Skip to content
Audio-Visual Mint
← All journeys
Side hustle 11 steps

Side-hustle: affiliate / review channel

Review and comparison content that drives affiliate-link conversions.

You want to earn from affiliate links. You'll review products, compare options, build trust over time. The channel monetises through clicks, not ads (mostly).

New accounts open with a 30-credit starter balance so you can see real output before you top up.

Steps
11
Default video format
YouTube Monetisation Video
Recommended tier
high value
Typical timeline
2-6 weeks
The path

11 steps. Each one tells you exactly what to do + drops you in the right place.

AVMint hands you off to the matching surface at every step — Stage 1 niche search, Stage 2 Blueprint creation, the editor, the marketing-plan generator, and so on. You follow 1 → 2 → 3 → done.

  1. Set your profile

    Brand voice = "honest reviewer". Audience trust is the whole moat. Add the disclosure language you'll use.

    • Brand voice can be a short phrase: "measured, literary, no clickbait".
    • Primary platforms drives the default video format suggestion.
    In the app → Open Profile →
  2. Set your default video format

    YouTube Monetisation for the main reviews. Shorts for short comparisons.

    In the app → Pick default format →
  3. Find your niche

    Search around your subject area. AVMint returns 5 audience-evidenced niches with competition notes and revenue paths. The right niche is the single biggest predictor of whether the channel works.

    • Use the topic you're passionate about + a market angle (e.g. "Bitcoin storytelling for retail investors").
    • Depth doesn't have to be Deep Dive — Standard reveals the same 5 niches.
    In the app → Search niches →
  4. Review and pick a niche

    Open past searches, read each niche's audience evidence and competition notes, pick ONE. This is the most consequential decision in the whole process — the niche you pick determines who you reach and how you monetise.

    In the app → Browse past searches →
  5. Create your Business Blueprint

    Turn the chosen niche into a full kit — channel brief, content plan (30 calendar items), AI prompt starters, monetisation plan, ethical disclosures. This is the document everything downstream references.

    • Click the niche you picked in Past Searches → "Create Full Blueprint".
    • Pick the tier that matches your seriousness — Deep Dive is the most thorough.
    In the app → Create Blueprint →
  6. Set up the affiliate programs

    Apply to the affiliate programs for the products in your niche (Amazon Associates, brand-direct programs, Skimlinks for fallback). Set up a single link-management tool (Lasso, Geniuslink) so every video link goes to ONE place you can track.

    In the app → Mark programs ready
  7. Generate your first 3 content items

    Each video is one review or one comparison. The format generates retention-tuned scripts with chapter markers — viewers can jump to the verdict.

    • Start with the 3 items whose titles excite you most — momentum matters.
    • Standard tier is the right call for first videos. Promote to Enhanced/Deep Dive once you're ready to invest more.
    In the app → Open Saved Blueprints →
  8. Edit your first video

    Open one of the generated items in the editor. Drop the video clips on the timeline, narration on the audio track, render to MP4. Free editing; 1 credit per substantive new render.

    • Use the format chip to confirm the per-item format before rendering.
    • Editing as much as you like is free — only the render is charged.
    In the app → Open editor →
  9. Add affiliate links to descriptions

    Every video description gets the affiliate links + the FTC disclosure ("This video contains affiliate links — I earn a small commission at no cost to you."). Use a description template so it's consistent.

    In the app → Mark links added
  10. Ship your first video

    Upload the rendered MP4 to the platform. Use the generated title, description and hashtags from the script artefact. The chapter paste-block (long-form formats) auto-builds the YouTube chapters UI.

    • Don't over-edit the AI copy — first videos teach you the platform; ship more, polish less.
    In the app → Mark as shipped
  11. Plan the next 30 days

    Look at the Blueprint's calendar — pick 10–15 items to ship this month. Mark them in progress. Aim for a consistent cadence (2–3 per week beats a burst of 10 and silence).

    • 2-3 ships per week for the first month — the algorithm needs cadence signal.
    • Mark items "in progress" / "done" so you can see your own momentum.
    In the app → Open calendar →
After

When you finish this journey, you'll have…

  • A documented Business Blueprint covering your niche, content strategy and monetisation.
  • Ready-to-publish video assets for the first 3+ items in the content calendar.
  • A repeatable production system you can run on cadence (the journey teaches the path; the cadence is yours to keep).
  • A marketing plan + (where relevant) a first ad campaign — paste-ready into the matching ads manager.
Ready to start?

Open AVMint with this journey pre-selected.

The dashboard will show the journey's timeline at the top. Step 1 is one click away.

New accounts open with a 30-credit starter balance so you can see real output before you top up.