Riya · SEO
Maya · Web
Rebecca · Social
Victor · LeadsHow to Find Affiliates for Your Brand in 2027: Where to Look, How to Vet, What to Send
To find affiliates for your brand, look in three places: your own customers, the creators and site owners who already write about your category, and affiliate networks and platforms where affiliates browse for programs. The first two convert best, but they take outreach: finding the right people, their contact details, and a message that gets a reply. This guide covers where to look, how to vet them, outreach templates, and the legal basics.
Part 01Where to find affiliates
| Source | Who you'll find | Effort | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your customers | People who already use and like the product | Low | High: real experience |
| Sites ranking for your category | Review and comparison sites ("best [your category]") | Medium | High: buyer traffic |
| Creators on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram | People reviewing similar products | Medium | Varies; vet carefully |
| Reddit and forums | Active, trusted community members | High | High, but few accept partnerships |
| Competitors' affiliates | Sites already promoting similar products | Medium | High: proven promoters |
| Affiliate networks | Affiliates browsing programs | Low | Mixed |
| Platform programs (TikTok Shop, YouTube Shopping) | Creators already selling in-app | Low to medium | Varies |
Part 02How to find affiliate marketers in each source
Your customers. Email them: "You've bought from us twice. Want to earn a commission sharing it?" Add a "Become an affiliate" link to your order confirmation and footer.
Sites ranking for your category. Search Google for "best [your category]," "[competitor] review" and "[competitor] vs." The independent sites on page one are your best prospects; in our check of 30 buying searches, independent review sites held 31% of top-10 positions and 41% of top-3 positions.
Creators. Search YouTube and TikTok for "[product type] review" and "[competitor] vs." Note channels whose audience matches yours, regardless of size.
Competitors' affiliates. Search for your competitors' names with "affiliate," "review" and "discount code." Sites already earning from a competitor know your category and have the traffic.
TikTok affiliates. If you sell on TikTok Shop, open collaboration lets any eligible creator pick your products, and targeted collaboration lets you invite specific creators. TikTok Shop creators must be 18+ with 1,000+ followers.
Reddit. Look for users who answer recommendation questions in your category with real experience. Approach them as people, not as a channel.
Part 03Let automation do the finding
Building that prospect list by hand means hours of searching, then digging for contact details, then writing to each person. Votrix's lead generation does that work: it searches by the affiliate profile you describe (for example "US review sites and YouTube channels covering pour-over coffee gear"), finds public information and contact details online, reads people's posts on social media and Reddit to spot who's actively recommending products in your category, and sends outreach emails and follow-ups automatically.
Part 04How to vet affiliates before you approve them
| Check | Good sign | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Real photos, hands-on testing, clear opinions | Copied product descriptions, generic AI text |
| Audience | Comments and questions from real buyers | Huge follower count, almost no comments |
| Traffic | Ranks for buying searches in your category | Traffic from unrelated topics |
| Disclosure | Already discloses affiliate links clearly | No disclosures anywhere |
| Fit | Writes about products like yours | Promotes anything that pays |
Disclosure matters for you as well as them: in its Endorsement Guides Q&A, the FTC says advertisers with affiliate or influencer networks need reasonable programs to train and monitor them, because the advertiser may be responsible for what its network says.
Part 05Affiliate outreach email templates
To a review site
Subject: Your pour-over kettle comparison
Hi [name], I read your comparison of [products]. Your point about [specific detail] is exactly why we built [product]. We run an affiliate program: [commission] per sale, [cookie length] cookie, and we'll send you a unit to test, no strings attached. Want one?
To a creator
Subject: Product to test for your channel
Hi [name], your video on [topic] is the most honest one I've seen. We make [product]. If you'd like to try it, I'll send one; if you end up liking it, our affiliate program pays [commission]. If not, no follow-up from us beyond this.
Follow-up (once)
Subject: Re: [original subject]
Quick follow-up in case this got buried. One addition: we can give your audience an exclusive [discount] code. Happy to send the unit either way.
Follow up once, with something new (a code, a sample, a higher rate), and then stop.
Part 06What affiliates want to know before they join
Put this on a "Join our affiliate program" page:
- Commission (rate or flat fee) and cookie length
- Payment: threshold, schedule, method
- What you provide: samples, images, discount codes, a contact person
- Rules: disclosure requirements, whether they can bid on your brand name in ads
- One application button
Our affiliate landing page guide has a section on this page.
Part 07Legal basics for affiliate recruitment
- CAN-SPAM applies to outreach emails too; the FTC says "the law makes no exception for business-to-business email." Use accurate headers and subject lines, include your physical postal address, offer an opt-out and honor it within 10 business days.
- FTC Endorsement Guides: your affiliates must disclose, and you need to train and monitor them.
- Program terms: put disclosure and advertising rules in writing.
Part 08Where affiliate networks fit
Affiliate networks (such as Awin, CJ and Impact) give you tracking, payments and a marketplace where affiliates browse programs. They help affiliates find you; they don't replace outreach to the specific sites and creators you want. Most brands use a network or affiliate software for tracking and payouts, and outreach to recruit the best partners.
Quick answersFrequently asked questions
Start with your own customers, then the independent review sites and creators already covering your category, then competitors' affiliates. Use a network for tracking, not as your only source.
Enough to make promoting you worth more than promoting a competitor. Check what competitors pay (their program pages often list it) and what platforms like Amazon pay in your category (3% to 4.5% for most physical products), and offer more, or offer something they can't get there, like free samples and exclusive codes.
For drafts, yes, but personalize every email with a specific detail from their content. Generic messages get ignored.
On TikTok Shop, list your products in open collaboration and invite specific creators through targeted collaboration. Off TikTok Shop, search for creators reviewing similar products and reach out directly.
SummaryWhere to start
Make a list of 20 prospects this week: 5 customers, 10 review sites from page one of "best [your category]," and 5 creators. Send the matching template to each, and follow up once.
Find the right people automatically
Votrix's lead generation finds public contact details, reads posts on social media and Reddit, and sends emails and follow-ups automatically.
