 2Reviews readers trust: first-hand testing and honest downsides7 min7 minComing soon
- 3Comparison tables and best-of roundups6 min6 minComing soon
- 4Placing links and calls to action without pushing5 min5 minComing soon
- 5Keeping prices, products and pages up to date5 min5 minComing soon
- 6Thin affiliate content: what readers and Google punish6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: Write a comparison page. A page outline with a target keyword, a comparison table, three short reviews with pros and cons, and a link placement plan.
11Landing Pages and OffersComing soonThe page the ad sends people to: message match, page structure, offer design, no-code tools and the numbers that tell you if it works.6 workouts, 34 min
- 1Message match: the ad and the page must say the same thing5 min5 minComing soon
- 2Anatomy of a landing page that converts6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Designing the offer: lead magnet, trial, consultation, discount6 min6 minComing soon
- 4Building one with no-code tools: Webflow, Framer, WordPress, Carrd6 min6 minComing soon
- 5Forms, friction and the thank-you page5 min5 minComing soon
- 6Landing page metrics: conversion rate, cost per lead, speed6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: Build a landing page for a local service. A live no-code page or a complete mockup, the matching ad, and a form-to-CRM handoff plan.
12Email Marketing BasicsComing soonFrom building an opt-in list to landing in the inbox: email types, subject lines, design, deliverability and metrics.6 workouts, 36 min
- 1Building an opt-in list: pop-ups, forms and incentives6 min6 minComing soon
- 2Newsletters, campaigns and triggered emails5 min5 minComing soon
- 3Subject lines and preview text6 min6 minComing soon
- 4Mobile-first email design6 min6 minComing soon
- 5Deliverability: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and the spam folder7 min7 minComing soon
- 6Can you still trust open rates? Email metrics6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: A campaign email and an A/B test. The email copy and a design draft, an A/B test plan and a results evaluation template.
13Affiliate Tracking, Attribution and PayoutsComing soonHow a click becomes a paid commission: tracking links, cookies and postbacks, attribution disputes, reversals, fraud and reconciling what you are owed.6 workouts, 36 min
- 1Tracking links and sub IDs: knowing which page paid6 min6 minComing soon
- 2Cookies, Safari and why some sales go untracked6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Postbacks and server-to-server tracking7 min7 minComing soon
- 4Last click, coupon sites and attribution disputes6 min6 minComing soon
- 5Locking periods, reversals and payout thresholds5 min5 minComing soon
- 6Affiliate fraud checks and reconciling your reports6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: Reconcile an affiliate report. A reconciliation sheet, a gap diagnosis, a sub ID naming standard and a fraud-check list.
14Conversion Tracking and Server-Side TaggingComing soonAccurate data after cookie restrictions: conversion tags, enhanced conversions, the Conversions API and server-side GTM.6 workouts, 36 min
- 1What counts as a conversion? Micro and macro conversions5 min5 minComing soon
- 2Google enhanced conversions and first-party data6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Server-side tagging: how does sGTM work?7 min7 minComing soon
- 4Deduplicating browser and server events6 min6 minComing soon
- 5Offline conversions: connecting phone and in-store sales to ads6 min6 minComing soon
- 6Why don't platform and CRM numbers match?6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: Write a measurement plan. A measurement plan document: event dictionary, parameters, data flow diagram and testing checklist.
15Affiliate Compliance and DisclosureComing soonStaying honest and within the rules: disclosing partnerships, following network and platform terms, making only claims you can support and respecting privacy. Practical guidance, not legal advice.6 workouts, 34 min
- 1Why disclosure rules exist and who enforces them5 min5 minComing soon
- 2Writing disclosures people notice: wording and placement6 min6 minComing soon
- 3Sponsored links and search engine rules for affiliate content5 min5 minComing soon
- 4Network and merchant rules: brand bidding, coupons, trademarks6 min6 minComing soon
- 5Claims you can support, and topics that need extra care6 min6 minComing soon
- 6Cookies, consent and email rules for affiliates6 min6 minComing soon
Portfolio project: Audit an affiliate site for compliance. A compliance audit with findings ranked by severity, rewritten disclosures and a one-page affiliate policy for the site.
16AI in MarketingMake AI your teammate for content, ad creative, analysis and research, and understand how AI search is changing marketing.6 workouts, 35 min
- 1Writing good prompts: role, context, examples, format6 min6 minPro
- 2Creating content with AI: speed, brand voice and control6 min6 minPro
- 3AI for ad images and video creative6 min6 minPro
- 4AI for data analysis: from spreadsheet to insight6 min6 minPro
- 5AI search: how ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Overviews are changing traffic6 min6 minPro
- 6Risks: hallucinations, copyright, privacy and brand safety5 min5 minPro
17Portfolio, Resume and InterviewsProve what you have learned to a recruiter: a project portfolio, an ATS-friendly resume, a LinkedIn profile and case interview practice.6 workouts, 35 min
- 1Portfolio: turning your projects into case studies6 min6 minPro
- 2A marketing resume: write results, not duties6 min6 minPro
- 3Setting up your LinkedIn profile for recruiters5 min5 minPro
- 4The case interview: "How would you spend this budget?"7 min7 minPro
- 5Take-home assignments: structure and presentation6 min6 minPro
- 6Job offers: salary research and negotiation5 min5 minPro
35 of 101 workouts in this program are live today, across 17 modules. Workouts take 5 to 7 minutes; projects need a longer, focused session.
What you'll be able to practice
You learn affiliate marketing from both sides of the link. As a publisher you choose niches and programs, write review and comparison pages that rank, and build an email list. As a program manager you recruit partners, set commissions and watch for fraud. Tracking, attribution, payouts, disclosure rules and consent are part of the job, so you finish with projects that show how you earn and manage commissions responsibly.
Roles it prepares you for
Job titles you'll see in listings for this work. Titles differ from company to company, so read the duties in the listing, not just the title.
- Affiliate Marketing Specialist
- Affiliate Manager
- Affiliate Marketing Manager
- Partnerships Specialist
- Partner Marketing Specialist
- Affiliate Content Manager
What the work looks like day to day, pay by level and country, and how the role grows: Affiliate Marketing Manager
- Compare affiliate programs on commission, cookie window, reversals and earnings per click, and shortlist the ones worth promoting.
- Plan and write a review and comparison page that matches buyer intent and keeps its readers' trust.
- Design an affiliate program for a brand, with a commission model, terms and a fraud-check routine.
- Set up sub ID tracking and reconcile a network report against a store's own orders.
- Write disclosures and a compliance checklist for an affiliate site.
Work you can explain.
A portfolio project at the end of every module.
Example portfolio direction
Map a brand's funnel
Using the ad and sales data of a fictional brand, map every stage of its funnel, pick one metric for each stage and find the stage where the most customers drop off.
What you hand in: A one-page funnel map: stages, metrics, the weakest stage and two improvement ideas.
How the project is judged
- Accuracy
- Diagnosis
- Ideas
- Clarity
A clear place to begin.
Built for complete beginners and career switchers. You don't need a client account or your own ad budget: you work with realistic, fictional-brand scenarios.
Start with one decision.
Your first workout is ready when you are.
No credit card required. No marketing experience needed.
