B&H Affiliate Program: How To Make Money With It
Promoting photography equipment might not sound sexy, but here’s what makes it interesting: photographers spend money. A lot of it. We’re talking $2,000 camera bodies, $1,500 lenses, and $800 tripods. With B&H’s 8% commission rate, a single high-ticket sale puts $120-$160 in your pocket. Not bad for sending someone to buy what they were already researching.
Quick Stats:
💰 Commission: 8% per sale
🍪 Cookie Duration: 60 hours
💳 Payment Terms: Monthly via check
📍 Availability: US affiliates only
💵 Minimum Payout: $80
🎯 Product Range: 3,000+ photography & video products
Join the B&H Affiliate Program →
Why B&H Converts Better Than Most Photography Affiliate Programs
Here’s the thing about promoting photography gear through affiliate programs. Most photographers don’t impulse buy. They research for weeks, watch YouTube reviews, read blog comparisons, and lurk in Reddit threads. But when they’re ready to buy, they default to B&H.
Why does this matter for you? Because B&H has spent decades building trust with photographers. They’re not competing on price alone. Their reputation for customer service, their hassle-free 30-day returns, and their free shipping on orders over $49 make the buying decision easier. When someone clicks your affiliate link, they’re not walking into an unknown store. They’re going somewhere they already trust.
The economics work in your favor too. Photography is one of those niches where the average order value keeps climbing. Someone buying a camera body rarely stops there. They add a lens, maybe a memory card, probably a camera bag. Your 8% commission applies to the entire order, not just the item you promoted. A $3,000 shopping cart means $240 in your pocket from one sale.
Getting Started: Approval and Setup
The application process is straightforward. B&H runs their own affiliate tracking system rather than using a third-party network. You fill out their application form, they review it within a few business days, and you’re in.
What helps your approval chances? Having actual content. B&H wants to see that you’re promoting photography content to real audiences, not throwing up spam sites. If you have a blog with even 10-15 solid articles about photography, you’re golden. YouTube channels work well too. Even an Instagram account with consistent photography content can get approved if you explain how you’ll promote their products.
Once approved, you get access to their affiliate dashboard. It’s basic but functional. You can grab product links, track your clicks and conversions, and see your earnings. The interface won’t win design awards, but everything you need is there.
Understanding Your Audience (And Their Expensive Tastes)
Photography enthusiasts fall into three spending categories, and knowing which one you’re targeting changes everything about how you promote B&H products.
The beginners just bought their first DSLR or mirrorless camera. They’re googling “best lens for portraits under $500” and “do I need a tripod.” These folks make smaller purchases but they’re easier to convert because everything is new to them. Your content needs to be educational. Explain why they need certain accessories, compare entry-level options, and guide them toward good value purchases.
The hobbyists have been shooting for a few years. They know what they want but they’re looking for validation before dropping $1,200 on a lens. They read in-depth reviews, watch comparison videos, and want real-world examples. These are your bread and butter customers. They spend enough to make your commissions worthwhile, and they’re actively searching for the content you can create.
Then there’s the professionals and serious enthusiasts. They’re upgrading to $4,000 camera bodies and $2,500 lenses. These purchases happen less frequently but holy hell do they move your commission numbers. The catch is they’re harder to influence. They already know what they want. Your job is to be present when they’re researching and give them that final nudge toward B&H specifically.
Traffic Generation Strategies That Actually Work
Let’s talk about getting people to click your B&H affiliate links. The obvious route is SEO-optimized blog content, and yeah, it works. But here’s what most people miss about photography content.
The comparison review is your secret weapon. When someone searches “Canon R6 vs Sony A7IV,” they’re close to buying. Write a detailed comparison that helps them make the decision, then link to both cameras on B&H. Include real photos you’ve taken with both, talk about the handling, the menu systems, the things specifications don’t tell you. Make it genuinely helpful. These articles can rank for years and generate consistent affiliate sales.
YouTube works exceptionally well for photography affiliate marketing. Gear reviews get searched constantly. But instead of doing basic unboxing videos, go deeper. Show the camera in different shooting scenarios. Take it to a wedding, use it for street photography, test the video capabilities. Give people the information they can’t get from reading specs on B&H’s product page. Put your affiliate link in the description and the pinned comment. Make it obvious but not obnoxious.
Email marketing is where things get interesting for photography affiliates. Build a list by offering something photographers actually want. Maybe it’s a free Lightroom preset pack, or a PDF guide on manual mode, or a shot list for portrait sessions. Once they’re on your list, send a weekly email with a photography tip and mention relevant gear when it makes sense. Don’t pitch products every email, but when you do, explain why you’re recommending them.
Paid traffic can work for B&H promotions, but it’s tricky. Google Ads on product-specific keywords gets expensive fast. Facebook and Instagram ads work better if you’re promoting content first and products second. Run ads to your detailed review articles or YouTube videos rather than directly to B&H product pages. Build the relationship, then the sale happens naturally.
The Content That Converts Browsers Into Buyers
Your affiliate links need context to convert. Dropping random product links into thin content doesn’t work, especially with the short 60-hour cookie window B&H gives you.
The gear guide format crushes it every time. “Complete Camera Bag Essentials for Travel Photography” or “Everything You Need to Start Product Photography Under $2,000.” These articles solve a specific problem and include multiple product recommendations. Someone reading this is actively building their kit. They want to buy. Your job is to make it easy by curating the right products and explaining why each one matters.
Problem-solution content works because it meets photographers where they are. “How to Fix Blurry Photos in Low Light” leads naturally to recommending faster lenses or cameras with better high-ISO performance. “Why Your Photos Look Flat” sets up recommendations for better lenses or external lighting. You’re not forcing product recommendations. They’re the natural solution to the problem you just explained.
Seasonal content gives you built-in urgency without being pushy. “Best Photography Gifts Under $500” crushes it in November and December. “Cameras for Shooting Summer Weddings” works in February and March when wedding photographers are upgrading for the busy season. Create these articles once and they generate affiliate sales year after year.
Making The Math Work: Your Path to $1,000 Per Month
Let’s be real about what it takes to hit $1,000 monthly with B&H’s affiliate program. With an 8% commission rate, you need $12,500 in sales. That sounds like a lot until you remember photographers spend money on expensive gear.
The beginner path is volume plus patience. You need consistent traffic to well-optimized content. If your average sale is $600 (pretty common for someone buying a camera body or decent lens), you need about 21 sales per month to hit $1,000. With a 2% conversion rate, that’s 1,050 clicks to your affiliate links. Totally doable with a solid content strategy and 3-6 months of consistent effort.
The intermediate approach is fewer clicks but higher-value purchases. Target professional-grade equipment in your content. Reviews of $2,500+ cameras and lenses mean your average commission per sale jumps to $200+. Now you only need five sales per month to hit $1,000. The traffic requirements drop significantly.
The advanced move is building an email list of photography enthusiasts. Once you have 2,000-3,000 engaged subscribers, hitting $1,000 monthly becomes much easier. Send a weekly email with genuine photography tips and occasional gear recommendations. Even with low click-through rates, you’re putting your affiliate links in front of interested buyers consistently.
What Makes This Harder Than It Looks
B&H’s 60-hour cookie window is tight. Really tight. Most photography affiliate programs give you 30-90 days. B&H gives you 2.5 days. This means when someone clicks your link, they need to complete their purchase fast or your commission disappears.
Why does this matter? Photographers research slowly but buy quickly. They’ll spend weeks reading reviews and comparing options, then suddenly decide to buy and order everything at once. Your job is to be the last piece of content they consume before pulling the trigger. Top-of-funnel content might generate clicks, but bottom-of-funnel comparison reviews and specific product recommendations convert better because people are closer to buying.
The US-only restriction cuts your potential audience significantly. If you’re building an international photography blog or YouTube channel, a chunk of your audience can’t buy through your links. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it means you should also join international photography affiliate programs to monetize your global traffic.
Payment by check only feels archaic because it is. In 2025, waiting for a physical check in the mail is painful. Factor in mail delays and check clearing times, and you’re looking at 6-8 weeks between making a sale and accessing your money. This matters more when you’re starting out and every dollar of commission feels significant.
The Real Competition Nobody Talks About
You’re not just competing with other affiliate marketers. You’re competing with B&H’s own content, manufacturer content, and photography influencers with established audiences. The Canon vs Sony comparison you want to write? There are already 50 solid ones ranking in Google.
Here’s how you win anyway. Go more specific. Instead of “Best Mirrorless Cameras 2025,” write “Best Mirrorless Cameras for Real Estate Photography” or “Best Budget Mirrorless Cameras for Shooting Your Kids’ Sports.” Niche down until your content is the most relevant result for someone with that specific need.
Better yet, combine written and video content. A detailed blog post with an embedded YouTube video where you actually demonstrate the gear gives you an edge. Most affiliates do one or the other. Doing both makes your content more valuable and gives you multiple ways to rank and be discovered.
Who This Program Actually Works For
B&H affiliate program makes sense if you’re already creating photography content and you’re based in the US. Photography bloggers, YouTube gear reviewers, and photography education businesses are the obvious fit. Your audience is already interested in gear, so promoting B&H products is a natural extension of what you’re doing.
It also works for adjacent niches. Videography creators promoting cameras and accessories, travel bloggers who teach photography, wedding planners who mention photographer equipment, and even real estate professionals who talk about property photography. If your audience includes people who might buy cameras or photo gear, B&H can be a revenue stream.
It doesn’t make sense if you’re building a global audience, if you’re uncomfortable with long payment timelines, or if you’re focused on other niches where photography is just a small side topic. The program has clear limitations, so be honest about whether those limitations fit your situation.
Getting Your First Commission This Week
Want to make your first B&H sale quickly? Skip the long-form comparison articles for now. Those take time to rank and build authority. Instead, leverage existing audiences.
Find an active photography subreddit or Facebook group where self-promotion is allowed. Create a genuinely useful resource. Maybe it’s a Google Doc with your complete camera bag breakdown and why you chose each item. Share it and include your B&H affiliate links in the document. Make it so helpful that people bookmark it and share it with other photographers.
Answer questions on Quora and Reddit where people ask for photography gear recommendations. Give detailed, thoughtful answers. Include your affiliate links naturally when relevant. You’re not spamming. You’re providing real value and happening to include purchase links that help you too.
Create a simple YouTube video reviewing a piece of gear you actually own. It doesn’t need fancy production. Photographers want honest opinions from real users, not polished marketing videos. Post it, optimize the title for search, and put your B&H affiliate link in the description. Even a few views can generate sales if the content is helpful.
What To Do Right Now
Stop overthinking this. Here’s your next move: join the B&H affiliate program using the link below, get approved, and create one piece of content this week promoting a product you actually have opinions about. Publish it. Share it where photographers hang out. See what happens.
Photography affiliate marketing isn’t rocket science, but it does require showing up consistently and creating content that actually helps people make buying decisions. The commission structure is solid, the products convert because B&H’s reputation does half the selling for you, and there’s genuine demand for honest gear reviews and recommendations.
The photographers who need new gear are already out there searching. Your job is to create content that helps them make smarter buying decisions while earning commission in the process. That’s a fair trade, and if you do it well, everyone wins.