Summary
CHALLENGE
- Built a dropshipping business on organic TikTok and YouTube content, not paid ads.
- Saw an opportunity to grow reach further through affiliate marketing.
- Wanted a simple way to manage commissions, payments, and affiliates.
SOLUTION
- Chose UpPromote to run his affiliate program from the start.
- Set a 15% base commission, rising to 35% for top performers.
- Automated commission calculations and payments.
- Recruited affiliates from his own Discord community.
RESULTS
- Earned up to $70K in total affiliate sales in a year.
- Cut manual tracking and reduced disputes with a self-service dashboard.
- Built a growing affiliate base from his community.
LESSONS
- Use organic content to attract both customers and potential affiliates.
- Offer high, tiered commissions to attract and keep strong affiliates.
- Automate payments so payouts need no manual calculation.
- Give affiliates a dashboard to build trust and avoid disputes.
Mikey, the creator behind Mikey Again, is a TikTok and YouTube influencer who built a dropshipping business around organic marketing.
He focused on a strong social presence, creating engaging content about his products and their benefits, including a video breaking down how to go viral on TikTok and start dropshipping.
That organic approach didn’t just draw in customers. It also attracted content creators who wanted to collaborate, and Mikey saw a chance to grow through affiliate marketing.
Why did Mikey turn to affiliate marketing for his store?
As Mikey’s organic content built an engaged audience, creators began reaching out to work with him. The positive response showed him an opening to expand his reach beyond his own channels.
To run an affiliate program, Mikey turned to UpPromote, and it stuck. He valued its user-friendly interface and features enough that he never went looking for another tool.
UpPromote was one of the first options when I searched ‘affiliate marketing’ on the Shopify store. I downloaded it, and it immediately worked exactly how I wanted it to… it was perfect from the jump
Mikey Again
That early fit set the tone for how he built the rest of his program.
How does Mikey run his affiliate program on UpPromote?
Mikey leans on UpPromote for the parts that make or break a program: how affiliates are paid, how payouts happen, and how clearly partners can see their results.
Offer high, tiered commissions
Mikey knows generous commissions attract and keep strong affiliates. Using UpPromote’s commission structure, he set a 15% base rate on referred sales.
To reward his best partners, he added a tier that lets affiliates earn up to 35% based on their sales volume.
| Program | Type | Commission |
| Program 1 | Percent of sale | 15% |
| Program 2 | Percent of sale | 35% |
A clear path from 15% to 35% gives affiliates a concrete reason to keep selling.
Automate commission payments
UpPromote calculates each affiliate’s commission automatically from their sales, removing manual work and reducing errors. Mikey simply sets the rate, and the system handles the rest.
Everything is done automatically for you; it separates the profits affiliates earn, and all you need to do is pay them that amount… just enter the percentage they will receive
Mikey Again
That automation takes payment math off his plate entirely.
Give affiliates a self-service dashboard
Through UpPromote’s affiliate dashboard, Mikey’s partners can monitor their sales, track estimated earnings, and analyze clicks and referrals to see what to improve.
Seeing their earnings builds affiliates’ trust in the program, while the clear system cuts Mikey’s manual tracking and helps head off disputes and complaints.
How does Mikey recruit affiliates from his own community?
Mikey turns his audience into affiliates. He built a Discord community for people interested in dropshipping, where he shares details about his program and invites members to join.
His hands-on support, including direct messages and calls, has built enough trust that more people sign up. He also teaches affiliates using his own skills and experience.
That mentoring carries its own reward: when affiliates succeed, they can earn commissions by coaching others, taking a percentage of the sales their trainees make.
What results has Mikey achieved?
Mikey’s mix of organic content, generous commissions, and hands-on community building has paid off.
His affiliate program has earned up to $70,000 in total affiliate sales in a year, while UpPromote’s automation freed him from manual tracking and payment calculations.
With disputes minimized and affiliates motivated, Mikey can put his energy back into creating content and growing the rest of his business.
Turn organic content into an affiliate channel. Mikey’s TikTok and YouTube presence attracted creators who became affiliates.
Offer high, tiered commissions. Mikey set a 15% base rate, rising to 35% for top performers.
Automate commission payments. Mikey uses UpPromote to calculate commissions automatically, so payouts need no manual math.
Give affiliates their own dashboard. Mikey’s partners track sales, earnings, and performance themselves, which builds trust and cuts disputes.
Recruit from your community. Mikey built a Discord for aspiring dropshippers and invites members into his program — an approach that earned up to $70K in affiliate sales in a year.
