This is a look inside the very first blog I ever published at Wealthy Affiliate, and a walkaround of how it all started.
➡️ Read: The Journey So Far!
10 Years of Trying, Failing, and Starting Over
I want to paint a picture for anyone stepping into affiliate marketing. For over a decade, I felt like I was stuck in a nightmare.
I tried everything: selling gold, health supplements, and even hosting awkward home parties I didn’t want to attend. My only tools were a company-provided landing page and a copy-paste referral link I blasted through emails and texts.
Sound familiar?
MLMs had me building downlines just to make my “nut” for the month. I poured all my money, time, and energy into it and walked away completely burned out. Honestly, after chasing “success” like that for so long, this is exactly how I felt:
A New Path with Wealthy Affiliate
By some miracle (I’ll explain that story soon), I found Wealthy Affiliate. I don’t even remember whose link I clicked but if you’re reading this, thank you.
I started on the free trial, cautiously curious. Then I upgraded to Premium for a couple of months. Now I’m a proud Premium Plus member, and those training videos from Kyle? Total game-changers.
I’m just a regular guy a trucker, a father, a dreamer. And day by day, I’m learning how to do this the right way.
It’s Not Just About Building; It’s About Adapting
I’ve been with WA for five months now. The videos are excellent for building websites, but what no one tells you is this: Google and Bing will test your patience. I went back and forth with them so much that I finally dropped them. Instead, I leaned into what was working for me: social platforms.
Facebook & Instagram: Where It All Got Real
At first, I didn’t want to put myself out there. I thought people would laugh at my affiliate dreams. Trolls. Haters. You know the deal. But I did it anyway.
Wildfoot Myths (Bigfoot Brand)
Almost 400 Facebook followers
Steady engagement on Instagram
Zero ad spendall free traffic
I even started getting Amazon sales just from sharing things I actually use.
This was fun, and it was working. Today
Affiliate Sights Technology (My WA Training Site)
Built over 400 hours of content
Focused only on affiliate marketing strategies and tools
Sent over 1,200 people to WA through paid ads
And I got… 4 signups. Yep. I spent about $180 on Facebook ads over five months, and then the page was shut down. Facebook said I was “misleading people.” I followed every rule WA taught, and even paid for Canva Pro to make custom content, but I still got hit with copyright issues.
I only had 4 signups back then, but now I have over 47.
Then Came AI and Pinterest
When Facebook shut me down, I found an AI tool that helped me create unique graphics. No more copyright flags. No more creative limits.
But it was too late for the Affiliate Sights page. So I pivoted.
Bigfoot content → Facebook
Affiliate marketing content → Pinterest
And guess what? It’s working beautifully. Slower traffic? Yeah. But it’s more authentic, less stressful, and 100% free. Absolutely.
Final Thoughts: The Truth About Affiliate Marketing
Let’s be honest: affiliate marketing is not a get-rich-quick thing.
It’s a grind. A passion project. A long-haul journey.
But if you stick with it, build the right formula, and learn from your stumbles, it’s so worth it. I’ve written over 71 blogs and counting on WA. I’ve tested, failed, built again, and am finally seeing real momentum.
The turning point? Joining Wealthy Affiliate.
Want to See Where It All Started?
Read my first WA blog post: The Journey So Far! It’s raw, real, and full of the moments that got me to where I am today.
Affiliate Disclosure:
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links for platforms and tools I personally use and recommend, including Wealthy Affiliate, Affiliate Sights, and Just Me Built With Dreams. If you choose to click through and make a purchase or sign up, there’s no extra cost to you but it does help support the journey & work, especially while I’m out on the road building this dream one blog at a time.
Thanks for riding along with me on this journey.
See you at the top.
Shawn Thomas
Man, I felt this one. I’ve been down that same road—jumping from program to program, thinking the next one was “it,” only to burn out and feel like I’d wasted years. I even sank money into ads that barely converted, so when you mentioned dropping $180 for 4 signups, that hit home. The pivot to Pinterest and free traffic makes a lot of sense. I’ve also found that slow and steady organic traffic, though frustrating at first, has given me better results long term than chasing quick wins. Respect to you for being transparent about the grind, it’s refreshing to hear the real story instead of another “overnight success” pitch. How are you finding Pinterest compared to Instagram when it comes to engagement?
Hey Jaso, really appreciate you sharing that, brother. Sounds like we’ve both walked through the same fire. That $180 for 4 signups still stings, not gonna lie ???? But man, learning to lean into organic and play the long game with Pinterest has been a game-changer.
I totally get what you mean, those slow, steady traffic wins might not feel flashy at first, but they stack over time. Pinterest is giving me way more consistent engagement than Instagram ever did. Feels like people come to Pinterest already looking for something real, whereas IG’s more of a scroll-and-forget kinda vibe.
Appreciate the kind words, and respect right back at you for staying in the game. Let’s keep building this the real way.
Shawn Thomas ????????
I love how you adapted to setbacks by switching from Facebook to Pinterest and leveraging AI tools for fresh content. That flexibility is key in affiliate marketing. For beginners, I’d say focus on consistency—create content regularly and engage authentically with your audience. Don’t stress about fast results, just focus on building trust. What would be your top tip for someone starting in affiliate marketing to avoid burnout?
Hey Linda, thank you, really appreciate that! You’re right, flexibility has been everything. Once I stopped clinging to one platform or method and just focused on adapting, things slowly started to shift. Pinterest + AI content has made it easier to stay consistent without burning out.
As for avoiding burnout? My top tip would be: build a system that works with your lifestyle, not against it. For me, that meant batch-creating posts when I’m off the road and letting them drip out while I’m trucking. Also, don’t be afraid to take short breaks to reset it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Loved your reminder about trust-building. That’s what really creates lasting results.
Shawn
The resilience and adaptability you’ve shown in your journey, from struggling with MLM schemes to discovering Freedom through social platforms, really hit home. I’m curious, when the Facebook ads campaign was shut down, how did you emotionally manage that setback while searching for your next effective channel? Also, switching to AI-generated visuals and Pinterest sounds promising; have you noticed certain content themes or pin formats that consistently drive engagement, especially compared to the initial Facebook traction? Finally, now that you’re gaining momentum, are there any unexpected challenges you’re anticipating as affiliate marketing evolves?
Hey Slavisa, really appreciate that thoughtful comment. That Facebook ad shutdown hit like a punch to the gut, not gonna lie. I had just started thinking I was gaining ground, then boom back to square one. Emotionally, I gave myself one rough day, then decided to treat it like a pivot point instead of a failure. That’s when I dove deep into Pinterest and started exploring AI tools to lighten the load.
As for content themes that work: story-based pins and anything that leans into “real behind-the-scenes” stuff seems to get way more saves and clicks than polished promo-style ones. Pinterest is more of a discovery engine, while Facebook always felt like interruption marketing.
Unexpected challenges? Honestly, staying ahead of the curve with tech is a big one. AI’s amazing, but it’s moving fast. I’m also keeping an eye on how affiliate platforms are tightening their rules staying compliant and creative at the same time is going to be a balancing act.
Thanks again for the great questions definitely made me reflect on how far this journey has come.
Shawn
Affiliate marketing is not a platform or business model where you have success overnight; it takes time and a lot of hard work, going through so many trials and errors until you find that sweet spot or success. Even then, you must continue to work at it. The rewards and there, but it takes working at it over and over again.
Hey Norman, absolutely agree with you. Affiliate marketing isn’t a shortcut, it’s a long road full of trial, error, and adjustments. Like you said, even when you do find some success, it still takes consistent effort to keep it going.
It’s been a grind for sure, but that “work at it over and over” mindset is what separates the ones who stick around from the ones who burn out. Glad to be walking this journey alongside others who get it.
Appreciate your comment!
Shawn