Affiliate programs also known as associate programs are third-party platforms that connect individuals (affiliates) to brands so they can work with each other for mutual benefit.
Affiliate bloggers are paid a commission by online merchant websites for posting links to the merchant site on their website.
This helps to send traffic to the merchant’s website.
The commission earned is usually based on the number of people the affiliate sends to the merchant’s site or the number of people who purchase the product or perform some other action.
Sometimes, affiliate websites are paid according to the number of people who visit the page containing the merchant site’s banner advertisement.
Many Web sites which do not deal much in e-commerce (selling products or services online) themselves, subscribe to affiliate programs as a good way to participate in e-commerce.
Companies in turn make use of affiliate programs to upscale their business and improve their sales.
Related Article: How to make money with a photography blog
19 Amazing Affiliate Programs for Photography Blogs
1. Canon Affiliate Program
Canon, one of the oldest producers of cameras on the planet, has now become a force to be reckoned with in the digital camera market. Canon began in 1934. This offers a huge advantage in promoting their products. Many people have biases towards certain brands.
They are a “go-to” source for many newbie photographers who want to own a DSLR that will make their look have a greater professional outlook.
Although Canon is a popular brand which makes it easy to promote their products, you also have to deal with competition because their products are so popular.
Canon’s Commission Rate: The Commission rates on Canon products are relatively low. It is 2.5% per sale.
Canon’s Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: The cookie duration is 30 days.
2. Focus Camera Affiliate Program
Focus Camera which has been in business since 1966 has a strong name to its credit all appreciation to an array of products from leading manufacturers and staff expertise.
Focus Camera has a website that is simple to navigate with lots of photography gadgets to choose from. They also sell optical products like microscopes, telescopes and binoculars.
This provides a greater chance of making sales from subscribing to their affiliate program.
Focus Camera Commission Rate: The commission rate for sales is 3%.
Focus Camera Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: The cookie duration is 30 days.
3. B&H Photo
B&H has one of the biggest photography affiliate programs if it is not the biggest.
It is not out of place to include the affiliate program on your photography blog. It can help improve your brand image and increase the authority of your site in the photography niche.
B&H Commission Rate: B&H Photo offers a commission rate of up to 8%. Usually 2 to 8 per cent.
B&H Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: B&H Photo has a cookie duration of 60 hours.
4. BuyDig
Buydig is the online store for the Beach Trading Company, which has been an active retailer to professional photographers since the 1990s.
Buydig.com is known for excellent customer service and high-quality, low-cost digital cameras and other electronic devices.
Buydig sells almost everything a photographer needs like cameras, lenses, printers, and memory cards.
Although the commission rate for Buydig products is quite small, which is 2%, it performs well on Commission Junction even far better than more popular programs with better commission rates.
Buydig Commission Rate: Although the commission rate for Buydig products is quite small, which is 2%, it performs well on Commission Junction even far better than more popular programs with better commission rates.
Buydig Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: Buydig cookie duration is 7 days.
5. DJI
DJI with a 77% US market share is currently the biggest player in the consumer drone niche. It specialises in producing drones for photography and videography.
Therefore, this is a good affiliate program you can subscribe to if you have drone lovers as your visitors.
Aside from Drones, DJI produces various highly portable high-end cameras, and also a GoPro-rivalling action camera.
Signing up for the DJI photography program allows you to earn money on sales to up to 46 countries.
DJI’s Commission Rate: DJI’s commission rate is 5% per sale.
DJI’s Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: DJI’s cookie duration is 30 days.
6. Samy’s Camera Affiliate Program
Apart from the fact that Samy’s Camera sells photography equipment, they service cameras and also run a photography school.
These qualities have set them apart from other photography business brands.
The photography business brand which first opened for business in 1976, offers a slightly above-average commission.
Samy’s Camera Commission Rate: Samy’s Camera offers 4% per sale.
Samy’s Camera Ca Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: Cookie duration is 30 days
7. Adobe Affiliate Program
Adobe is a great and well-known photo editing software brand, with millions of users worldwide. Subscribers to Adobe Creative Cloud have access to a whole suite of creative apps which include;
- InDesign
- Photoshop
- Illustrator and
- Millions of Adobe Stock assets and premium images.
Photography blogs usually get amazing commissions from Adobe’s photography affiliate program. The commission earned largely depends on the Adobe products you promote.
Below are the earning for referring customers to Adobe Creative Cloud:
- 85% of the first month on monthly subscriptions
- 8.33% of the first year on annual subscriptions with a one-time payment
- 85% of the first month on paid-monthly annual subscriptions
As an alternative, Adobe Stock subscription commission rates are:
- $72 on monthly subscriptions
- $72 on yearly subscriptions with monthly payments
- 85% of the first month for three standard assets a month with a monthly payment
- 8.33% on single purchases with a one-time payment
Adobe’s Commission Rate: The commission rate for Adobe programs is usually 8.33% of the first year or 85% of the first month
Adobe Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: The cookie duration is 30 days.
8. KEH Camera Affiliate Program
With KEH Camera, affiliates have the opportunity to promote used photography gadgets. Photography is one expensive hobby and promoting used products can earn affiliates more sales.
KEH Camera is currently the world’s largest online store of its nature and it has helped over 1.5 million enthusiasts and professionals save up to 40% off regular retail prices.
KEH Camera Commission Rate: The commission rate is 4% per sale and since KEH Camera is a top performer on ShareASale, with an average order size of over $300.
This means that you can expect to make about $12 for every customer you refer to them.
KEH Camera Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: The cookie duration is up to 15 days.
9. Canvas Pop Affiliate Program
Canvas Pop affiliate program appeals to photographers at every level, from newbies to professionals. Professionals use it as an add-on service for their customers, and novices may use it for a portrait.
Canvas Pop Commission Rate: Canvas Pop offers a commission rate of up to 11% per sale
Canvas Pop Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: The cookie duration is 90 days.
10. Creative Live Affiliate Program
Creative Live provides online courses which cover photography, time management skills, communication, and video classes. But they’re not your typical photography classes because you can learn how to make the most of Adobe Photoshop, or how to set up your lighting, street photography, or even “iPhonegraphy.
With Creative Live, you can earn money through various means: 25% on new customer sales, $10 on returning customer transactions, $10 for referring other affiliates and $1 for every new registration on their site.
Creative Live Commission Rate: The commission rate to be earned is 25% per sale
Creative Live Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: The cookie duration is 30 days.
11. BorrowLenses
BorrowLenses, a camera rental company, allows people to hire all the tools they need for a professional-quality photo or video shoot.
The affiliate program offers the opportunity to earn up to 10% per sale. Signing up for this affiliate program also offers the opportunity to access a host of deals and coupons, and BorrowLenses’ extensive gallery of stock images.
BorrowLenses Commission Rate: Commission ranges from 5% to 10%
BorrowLenses Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: The cookie duration is 30 days.
12. Adorama
Adorama, a leading global provider of consumer electronics for more than 40 years, has a vast catalogue of over 250,000 products.
Adorama also offers a lot of privileges to affiliates. This includes free shipping on most products and worldwide shipping to 250 countries.
Adorama Commission Rate: It has a 2% commission rate
Adorama Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: Adorama has a 30-day cookie duration.
13. Think Tank
Think Tank Photo is a group of professional photographers and product designers given to studying how photographers work and creating inventive new-carrying solutions to meet their needs.
Think Tank Commission Rate: With Think Tank’s photography affiliate program, you can earn a commission of 10%.
Think Tank Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: It has a cookie duration of 365 days.
Commissions are paid thrice every year – January, May, and September – by check or PayPal.
14. Capture One
While Capture One is not as known as Adobe Photoshop, it is another great photo editing software brand. It allows photographers to connect their cameras, shoot photos directly to Capture One, and organize them on the go without struggles.
Capture One provides the opportunity for affiliates to earn big.
Capture One Commission Rate: Affiliates earn up to 30% commission for every referral
Capture One Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: It has a cookie duration of 40 days.
Also, you get $1 for every time one of the referrals signs up for a free 30-day trial. Its cookie duration is 40 days.
15. Skylum
Skylum on record has paid up to $10.5 million in commissions. The most active members of its affiliate program earn up to $100,000 in a year.
Skylum is one of the many affiliate programs with a wide range of promotional materials in their assets library. It has an inbuilt earnings estimator and calculator, which allows new and existing affiliates to estimate their future earnings.
Skylum Commission Rate: The commission is a base rate of 20%
Skylum Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: It has a cookie duration is 90 days.
16. Peak Design
Peak Design is a unique brand in the photography market, unlike other brands, they design gears that help photographers to easily transport their camera gears or at least walk around with ease. For instance, they have bag packs and clip holders to firmly hold your camera around the waist.
Fortunately, they have an amazing affiliate program.
Peak Design Commission Rate: Peak Design offers a commission rate of 10%.
Peak Design Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: It has a cookie duration of 30 days.
However, it should be noted that a minimum commission of $100 must be earned before a payout will be received.
Also, payouts are made every month usually on or around the 1st of every month.
17. Moment
If you are looking for an affiliate program that pays up to $200 per sale, Monent is the right place to go.
Moment’s photography affiliate program pays a range of commissions for a wide choice of products and services. Monent is best known for offering mobile photography accessories and courses.
The shop section of the website has other gear like bags, lenses, microphones, lights, GoPros, Drones etc.
Moment’s Commission Rate:
Affiliates earn:
- 6% – 15% commission rate on camera gear
- 10% on photography courses
- $100 on trips
A $10 discount is earned on the next order when you sign up for Moment’s photography affiliate program.
Moment’s Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: Its cookie duration is 30 days.
18. SmugMug
Photography enthusiasts use SmugMug to store their images, build a website or portfolio for their work and also earn passively by selling their photos.
It is important to sign up before SmugMug can be used.
Its price starts at $55 per year.
SmugMug’s Commission Rate: The commission rate for every sale made is 15%.
SmugMug’s Affiliate Program Cookie Duration: Its cookie duration is 60 days.
19. Expert Photography
Expert Photography provides online courses and other training material for budding photographers. The prices of the photography course products range from $10 as in the case of ebooks to $99 which is usually for video courses.
Commission Rate: With expert photography, you can earn a whopping 50% commission on every successful sale to a referred user.
Cookie Duration: The Expert Photography affiliate program has a 365-day cookie duration and it has an excellent sales funnel.
Final Thoughts
One of the ways to maximise earnings from blogs is through affiliate marketing and listed above are great affiliate marketing programs photography bloggers can subscribe to.
A high cookie duration is of great advantage. The higher the commission rate, the better.
You need to have a highly converting sales funnel to maximise your earning potential
