Twelve Google searches that find affiliates for your brand
To find affiliates on Google, search for reviews of your rivals. Add roundups of your product type from this year. Then try phrases like "affiliate links" next to your category. Twelve copy-ready searches follow. Each one says what a good result looks like and what to do with it.
Swap the brackets for your own words. [rival] is a competitor's name. [product] is what you sell, such as "linen sheets" or "dog bed".
Which Google operators can you rely on?
An operator is a small command you type into the search box. Google's help pages document these:
- Quotes find an exact word or phrase.
- A minus sign drops a word. A minus before
site:drops a whole website. site:limits results to one website.after:andbefore:limit results by date.filetype:limits results to one kind of file.
Here is what we checked. The page Refine Google searches (checked 27 October 2026) lists quotes, the minus sign, site:, after:, before: and filetype:. It also says to put no space between an operator and the term. The same page does not list intitle:, inurl: or OR. So we left those three out. All twelve searches below use only the documented ones.
One warning. Google's site: search operator page (checked 27 October 2026) says: "The list of URLs returned is not always exhaustive." So each search gives you a sample, not a full list.
The twelve searches at a glance
| Number | Search | What it finds |
|---|---|---|
| One | "[rival] review" -site:[rival].com | Reviews of a rival by outside writers |
| Two | "[rival] vs" "[product]" -site:[rival].com | Comparison pages |
| Three | "[rival] discount code" -site:[rival].com | Pages that list a rival's code |
| Four | "[rival] affiliate program" -site:[rival].com | Pages about the rival's program |
| Five | "best [product]" after:2026/01/01 | Roundups from this year |
| Six | "[product] gift guide" after:2026/09/01 | Seasonal gift lists |
| Seven | "contains affiliate links" "[product]" | Posts with an affiliate disclosure |
| Eight | "gifted" "[product]" review | Posts about free products |
| Nine | site:youtube.com "[rival] review" | Video reviewers |
| Ten | site:substack.com "[product]" | Newsletters |
| Eleven | site:reddit.com "[rival]" alternative | Reddit threads that name sources |
| Twelve | filetype:pdf "[product]" "buyer's guide" | Buyer guides as PDFs |
Searches that start from your rivals
People who write about your rivals already know your category. Start here. Our guide to finding your competitors' affiliates covers the basic review and "vs" searches. These four go a step further.
1. Reviews that are not the rival's own
"[rival] review" -site:[rival].com
Good result: a blog or video page where a named person gives a verdict. Next step: open the page, look for "affiliate links" or a discount code, and note the writer's contact.
2. Comparison pages
"[rival] vs" "[product]" -site:[rival].com
Good result: a page that compares several brands and has an author. Next step: check whether your brand is missing. A comparison that leaves you out is a good reason to write.
3. Promo code pages
"[rival] discount code" -site:[rival].com
Good result: a person or a small site that lists a code. Many results are coupon sites, which may add no new sales. Our guide to coupon sites explains why. Next step: keep only the ones that also write reviews.
4. Pages about the rival's affiliate program
"[rival] affiliate program" -site:[rival].com
Good result: a page that reviews or lists the program, with the commission rate. Next step: copy the rate. It tells you what to offer, and the writer may cover yours too.
Searches that start from your product type
You don't need a rival's name for these. They find people who write about the category.
5. Roundups from this year
"best [product]" after:2026/01/01
Change 2026 to the current year.
Good result: a roundup with a named author, dated this year. Next step: read who wrote it and how it ranks products. Our guide to product review bloggers shows how to judge a blogger.
6. Gift guides before the holidays
"[product] gift guide" after:2026/09/01
Change the date to the start of this season.
Good result: a seasonal list that is still being updated. Next step: write now, before the list is final. Recruiting before Black Friday covers timing.
7. Disclosure phrases
"contains affiliate links" "[product]"
Good result: a post about your category that carries an affiliate disclosure. The writer may use affiliate links on other brands too. Next step: a writer who uses that phrase likely knows how affiliate deals work, so pitch the rate first.
8. Free product posts
"gifted" "[product]" review
Good result: a post that says the writer got the product free. Next step: this person has accepted gifts before. Offer a free product and a code.
Searches by channel
These use site: to look inside one place.
9. Video reviewers
site:youtube.com "[rival] review"
Good result: a channel with recent videos and links in the description. Next step: read the description for affiliate links, then find the business email on the About tab. The YouTube guide has the full routine.
10. Newsletters
site:substack.com "[product]"
Good result: a newsletter that covers your category and posts often. Next step: subscribe, read two issues, then pitch a mention. This misses newsletters on their own domains, so it's a partial view.
11. Reddit threads
site:reddit.com "[rival]" alternative
Good result: a thread where people name sites and creators they trust. Next step: note the names. Don't post a pitch in the thread. Look up the people and sites it points to.
12. Buyer guides as PDFs
filetype:pdf "[product]" "buyer's guide"
Good result: a guide from a publisher or a club in your niche. Next step: find who runs the publisher. Some categories return only a few PDFs, so treat this one as a bonus.
What do you do with the results?
Keep a sheet with one row per lead: name, page, date, whether they use affiliate links, and a contact. As a suggested starting size, stop at 20 leads. Then check each one.
- Is there a named person?
- Is the page from this year?
- Does the audience match your buyer?
- Is there a contact?
Where there is no email, send a direct message or use the contact form. Our scan found an email for about 3 in 10 people shown (916 of 2,924). So plan for a mix.
Send the message that suits the type. A blogger gets a short note with a free product and a rate. Our affiliate recruitment email guide has examples. The first 10 affiliates in 14 days plan shows a full schedule.
Treat every result as a lead, not proof. A page that names your rival isn't a confirmed affiliate.
How does this work at scale?
RecruitAffiliates.ai runs this kind of search across a brand's rivals and category, labels each page by type, and ranks the best fits first. It shows the page where it found each person, and whether each email was checked (what each result means). The 7-day free trial includes 20 email lookups and needs no card.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find affiliates on Google?
Search for reviews of your rivals with the rival's own site removed, then search for roundups of your product type from this year. Open each result and look for a named person and a contact.
Does Google have an operator for finding affiliate links?
No. Google's help pages don't list one. Search a phrase like "contains affiliate links" next to your product name instead.
How many affiliates should I look for first?
A list of 20 leads is a suggested starting size. Then message the ones that fit. Start with a small group and count sales per code after 30 days.
Sources
- Google Search Help, Refine Google searches (checked 27 October 2026)
- Google Search Central, site: search operator (checked 27 October 2026)
- Our scan of 30 Shopify brands, 22 October 2026: method, counts and limits