There's a version of affiliate marketing that makes everyone uncomfortable — the kind where every video ends with "use my code for 10% off" and every description is a wall of sponsored links. That's not what this is about.
The alternative: build a resource your audience genuinely wants, and let the links work quietly in the background.
The "gear page" model
The most natural way to earn from recommendations is to maintain a public gear page — a single, updated list of what you actually use. Your audience finds it when they want it, not when you push it at them.
This works for a few reasons:
● Intent — someone who seeks out your gear list is already thinking about buying. That's very different from clicking a link because a video just ended.
● Trust — a curated list signals that you actually thought about what's on it, rather than listing everything with an affiliate program
● Longevity — gear lists keep earning long after the video is published. Old YouTube videos keep sending traffic to gear pages for years.
Affiliate tags vs sponsored content
Affiliate links are not sponsorships. You're recommending gear you actually use; you just get a small commission if someone buys through your link. This is standard practice and worth doing — but keep it honest. Only list gear you actually recommend.
One practical tip: keep your affiliate tags in one place so they're consistent. MakerManifest handles this automatically — you enter your Amazon Associates tag once, and it's applied to every Amazon link in your lists.
Start small
You don't need 50 products. Start with the 5–10 items you get asked about most often. Add a short note about why you use each one. That's it. The goal is a resource, not a catalog.