Nike is a brand that needs no introduction – it dominates the sports industry and is loved by many. As you read this review, there’s a good chance that you’re wearing a Nike product. In this article, we’ll take a comprehensive look at the Nike affiliate program, as well as offer some tips on how to promote Nike products effectively.
Nike Affiliate Program
Affiliates can only join the Nike affiliate program through affiliate networks, as Nike doesn’t have an in-house program. However, Nike does have a simple affiliate landing page that provides basic information about the program. When you click on the “Apply Now” button, you’ll be taken to the Nike affiliate program overview on AWIN affiliate network (depending on your location, you may be taken to a different affiliate network).
Another place where you can join the program is CJ Affiliates. However, the program terms on CJ Affiliates are worse than on AWIN, with a referral period of only seven days, compared to AWIN’s 30-day period. It’s best to go to the landing page first and click on the “Apply Now” button, which will redirect you to the program overview on an affiliate network where the program terms should match.
It’s important to note that the program may be available on other affiliate networks, but the program terms may differ, and the referral period and commission rate may not be as good as those on AWIN.
Nike Affiliate Program Commission
The Nike affiliate program offers a commission rate of up to 11%, which is significantly higher than the 7% commission rate you’d earn for promoting Nike products on Amazon via the Amazon Associates program. By sending traffic directly to Nike’s official website through the Nike affiliate program, you can earn a higher commission rate.
However, the 11% commission rate doesn’t apply to all products, but, in general, you’ll always get a better rate if you promote Nike through their own affiliate program. If you decide to promote Nike on CJ Affiliates, you’ll earn only 1% from each sale, which is much lower than the rate offered on AWIN.
Despite the unfavorable program terms on CJ Affiliates, the program seems to work for many affiliates, with a 3-month EPC of $23 (at the time of writing this review). This demonstrates that Nike is a great brand to promote, as people trust and like its products, making it easier to convert visitors into customers.
How to Make Money with the Program
Nike offers a wide range of products across various categories, including clothing, shoes, accessories, and equipment. It’s recommended to choose one category, preferably one subcategory, to maximize your chances of success. For example, you could promote running shoes.
When promoting Nike through a website, you need to optimize your content for low-competition keywords, as ranking for competitive keywords like “Nike shoes” or “Nike running shoes” won’t be easy. Instead, target long-tail keywords like “best Nike running shoes for marathon,” which have around 70 searches a month. Although the search volume may seem low, targeting multiple long-tail keywords can add up.
Ranking for long-tail keywords related to Nike is still challenging, as many affiliates are targeting these keywords, making the keyword difficulty quite high. Therefore, it’s also recommended to target keywords that don’t include Nike at all.
Using YouTube for Promotion
If you don’t want to launch an affiliate website and still want to promote the Nike affiliate program, you can try it through a YouTube channel.
Video reviews are, for most products, better than article reviews. Reviews are perceived as more trustworthy when you are actually seen with the product. You can show the product up close and be emotional about it.
However, I would still not recommend using YouTube for this program.
There is even more competition for Nike-related keywords than there is on Google and it also takes time and money to shoot a quality review video.
You will not have much success if you only do a slideshow with product pictures and short descriptions. The best video reviews are those with the products being shown.
This is obviously hard as you would have to purchase the product for each of your reviews.
Should You Join the Nike Affiliate Program?
The Nike affiliate program definitely has potential. The commission is high, and the standard 30-day referral period is also great for such a big brand like Nike.
The only downside of this program is that is has a lot of competition. So many affiliates are promoting Nike and so it’s getting harder and harder to rank for keywords with higher buyer intent.
However, don’t let this stop you. If you choose the right approach, you can earn money promoting Nike’s products.
One way to do this is to focus on a specific niche within the broader sports industry, such as running or training shoes, and become an expert in that area. By creating high-quality content that is optimized for long-tail keywords and provides real value to your audience, you can attract targeted traffic to your site and increase your chances of making sales.
In addition, you should consider joining other affiliate programs, such as Adidas’s, to provide your audience with alternative options and increase your earning potential.
Overall, the Nike affiliate program is a great opportunity for affiliate marketers who are willing to put in the effort to stand out in a crowded market. With a high commission rate and a well-respected brand, there is potential to make significant income through promoting Nike’s products.
