Launching an affiliate program is easy. Getting people to promote it is the hard part. Most SaaS programs fail not because the commission is wrong, but because nobody who joins ever sends a referral.
Here is where to find affiliates for your software, and how to turn sign-ups into affiliates who actually promote you.
1. Your own customers
Your happiest customers are your most credible affiliates. They already use the product, they know who it is for, and they often recommend it for free.
- Email active customers and invite them to the program.
- Add an "Earn by referring" link inside your app and in your emails.
- Reach out personally to customers who already mention you online.
2. Affiliate program directories
Affiliates who are actively looking for programs browse directories to compare commissions and terms. Listing your program puts you in front of people who are ready to promote something, and it costs you nothing but a few minutes.
AffiDex is built for exactly this. It is a free directory of SaaS and AI affiliate programs, made for creators, bloggers, newsletter writers and agencies choosing what to promote. When you list your program:
- Your program gets its own page with your commission, structure, cookie duration, pricing and payout methods, written so affiliates can judge it in seconds.
- Affiliates find you by what they care about: category, commission rate, recurring vs one-time, cookie length and the type of creator your program suits. The affiliate matcher also recommends programs based on each affiliate's audience.
- Your page links to your website and your affiliate signup page, so interested affiliates go straight to you.
- Your listing answers the questions affiliates search for, such as how much your program pays and how long your cookie lasts.
Listing is free. If you want to go live faster, you can skip the review queue, and you can boost your listing to appear first across the site. Submit your program to AffiDex in about two minutes.
3. Creators who already cover your category
Search for people who already make content about the problem you solve:
- YouTube: tutorials and reviews of tools in your category, including your competitors.
- Blogs: "best X tools" and "X vs Y" articles.
- Newsletters: niche newsletters your customers read.
- Podcasts: shows aimed at your target customers.
Creators who review your competitors are the warmest leads of all: they already have an audience that wants your type of product.
4. Communities
Look at Discord servers, Slack groups, Facebook groups and subreddits where your customers spend time. Community owners and active members can make great partners, but approach them as a person, not with a mass message.
5. Agencies and consultants
Agencies, freelancers and consultants recommend tools to their clients every day. For B2B software, a few agencies that set up your tool for their clients can outperform dozens of content creators.
How to reach out without getting ignored
- Personalize. Mention a specific video, article or post of theirs.
- Lead with what is in it for them. Your commission, cookie duration and what their audience gets, such as a free trial or a discount.
- Make it easy. Offer a free account, assets and a ready-to-use link.
- Keep it short. Three or four sentences and one clear question.
A good first message: "Loved your video on [topic]. We built [tool] for exactly that audience. We pay [rate] recurring with a [X]-day cookie. Want a free account to try it?"
Turn sign-ups into active affiliates
- Welcome email with ideas. Suggest three content angles that work for your product.
- Assets ready to use. Screenshots, demo clips, logos, short descriptions.
- Check in after two weeks. Ask what they need. Many affiliates simply never got started.
- Reward your best partners. Higher rates, custom landing pages, early feature access.
Next step
Start with the two cheapest channels this week: invite your happiest customers, and list your program on AffiDex for free so affiliates comparing programs can find you. Still setting up? Read our guide on how much commission to pay.