Top 8 Best Places to Find Quality Affiliates for Your Business

Discover the top 8 best places to find quality affiliates for your business. Learn where to connect with motivated partners who can drive sales and grow your brand.

Finding the right affiliates can make or break your program. Quality affiliates do not just send random clicks, they bring in people who are already interested in your products.

That is why knowing the best places to find affiliates matters. When you connect with the right partners, you get targeted traffic, higher conversions, and steady sales growth.

I have been in affiliate marketing long enough to see how the right match can change a business. A single strong affiliate can outperform ten average ones.

In this post, I’ll walk you through seven of the best places to recruit affiliates so you can stop guessing and start building a team that actually drives results.

The seven best places to find affiliates for your business are:

1. Affiliate networks
2. Niche forums and communities
3. Social media groups
4. Influencer platforms
5. Affiliate directories
6. Your own audience
7. Industry events and webinars
8. Affiliate Recruitment Agencies

Why Finding the Right Affiliates is Key

Not every affiliate will be a good fit for your business. You do not just need people who can drive clicks, you need partners who understand your audience and can build trust with them.

When an affiliate believes in what you sell, it shows in how they promote it. That kind of authenticity brings in buyers who are more likely to convert.

Think of it this way. Ten random affiliates might send you traffic, but only a few of them will actually move the needle. One strong affiliate with the right audience can outperform them all. The right affiliates save you time, bring in consistent sales, and help grow your brand over the long run.

Finding them takes effort, but once you build those relationships, you have partners who stick around and keep sending you quality customers. That is the real value.

The Top 7 Best Places to Find Quality Affiliates

Finding affiliates is not about chasing random people online. It is about knowing where the right partners spend their time. The good news is that there are proven places to find affiliates who are motivated, experienced, and ready to promote offers like yours.

Below, I will walk you through seven of the best options and explain how each one works.

1. Affiliate Networks

Affiliate networks are one of the most reliable places to find affiliates because they bring thousands of publishers and brands together in one place. Think of them as a matchmaking service. You add your program, and affiliates who are already looking for offers can discover it.

The best part is that networks handle a lot of the heavy lifting. They manage tracking, payments, and reporting, so you don’t need to build those systems yourself. This saves time and helps affiliates feel secure because they trust the network to keep things transparent.

Networks also give you access to affiliates from many different niches. Whether you sell physical products, digital tools, or subscription services, there are people inside these platforms already promoting similar offers. That makes it easier to reach affiliates who understand your industry and know how to drive sales.

Some popular affiliate networks include:

• ShareASale
• CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction)
• Rakuten Advertising
• Impact
• Awin

These platforms are established and attract affiliates at every level, from beginners testing their first programs to seasoned pros with years of experience. Starting with networks gives your program instant exposure and credibility while removing the stress of managing everything on your own.

2. Niche Forums and Communities

Niche forums and online communities are some of the best places to find affiliates who already understand your industry. These spaces attract people who share the same interests, test new offers, and look for programs that align with what they know. Affiliates in these groups are not just dabbling; they are often serious about learning and improving their craft.

Inside these forums, affiliates trade advice, compare strategies, and highlight programs that perform well for them. This makes it a great environment to meet potential partners who already know what works in your niche. Engaging in these conversations gives you a chance to show what your program offers without coming across as pushy.

You will find communities in many places online. Some are built around specific industries, while others are broad affiliate marketing spaces. For example, there are forums on sites like Warrior Forum and niche discussions on platforms like Reddit. One such community on Reddit is AffiliatesMarketing, where affiliates and brands share insights and talk about their experiences.

When you take part in these discussions the right way, you start to build relationships that can naturally lead to partnerships. Affiliates who are active in forums and communities tend to be more engaged and easier to work with since they are already motivated to grow.

3. Social Media Groups

Social media groups are some of the most active places to find affiliates today. On Facebook, there are groups dedicated to affiliate marketing, niche-specific products, and business growth.

Affiliates join these groups to find new programs, share results, and discuss strategies. When you become part of these communities, you get direct access to people who are already looking for opportunities.

LinkedIn works in a slightly different way. It is not just about open groups but also about building connections with professionals. Many affiliates who focus on B2B or high-ticket products spend time on LinkedIn, since it is where business owners and decision makers interact.

By joining LinkedIn groups and engaging with posts, you can attract affiliates who are more serious and experienced.

The key with social groups is not to spam links to your program. Instead, contribute to the discussion, answer questions, and show that your business provides real value. Over time, affiliates will notice your activity and become curious about your program. That is when genuine partnerships start to form, and those usually lead to better results than cold outreach.

4. Influencer Platforms

Influencers stand out because they have already done the hard work of building trust with their audiences. When they recommend a product, their followers pay attention.

That credibility is powerful, and when paired with an affiliate program, it can translate into both awareness and sales. Instead of starting from scratch, you tap into an existing audience that is already engaged.

Finding the right influencers can feel all-consuming, but influencer platforms make the process easier. Tools like Upfluence, AspireIQ, and Influence.co give you access to databases of creators across different niches.

These platforms let you filter by audience size, engagement rate, and industry, so you are not guessing who might be a good fit. This makes it easier to approach influencers who actually align with your business.

Working with influencers as affiliates often creates a win-win situation. They get to monetize their content in a way that feels natural, and you get authentic promotion from someone their audience already trusts.

The best part is that influencers can introduce your business to new audiences quickly, while still giving you performance-based results through affiliate links.

5. Affiliate Directories

Affiliate directories are one of the most straightforward places to find affiliates. Instead of hunting for partners one by one, you get access to a list of affiliates who are already looking for programs to join.

These directories work like marketplaces where businesses post their offers and affiliates browse to see what matches their interests.

Some popular affiliate directories you can check include:

• Offervault
• Affiliate Directory by affplus
• 100 Best Affiliate Programs Directory
• iAmAffiliate Resources
• STM Forum Directory

We also have our own directory built with the same goal in mind. You simply submit your program, get listed, and affiliates can start discovering it right away. It creates a trusted space where affiliates find quality offers, while businesses like yours connect with promoters who are already looking for opportunities.

If you want one of the simplest ways to attract affiliates without extra workload, directories are a smart and reliable choice.

6. Your Own Audience

Many businesses overlook their own audience when searching for affiliates. Yet customers often make the best promoters because they already trust your product and understand its value.

A happy customer talking about their experience is more convincing than any sales pitch. When you give them the chance to earn by recommending your product, it feels natural and genuine.

You can set this up through a referral or affiliate program that rewards customers for bringing in new buyers. It might be a commission, store credit, or even exclusive perks. The point is to make it worth their effort while keeping the process simple.

Some of the strongest affiliate programs out there grew from loyal customers who wanted to share what they loved. This approach not only builds sales but also deepens customer loyalty, since people feel more connected to a brand when they become part of its growth.

7. Industry Events and Webinars

Industry events and webinars are often ignored, yet they are powerful places to find affiliates. Unlike online groups or directories, these events allow you to meet people face to face or connect with them in real time. That kind of interaction builds trust quickly, which is the foundation of strong affiliate partnerships.

Conferences, workshops, and webinars attract marketers who are serious about growth.

Many affiliates attend these events to network, learn about new opportunities, and connect with businesses. When you show up and share what your program offers, you are speaking directly to people who are already motivated to partner.

Even if you cannot attend events in person, online webinars create the same chance to interact. By hosting your own or joining as a speaker, you position your business as credible and approachable. Affiliates are more likely to work with you when they feel that personal connection, and those relationships often last longer than any cold email exchange.

8. Affiliate Recruitment Agencies

Sometimes, finding the right affiliates is too time-consuming to handle alone. That’s where recruitment agencies come in. These agencies act like matchmakers. They already have connections with publishers, bloggers, and influencers who are open to promoting products. Instead of starting from scratch, you tap into their network.

The main benefit is speed and accuracy. Agencies can quickly spot affiliates who match your niche, understand your product, and have an audience ready to buy. This shortens the testing phase and helps you avoid wasting time on people who don’t deliver results.

Some well-known affiliate recruitment agencies include:

• Acceleration Partners – A global agency that manages affiliate programs for major brands.
• PartnerCentric – Focuses on custom strategies and hands-on affiliate recruitment.
• OAK Digital – Works with both startups and established brands to build affiliate networks.
• Grovia – Known for using advanced tech to help brands find affiliates more efficiently.
• Affiliate Managers – A smaller team, but specialized in helping businesses grow through tailored recruitment.

Of course, agencies come at a cost. You’ll usually pay a flat fee or a percentage of deals they close. But if you value your time and want skilled affiliates faster, this trade-off is worth it. I’ve seen companies scale much quicker by working with agencies than by recruiting on their own.

Think of it as outsourcing the hardest part, finding people you can trust. Once the right affiliates are on board, you can focus on building relationships and optimizing your offers.

Pro Tip: Don’t just list your program and wait. Actively reach out to affiliates inside networks, groups, or directories. A personal message often turns a casual browser into a committed partner.

How to Attract Affiliates to Your Business

Getting listed in directories or meeting people in groups is only half the battle. Affiliates won’t join or stay unless your offer looks worth their time.

I’ve been on both sides of the table, promoting offers as an affiliate and running programs as a manager. The programs that grow usually stand out for three reasons. Fair pay, strong tracking, and real support.

First, commissions need to be competitive. Affiliates compare programs side by side. If your payout is much lower than others in the niche, you’ll struggle to stand out.

That doesn’t mean you have to outpay everyone. It means affiliates should feel the effort they put in will actually pay off. I’ve walked away from programs before because the return didn’t match the work. Many affiliates do the same.

Second, tracking must be reliable. Nothing turns people away faster than missed sales or broken links. If the system doesn’t show clicks, conversions, and earnings in real time, affiliates lose confidence.

Good tracking builds trust. It proves you respect their effort and want them to see results clearly. I’ve seen entire programs collapse because affiliates stopped trusting the numbers.

Third, provide real marketing support. Affiliates are creative, but they shouldn’t have to start from zero. Supplying banners, email templates, and product images makes it easier for them to promote.

Even better, share insights on what’s already working. When I had access to proven creatives in the past, I pushed offers harder because I wasn’t going in blind.

Attracting affiliates isn’t about luck. It’s about showing them you value their time, letting them track results without doubt, and giving them the tools to succeed. Cover those basics, and your program becomes one affiliates trust and recommend.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Recruiting Affiliates

Recruiting affiliates isn’t just about numbers. Many businesses make mistakes that push away the very people they’re trying to attract. I’ve seen it happen often, both from the affiliate side and while managing programs.

One big mistake is offering low commissions. If affiliates feel they’re doing all the heavy lifting for a small payout, they won’t stick around. Even worse, word spreads quickly in communities, and a weak offer can hurt your reputation.

Another issue is poor communication. Some programs ignore questions or take weeks to respond. Affiliates want to feel supported, not left hanging. A simple, timely reply can make the difference between losing a partner and building a long-term relationship.

Programs also fail when tracking is inconsistent. If sales don’t register, links break, or reporting lags behind, affiliates lose trust. Once that trust is gone, it’s almost impossible to win back.

Finally, don’t overload affiliates with rules or restrictions. Clear guidelines are fine, but too many limitations make it hard for affiliates to get creative. The best programs set boundaries without choking out flexibility.

Avoiding these mistakes is simple if you look at things from the affiliate’s side. Ask yourself: would I want to promote this program? If the answer is no, fix the offer before inviting others in.

Conclusion

The best affiliates bring you buyers who are already interested. Knowing where to connect with them makes recruitment easier. Networks, forums, social groups, influencer platforms, directories, and events all give you access to people who are ready to promote.

What keeps them around is simple. Fair commissions, accurate tracking, and real support. When affiliates see you value their effort, they’ll put more energy into growing your program.

Strong affiliate partnerships don’t happen overnight, but with trust and consistency, they become one of the most reliable ways to grow your business.

Frequently Asked Questions