Nike Affiliate Program – comprehensive review

1. Introduction

We humans love sports and fashion, and we often wear Nike because it’s a super popular brand. Nike is a GOAT in the market, and we feel proud wearing their stuff. In this detailed look at the Nike affiliate program, we’re going to cover everything, giving you useful tips and tricks to step up your game in affiliate marketing. 

For further information, Nike scales around 160 countries with a total market cap of $180 bn, and they sell approximately 70 million pairs of shoes a month. Most of them via online platforms. 

Their nearest yearly digital sales increased by 31% as of June 2023. Which means you don’t need to care about the potential customer.  

2. Nike Affiliate Program Overview

The Nike Affiliate Program is an online side hustle where affiliates can make money by earning a commission on sales generated through their promotions. Besides Adidas, GymShark, Under Armour,… Nike offers one of the most prominent sports affiliate programs today.

Once you’re a part of the program, you’ll receive a referral link to use when you recommend Nike products. When people click on your link and make a purchase on the Nike website, you’ll earn a commission. 

The Nike Affiliate Program is 100% legit and totally free to sign up and join.

2.1. Join the Nike Affiliate Program

Currently, Nike offers no in-house affiliate program but collaborates with third-party networks to manage their affiliate program. 

• Nike does deploy an official affiliate program for USA-based affiliates on the CJ Affiliate network. The Nike Affiliate Program allows approved websites to earn commission by promoting Nike products. To join their program, you need an active account on CJ Network in advance. Please note that commission is only available for orders on the Nike US site. 

• If you are now based in Australia, India, or the Philippines… (basically Asia), FlexOffer is launching a deal with a 5% commission on the Nike products program in your region. 

• If you are based in the EU, the official Nike.com website has details on their UK affiliate page. Their program runs on Awin. The Nike homepage claims that get pays a hefty 11% commission for all sales at nike.com/gb/ but the highest commission rate is 7% in Awin which leads to a bit of confusion.  

However, our pick is Awin because it still offers a better (if not the best) rate compared with another third-party network. 

Nike makes it pretty simple to join in terms of requirements – you just need a (quality) website to sign up. They’re happy to work with websites that cover sports, fashion, health, and fitness. And the cool thing is, they’re open to teaming up with bloggers on all sorts of different topics.

Plus, you can see more interesting programs in our directory!

2.2. Nike Commission Rate Breakdown 

The commission structure of the Nike affiliate program may seem inconsistent at first glance.

With Nike U.S.A, though the homepage declares affiliates can earn UP TO 15% commission order values. However, the commission in CJ Network reportedly varies too much and typically at a lower rate. 

Let’s break down how the commissions work in the Nike affiliate program on Awin since it offers public commission rates. 

Nike UK advertised UP TO 11% on Nike’s official website. It does not match the 3-7% range on Awin. 

In short, you get lower commissions for products that are on sale, with promo codes applicable. This policy also applies to items in the “Nike by You” category.

Side info: Nike By You is a co-creation service for Nike Members that allows you to customize your shoes and gear. You can add your personal touch by selecting colors, materials, and personalized text.”  

Plus, they have some big restrictions on which products you can earn commission – here is the list: 

• No commission for Gift Cards, Wetsuits, and Apple Watches. 
• Jordan products (full price and sale) are non-commissionable. 
• No commission for orders placed on the SNEAKRS website and Nike SNKRS app.

2.3. Cookie duration 

The cookie standard duration of the Nike affiliate program is 30 days, reduced to 7 days for specific publishers

That means you can still earn commissions if the visitor returns to the website within that period and completes a purchase. However, if the visitor clicks on a referral link from another affiliate, the cookie will be overwritten and you will lose the commission.

2.4. Payment method

The payment method for the Nike Affiliate Program is either direct deposit or PayPal. The commission is paid for all approved sales, which are tallied on the 15th of each month.

Payout threshold? You must have earned at least $50 in commission in the previous month to receive payment. 

2.5. Marketing materials and benefits 

As a Nike affiliate, you can access a variety of marketing materials to promote products on your website or social media. Whether you want to showcase our latest collections, their personalized Nike By You service, or our best-selling items. 

In short, they have multiple options for you:

• Full range of category-specific affiliate banners, or create your own using our automated product feed. 
• Frequent updates from us about our offers and new products, as well as gifts for your competitions and promotions. 

Become a Nike ambassador today and start earning commissions with the world’s leading sports brand! 

3. Your Path to Promote Nike Products  

3.1. Choosing Your Niche

Nike offers a wide variety of products, providing plenty of opportunities for affiliate marketers. To make the most impact, we suggest concentrating on one or two specific categories. 

Do not forget your supporting topic. For example, if you focus on “tennis shoes”, other topics such as “top tennis brand” or “tennis training tips” should be involved in your blogs

Remember, affiliate marketing follows your content, not the other way around.  

3.2. Mastering Keyword Strategy

You should avoid commercial keywords that make it hard to directly compete with the giants. For example: If you simply set “Nike” as your target keyword set, high chance is you never get to the first page of SERP. Because this is what you have to fight with: 

Instead, focusing on specific, long-tail keywords like “top 10  tennis shoes for women” can be more rewarding. Although the competition is strong, our strategy involves targeting multiple long-tail keywords, positioning you strategically for better results. 

3.3. Diversifying with Alternatives

Although the Nike affiliate program has great benefits, it’s important to diversify. Explore alternative affiliate programs to reach a wider audience. Not everyone exclusively connects with Nike, and not considering other options might mean missing out on potential opportunities.

See more: Gymshark affiliate program

3.4. Video and images are powerful mediums

Take advantage of YouTube to promote Nike products. While having a website is necessary to join the affiliate program, creating video reviews on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok can be highly effective. The visual medium enables in-depth product showcases, establishing a more personal connection with your audience.

Check out some of the most creative promotion campaigns from Nike for more inspiration: 

4. Nike Affiliate Program Pros and Cons

Here are some pros and cons of the Nike Affiliate Program:

Pros

• Available on CJ Network and Awin. 
• 7% commission for most products. 3%-4% commission on on-sale products. 
• Generous 30-day cookie duration.
• Global recognition of the brand range. 

Cons

• The commission rate varies significantly depending on the products and affiliate network you are in. 
• Nike’s program is not available in every country. 
• High competitiveness between affiliates.  
• Not all products all commissionable. 
• No commission if your referral order is placed on the SNKRS website and SNKRS app.

5. Does Nike have an influencer program? 

But Nike does work with influencers. We can name @jameswhitner – The Whitaker Group founder and @sneakerboxClyde. The brand is open to every type of influencer, from top-dog celebrities to minor influencers with tens of thousands of followers. 

So, how can you become a Nike influencer? 

Unfortunately, Nike DOES NOT offer such things as an influencer program or ambassador program. Which means there is no public portal for you to apply. 

However, if you’ve got a bunch of followers and are confident with your content, just direct message them on Email/ Twitter/ Instagram. Do not forget to add in your portfolio: Once your portfolio looks awesome, send it over to Nike.

They’ll check out your info and see if you’re the right fit for their team. If you have a strong presence on the Internet and have high-quality content aligned with Nike’s values, there is no way they will ignore you.  

6. Nike Affiliate Program Alternatives

Certainly, the Nike affiliate program holds great promise. With long cookie durations and a brand’s global fame, it offers a lucrative opportunity for affiliate marketers. Despite the tough competition, approach it via strategic keyword research and optimizing your content, especially visual content. 

However, if Nike commissions and policies hesitate, have a check out on our list. We do details about sneakers affiliate programs from NewBalance, Converse, Puma, and more,… they are less popular than Nike but still have a big fanbase all over the world. 

7. Frequently Asked Questions