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.
How a Foot Injury Revealed a Niche
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.
The first thing he did after leaving the doctor's office was Google it. That is exactly what everyone does, and that instinct is the entire basis of affiliate marketing.
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.
The Lesson
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.
What's Changed Since This Post
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.
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.
Keep Learning
For more on finding and evaluating affiliate niches, listen to the Late Night Internet Marketing Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
I worked on a Squidoo lens on that topic once! For someone from ClickNewz….Oh, I think it was Pam. I just recommended to my daughter the other day that she freeze a bottle of water so she could roll her foot on it. And I learned that from that lens.
Hope your foot feels better soon!
You are the second person that has told me about the frozen water bottle in the last 24 hours. Definitely plan to try that tonight. Thanks!
Hi Mark! I haven’t heard a podcast in a while – I just checked the blog and see this update – glad to hear from you. I hope your foot feels better soon!
Don’t worry. I promise more episodes soon (maybe even tonight if all goes well).
Mark
Look at that, every pain is an opportunity out there in the affiliate marketing world 🙂
Hey Mark! Just checked the blog and saw this. I hope you feel better soon. Missin’ your voice in the forums.
I did the same thing when I got diagnosed with degenerative disk disease: figured out if I could be an affiliate and a resource. Ha!
Rest up, get better.
Nate
Thanks Nate. I actually have two episodes recorded. Just need to get them out this weekend.
Nice! Can’t wait to hear them. It’ll be good to have you in the car on the way to work again.
Looking forward to the next episode. Take care Mark.
Hi Mason,
My wife and I are big tennis players and she had plantar fasciitis a few years ago and tried everything. She wound up buying a Strassburg sock. It worked well for her. She has had no problems since. It sales for $39.95 on Amazon.
I look forward to the return of your podcast.
I will be at Podcamp Dallas tomorrow. Hope to meet you.
Regards,
James
Thanks. I will definitely check it out! Was great to meet you at Podcamp Saturday.
Regards,
Mark