Rakuten Advertising Affiliate Program Review (2023)
Interested in joining Rakuten Advertising affiliate program, but want to learn more about this network first? In this article, I'll be sharing my personal experience with Rakuten affiliate marketing. I will share info on how to sign up, what products and brands they offer, commission rates, and more.
What is Rakuten Advertising and how does it work?
Rakuten Advertising (formerly Rakuten Marketing) claims to be the "#1 global affiliate marketing network & platform".
The company was founded in 1996 in New York, acquired LinkShare in 2005, re-branded to Rakuten Affiliate Network in 2014, and finally was renamed to Rakuten Advertising (according to Wikipedia).
Similar to other affiliate networks, Rakuten allows thousands of advertisers (brands) to join their platform and recruit affiliates. As an affiliate, you will first need to join the network, then you have access to these thousands of brands. However, you will also need to apply to each individual brand within the network to work with them and get affiliate links. This process is much more streamlined within a network, and also brands may reach out and recruit / pre-approve you if you show good performance with other brands first.
How do I become an affiliate with Rakuten Advertising?
To become an affiliate with Rakuten Advertising, you can visit their website to fill out an application.
The requirements and recommendations are as follows, according to their website:
Choose your market niche and focus
Determine your business model and plan
Build your website, blog, or custom social media site with original, quality content and add to it frequently
Generate traffic to your site and build your audience
Understand basic affiliate marketing monetization and how it fits your site
If you need help creating a professional affiliate website quickly, check out my affiliate marketing for beginners guide.
Is Rakuten affiliate program free?
The Rakuten affiliate network is free to join, like most affiliate networks and programs. The challenge for most is getting approved, but follow my guide above and it should greatly increase your chances of avoiding rejection.
What brands are on Rakuten affiliate network?
Here is a list of some of the brands on the Rakuten Advertising affiliate network:
Walmart
Nike
Travelocity
Hotels.com
Ulta Beauty
Expedia
Sephora
PetSmart
Dell Technologies
Lenovo
Under Armour
Bloomingdale's
Neiman Marcus
Please note that there are many, many more brands available on the network.
How much does Rakuten pay in commission rate?
It depends on the product and how much the Advertiser (brand) has designated. Also, whether the commission is CPL (cost per lead) or CPA (cost per action). "Cost per lead" typically means you get paid for an email or phone signup. "Cost per action" typically is for verified purchases or sales, but it can also just be a free trial signup or inquiry. In short, it varies widely from one brand to another, so you will need to open up their program details page to get the exact commission rates.
My personal experience and thoughts on Rakuten Advertising for affiliates
Rakuten Advertising may not be as familiar to the average person as opposed to something like Amazon Associates, but it is one of the oldest affiliate networks in the business.
Taking a look at the companies and brands that are featured on the Rakuten network, you know that they're right up there with Awin, Impact, and CJ Affiliate.
They claim to have paid out a whopping $1 billion in commissions, which probably translates to close to $100 billion in sales processed on the network.
Overall, I think for serious affiliates and publishers, it never hurts to be a part of the top affiliate networks including Rakuten.
There is no one single network that has every brand for every niche, so you'll typically have to join most of these networks anyways.
Especially if you're like me and end up creating dozens of niche sites in your portfolio.
Best Alternatives to Rakuten affiliate marketing
Having reviewed dozens of affiliate programs and networks, here are my best recommendations for alternatives and similar to Rakuten affiliates: