What makes someone a true super affiliate? How do you find the right affiliate marketing guru to help you become a super affiliate marketer as well?
Finding an affiliate marketing guru to show you the ropes can be challenging. Not because there’s a lack of people you can learn from. Far from it; it’s hard not to get lost amongst the many (often self-proclaimed) super affiliates.
Still, finding the right source of reliable information can help to become one of those super affiliates yourself.
Finding that one great source of valuable information will boost your chances for success massively. Others can teach you to avoid the wrong choices and mistakes they made.
Super Affiliate Rockstars you’ll find:
- What to look for in a true “super” affiliate source of information
- And what to be on the lookout for!
- Our own 9 favorite affiliate marketing rockstars
1. STM
2. Jim Harmer & Ricky Kesler (Income School)
3. Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income)
4. Jeremy Schoemaker (ShoeMoney)
5. Charles Ngo
6. Kyle & Carson (Wealthy Affiliate)
7. Nick Loper (Side Hustle Nation)
8. Zac Johnson - Conclusion: which source is going to help YOU become the super affiliate you’ve always wanted to be?
What to look for in a truly “super affiliate guru”
The right super affiliate marketing guru for you is, first of all, someone that gets you motivated, psyched, and energetic when you are listening to them, or reading what they wrote. Whether you are looking for one-on-one coaching, or just someone to follow on their blog or on YouTube (more on that distinction later), learning from your affiliate guru of choice needs to spark a fire inside of you. After watching their videos, listening to their podcast or reading one of their blogs, you should be like: “Hell yeah, let’s build this empire up!”
Becoming a super affiliate calls for dedication. It’s not something that’ll happen overnight, but requires patience. It requires you to keep putting in the work without seeing immediate results. It requires the ability to keep your focus on the finish line.
What to be on the lookout for
We all know the self-proclaimed super affiliate rockstars who try to lure you into their programs by exhibiting an extravagant lifestyle. Promos set at a beautiful villa in a tropical country, with the beach in full view behind them. Oh, and did we mention that luxurious sports car that is parked out front?
Of course, this could very well be one of those things that got you into affiliate marketing. Super affiliates do have a great life. Who doesn’t want to make a passive income online and be able to work from anywhere in the world?
But be critical. Ask yourself, is this super affiliate going to help me? Are they really in it to share their wisdom, or is selling an expensive training programme simply their way to boost their own revenue?
Keep in mind: no one can guarantee you success in affiliate marketing. Super affiliates making promises that sound too good to be true? Chances are they are just that.
Our 9 favorite super affiliate rockstars in 2023
Alright then, without further ado: here are what we consider to be the 9 super affiliate rockstars from this moment (in random order). Like the biggest rockstars of music history, they’ve made this list by putting out great content and proving time and again that they truly are today’s rockstars of affiliate marketing.
1. STM Forum
STM is a platform that focuses on building a community of like-minded people to inspire and motivate each other. It is one of the biggest and most renowned affiliate marketing communities or forums out there.
StackThatMoney, or STM Forum, was launched in January 2011 by Lorenzo Green, Besmir Bregasi, and Stackman. Their goal was to create a networking hub providing case studies, how-to guides, and information on topics related to affiliate marketing.
What they offer
You can check out some free content and blog posts on their website, but the real value is in joining the community. For $99,- a month you get access to an overwhelming amount of invaluable, relevant content. Over 42,029 threads and 358,961 posts that include the following:
- Advanced Step-By-Step Tutorials for newbies for every traffic source and vertical you can imagine. Native, Facebook, Google Ads, Pop, Push, eCommerce and everything in between.
- Shocking golden nuggets and tips that can (and have) turn your campaigns from -100% ROI (losing money) to +500% ROI (making a lot of money).
- Monster case studies with even more shocking numbers that you can replicate yourself and make cash the easy way or just to get your daily dose of drools.
- Masterminds for all skill levels. From newbies just starting out to people making at least $XX,XXX/day in revenue for every traffic type and specialty – your choice.
- Networking opportunities that can turn your campaigns from losers to winners. Teaming up with someone can make your life at the very least 2x easier.
- Secret strategies used by veterans that you won’t find anywhere else (they only dare share them with STM family members).
If you sign up and don’t feel that STM is a good match, simply request for a refund within the first 72 hours, no questions asked!
2. Jim Harmer & Ricky Kesler (Income School)
This is a prime example of two guys that have mastered affiliate marketing by simply stepping in the mud, buckling down and getting things done. Now, they have an amazingly scalable, flexible and – most important – profitable affiliate marketing company. They continually crank out and rank new websites and prove time and again that their system works.
Income School was established in January 2015 by Jim Harmer and Ricky Kesler. In 2018 they launched their flagship course, Project 24 – the name refers to the goal of creating an online business that can replace your day job and provide you with a full-time income in 24 months.
Although Jim left in 2021 to pursue other interests, Income School and Project 24 are growing from strength to strength.
Learn from Jim and Ricky for free
You can follow Income School on YouTube and learn from Rick and Jimmy in easy to watch, high-energy videos on all topics that are important to an affiliate marketer. Their prime focus is on SEO, writing blog posts and starting a YouTube channel.
Jim and Ricky as your affiliate gurus (paid programme)
Looking to really commit to these highly enthralling affiliate marketing rockstars? Then you should definitely check out their Project 24 programme. For $449,- you’ll get access to:
- Jim and Ricky’s 60-step programme to build a profitable niche site and YouTube channel
- A community of like-minded people also seeking to become affiliate rockstars to motivate and help you
- Courses and videos to learn what you need to know
3. Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income)
If we had to name one true super affiliate rockstar, it’d probably have to be Pat Flynn. Like so many other people, he was – in his own words – forced into affiliate marketing by the hardships faced in his job.
Smart Passive Income (SPI) was founded in 2008 by Pat Flynn as a personal blog.
Pat graduated from college with an architecture degree and loved his job at the architectural firm he was working for. Unfortunately, the 2008 economic crisis hit the architectural industry and many others hard, and he lost his job.
He decided to focus all his attention on online marketing, and as his blog grew, he hired other people with the same vision to work with him.
Learn from Pat for free
Smart Passive Income has tons of free educational material for you to sink your teeth in. Pat also has a YouTube channel with loads of inspirational videos to guide you on your path to become a super affiliate. You can also look for his podcast (The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast) on your favorite podcast platform.
Paid options
There are also lots of paid and high quality courses to choose from. The ideal way to really delve into a subject.
4. Jeremy Schoemaker (ShoeMoney)
Jeremy Schoemaker is yet another story of someone that went from unemployment to becoming a true affiliate marketing super star. The ShoeMoney blog grew to be an icon in the affiliate marketing world and you should definitely check it out in the search for your own mentor.
2003 was a turning point in Jeremy Schoemaker’s life – he met his wife, started his blog, and lost 200 pounds through gastric bypass surgery.
“From selling washers and dryers at Sears to managing multimillion-dollar pay-per-click campaigns, I have been exposed to so many types of marketing. I use this experience now to focus on my own company and hope to make it one of the most profitable internet-based companies there are.” – Jeremy Schoemaker
In ShoeMoney.com, Jeremy shares his ups and downs in online marketing, and it reached a daily readership of over 30,000 people at its height.
Unfortunately, ShoeMoney.com is only a shadow of its former self – according to SimilarWeb.com, it only gets around 1,900 visits monthly.
Learn from Jeremy Schoemaker for free
On the ShoeMoney blog you can find tons of powerful and useful articles on SEO, marketing, business and affiliate marketing. It’s a powerful library of information and inspiration where you can easily spend a few hours browsing, reading and learning.
Paid options
Jeremy also wrote a book: Nothing’s Changed But My Change: The ShoeMoney Story. In it, he tells about his journey and how he came to be the affiliate marketing super rockstar he is today.
5. Charles Ngo
Charles Ngo is one of the thought leaders in the affiliate marketing world. His story is similar to that of many others on this list. Not an exceptional student, after graduation he got stuck in a meaningless job. His quest: to become the Asian James Bond.
We don’t know about 007, but he did manage to become the Asian super affiliate and you should definitely check him out.
Learn from Charles for free
First of all, there is Charles’ blog with tons of informative articles on affiliate marketing and building your business. To help you succeed, and perhaps become the James Bond or the super affiliate rockstar of your own country…
Charles as your affiliate marketing super rockstar (paid)
Want Charles as a more in-depth mentor? Then you should join the waitlist for his upcoming course on how to build a profitable affiliate marketing business. The prices are yet to be announced.
6. Kyle & Carson (Wealthy Affiliate)
Let’s be honest, the ultimate goal of any affiliate is to become wealthy, right? That’s the sole purpose behind Wealthy Affiliate: an initiative to help other people succeed online in the same way Kyle and Carson had already experienced success.
They built a complete affiliate online marketing platform to help people get started, expanding their business, and reaching their personal goals which could be a passive income of $100,- or $100.000,- a month.
Wealthy Affiliate was co-founded in 2005 by Kyle Loudoun and Carson Lim. It has become the #1 online training platform and community for affiliate marketers, with 2,6+ million members across 193 countries.
According to Similarweb.com, WealthyAffiliate.com gets over 500,000 visits monthly.
“You cannot make people love a service, you have to create a service that people love.”
– Kyle Loudoun
Get started for free
If you’re looking to get started in affiliate marketing, their free subscription might be a good place to start.
A community filled with affiliate rockstars (paid)
Looking to really level up your skills, motivation and success? Then the Wealthy Affiliate Community is the place for you. Here you can come in contact with Kyle and Carson themselves, and spar with hundreds of thousands of people in various stages of their affiliate marketing rockstar journey.
Subscriptions that allow unlimited community communication start at $49,- a month.
7. Nick Loper (Side Hustle Nation)
Many affiliate marketing rockstars started out with their affiliate website as “a side hustle”. The dream is to make that side hustle into your main cash source. If you’re looking to find a super affiliate to help guide your way, Nick is definitely worth checking out.
What is riskier, asks Nick. Starting a side-business, or relying on your job as your only source of income? As many people in these crazy times can attest, a day-job is not as assuring as it often seems.
Side Hustle Nation was founded in 2013 by Nick Loper – author of seven books on side hustles, entrepreneurship, marketing, and productivity.
It won the Plutus Award for Best Entrepreneurship Blog/Podcast in 2016 and 2018 – The Side Hustle Show has been downloaded more than 24 million times!
Nick has over 100,000 email subscribers. And according to Similarweb.com, SideHustleNation.com gets 740,000 visits a month.
“My aim is to help you build something you care about, generate income outside of your day job, and build more financial freedom and security into your life.” – Nick Loper
Learn from this super affiliate (free)
Nick has a blog and a podcast with tons of useful and inspiring content to get your own super affiliate motor running. He doesn’t solely focus on affiliate marketing. Super helpful and insightful ideas on other great ideas to make some extra cash online can be found here as well.
Nick’s respond to this article:
“In affiliate marketing, you’re helping people make decisions: Is this product worth it? What are the alternatives? How do you use the product? Where can I find the best deal? The best affiliate marketers in the world approach their content with the customer in mind, and helping them make the right decision for themselves.”
8. Zac Johnson
Zac Johnson is a mammoth of affiliate marketing. He has 20 years experience in making money online and is mainly fascinated by the many different ways that people keep finding to make a living online.
He started out with making $0.01 affiliate incomes on CPC-campaigns. Now he makes a whole hell of a lot more. And perhaps he is that one affiliate superstar that you’ve been looking for to teach you how to do the same.
Zac Johnson launched his blog ZacJohnson.com on March 17th, 2007, and runs a successful podcast – Rise of the Entrepreneur.
According to Similarweb.com, ZacJohnson.com gets about 7,700 visits monthly, and his site Blogging.org has over 63,000 visits monthly.
He is also an instructor on Udemy – he has nine courses on Udemy. And 79,000+ students have enrolled in at least one of his courses.
Making Zac your affiliate marketing super rockstar (free and paid)
Of course, Zac has a blog and a podcast where you can find tons of helpful content. He also has some practical step-by-step approach frameworks that you can buy from a very reasonable price (starting at $56,-)
FAQ
What is a super affiliate?
A super affiliate is an individual or business that has the ability to earn exceptional rewards and commissions through their expertise in online marketing. Super affiliates can use multiple online platforms such as ads, content, search engine optimization, and more to drive website traffic and increase visibility. Super affiliates are highly knowledgeable in the field and have a strong understanding of how to optimize their content for maximum benefit.
How much do super affiliates make?
Super affiliates can make an extremely lucrative income, depending on their level of engagement and expertise. Successful affiliates can range from making a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per month, but some of the highest earning super affiliates can make anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 or more per month.
Is Slickdeals founder Van Trac the richest affiliate marketer in the world?
No, Van Trac is propably not the richest affiliate marketer in the world. The richest affiliate marketer in the world is not publicly known because of the complexity of accurately measuring and verifying individual net worths in this area.
Van Trac is the founder and CEO of Slickdeals, one of the most successful affiliate marketing companies in the world. He has grown Slickdeals to become one of the top sites for earning cashback and finding great deals on the web. As one of the most successful affiliate marketers in the world, Van Trac has certainly achieved a great level of success in the industry.
How to become a super affiliate?
Becoming a successful super affiliate requires hard work and dedication.The essential steps to become a super affiliate include:
1) Knowing Your Niche: Start by becoming knowledgeable in a niche that you enjoy and become an expert in the field, it will make working much more enjoyable and you’ll be better able to relate to readers.
2)Building an Audience: Create an audience of readers by posting content to various media outlets like blogs, forums, and social media sites. This will help you gain followers and potential customers who are interested in the niche.
3) Establishing Partnerships: Reach out to potential affiliates and establish relationships with other affiliates in your niche. This will help you gain access to more resources and customers.
4) Reaching Your Goals: Set objectives and strive to reach them. Utilize the strategies that you have established to get people to visit your website to make transactions or engage with your content.
5) Optimizing Your Efforts: Monitor your results and refine your tactics over time to maximize efficiency. Keep track of what succeeds and what fails and make modifications as needed.
Is it too late to start affiliate marketing?
No, it is not too late to start affiliate marketing. Affiliate Marketing is a type of performance-based marketing where an individual is rewarded for generating sales, leads or clicks for another business. Affiliate marketing provides both businesses and affiliates the opportunity to benefit from the process.
Conclusion: which affiliate rockstar is going to help YOU become the super affiliate you’ve always wanted to be?
Just like in music, not everybody gets psyched about the same rockstar. One is a Queen’s fan, the other is more into Guns ‘n Roses. Although you might enjoy listening to both, there is probably one (might be another band altogether of course) that always gets you dancing and singing along.
In this super affiliate rockstar guide, we’ve shown you that the same goes for super affiliate rockstars. There are so many successful affiliate marketers out there, willing to share their wisdom. Finding the ones that give you the energy and motivation to reach the same level of success as they did is going to make a difference in your own affiliate marketing journey.
Read the backstories of the super affiliates that we’ve mentioned in this list and discover which of them speaks to you. Perhaps there is some overlap with your own story that helps to motivate you? Listen to their podcasts and their videos. Read their articles. See what resonates the most and then commit to the super affiliate rockstar that is going to help YOU to succeed.
Anyone can make it in affiliate marketing. You’ll make it easier for yourself by learning from the people that already did. A complete list of more broad Digital Marketing courses can be found here.
