If you’re a content creator in sports or fashion and want to make money from your online following, teaming up with Nike could be a big opportunity. The Nike affiliate program allows you to earn commissions by promoting Nike products to your audience. But is the Nike affiliate program right for you?
Here’s a rundown of how the Nike program works, eligibility requirements, the sign-up process, and strategies for success.
Why The Nike Affiliate Program?
The Nike brand needs no introduction. Their iconic swoosh logo is globally recognized, and their brand resonates with millions of consumers.
Partnerships with high-profile athletes like Michael Jordan, Andre Agassi, and Serena Williams have helped propel Nike to cult-like status in the sports and fashion industries.
Product Range and Quality
Nike invests heavily in producing cutting-edge, performance-enhancing athletic clothing, footwear, and sports equipment. Their leisure wear is aspirational and their sneakers are often iconic with pop culture resonance.
With such an extensive range of goods, there are plenty of niches to explore – from sneaker collectors to sustainable fashion and trail running.
Brand Trust
Shoppers tend to be wary of small brands they don’t recognize, fearing they might get scammed or receive a bad product. This isn’t an issue for Nike, as it’s a well-known and trusted brand. Your audience will feel confident ordering from Nike as long as you present a product they desire.
Average Order Value
Nike has a relatively high average order value (AOV) of $125-150. On the downside, this means that shoppers are less likely to make an impulse purchase and Nike products are out of some shoppers’ reach, but it also indicates potential for high commissions.
How Does the Nike Affiliate Program Work?
Affiliate marketing is when brands partner with content creators, websites, and influencers for marketing purposes. Affiliates (also known as publishers) promote products and earn commissions for the sales they generate.
Publishers use channels like social media, blogs, paid search ads, or YouTube channels to promote Nike. For example, if a Nike affiliate marketer creates a blog describing Nike shoes and a blog reader goes on to buy the shoes on the Nike website, the affiliate earns a percentage of that sale.
Affiliates are given unique tracking links that take their followers to products on the Nike website. These links use browser cookies to trace purchases back to the affiliate. If the consumer clicks on the link and finishes an eligible purchase within 30 days, you will earn a commission.
Nike Affiliate Program Details
The Basics
The Nike affiliate program is operated by an affiliate marketing network called Awin. Nike affiliates use the Awin dashboard to generate tracking links, track sales, and withdraw commission payouts. This is common in the affiliate arena.
Commission
As a Nike affiliate, you will earn up to 11% commission on eligible sales. This is comparable with the Adidas affiliate program, which offers up to 10%, and better than the Lululemon affiliate program which offers 5% as a default. The exact commission on any given sale will differ by product and region. Certain products, including gift cards, Apple Watches, and Jordan products, are non-commissionable.
Cookie Period
The Nike affiliate program has a 30-day cookie period meaning that purchases of eligible products made within 30-days of clicking on an affiliate link are eligible for commission. This matches the cookie duration of the Adidas and Lululemon affiliate programs, but is longer than many others which sometimes only offer 24 or 72 hour windows.
Perks
As a Nike affiliate, you’ll have access to an automated product feed, communications about new products and offers, and gifts for affiliate-run competitions and promotions. Nike affiliates can offer their customers free delivery on eligible orders, lower free delivery thresholds, and occasional sales.
What Are the Requirements for the Nike Affiliate Program?
To be accepted as a Nike affiliate marketer you must have an established website which attracts a good volume of traffic. You are more likely to be accepted if your website is attractive and free from offensive content.
Nike has partnered with websites in the following categories:
- Sports
- Fashion/clothing/shoes
- News
- Health and fitness
- Shopping directories
- Blogs
Awin, the affiliate network that runs the Nike affiliate program, has its own requirements. You must be 18 years or older to be accepted. Owing to international sanctions, Awin has also suspended commission payouts to affiliates with Russian tax residency or a Russian bank account.
How to Join the Nike Affiliate Program
To join the Nike affiliate program, follow this link or go to Awin.com and fill in:
- your name
- contact details
- tax information
- website URL
- the number of unique visitors to your website per month
If you are an Instagram influencer, you’ll use a separate application process.
Once you’ve applied to the Nike affiliate program, you may need to wait a few days to find out if you have been accepted.
How to Maximize Your Earnings as a Nike Affiliate Marketer
- Choose a niche (e.g. classic sneakers) and tailor your content strategy accordingly.
- Choose products that will appeal to your particular audience. Make a note of products which go viral or sell out quickly and use that to create urgency when similar products come online.
- Create compelling content. High-quality visuals, storytelling, humor, and practical advice are all good tools for affiliates.
- Make friends with data. Use tools like Awin analytics and other tools like Google Analytics or TikTok analytics to track your traffic. Use A/B testing with different images, products, and calls to action to improve your performance.
- Use SEO. Make sure your website is set up to be discoverable. Use the right keywords so you can attract the right people to your content.
- Leverage trends and seasons (e.g. Olympics, Black Friday, summer) to drive traffic.
7 Content Ideas for the Nike Affiliate Program
Here are some popular content categories used by publishers promoting Nike products. Study successful publishers in your niche and channel to find out the best way to execute these ideas.
1. Unboxing
Unboxing videos showcase the excitement of opening a new Nike product. Use well-lit, high-quality images and highlight unique features to build desire among viewers. Remember to try to make the video as authentic and relatable as possible, without sacrificing quality. Showcasing a product you’re passionate about will likely drive many more sales than an unboxing video of a product you aren’t interesting in.
2. Hauls
Hauls are like unboxing videos but they feature a collection of products purchased in a single shopping trip or online order. Share your honest initial thoughts and cover a variety of products to encourage viewers to make a purchase.
3. Shopping Advice
You can add value to your followers by providing guidance on finding the best deals, sizing tips, and how to choose the right products. As you can see from the image above, you don’t necessarily need to purchase or model products to create successful content.
4. Styling Advice
Offer inspiration on how to style Nike shoes and clothing to create trendy and cohesive outfits. Showcase looks for different occasions, blending Nike apparel with other wardrobe staples to highlight versatility. If your audience trusts your advice, they will be much more likely to click your links and buy the products you recommend.
5. Customization Tutorials
Some of the most popular Nike content features step-by-step guides on how to customize Nike gear. Make your tutorials aesthetically pleasing and practical to grab and sustain viewers’ attention. These kinds of videos can go viral, like the one below which received almost 100 million views on YouTube.
6. Lifestyle
Create content that integrates Nike products into everyday life, highlighting their role in active and leisure activities such as working out or visiting a museum. These kinds of videos will let your audience see the products in the real world, helping them see if they’re the right choice for them.
7. Social Media Trends
Integrating a social media trend into your content can help drive traffic. For example, the video below incorporates Nike and ASMR – a popular category on social media.
Pros of the Nike Affiliate Program
- Extensive range of high-quality products
- Strong brand recognition
- Broad market appeal
- Competitive commission rates (11%)
- Long cookie duration (30-days)
- High AOV (meaning higher commission)
Cons of the Nike Affiliate Program
- High competition
- Barrier to entry: Affiliates must have an established website in a suitable niche
- High AOV (meaning lower conversion rates)
Alternatives to the Nike Affiliate Program
Here are some rivals to the Nike affiliate program, along with their commission rates.
- Adidas (up to 10%)
- Sweaty Betty (up to 12%)
- PUMA (up to 10%)
- Columbia Sportswear (up to 10%)
- Urban Outfitters (15%)
What’s the Verdict on the Nike Affiliate Program?
With a globally recognized brand, competitive commission rates, and a diverse product range, there are plenty of good reasons to join the Nike affiliate program. From sustainable fashion to workout tutorials and collectible footwear, there are so many niches to explore and countless way to engage your audience.
The biggest disadvantage of the Nike affiliate program is competition – there is already so much Nike content out there. However, if you think Nike aligns with your audience and you can find a way to stand out from the crowd then the Nike affiliate program could be a winning formula.