How influencers use affiliate marketing programs to make money and how much they earn

• Influencers frequently share links to their Instagram Stories or below their YouTube videos.

• Those links are often affiliate links that let creators earn a commission on sales.

• We spoke with creators about how much money they earn using affiliate marketing.

All those links on Instagram Stories or below a YouTube video aren't all for the convenience of the viewer — they're how many influencers make money.

When someone makes a purchase on a website after clicking through a trackable link or using a specific code, the influencer who posted it can earn a commission from that sale in what's called affiliate marketing.

Influencers often use affiliate marketing as a way to earn income outside of sponsored posts or ad revenue on videos. It's also a way that emerging "nano" and "micro" influencers (with between 1,000 and 100,000 followers) start making money and working with sponsors as content creators.

Check out 7 top brands that work with micro influencers on Instagram, TikTok, and more

How lucrative affiliate marketing is for an influencer depends on several factors such as their following size, engagement, and which industry they are in. It also depends on the commission rates brands and platforms put in place.

For instance, some finance influencers can make a decent portion of their income from affiliate links alone. They might work with investing apps like Robinhood or Acorns (though some of these programs are at the whims of the market, such as crypto investing company Coinbase).

One personal-finance influencer, Tori Dunlap, told Insider she made more than $200,000 in eight months in 2021.

But finance isn't the only content category paying off for creators.

Lifestyle blogger Kara Harms, who runs the site Whimsy Soul, told Insider that in 2021 her earnings from affiliate links exceeded $40,000. And still, other influencers say they earn a few hundred dollars here and there.

From brands like Amazon or Revolve to affiliate marketing platforms like LTK or MagicLinks, there are a handful of ways for influencers to earn a commission from promoting products on social media.