20+ Best Airbnb Affiliate Programs and Networks [2024]

In this day and age, and since businesses, like Airbnb have emerged, if you were, if you were, people are resorting to hotels and motels. Why go to a place that has limited facilities when you can just rent an entire house for a day or two? A lot of people are going to Airbnb And similar services nowadays. It’s becoming more and more popular in various countries, and that means that as an affiliate you are going to have a lot of audiences all over the planet no matter where you reside.

That means that this is a perfect opportunity for affiliates to earn a lot of revenue from promoting Airbnb and similar services across the planet. This is why we are going to explore Airbnb affiliate programs and networks today and explain how you can choose one, how you can promote them, and what are some tips and tricks for you to become more successful.

What are Airbnb Affiliate Programs and How Do They Work

Airbnb affiliate programs and networks are mainly businesses and services similar to Airbnb providing traveling and hotel services to travelers. On these services, you can find offers and deals to promote various housing deals, tour deals, booking deals, etc.

Whenever you refer a customer, and they end up making a purchase, you will be getting a Commission as a reward. Sometimes you're allowed to simply place a widget or interactive box on your website and drive traffic through there. Other times, you'll only be talking about certain services without having users interact with the widgets on your website.

There are various ways to promote in this niche, and you can promote them to almost any audience.No matter where on the planet, people are always looking to stay somewhere good, so this is a huge help both to the customer and to the service. Plus, it is a profitable industry, because it is mainly a need and not a want. Therefore, a lot of people will definitely be considering your deals if they're good to them.

There are various Commission models available in these Airbnb alternative programs as well. Keep in mind that you'll not only be promoting Airbnb itself but other services that are similar to Airbnb, which help travelers find the best place to stay.

What Can You Promote

Speaking of what you can promote, here are a couple of ideas of common services you can be promoting in Airbnb alternatives affiliate programs.

• Unique Vacation Rentals: There’s a wide range of Airbnb alternative accommodations such as treehouses, yurts, houseboats, and eco-friendly cottages for travelers seeking extraordinary experiences beyond traditional hotels.
• Homestay Experiences: Encourage travelers to immerse themselves in local cultures by promoting homestay programs that allow guests to stay with local families, learn about their customs, and explore the destination through an authentic lens.
• Adventure Retreats: Highlight adrenaline-pumping experiences like adventure retreats in remote locations, offering activities such as hiking, rock climbing, wildlife safaris, and extreme sports, catering to adventure enthusiasts seeking thrilling getaways.
• Wellness Retreats: These are health-conscious retreats where guests can rejuvenate their mind, body, and spirit through yoga, meditation, spa treatments, organic cuisine, and wellness workshops in serene and scenic surroundings.
• Luxury Villas: These include luxurious villas and private estates available for rent, providing affluent travelers with opulent accommodations, exclusive amenities, and personalized services to indulge in a lavish vacation experience.

Payment Models in Airbnb Affiliate Programs

Most of the time, you'll be dealing with booking offers. In that case, there are mostly two available payment models that affiliate programs in this niche offer. Let's see what each of them means.

Revenue Share

Their revenue share model refers to the Commission based on the percentage of the order value you will earn after a customer successfully purchases a product or books a room. In this case, you'll be earning anywhere from 5% to 50% depending on where the hotel is, what service you're affiliated with, etc. Keep in mind that if you want to increase your commissions, you need to promote more expensive offers. This is because the higher the order value, the higher your commissions, and the lower the order value, no matter how much the Commission is, the lower your chances of earning money.

Cost per Lead

The cost per lead payment model is mostly available for booking services that pay you every time somebody reserves a hotel room or signs up for the booking service. So in this method, the referrals don't actually need to purchase a hotel room or pay the business. It is enough for them to simply become a potential customer that the business can target in the future. Plus, in many cases, guests can reserve their rooms alone without having to pay online. In that case, this payment model is available for you to get paid for every person you simply refer and they sign up.

What to Consider When Choosing an Airbnb Affiliate Program

Affiliate programs in the Airbnb niche require careful consideration. Instead of working with all available programs, focus on those that offer the best return on investment. To make the right choice, several factors must be taken into account, such as the quality of the products, the program's reputation, commission rates, and the degree of support provided. By focusing on these factors, you can ensure that the affiliate program you choose will be worth your time and effort.

Your Familiarity with the Products

To be an effective affiliate, it's crucial that you have some familiarity with the product you're promoting. If you don't have direct experience with it, you can research it online or watch videos to gain some knowledge. However, promoting a product you know nothing about will hurt your credibility with your audience. As an affiliate, it's important to build trust with your audience, so promoting products you're not familiar with is not a good strategy. Take the time to learn about the products you're promoting to ensure you're offering valuable and trustworthy recommendations to your audience.

Commission Rate

When choosing an affiliate program, the commission rate is a critical factor to consider. A higher commission rate typically means more earnings. However, it's important to note that the average order value is also crucial to earning money with the revenue share model and its commission. For example, a 90% commission rate on a program with a $10 average order value won't make much money. Conversely, earning only a 10% commission on a program with a $1,000 average order value will still net you $100. Therefore, when selecting an affiliate program, it's important to pay attention to both the commission rate and the program's average order value.

Brand Recognition

The reputation of the brand you plan to work with is critical. It's important to avoid promoting brands with bad reviews, as this can leave a negative impression on customers. Your goal is to work with high-quality brands that satisfy customers and don't reflect poorly on you. To assess the credibility of a brand, you can read online reviews on unbiased websites, as well as ask around on forums like Quora and Reddit. Additionally, you can consult with peers on affiliate forums to learn about their experiences with a specific program. Once you've reviewed feedback from various sources, you can make an informed decision about working with a given brand.

Cookie Duration

The cookie duration is an essential aspect of promoting offers through affiliate programs. Cookies track visitors' activities on websites, and the cookie duration is the time during which the program will track a specific user's activity. This means that any purchases made by the visitor during the cookie tracking activation time will count towards the affiliate's commission, even if they have visited the website before. Longer cookie durations increase the likelihood of earning a commission, as it allows for more time to pass before a purchase is made.

While most affiliate programs have a cookie duration of 30 days, some may offer longer durations, such as 365 days or even a lifetime, while others may be shorter, like a week or a day. It is also essential to note that cookies can be cleared from a user's browser, which would end the tracking activation time. Therefore, it is crucial to regularly check the cookie duration of the affiliate program and adjust promotional efforts accordingly to maximize earnings.

Payment Frequency

Most affiliate programs pay commissions on a monthly basis, making it easier for affiliates to earn a living through affiliate marketing. However, some programs may have different payment terms, such as every two or three months, or even every six months. This could be due to policies regarding returns and warranties. For instance, programs may avoid paying commissions until a warranty has expired to mitigate the risk of customers returning products. Waiting for a commission payment can be frustrating for affiliates, so it's important to research payment terms before joining an affiliate program. Some programs may also have minimum payment thresholds that must be met before a commission can be paid out. It's essential to understand the payment terms and policies of an affiliate program to ensure that it is a good fit for your needs and expectations.

Minimum Payout

Affiliate programs may set a minimum balance requirement before paying you. You need to earn at least $50 to cash out, but some programs do not have a minimum threshold. If you prefer to receive your earnings instantly, look for those programs. It's important to note that some programs charge a fee for payouts below a certain threshold. Before joining an affiliate program, make sure to read the terms and conditions thoroughly to avoid any surprises. Additionally, keep track of your earnings and monitor the program's payment history to ensure timely and accurate payments.

Affiliate Trackers

Affiliate trackers are tools provided by affiliate programs to help you track your visitors' performance on their platform. These trackers offer various data and statistics such as clicks, signups, commissions, sales, and bonuses. If you are working with an affiliate program that operates on a network, you will typically have access to an affiliate tracker on your dashboard. The use of an affiliate tracker can provide you with valuable insights to help optimize your marketing campaigns. By analyzing the data provided, you can identify your most effective traffic sources and improve your overall conversion rate. Additionally, some affiliate trackers offer advanced features such as A/B testing and conversion rate optimization tools.

Marketing Assets and Resources

Affiliate programs nowadays offer numerous resources such as logos, banner ads, text links, pre-written content, visuals, imagery, icons, and even ready-made landing pages and websites. These resources can not only help the affiliate make more money but also add value to the program. However, some programs might not provide any resources or just a mere link. So, affiliates should opt for programs that offer various imagery and content to make their job easier, especially in the case of visually rich products. If the program does not provide access to product images, they should provide them.

Some programs might also provide samples of their products to affiliates for review and video-making purposes. This can significantly impact the audience and boost product sales. Affiliates should also keep in mind that the program's resources must be of good quality and align with their brand and audience's interests. Additionally, the resources should be regularly updated to keep up with trends and support affiliates' efforts.

Affiliate Support

If you're new to affiliate marketing and you feel like you need assistance to get started or just someone to turn to for support, it's important to choose an affiliate program that provides active and accessible support via chat or email. Many of the programs we offer have excellent affiliate support, but you may want to verify this by asking other affiliates on a forum. Some programs offer a dedicated affiliate manager who can provide tips on increasing your earnings and send regular emails.

Others even send newsletters with the latest promotions and seasonal events. Keep in mind that affiliate support is an essential aspect of your success as an affiliate, so don't hesitate to reach out for help when you need it. By choosing a program with excellent support, you can rest assured that you'll have the resources and guidance you need to succeed.

Application Process Time

If you're excited about an affiliate program and want to start right away, waiting for days to hear back can be frustrating. Choosing a program with a quick application processing time can save you precious time. Some programs take weeks to review applications and may even reject you after all that waiting. On the other hand, some programs give immediate access to their affiliate area, so you can start promoting products right away. Before filling out an application, consider the processing time and look for programs that offer quick approval. This way, you can get started on your affiliate marketing journey without delay.

Performance-based Bonuses

Affiliate programs offer rewards and bonuses to their top affiliates who refer to many sales. These bonuses can come in the form of higher commissions or big bonuses when certain sales milestones are reached. We've identified which affiliate programs on our list offer these types of bonuses. So, if you're interested in earning more, keep an eye out for these programs. Just remember that these bonuses are usually only given to top-performing affiliates, so you'll need to put in the effort to achieve them.

Promotions and Discount Codes

If you want to give your audience a reason to buy through your affiliate link, you can offer them a custom discount code. Some affiliate programs give you the chance to create your own code, while others provide a single code for all affiliates during seasonal events. Unfortunately, not all programs offer this perk, so make sure to choose carefully if it's important to you. Keep in mind that discount codes can be a great way to attract customers, but they can also reduce your commission. Therefore, it's important to balance the benefits and drawbacks before deciding to use them. If you're unsure about which programs are the best fit for your needs, consider reaching out to other affiliates or doing some research online.

Top Traffic Sources for Airbnb Offers

Now that you know how you can choose an Airbnb alternative affiliate offer among all of them, let's talk about the traffic sources that are most common in this niche keep in mind that these are not all the traffic sources for promoting these offers, and it really depends on where you can find your own audience. However, these are some of the top places where people are mostly looking for booking and hotel offers and therefore will be looking at these few traffic sources.

Website Content

First and foremost, you need some website content that can drive traffic from Google and other search engines. On your website, you have to include all sorts of content about travel guides, possible personal experiences, free content, and of course comparisons, list articles, product reviews, hotel reviews, etc. On your website or blog, you need to include all the information anybody looking for a hotel room needs. Don't just include affiliate links and call it a day. Also include useful information for your audience they can refer to later on.

If you've got yourself a reader, you can always target them later by simply asking them to enter their e-mail in return for a free resource received in their e-mail. This is called a lead magnet, and it can help you retarget the same users later on through e-mail marketing whenever your affiliate program sends you a notification for an upcoming event or promotion.

Websites are also great if you have some promotions or limited-time offers that you can showcase on a pre-landing page or right on top of your landing page or any other page. These deals inform people that they can grab them and get on a travel, a tour, or catch a great room booking deal right away. This will also encourage them to check back later for more discount codes or deals from your side.

Remember that if you have a traveling or booking website, you need to pour some of your own personal experiences into it so people can trust your evaluations of different services.

Of course, you don't really need to have a website with your own domain and hosting if you don't want to invest in those, and you can simply use a content-sharing platform like medium.com to quickly achieve your goals. Plus, using this website you can get certain invisibility because it already has lots of content on its domain with great domain authority. Just check this example to know what we need.

Social Media

Social media is also a great traffic source, not just if you're sharing it with your family and friends, but also if you're sharing it with thousands of other people. Simply go on any social media of your choice where you think your audience mainly resides, and start sharing some deals for hotels. You can include short-form videos, and provide tips and tricks on how to choose the perfect hotel room, and that way you can get a lot of people's attention to your content. Ffrom there, you can share links to your website or blog where you have more of your affiliate links people can check out.

Social media like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram might be great places, however, you need to get to your own form of content in order to understand what your audience wants. Looking at a couple of competitors and other affiliates can help a lot. So make sure you look out for all the recent hashtags and trends that can help you get more visibility. Just remember that on social media the more you share tips and knowledge, the more attention you will get, and make sure to use visuals and videos, and communicate that you have some sort of first-hand experience with the services you're promoting.

Forums and Communities

Have you ever been on a forum where people mostly talk about traveling? If yes, that is the perfect chance for you to share some links to your website content. On forums, people will be asking lots of questions about traveling, the best deals, etc. This is the perfect chance for you to answer those questions, earn some points for yourself, and at the same time link to your own articles as well. Websites like Reddit are perfect to do so. However, before you go on to do this, make sure you check out the rules of the forum, so you make sure you're not spamming there with links.

Paid Ads

If you want some quick traffic, whether you want it for social media or your website, Google ads, Facebook ads, Instagram ads, and other social media ads are great to get some quick attention. If you're promoting a certain deal, make sure to target that specific location in your ad keywords in order to drive more traffic to deals you have for guests in those places.

However, make sure you check the affiliate programs' terms and conditions to know whether you can target their branding keywords or not. In most cases, you are not allowed to link directly to those affiliate programs, but you can promote your own affiliate site where you talk about a certain location, rooms, or deals. Plus, you can always turn your whole website into a white label website for the affiliate program, where users can interact with the widgets and search bars you have on your site, which in turn direct the users to the main website where they can actually make a purchase and earn you a Commission. This is probably the best way to go if you are promoting limited-time offer deals.

When you're doing paid ads, remember to look at some ad spy tools. These tools provide you with insights regarding the strategies your competitors are using to be seen on social media. Since they've already spent the money and the budget to get attention, the free analytics are available to you as much as you want. Just find the platform where you want to promote a certain offer and use the ad spy tools for that platform to find similar ads and analyze them. Plus, using these tools you can get the creatives and assets you need as well.

Tips to Promote Airbnb Affiliate Offers Successfully

Now that you know where you can promote Airbnb alternative affiliate offers, check out these tips and tricks to help you become even more successful.

Find Effective Platforms

As mentioned before, you should find your own effective platforms. If Facebook works for you, then you can target your audience on Facebook. If your affiliate website works better, then do it on your affiliate website. The best way to see which platform is great is by following certain keywords, hashtags, and trends to see how many people are actually reacting to certain news, booking in a certain place, etc. Checking on the affiliate site for the most popular locations can also be helpful.

Keyword Targeting

And this niche, for keyword targeting, you need to target certain locations along with keywords like booking and traveling. People won't be looking for simply booking a hotel room, but things like “booking a room in Bali,” as an example. Therefore you need to target Bali specifically in this case.

Make sure you narrow down the keywords to the exact specific places or deals you want to promote.

Trends

Trends are very important in this niche. Usually, in certain seasons people will be traveling to certain places on Earth. For example, for summer vacations, everybody might go to Patagonia cover and for winter vacations everybody might be going over to Bali. Wherever it is, you need to find where travelers are mostly traveling to and put your focus on those specific locations. Affiliate programs will usually be sending newsletters over to let you know about all the latest tips and tricks and places that are most profitable. You need to put your focus on those places in order to be more successful.

Just look at those views. People are always eager to learn about such things.

White Label Websites

One great way to promote these deals is to make a white-label website for the affiliate program. This means that the whole shape of your website, your landing page, and every piece of content you have on your website can be very similar to the original affiliate program, with one difference being that you are putting some of your own taste into it. Some programs will even provide you with those landing pages deliberately in order for you to create these white-label websites.

This is great because it helps drive traffic to your website upon searching basically the same keywords they would search for to find the original website. Then, they come to your website and search for their travel destinations and booking conditions, and then they will be redirected to the main website, which will earn you a commission if they book a hotel room. You're not tricking them, you're just mainly referring them somewhere else. Sometimes the referral will be done on your own website on the back end, and the guests won't be redirected anywhere else. But that just depends on the program you're affiliated with.

Focus on SEO

It's important for you to incorporate the keywords you choose evenly throughout your website, your content, and everywhere else. Keywords don't only apply to websites, but also to social media. This means that if you want to promote offers on social media for a certain place, you need to use the respective hashtags in the descriptions of your posts, wherever it may be, on YouTube, on TikTok, on Instagram, or anywhere else.

Conclusion

Airbnb alternative affiliate programs are great because Airbnb itself is just one program. The industry is pretty huge and it is booming after the pandemic. It's important for you to find the right platform for your offers, and only give the offers you know will help your audience. You can also take out our directory of affiliate programs and affiliate networks to find the best deals and offers for your own audience in the booking and hotel niche. Have fun earning.