People ask Mark all the time whether affiliate marketing opportunities still exist. The short answer is yes, and they are hiding in plain sight. Here is a real example from his own life.<\/p>\n
Mark plays recreational softball. At 45 years old, various body parts hurt on a regular basis. Most problems respond to Advil, but a persistent pain near his heel and under the arch of his right foot would not go away. A doctor diagnosed it as plantar fasciitis<\/a>.<\/p>\n The first thing he did after leaving the doctor's office was Google it.<\/strong> That is exactly what everyone does, and that instinct is the entire basis of affiliate marketing.<\/p>\n He immediately noticed paid ads in the search results. As an affiliate marketer, that was a signal. Where there are advertisers, there is money in the niche. A quick check confirmed solid search volume for plantar fasciitis related terms and active products available for promotion.<\/p>\n Affiliate marketing opportunities are all around you. Every time you experience a problem and search for a solution, you are walking through the same path your potential customers walk. Pay attention to the ads, the products, and the search volume. Your next niche idea might come from your own daily life.<\/p>\n Mark published this in October 2013. The fundamental principle has not changed: personal experience with a problem is one of the best sources for niche ideas. What has changed is the landscape of affiliate programs. ClickBank, mentioned in the original post, still operates but faces more competition from platforms like PartnerStack, Impact, and direct brand affiliate programs. Amazon Associates remains the easiest entry point for physical product niches like health and wellness.<\/p>\n Google's E-E-A-T guidelines now heavily favor health content written by or reviewed by medical professionals. A plantar fasciitis affiliate site in 2026 would need credible medical sourcing to rank well, unlike in 2013 when thin content could still compete.<\/p>\n For more on finding and evaluating affiliate niches, listen to the Late Night Internet Marketing Podcast<\/a> on Apple Podcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\nThe Lesson<\/h2>\n
What's Changed Since This Post<\/h2>\n
Keep Learning<\/h2>\n