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While I share money-making strategies, nothing is “typical”, and outcomes are based on each individual. There are no guarantees.
Are you the go-to person in your friend group? The one everyone texts for recommendations on skincare, the best local restaurants, or what to watch this weekend? If that’s you, then you are sitting on an untapped source of income. You’ve probably spent hours of your life recommending products and places, basically doing free marketing for huge brands, and you’ve never seen a dime for it. What if I told you there was a way to turn your great taste and all those recommendations you’re already making into a real stream of passive income?
I’m going to show you how to do exactly that using a game-changing tool that I can only describe as what would happen if Pinterest and an Amazon Storefront had a baby. It’s called Benable, and it is, without a doubt, one of the simplest and most powerful ways to get started with affiliate marketing today—even if you have zero experience and no massive following. This isn’t some complicated get-rich-quick scheme; it’s about building a sustainable income source by doing something you already do naturally.
So, if you’re ready to finally get paid for your great recommendations, you need to stick around for this.
What is Benable and Why Is It a Genuine Game-Changer?
Let’s start at the beginning, because I know a lot of you have probably heard of affiliate marketing, and maybe you’ve even been scared off by it. Traditionally, affiliate marketing is a great business model, but it’s notoriously tough to break into. The old way of doing things is a logistical nightmare, especially for beginners.
First, you have to find brands you actually want to work with. Then, for every single one, you have to hunt down their affiliate program and fill out a long application. You have to provide your website traffic, your social media numbers, and basically write an essay convincing them you’re worthy. Many of these programs have high barriers to entry—they might require 10,000 monthly blog visitors or 50,000 Instagram followers. If you’re just starting out, you’re dead in the water. You get rejected. A lot.
And let’s say you do get approved for a few. Now the real “fun” begins. You have to log in to a separate dashboard for every brand. One for Amazon, another for Target, another for Sephora. You end up with dozens of tabs open, trying to track clicks and earnings across a fragmented mess. You have to manually create a unique affiliate link for every single product. It’s tedious, it’s time-consuming, and honestly, it’s enough to make most people give up.
This is the exact problem Benable was designed to solve. It completely smashes those barriers to entry. Benable is a platform that lets you create shareable, shoppable lists of all your recommendations—products, books, movies, local restaurants, travel spots, recipes—literally anything you can link to online.
And here’s the magic: Benable has already done the hard work. They have pre-established partnerships with over 35,000 brands. Let that sink in. Thirty-five thousand. This includes huge retailers like Amazon, Etsy, Sephora, and Target, plus thousands of others. When you join Benable, you get instant, pre-approved access to all of them. No individual applications. No follower count requirements. No begging brands to work with you. From day one, you have an arsenal of over 35,000 partners.
When you add something to a Benable list, the platform automatically generates the affiliate link for you in the background. You do nothing. You just paste a normal link, and Benable handles the rest. Your audience clicks the item, they buy it, and you earn a commission. It all happens seamlessly. Benable simplifies the entire process down to its core: making a list of things you love and sharing it. It takes a system that was complex and exclusive and makes it simple, inclusive, and genuinely fun.
Getting Started – The Invite-Only Secret and Setting Up Your Profile
Now, you’re probably thinking, “This sounds incredible, where do I sign up?” Well, here’s where a little strategy comes in. Benable is currently invite-only. If you go to their website, you’ll land on a waitlist, and who knows how long that could take. But there’s a backdoor. The platform is built on referrals, so if you have an invite link from a current user, you can skip the waitlist and get immediate access.
And because I want you to get started today, I’ve put my personal invite link right here.
Okay, are you in? Great. Welcome to the inside.
Once your account is created, the very next thing you need to do is set up a compelling profile. Don’t skip this. Your profile is your home base. It’s what people see when they discover one of your lists and want to know who’s behind the great taste. A complete, trustworthy profile can be the difference between a one-time click and a long-term follower.
First, your username and profile picture. Pick a username that’s your name, your blog’s name, or something that clearly relates to your niche. Make it professional and easy to remember. For your picture, use a clear headshot of yourself or a clean logo. People connect with people, so a friendly face works wonders for building that initial trust.
Next is your bio, or the “About” section. This is prime real estate. In a few sentences, tell people who you are and what you love to recommend. Are you a tech enthusiast obsessed with gadgets? A home chef who loves sharing kitchen tools? A beauty guru focused on clean products? Let them know what to expect. You can also add a link to your website or main social media account here, which is a great way to drive traffic to your other platforms.
Think of your Benable profile as a mini-boutique. When someone walks in, they should immediately get a feel for what you’re about. An empty profile feels like an abandoned shop, and people will just leave. A well-crafted profile feels curated and invites people to browse and trust your taste. Spend ten minutes getting this right—it sets the foundation for everything else.
The Core Tutorial – Crafting Your First Perfectly Optimized List
This is the heart of this guide. I’m going to walk you through, step-by-step, how to create your first list on Benable. But we’re not just going to create any list. We’re going to create a list that is optimized. This is the key to getting your lists seen not just by people you share them with, but also by people browsing inside Benable and, most importantly, on Google. An optimized list is a list that the Benable algorithm loves and actively promotes.
Let’s do it. From your main dashboard, click the “Create List” button.
Step 3A: Choosing Your Niche and a Killer Title
The first thing Benable asks for is a title. Don’t rush this. The title is arguably the most important part for getting discovered. Think like someone searching for help. A generic title like “My Favorite Things” is terrible for search. A specific, keyword-rich title like “The Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Under $200” is fantastic.
Think about the problems you solve for people.
- Instead of “Skincare,” try “My Holy Grail Routine for Sensitive, Acne-Prone Skin.”
- Instead of “Books,” try “10 Thriller Novels That Will Keep You Up All Night.”
- Instead of “Travel Gear,” try “What to Pack for a Two-Week Backpacking Trip in Europe.”
See the difference? The second option is clear, descriptive, and targets a specific need. It uses the words people are actually typing into search bars.
Before you write the title, decide on the niche for this one list. The best lists are focused. If you’re passionate about a lot of things, great! You can make tons of lists. But each list should have a tight theme. Here are some ideas:
- For Home Cooks: “Kitchen Gadgets Under $50 That Are Actually Worth It,” “My Go-To Cookbooks for Easy Weeknight Dinners.”
- For Book Lovers: “Cozy Fantasy Books That Feel Like a Warm Hug,” “Non-Fiction That Genuinely Changed My Perspective.”
- For Techies: “My Ultimate WFH Desk Setup for Productivity,” “Essential Smart Home Devices for Beginners.”
- For Fashion Fans: “A Timeless Capsule Wardrobe: 15 Pieces You’ll Wear Forever,” “Affordable Amazon Finds That Look Deceptively Expensive.”
The possibilities are endless. Pick one. For this tutorial, let’s say we’re creating a list called “My Ultimate Home Office Setup for Productivity.” It’s specific, solves a problem, and is packed with keywords.
Step 3B: Adding Items to Your List – The Fun Part
With your title set, it’s time to add your recommendations. This is where Benable’s simplicity really shines. You can add items in two main ways.
First, you can use the search bar. Just type in a keyword like “ergonomic office chair,” and Benable will pull up options from its partner brands. You find the one you want, click “Add,” and it’s on your list.
The second method, which I find more precise, is to add by pasting a direct link. Let’s say you have a specific monitor stand from Amazon you love. Just go to that product page, copy the URL, come back to Benable, and paste it.
This is where the magic happens. The second you paste that link, Benable’s tech gets to work. It automatically pulls the product title, images, price, and a description snippet. You don’t have to upload anything. It does it all for you. And most importantly, it instantly converts that standard URL into your personal affiliate link. The process is so fast and seamless it almost feels like cheating.
Now, let’s talk about the most important “insider” tip for getting your lists to really perform.
Step 3C: The “Optimization” Secret to Get Your List Promoted
When you first create a list, it’s just a standard list. But what you want is for it to get “optimized” status. An optimized list is one the algorithm sees as high-quality, and as a reward, it will start showing it to more people and work to get it indexed on Google. This means your list can start generating traffic and income passively, long after you’ve made it.
So, how do you get a list optimized? The single biggest factor is the number of items on it.
While the exact number can change, the consensus among top Benable users is that you need a good number of items. A list with only two or three products looks thin and low-effort. The sweet spot seems to be between 8 and 15 items. Some users who have talked to the founders say that 15 is the magic number to really kickstart the optimization.
So, for our “Ultimate Home Office Setup” list, we can’t just add a chair and a desk. We need to flesh it out. Add your favorite monitor, keyboard, mouse, webcam, microphone, desk lamp, a footrest, a cable management system, even your favorite notebook and pen. Before you know it, you’ll have 12-15 high-quality recs that create a genuinely useful resource.
This is the most important thing to do when you’re starting. Don’t create a dozen thin lists. Focus on creating one or two incredibly robust, high-value lists that hit that 8-15 item threshold. This signals to Benable that you’re a serious creator, and they’ll reward you for it with visibility.
Step 3D: Customizing Your List with Notes and Sections
Once your items are added, you’re not done yet. The final touch is customization. Benable gives you a couple of tools for this.
First, for every item, you can add a personal note. Do not skip this. This is your chance to inject your personality and expertise. Instead of the generic product description, add a sentence or two about why you recommend this specific item.
For the ergonomic chair, you could write: “My back used to be a mess after a full workday until I got this chair. The lumbar support is a total game-changer.” For the keyboard, you could add: “I love the satisfying clicky sound of this keyboard, and the battery life is insane.”
These personal notes build so much trust. It shows you’ve actually used or deeply researched these products. You’re not just a robot spitting out links; you’re a trusted friend guiding them.
The second powerful tool is sections. As your list gets longer, it can start to look like a wall of products. Sections let you group your items into categories, making your list way easier to navigate.
For our “Ultimate Home Office Setup” list, we could create sections like:
- “The Ergonomic Foundation” (chair, desk)
- “Tech Essentials” (monitor, keyboard, webcam)
- “Organization & Accessories” (monitor stand, cable management)
- “Ambiance & Comfort” (lamp, footrest)
Using sections is a pro move that makes your list look incredibly polished and user-friendly, which helps both users and the algorithm.
Once you’ve added your items, written your notes, and organized with sections, hit “Publish.” Congratulations—you’ve just created your first fully optimized, high-value Benable list.
How the Money Actually Works
Okay, we’ve covered how to create lists, but let’s get to the reason you’re here: the money. How do you actually get paid? The process is beautifully simple.
As I said, every time you add a product from one of Benable’s 35,000+ partners, the link is automatically tied to your account. When someone clicks that item from your list and buys something, you earn a commission. The rates vary by brand—it could be anywhere from 1% to over 20%. You don’t have to worry about the different rates; Benable tracks and calculates everything for you.
In your dashboard, you’ll find an “Earnings” or “Analytics” tab. This is your command center. You can see your total earnings, which lists are getting the most clicks, and which items are selling. This data is pure gold. If you see one list is getting a ton of clicks, you know to double down and create more lists in that niche.
Now, it is absolutely critical to set realistic expectations. Will you make a list today and wake up with a thousand dollars tomorrow? No. Absolutely not. This is not a lottery ticket. Benable is a tool for building passive income over time. It’s about planting seeds. You create a great, optimized list today, and it might earn you a few dollars next month. But it might also earn you a few dollars the month after that, and the month after that, for years, with no extra work.
The key is consistency. The more high-quality, optimized lists you create, the more seeds you plant. The more you share them, the more you water those seeds. Over time, those small commissions from dozens of lists start to add up to a meaningful, consistent, and truly passive income stream.
In terms of getting the cash, Benable pays out earnings through PayPal. There is a minimum payout threshold, which is currently around $80. This is pretty standard and just means they aren’t processing tons of tiny payments. Your first goal should be to create enough value to cross that first payout. Once you do, you’ll know the system works, and you’ll be hooked.
Advanced Strategies to Maximize Your Earnings and Visibility
Creating an optimized list is the foundation. Now, let’s talk about how to build a skyscraper on top of it. If you want to move beyond a few bucks here and there, you need to be proactive. Here are some strategies the top Benable creators use.
Strategy 1: The Art of Strategic Sharing
Hitting “Publish” isn’t the final step. You need to get your list in front of people. You have a unique URL for your profile and for each individual list. Share them strategically.
- Link in Bio: This is essential. Put your main Benable profile link in your bio on Instagram, TikTok, and X (Twitter). You can use a tool like Linktree and title it “My Favorite Products & Recs.”
- Contextual Sharing: This is even more powerful. Posting an Instagram story about your morning coffee? Say, “I’ve linked my exact coffee maker on my Benable!” and use the link sticker to point directly to that list. Writing a blog post about Italy? Embed links to your Benable lists for “What to Pack for Italy” and “My Favorite Restaurants in Rome.” You’re providing a solution at the exact moment they’re interested.
- Pinterest is Your Best Friend: Benable and Pinterest are a match made in heaven. Both are visual platforms. Create multiple pins for a single Benable list. For our “Home Office” list, you could create a pin titled “5 Gadgets for a Productive WFH Setup” that links to the list. Pinterest can become a massive, automated traffic driver.
- Email Newsletters: If you have an email list, your Benable lists are fantastic, non-salesy content. Share a “List of the Week” or integrate recommendations naturally into your writing.
Strategy 2: Engage with the Benable Community
Benable isn’t just a tool; it’s a social platform. The algorithm actually tracks your activity level, which helps your lists get seen more. The easiest way to boost this is to be an active member of the community.
Spend a few minutes each day browsing other lists in your niche. Follow creators you admire. Leave thoughtful comments. Don’t just spam “Nice list!”; write something genuine like, “This is a great list! I loved that book too. Have you read [similar book]? I think it would be a perfect addition.” This boosts your own score and gets your profile in front of other users, leading to more followers and views.
Strategy 3: Mix Evergreen and Seasonal Content
To build a resilient income stream, you need a mix of content types.
- Evergreen Lists: These are the backbone of your profile. They’re relevant all year round, year after year. Think “My All-Time Favorite Kitchen Tools” or “Books That Changed My Life.” These lists generate a slow, steady trickle of income over the long term.
- Seasonal & Trending Lists: These capitalize on specific moments. Think “The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide,” “Back to School Essentials,” or “Viral TikTok Gadgets Worth Buying.” These lists can create huge spikes in traffic and income during their peak season.
The strategy is to use the high-traffic seasonal lists to attract new followers, who then discover your evergreen lists. By the time the holidays are over, those new followers are now browsing your kitchen tools list in the middle of February.
Strategy 4: For Creators and Entrepreneurs
Benable isn’t just for recommending other people’s products. It’s a powerful tool for promoting your own. If you sell digital products, you can create a list of “Resources for Aspiring Entrepreneurs” and include your own products alongside other recs. If you’re a freelancer, you could create a list to serve as a portfolio, showcasing your best work. It’s a way to organically integrate your own offerings into a value-packed resource for others.
Conclusion
So, that’s the deal. The old way of doing affiliate marketing was a complicated, gatekept mess. The new way is Benable. It’s a simple, powerful, and honestly fun platform that gives you instant access to over 35,000 brand partners, letting you turn the recommendations you already make into real income.
We’ve covered how to set up your profile for trust, how to create a high-value, optimized list with 8-15 items and personal notes, how the money works, and the advanced strategies to maximize your results.
You now have the complete blueprint. The only mistake you can make now is to watch this, think “that’s a cool idea,” and then do nothing. The opportunity to get in on a growing platform like this doesn’t come around every day.
