- PPF Points
- 2,100
I made the brave decision to try something new at the start of this year. For months, I had been thinking about affiliate marketing and watching innumerable blog entries, TikTok videos, and YouTube tutorials about people making money online. I was intrigued by the idea: promote goods you support, drive traffic with content, and get paid when a customer uses your special link to make a purchase. Theoretically straightforward. But could someone starting from scratch really make it work? without a website, an audience, or any prior experience?
I had a very specific objective for myself: in 30 days, I wanted to go from making nothing at all online to making $100 every day through affiliate marketing.
Week 1: The Basis
The challenge's initial days were devoted to preparation. I soon came to the conclusion that I would be aiming in the dark if I didn't have a defined niche. What is something that truly interests me and has a business component, I asked myself. Since I was already using a lot of them and knew they had affiliate programs with respectable payouts, I focused on digital tools for creators, such as productivity apps, design platforms, and AI tools.
After determining my niche, I joined several trustworthy affiliate networks, such as Notion, ConvertKit, and Canva. For a novice like me, the majority of programs didn't require a large following or a lot of traffic to be approved. I also created an account on Linktree.
I needed a platform to advertise my links once I had them ready. I thought about starting a blog, but I lacked the time and SEO expertise to generate traffic quickly. To get attention fast, I went with Instagram Reels and TikTok instead. Short-form video was booming, and I saw that if their content resonated, creators with fewer than 1,000 followers could receive thousands of views.
With the clear bio, "Helping creators find the best tools to work smarter," I made a new TikTok account. Free resources and advice
and added a link to it on my Linktree. Officially, I was in business.
Week 2: Content, Content, Content
This was the period of grinding. For the entire week, I made a commitment to post three TikToks every day, each of which highlighted a different tool or tactic that I had really employed. I provided brief reviews of programs like Grammarly and Jasper AI, demonstrated how I used Notion to plan my content calendar, and conducted brief tutorials on Canva hacks. To increase interaction, I included captions and utilized popular sounds.
The first three days were difficult. Almost none of my videos were viewed. However, something clicked on the fourth day. Overnight, one of my Notion setup videos received 25,000 views after being selected by the algorithm.
By the end of the second week, I had earned my first $38 in affiliate commissions and had 1,200 TikTok followers. Although it wasn't much, it demonstrated that the model was effective. More significantly, I had evidence that consistency was queen and content was king.
Week 3: Scaling and Optimization
It was time to optimize now that I had some traction. When I examined my TikTok analytics to see which videos did the best, I saw a trend: the most popular tools were those that helped creators earn money or save time. I therefore stepped up my efforts in that regard. I began making more "Top 3 tools" videos, "What I use to create content" lists, and software comparisons between free and paid versions.
I started batching videos ahead of time to meet content demands. I used drafts to schedule the 15 to 20 videos I wrote and filmed on Saturdays. My weekday evenings were now free to experiment with different platforms, reply to comments, and send direct messages.
My secondary source of traffic was Instagram Reels. I added carousel posts with helpful hints and reposted my best TikToks. Even though it grew more slowly than TikTok, it helped me expand my audience and gave me another platform to display affiliate links through bio links and story highlights.
I reached the $300 mark in commissions by the end of the third week, averaging roughly $40 per day with occasional spikes. I could see the goal of $100 per day approaching.
Week Four: The Discovery
In the last week, everything came together. In just two days, one of my Canva hack videos received over 100,000 views on TikTok. Suddenly, hundreds of new people were visiting my Linktree, and I had 4,800 followers.
However, email was this week's most important lesson. I became aware that I was directing all of this traffic to affiliate links without collecting email addresses. So I used my favorite tools, templates, and a few quick tutorials to quickly create a basic lead magnet—a "Creator Starter Kit" PDF. I created a landing page with ConvertKit, added it to my Linktree, and began gathering emails.
On day 30, I reached $112.36 in a single day. The average for the last week was slightly over $100 per day, though it wasn't consistent yet—I had some $70 days and some $120+ days. I had completed the task. In 30 days, go from nothing to $100 per day.
What Didn't Work and What Did
In retrospect, a number of factors helped me succeed. First, content creation became sustainable when I picked a niche that truly interested me. Second, I was able to get quick exposure with short-form video without the need for a website, SEO, or advertising. Third, by emphasizing value-first content rather than merely product pitches, curiosity and trust were increased.
What didn't work? heedlessly endorsing high-commission programs that I never used. I attempted to promote a software tool early on since it offered a 40% commission.
Not creating an email list sooner was another error. During the first three weeks, I failed to capture emails, which cost me money. By the time I got started, I understood how effective it was to communicate directly with my audience, particularly for long-term monetization, bonus offers, and follow-ups.
Where I'm Heading From Here
Even though the challenge is over, my journey is only getting started. I now have an email list that is expanding every day, a content system in place, and a deeper comprehension of the factors that influence affiliate sales. My next objectives are to:
Achieve a steady passive affiliate income of $3,000 per month.
Create a blog with a micro-niche to increase traffic outside of social media.
Make my own digital goods to go along with affiliate marketing.
I had a very specific objective for myself: in 30 days, I wanted to go from making nothing at all online to making $100 every day through affiliate marketing.
Week 1: The Basis
The challenge's initial days were devoted to preparation. I soon came to the conclusion that I would be aiming in the dark if I didn't have a defined niche. What is something that truly interests me and has a business component, I asked myself. Since I was already using a lot of them and knew they had affiliate programs with respectable payouts, I focused on digital tools for creators, such as productivity apps, design platforms, and AI tools.
After determining my niche, I joined several trustworthy affiliate networks, such as Notion, ConvertKit, and Canva. For a novice like me, the majority of programs didn't require a large following or a lot of traffic to be approved. I also created an account on Linktree.
I needed a platform to advertise my links once I had them ready. I thought about starting a blog, but I lacked the time and SEO expertise to generate traffic quickly. To get attention fast, I went with Instagram Reels and TikTok instead. Short-form video was booming, and I saw that if their content resonated, creators with fewer than 1,000 followers could receive thousands of views.
With the clear bio, "Helping creators find the best tools to work smarter," I made a new TikTok account. Free resources and advice
and added a link to it on my Linktree. Officially, I was in business.Week 2: Content, Content, Content
This was the period of grinding. For the entire week, I made a commitment to post three TikToks every day, each of which highlighted a different tool or tactic that I had really employed. I provided brief reviews of programs like Grammarly and Jasper AI, demonstrated how I used Notion to plan my content calendar, and conducted brief tutorials on Canva hacks. To increase interaction, I included captions and utilized popular sounds.
The first three days were difficult. Almost none of my videos were viewed. However, something clicked on the fourth day. Overnight, one of my Notion setup videos received 25,000 views after being selected by the algorithm.
By the end of the second week, I had earned my first $38 in affiliate commissions and had 1,200 TikTok followers. Although it wasn't much, it demonstrated that the model was effective. More significantly, I had evidence that consistency was queen and content was king.
Week 3: Scaling and Optimization
It was time to optimize now that I had some traction. When I examined my TikTok analytics to see which videos did the best, I saw a trend: the most popular tools were those that helped creators earn money or save time. I therefore stepped up my efforts in that regard. I began making more "Top 3 tools" videos, "What I use to create content" lists, and software comparisons between free and paid versions.
I started batching videos ahead of time to meet content demands. I used drafts to schedule the 15 to 20 videos I wrote and filmed on Saturdays. My weekday evenings were now free to experiment with different platforms, reply to comments, and send direct messages.
My secondary source of traffic was Instagram Reels. I added carousel posts with helpful hints and reposted my best TikToks. Even though it grew more slowly than TikTok, it helped me expand my audience and gave me another platform to display affiliate links through bio links and story highlights.
I reached the $300 mark in commissions by the end of the third week, averaging roughly $40 per day with occasional spikes. I could see the goal of $100 per day approaching.
Week Four: The Discovery
In the last week, everything came together. In just two days, one of my Canva hack videos received over 100,000 views on TikTok. Suddenly, hundreds of new people were visiting my Linktree, and I had 4,800 followers.
However, email was this week's most important lesson. I became aware that I was directing all of this traffic to affiliate links without collecting email addresses. So I used my favorite tools, templates, and a few quick tutorials to quickly create a basic lead magnet—a "Creator Starter Kit" PDF. I created a landing page with ConvertKit, added it to my Linktree, and began gathering emails.
On day 30, I reached $112.36 in a single day. The average for the last week was slightly over $100 per day, though it wasn't consistent yet—I had some $70 days and some $120+ days. I had completed the task. In 30 days, go from nothing to $100 per day.
What Didn't Work and What Did
In retrospect, a number of factors helped me succeed. First, content creation became sustainable when I picked a niche that truly interested me. Second, I was able to get quick exposure with short-form video without the need for a website, SEO, or advertising. Third, by emphasizing value-first content rather than merely product pitches, curiosity and trust were increased.
What didn't work? heedlessly endorsing high-commission programs that I never used. I attempted to promote a software tool early on since it offered a 40% commission.
Not creating an email list sooner was another error. During the first three weeks, I failed to capture emails, which cost me money. By the time I got started, I understood how effective it was to communicate directly with my audience, particularly for long-term monetization, bonus offers, and follow-ups.
Where I'm Heading From Here
Even though the challenge is over, my journey is only getting started. I now have an email list that is expanding every day, a content system in place, and a deeper comprehension of the factors that influence affiliate sales. My next objectives are to:
Achieve a steady passive affiliate income of $3,000 per month.
Create a blog with a micro-niche to increase traffic outside of social media.
Make my own digital goods to go along with affiliate marketing.
