Making money as a creator
How to do affiliate marketing without a website
Yes, you can do affiliate marketing with no website: link in bio, DMs, a store page and an email list. See which programmes ask for a site and which don’t.
· 8 min read
In this guide · 8 sections
The short answer
Yes, you can do affiliate marketing without a website, but not with every programme. Some ask you to name a site or app when you apply, and others are built for people who share links from social profiles, chats and channels. So the first job is to pick a programme whose rules fit how you work, not to build a website you don’t need. Everything below describes real routes, none of which guarantees income, and most new accounts earn little at first.
| Route | What you need | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| Link in bio page | One page, a few products, a disclosure line | Only people who visit your profile see it |
| DMs after a keyword comment | A professional Instagram account or Facebook Page, and a programme that allows private-message links | First DM is plain text; the link follows only after a reply |
| Story link sticker | A product you are using that day | Stories expire, so save the useful ones to a highlight |
| Your own store page | A product you made, and a way to take payment | Sells your product, not the programme’s |
| Email list | People who agreed to hear from you | Some programmes restrict links in email |
Which programmes ask for a site, and which don’t
Read the application form before you read anything else. Amazon Associates India’s Operating Agreement, opened in October 2026, speaks of your site and of approved mobile applications, and says you must identify your site in your application. The text we read did not say whether an Instagram profile counts, so check the application and ask Amazon’s support. The agreement also restricts links in “any email or other offline mechanism”, except for members of its Influencer Programme, which matters for the email route below.
Our earlier guide to the best affiliate programmes for creators in India recorded what other programmes say about themselves, as of October 2026. Flipkart’s affiliate page talks about sending traffic from a site, mobile site or app, and states no eligibility rules. EarnKaro describes itself as a deal-sharing platform, free to join, with a ₹10 withdrawal threshold. Cuelinks describes itself as an affiliate network for creators and lists a Telegram bot and link tools. Those are the programmes’ own words, not independent checks, so confirm where links may go in each account before you post.
Tip: Never invent a website just to pass an application, and never pay to be “approved”. If a programme wants a site and you don’t have one, say so in the form, and pick a programme whose rules fit your profile. A fake or empty page is a quick way to be refused, or to lose the account later.
Build a link page instead of a site
A link-in-bio page is a single page that holds the links you want people to tap. It does the job of a small website for a creator with a handful of recommendations. Keep it short: three to eight products, each with one line saying why you use it, and a line at the top saying that some links are affiliate links and that you earn a commission when someone buys. Amazon asks for a clear statement along the lines of “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases”, so put that where people see it, not in a footer.
Group the products by post, not by category. A page that says “Desk setup from the Reel” lets a viewer find the thing they just saw. Update it when a product is out of stock, because a dead link wastes the one tap you got. DMFast has a link-in-bio page with tracked links, and many other tools do the same; pick whichever lets you edit quickly and shows clicks.
Be honest about the trade-off. A link page is quick to make and easy to change, but you rent it from the tool that hosts it. If the tool shuts down or changes its terms, the address people have saved goes with it. Keep a copy of your product list in a spreadsheet, and note which link went with which post, so rebuilding the page takes an evening and not a month.
An email list, with care
An email list is the one audience you own, which makes it the safest base if a programme closes your account. It is also where the rules bite hardest. Amazon’s agreement restricts links in email for ordinary members, so don’t assume an affiliate link may go into a newsletter. Read the programme first, and where it says no, use email to send people to your link page or to a post instead.
- Collect emails only from people who agreed, for example in exchange for a free checklist.
- Say in the email when a link is an affiliate link.
- Keep the list in a spreadsheet or CSV you control, so a tool change doesn’t lose it.
DMFast can capture an email inside a DM and export the list as a CSV. It is one way to start, not the only one.
Sell something of your own alongside
Affiliate links depend on someone else’s programme, price and rules. A creator with no website often gets steadier results by adding a small product of their own: a template, a checklist, a short guide. You don’t need a site for that either. DMFast’s store, which is open to India-based sellers only, sells digital products, lead magnets and 1-on-1 bookings through Razorpay. DMFast charges no fee on sales, and Razorpay’s fee comes out of each payment before the payout. Use it, or any payment link that takes UPI, and keep the affiliate links as a smaller part of the page.
Label the links and start small
This is general information, not legal advice. In India, ASCI’s influencer guidelines list “Affiliate” among permitted labels and ask for it to be upfront, not buried in a bio, behind a “more” tap or among hashtags. For a Story or a video without text, the label has to be superimposed on the picture or video. Our guide to affiliate and sponsored post disclosure rules covers every format.
- Pick one niche and list ten things you use every week.
- Read one programme’s terms. Write down where links may go and whether it asks for a site.
- Apply honestly, using your Instagram profile if the form allows it.
- Set up one link page with a disclosure line at the top.
- Post one Reel and one Story about a single product, and answer every comment.
- After a month, check clicks and sales, and drop what did not sell.
Questions people ask
Can I do affiliate marketing with only an Instagram account?
Often yes, but it depends on the programme. Some ask for a site or app when you apply and others are built around social sharing. Amazon Associates India’s agreement refers to your site and approved apps, so check the application and ask support whether a profile is accepted.
Which affiliate programmes don’t need a website?
We can’t give you a safe list. Programmes describe themselves differently and change their terms often. EarnKaro and Cuelinks say they are built for sharing links, but read each programme’s terms and your own dashboard for where links may go before you post.
Can I put affiliate links in an email newsletter?
Only if the programme allows it. Amazon’s Operating Agreement restricts links in email and other offline mechanisms for ordinary members, with an allowance for Influencer Programme members. Check the current terms of any programme before you send, and label the link as affiliate.
Do I need to disclose affiliate links if I have no website?
Yes. ASCI treats affiliate links as a connection to disclose and lists “Affiliate” among accepted labels. Put it upfront on the post, and on your link page. A platform that has no website does not remove the rule. This is general information, so ask a lawyer about your own case.
Is a link-in-bio page enough instead of a website?
For a small set of recommendations, yes. It needs a disclosure line, current links and a clear reason for each product. If a programme insists on a site for approval, a link page may not satisfy it, so read the application first.