Affiliate Marketing in Kenya- With No Money (Ultimate Guide)

Last updated on May 6th, 2025 at 03:37 pm

Have you ever wondered how you can make money online in Kenya without needing to create your own products? 

Many people in Kenya are turning to affiliate marketing as a smart way to earn income by recommending products and services they trust. 

Affiliate marketing in Kenya gives you a chance to earn commissions by promoting other people’s products online.

The good news is, you do not need a lot of money or experience to get started. 

With just your phone, internet access, and some effort, you can join affiliate programs and begin earning right away. 

Some well-known affiliate programs are available to Kenyans, making it easier to get started even as a beginner.

This guide will show you each step you need to take, from signing up with programs to promoting offers and cashing out your earnings. 

If you want a clear path to starting affiliate marketing with no money in Kenya, keep reading.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based strategy where businesses pay you for results—not effort. If you can get someone to buy a product, sign up for a service, or download an app through your unique link, you earn a commission.

You’re essentially partnering with a company to promote their offerings. In return, you get a cut of the action. 

You’re earning sales commission — without being on the sales team. To drive sales to your affiliations, you would share your affiliate links with your audience via your social, social media platforms, TikTok, YouTube, or even messaging apps.

With affiliate marketing, you do not need your own products. Thus, this is a low-risk way to start earning online with no significant upfront costs.

How Affiliate Marketing Works

Affiliate marketing works by connecting three main players: the seller, the marketer (affiliate), and the customer. 

As an affiliate, you sign up for an affiliate program and receive a special tracking link. When you share this link and someone completes a purchase through it, you earn a commission.

The seller, sometimes called the merchant or advertiser, handles product creation, payment processing, and delivery. Your role is to drive targetted traffic or customers to the seller’s website using your tracked affiliate links.

Tracking and payments are managed automatically. You do not need to handle customer support or inventory. Most affiliate programs pay commissions monthly, or when you reach a minimum earnings threshold.

 This makes it an easy option for beginners.

Quick steps in the affiliate marketing process:

• Join an affiliate program.
• Promote your unique link online.
• Audience clicks and buys through your link.
• You earn a commission from the sale.

Key Players in the Affiliate Ecosystem

In affiliate marketing, several important roles keep the system running smoothly.

• Sellers (Merchants): These are businesses or individuals who create and sell products. They set up affiliate programs and pay commissions for sales from affiliates.
  
• Affiliates (Marketers or Publishers): These are people like you, who promote products. Affiliates use their skills in content creation and digital marketing to reach new customers for the seller.
  
• Customers: The people who buy products through affiliate links. Their purchase triggers commission payments to the affiliate.
  
• Affiliate Networks: Some programs run through networks that make it easier to find multiple products and manage payouts from different sellers in one dashboard. 

Each party has its own benefits. Sellers expand their reach and sales. Affiliates earn passive income. Customers can discover products with helpful reviews and recommendations.

Different Types of Affiliate Marketing Models

Affiliate marketing comes in a few common models, each with its own way of paying commissions.

1) Pay-Per-Sale: You earn a commission only when someone buys a product using your link. 

This is the most common model.

2) Pay-Per-Click (PPC): You get paid for every click on your affiliate links, whether or not a sale happens. 

The commission here is usually small.

3) Pay-Per-Lead: You earn money when someone takes a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter, filling a form, or registering for a trial.

Most people who make money with affiliate marketing work with brands and networks that pay a given commission per sale. It’s very hard to comeby really good pay per lead affiliate programs to work with. 

Pay per click affiliate marketing barely exist anymore. And forthose who exist will mark most of your clicks as inelligible. 

About Affiliate Marketing in Kenya

Affiliate marketing continues to attract more people looking for flexible ways to make money online. 

Local brands and major networks are making it easier for you to get started. 

With new options and easy payment methods, you can find programs that fit your needs.

You will find both global and local affiliate programs. Kenyan shoppers are buying more online, driving growth for affiliate programs. Unique payment methods and marketing styles are shaping how affiliate marketing works in Kenya.

Growth of Affiliate Marketing in Kenya

The rise of internet access across Kenya has supported quick growth in affiliate marketing. 

Many young people are turning to affiliate marketing as a source of extra income or even a full-time job. 

The spread of smartphones and better mobile internet speeds allow you to work from almost anywhere.

Kenya’s e-commerce industry is growing fast. More consumers are getting comfortable with shopping online, so the demand for product recommendations keeps increasing. 

This supports a healthy environment for affiliate marketers like you, with more chances to earn each year.

Several training centers and online tutorials help you learn the basics. Recent years have seen more Kenyan-focused content on affiliate platforms. The industry outlook stays positive, as new brands and networks keep joining the market. 

Popular Affiliate Programs and Networks

You’ll find a mix of international and Kenyan affiliate networks available. 

Some of the most used networks include PeerFly and ShareASale. They offer access to programs from big brands.

Other options include global platforms like Amazon Associates, but payment structures can be harder to access for Kenyan users due to banking policies. 

How to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing in Kenya

If you want to start affiliate marketing in Kenya, you need to make smart choices from the very beginning. 

The steps you take now will affect how much money you can make and how fast you grow.

Picking the right marketing niche, finding affiliate programs you can rely on, and building a website or blog are all important for your success.

It’s possible to get started with little or no money, but your planning and focus matter most.

1) Choosing a Profitable Marketing Niche

Your marketing niche is a specific topic or category to focus on, such as fashion, electronics, or health. 

Picking a profitable niche is important because it decides who your audience is and what products you promote.

Start by thinking about what your target audience are searching for online. Look at trends on Google, talk to people, and see which products sell well on sites like Jumia, Amazon, or Kilimall.

Consider what interests you too. If you enjoy tech or gadgets, it’s easier to create content and answer questions. But make sure the niche also has high demand and enough affiliate offers.

A simple Google search can help too:

Popular niches in Kenya include:

• Mobile phones and tech devices
• Loans and personal finance
• Fashion and beauty
• Digital services (internet, web hosting)

Check competitor websites and blogs. See if there’s still room to add your own ideas or help people find the right products. 

If the niche is too broad, narrow it down, like focusing on “affordable smartphones for students” instead of just “electronics.” 

Selecting Reliable Affiliate Programs

An affiliate program gives you links to products or services so you can earn a commission when people buy through your link. 

You need programs that pay on time, offer good rates, and fit your niche.

Start by looking for well-known affiliate networks that work in Kenya. Good examples include:

• Truehost Affiliate Program (for web hosting and digital products).
• Kilimall Affiliate Program (Discontinued) 
• Amazon Associates (with international reach)
• Sage Kenya 

Host Africa for instance, gives 5% commission while Truehost offer upto 25% recurring commission on hosting. 

Read the terms carefully. Check payment options like bank transfer, PayPal, or mobile wallets such as M-Pesa. Use trusted sites to join programs, and avoid suppliers that make unrealistic promises.

Compare commission rates and payment schedules. For instance, fashion usually pays 5–15%, but web hosting may pay more per sale.

Setting Up Your Website or Blog

A website or blog helps you reach your audience, share reviews, and post affiliate links. 

It makes you look professional and lets you create content that helps people solve problems.

Start by picking a short and simple domain name that matches your niche. 

For hosting, you need a service that keeps your site online at all times. You can use Truehost Kenya web hosting for local support and reliable uptime.

Most people use WordPress because it’s easy to manage. Add a simple theme so your site looks neat, then create basic pages like “About,” “Contact,” and a main blog page.

To help new visitors, post clear and honest reviews or tutorials. Use images, lists, and tables when explaining products. Always put your affiliate disclosure where people can see it.

2) Leverage Effective Strategies

You need a clear plan and up-to-date digital skills to succed in this business. Your ability to attract, engage, and convert your target audience shapes your success.

Key areas like search engine optimization, social media outreach, and online advertising each help you grow consistent sales. 

These strategies help you stand out in a saturated online market.

Content Creation and SEO Best Practices

Great content is the core of successful affiliate marketing. Start by picking a niche that matches your strengths and interests. 

You can use tools like Ubersuggest, KeySearch, Google Keyword Planner to research what your audience is searching for.

Create helpful product reviews, step-by-step guides, and comparison tables. Always include clear calls-to-action. 

For example:

When crafting your content, be sure to use keywords naturally within your titles and paragraphs. 

Optimize your posts with short, descriptive URLs and high-quality images. 

Also, make sure your content loads fast and reads easily on mobile devices—most Kenyans access the web on their phones. 

Driving Traffic Using Social Media

Social media helps you reach thousands of people in Kenya every day. 

Set up business profiles on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Share content often—videos, product demos, and quick tips work best.

Use hashtags that match your niche. Reply to comments and engage with followers in a friendly way. Join local groups related to your market and share helpful advice.

Consider short videos on TikTok or Instagram Reels to attract more attention. Promote your affiliate links in your bio or post captions but always follow the platform’s rules. Partner with local trends and run giveaways to increase your visibility. 

Tracking your results with tools like Facebook Insights helps you focus on what’s working.

Leveraging Influencers and Advertising

Influencers can quickly boost your credibility with your target audience. 

Work with micro-influencers who talk to your specific market. A personal product testimonial from a trusted content creator can drive clicks to your affiliate offers.

Paid advertising increases your reach even further. Start with a small budget for Facebook and Google Ads, then target users interested in your kind of products. Use simple images and short, clear messages in your ads.

You can measure every campaign. Focus on metrics like clicks and signups—not just impressions. Split test different messages or images to find out what your audience responds to.

3) Maximizing Earnings and Measuring Success

To earn more from your affiliate business, you need to be vigorous and intentional about your metrics. 

Track your results carefully. Make data-informed moves, like any other savvy entrepreneur.

Tracking Affiliate Commissions and Performance

You must keep track of your affiliate links, clicks, sales, and commissions to know if your strategies work. 

Most affiliate programs provide a simple dashboard. Here, you can view how much you have earned, how many clicks came from your links, and which products perform best. 

This helps you learn what type of content or product brings in more money.

Ways to track your progress:

• Use the analytics section of your affiliate program’s site.
• Try third-party tools like Google Analytics to check traffic.
• Monitor which affiliate links or banners are getting clicks and resulting in sales.

Understanding these numbers helps you decide where to put your effort. Some platforms, like Amazon Associates or even e-commerce sites in Kenya, show reports you can read easily. 

Tracking lets you fix problems early and use your best-performing links more.

Using Coupons and Promotions

Many top affiliate marketers use coupons and promotions to boost their results. 

A coupon code gives your audience a deal, making it more likely they’ll buy through your affiliate link. 

Some brands give special codes just for affiliates, helping you stand out from other affiliates.

When you promote with a coupon:

• Always display the code clearly near your affiliate link.
• Mention the value the buyer gets if they use your link or code.
• Update expired coupons quickly to avoid frustrating your audience.

Displaying coupons and deals in tables is helpful. For example:

Promotions can also include limited-time offers or free trials. These often increase urgency and lead to faster sales.

Scaling Your Affiliate Marketing Business

To make more money over time, you need to scale—this means growing what works and cutting what doesn’t.

First, focus on the highest-earning products. Next, find ways to reach more people. This can include starting a blog, YouTube channel, or an e-commerce site where you add your affiliate links.

Try partnering with more brands. Don’t just rely on one affiliate program. Look for networks that pay higher commissions or offer tools like banners, product feeds, and detailed tracking. 

Using email newsletters, posting in online groups, and running ads (such as Google Search and Display Ads) can also grow your audience. 

As you see which channels work best, double down on them. Consistent testing and learning will help you build a reliable income stream from affiliate marketing in Kenya.

Challenges and Opportunities for Kenyan Affiliates

Success depends on knowing common pitfalls, understanding what’s changing in the industry, and looking to others who have made it work.

Getting started is not easy, but the path gets clearer when you break it down. 

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Mistakes in affiliate marketing can hold you back. 

The most common ones include joining too many programs at once, ignoring the importance of building trust, and not tracking your earnings carefully.

Poor research often leads you to promote products that don’t fit your audience. Kenyan freelancers also struggle with slow or missing commission payments, especially with some overseas networks.

Here’s a quick list of what can go wrong if you’re not careful:

• Choosing the wrong niche: Pick products or services that fit your skills and what your audience wants.
  
• Ignoring compliance: Always check if a program follows Kenyan laws and pays out as promised.
  
• Underestimating competition: Learn what other affiliates are doing and set yourself apart.
  
• Failure to track performance: Use simple tracking tools to see which links work and which don’t.

You also want to ensure that the minimum withdrawal is reasonable, as it can take long time before you can see your first dollar in your bank account.

To avoid these pitfalls, focus on a few programs first, work on your content, and always check reviews before joining any network.