Rakuten Affiliate Network (formerly LinkShare) is a leading global affiliate marketing platform connecting publishers (affiliates) with advertisers (brands) to promote products and earn commissions.
- It’s one of the largest and oldest affiliate networks worldwide.
- Affiliates promote products via websites, blogs, social media, email, etc.
- Merchants pay commissions on sales or leads generated by affiliates.
👥 Who Can Use Rakuten Affiliate?
- Bloggers, content creators, influencers
- Website owners with targeted traffic
- Social media marketers
- Email marketers
- Anyone interested in promoting products online and earning commissions
🛍️ Types of Programs & Merchants
Rakuten offers access to thousands of advertisers across many industries:
| Industry | Examples of Merchants |
|---|---|
| Retail & eCommerce | Walmart, Best Buy, Sephora, Macy’s |
| Travel & Hospitality | Hotels, airlines, car rentals |
| Finance & Insurance | Credit cards, loans |
| Technology | Software, electronics |
| Health & Wellness | Supplements, fitness equipment |
💰 How Does Rakuten Affiliate Work?
- You join the Rakuten platform and apply to merchants you want to promote.
- Once approved, you get unique affiliate links or banners.
- Promote these links on your site, social media, or newsletters.
- You earn commissions when visitors click and complete purchases or desired actions.
- Commissions vary by merchant (usually 5%-20% or fixed amount per sale).
🪜 How to Get Started with Rakuten Affiliate
- Visit rakutenadvertising.com
- Sign up for a publisher (affiliate) account
- Complete your profile with website, payment info, and tax details
- Browse available advertiser programs and apply to ones you like
- Get affiliate links and start promoting
- Track your performance with Rakuten’s dashboard
- Receive monthly payments once minimum payout thresholds are met
💳 Payment Details
- Minimum payout: Usually $50 (may vary)
- Payment methods: Direct deposit, PayPal, check (depending on region)
- Payments are generally made monthly
- You can track earnings and payments through your dashboard
📊 Dashboard & Reporting Features
- Real-time tracking of clicks, sales, and commissions
- Detailed reports by merchant, campaign, date range
- Conversion rates and earnings analysis
- Tools to optimize campaigns and improve performance
✅ Pros of Rakuten Affiliate
- Access to high-quality, reputable brands
- Trusted, well-established network
- Robust tracking and reporting tools
- Wide range of merchants and industries
- Reliable payments
❌ Cons of Rakuten Affiliate
- Application approval needed for each merchant
- Some merchants have strict rules or low commission rates
- User interface can be complex for beginners
- Less popular than some other networks (like Amazon) for beginners
Tips for Success on Rakuten Affiliate
- Focus on promoting merchants that fit your audience’s interests
- Use SEO and content marketing to drive organic traffic
- Experiment with different ad formats (links, banners, product widgets)
- Track your campaigns regularly and optimize for conversions
- Build trust by recommending quality products only
