You know that feeling when the leaves start turning and the stores swap out their pumpkin spice displays for glittering tinsel? It’s not just the start of the holiday season for most people—for those of us in affiliate marketing, it’s the beginning of peak earning potential. Seriously, this time of year is a gift in itself. People are actively searching for gift ideas, buying things they wouldn’t normally consider, and frankly, they’re more willing to spend.
But you can’t just throw up any old links and expect a Christmas miracle. Nope, you need to be smart about it. You need to join the programs that are going to pay you what your hard work is worth. Forget the paltry programs. We’re talking about partners with genuinely high commission rates, programs that truly understand the massive surge in consumer spending that December brings. After all, if you’re driving sales during the busiest shopping season, shouldn’t your commissions reflect that? They absolutely should.
Below, I’ve compiled five programs—some year-round high-payers and some holiday-niche gems—that consistently stand out for their robust commission rates right now. Think of this as your personal cheat sheet for maximizing your traffic this holiday season.
The Commission Dilemma: Why 3% Isn’t Cutting It
Let’s be real for a minute: a 3% commission on a $20 stocking stuffer is… well, it’s not life-changing. You’d need to sell a mountain of those just to make a serious dent in your income goals. But when you promote a product with a 30% commission, or a high-ticket item with a large flat-rate payout, your earnings suddenly skyrocket. That’s why we pivot our focus for the holidays—we chase the programs that are already generous, knowing their products are exactly what a customer is looking for as a gift.
And let’s not forget the cookie duration. A longer cookie window means you get credit even if your reader clicks your link while casually browsing in October but doesn’t actually buy that big-ticket item until Cyber Monday. That passive earning is sweet, and it’s a total game-changer when people are taking their time making big purchase decisions.
Top 5 Programs to Deck Your Content With
We’re bypassing the low-paying giants that everyone and their brother promotes. This is about quality, high-value programs that truly appreciate the affiliate.
1. HubSpot
You might think a CRM and marketing software program is strictly B2B, but you’d be missing a trick, especially around Christmas. Many people decide to finally launch that side hustle or small business in the new year. A subscription to a robust tool like HubSpot can be the perfect—and expensive—gift for an aspiring entrepreneur.
HubSpot offers a fantastic affiliate program: You can earn a 15% recurring commission or a 100% flat rate on the first month’s revenue. Think about that: make a sale in December, and you keep earning on that customer’s subscription well into the next year, or you grab a big one-time payout. If you can target an audience of new business owners or ambitious side-hustlers, this one is an absolute gold mine.
2. Christmas Lights By Design
Now this is a wonderfully specific niche, and sometimes, those niches are where the real holiday commissions hide. Christmas Lights By Design has an affiliate program that boasts an eye-watering 20% commission on its online Christmas light training courses. Yes, training courses!
This is perfect for the audience planning to start a holiday light installation business, or maybe even just the homeowner looking to go completely overboard with their decor this year. The courses can be priced quite high, which means that 20% cut translates into some substantial earnings for you. That’s a serious chunk of change for recommending a course, and the niche is peak seasonal.
3. Teachable
Another incredible program that leans into the “gift of knowledge” idea is Teachable. This platform lets people create and sell their own online courses. During the holidays, people are often buying courses as gifts for others or for themselves as part of a New Year’s Resolution push—think photography, coding, baking… you name it.
Teachable offers a great 30% recurring commission for the lifetime of the customer on new customer sign-ups. Their average partner earns solid commissions, with potential earnings climbing over a thousand dollars monthly if you really lean into the promotion. Recurring commissions are always where the smartest money is, aren’t they? It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it’s a strong signal of a program that truly values its affiliate partners.
4. The Gift Experience
For pure, unadulterated holiday-themed variety, this program looks like a winner. The Gift Experience, an affiliate program found on the Awin network, provides a wide variety of personalized gift options. Here’s the kicker: their commission can go up to an excellent 8%, depending on the product type.
They offer different tiers, like an 8% commission on gift vouchers without a discount code. People are always scrambling for that unique, personalized gift that feels thoughtful and avoids being another generic sweater. By focusing on their high-commission “gift vouchers,” you tap directly into the holiday mindset of wanting something truly special.
5. Crystal Clear Memories
Personalized gifts are a huge seller during Christmas, and Crystal Clear Memories taps right into that desire to memorialize a special moment. They take a photo and laser-engrave it into 3D crystal. It’s a gorgeous, emotional gift, and people pay a premium for that.
Their program offers a generous 12% commission on an average order value that’s around $130. A 30-day tracking cookie is also a big bonus, giving your referred visitors plenty of time to upload their perfect photo and complete their purchase. When you combine a high-value product, a decent base commission, and a 30-day cookie, you’ve got a recipe for very healthy holiday earnings.
Your Next Step: Don’t Just Link, Curate
So, you have the programs. That’s step one. But you need to remember that people aren’t looking for a list of affiliate programs; they are looking for solutions. Your job, as an affiliate marketer, is to curate those solutions. Write a “Top 10 Gifts for the Aspiring Coder” and feature a Teachable course. Create a “Luxury Gifts for the Boss” and link to a HubSpot subscription.
The window for the Christmas rush is shorter than you think. Don’t wait! Get those links up and those posts optimized now. You owe it to yourself to maximize your earnings this season. Why leave money on the table when you can grab a commission rate that will actually make a difference to your bottom line?
If you’ve had success with any of these high-commission programs, or if you know of another secret holiday gem, please share your experience in the comments below! Let’s help each other make this our most profitable holiday season yet. And hey, make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest so you don’t miss our next big affiliate tip!
Christmas is around the corner. Hare are a few affiliate strategies that will skyrocket your holiday earnings.
Sources:
- www.uppromote.com/best-affiliate-programs/christmas/
- www.christmaslightsdesign.com/affiliate/
- www.ecomobi.com/high-commission-affiliate-programs/
- www.shopify.com/blog/best-affiliate-programs/
- www.affiliateprogramdb.com/christmas-affiliate-programs/
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