Navigating a Complex Digital World in 2025

In today’s world, the dream of creating a steady income through affiliate marketing has become a common goal for many, including myself. As a mother of two and someone who has faced my own share of life’s curveballs—including ADHD and a stroke at 36—this dream represents more than just financial freedom. It’s a chance to finally finish something meaningful. Yet, as I dive deeper into the world of affiliate marketing, I can’t help but wonder: Is affiliate marketing truly getting harder, or is the digital landscape simply changing in ways we need to understand better?

Alongside the practical challenges, I’ve also found myself thinking about the deeper implications of the tech-driven world we live in today. From the influence of social media to the way technology is manipulated for power and profit, it sometimes feels like George Orwell’s 1984 has come to life. But before we get too pessimistic, let’s break down why affiliate marketing feels harder, explore the parallels with our dystopian fears, and discuss how we can make the best of it.

Why Is Affiliate Marketing More Challenging in 2025?

1. Oversaturation: The Crowded Digital Highway

When I first began exploring affiliate marketing, it seemed like a promising and simple way to create an income online. But fast forward to 2025, and the reality is that the internet is incredibly crowded. From bloggers to influencers to niche websites, everyone is trying to monetize content, making it difficult to stand out.

The Impact on Newcomers and Creators Like Me

For people like me—someone who has struggled to finish projects due to ADHD and life’s unpredictable events—it’s especially tough. You have to find your place in a sea of established creators. It often feels overwhelming, especially when competing against people who have the resources and time to produce polished, high-quality content on a consistent basis.

2. The Demand for Hyper-Niche Content

With oversaturation comes the need to niche down, and I mean really niche down. It’s no longer enough to have a blog about photography; you need to write about “eco-friendly photography gear for nature lovers” or “beginner tips for ADHD creatives in street photography.” The more you narrow your focus, the better chance you have of reaching an engaged audience.

Why This Is Both a Challenge and an Opportunity

For someone like me, who is fascinated by many different topics—art, sewing, drawing, and even human psychology—it’s difficult to choose just one area to focus on. But niching down is necessary to build authority and attract a loyal following. As overwhelming as it feels, there’s a silver lining: your unique interests and experiences can be leveraged to create content that’s deeply personal and valuable.

The Orwellian Reality: Has Technology Become a Tool for Control?

1. The Eerie Parallels with 1984

When I think about how technology is used today, it’s hard not to draw parallels with George Orwell’s 1984. In the book, Orwell describes a society controlled by constant surveillance and manipulation of information. Today, our reality doesn’t look that different. Social media platforms collect vast amounts of data, often without us fully understanding how our information is used. We’re constantly watched, and our behavior is subtly influenced by algorithms that prioritize profit and engagement over well-being.

Surveillance Capitalism

From targeted ads that seem to read our minds to data-collecting smart devices, it feels like our privacy is a thing of the past. The idea of being “watched” isn’t just science fiction anymore; it’s a business model. Social media companies use our data to shape our experiences, pushing content designed to keep us scrolling and, ultimately, spending money. This creates an atmosphere where digital manipulation is the norm.

Personal Reflection: As someone who grew up in Norway—a country known for its emphasis on privacy and balance—the digital world we’ve created feels unsettling. During my 12 years in New York, I witnessed firsthand how invasive and overwhelming the tech landscape could be. It’s hard not to miss the days when communication was more personal and deliberate, when house phones and phone kiosks were our primary means of staying in touch.

The Role of Social Media: Fueling an Unhealthy Digital Ecosystem

2. Social Media: The Double-Edged Sword

On one hand, social media has made affiliate marketing more accessible. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube allow us to reach global audiences. On the other hand, they’ve also made it more complicated. To succeed, you have to play by ever-changing algorithmic rules. The pressure to be constantly visible, create engaging content, and keep up with trends is exhausting.

How This Affects Mental Health

For someone like me, who deals with ADHD and struggles with finishing projects, the constant pressure to perform is draining. Social media platforms reward those who are always “on,” which often leads to burnout. We’re encouraged to document every part of our lives, leaving little room for genuine, offline connections.

My Nostalgic Wish: Sometimes, I wish we could step back and live in a world that wasn’t dominated by screens. A world where we communicated thoughtfully, where we used technology as a tool rather than letting it control us. I dream of a society where social media doesn’t dictate our self-worth or monopolize our time. Sadly, we’re not there yet, and that reality influences how we navigate affiliate marketing today.

Affiliate Marketing in a Power-Hungry World: Is There Hope?

1. The Dark Side of Technology: Power and Profit

Social media and tech platforms have immense potential to create positive change. But instead, many tech giants prioritize maximizing profit and power. This profit-driven approach is why algorithms promote outrage, controversy, and addictive behaviors. The more we engage, the more money they make.

What Can We Do?

While we can’t change the entire system, we can make deliberate choices about how we engage with technology. For affiliate marketers, this means being mindful about the content we create. It means prioritizing authenticity, encouraging healthier tech habits among our followers, and using our platforms to raise awareness about these issues.

2. Finding Purpose in Affiliate Marketing

Despite all these challenges, I’m still hopeful. Affiliate marketing can be a way to share genuine recommendations and build communities around shared interests. For me, it’s about more than just income; it’s about creating something meaningful, even if that journey is slow and imperfect.

Strategies to Succeed (and Stay Sane) in This Digital World

1. Embrace Imperfection and Authenticity

Given my own struggles with ADHD and the need to finish things, I’ve learned that perfection is the enemy of progress. In affiliate marketing, authenticity is more powerful than polished, “salesy” content. People are looking for real experiences and honest reviews. Sharing my journey—whether it’s about my creative interests or my challenges as a mother—can make my content more relatable.

2. Focus on What You Love (and Can Sustain)

With so many interests, it’s easy to feel pulled in different directions. But finding a way to combine my love for art, human behavior, and storytelling into a single niche could be key. Maybe that’s writing about art as a therapeutic practice for people with ADHD or sharing creative hacks for busy parents.

3. Advocate for Mindful Tech Use

If we’re going to be part of this digital world, why not try to make it better? Encouraging followers to take digital detoxes or promoting content that helps people use technology more mindfully can be a way to make a positive impact. We don’t have to buy into the toxic side of social media just to succeed in affiliate marketing.

Conclusion: A Future Worth Striving For

Affiliate marketing is getting harder, but it’s also pushing us to be more strategic, authentic, and intentional. While the world may feel more like 1984 every day, there’s still hope for positive change. Technology doesn’t have to be a force for greed and power—it can be used for good if enough people care to make that happen. And maybe, just maybe, there’s still space for people like me, who dream of simpler times but are willing to find a meaningful place in this complex digital world.

Thank you for reading, and if you share my hopes—or have your own thoughts on today’s digital challenges—let’s continue this conversation in the comments below. Together, we can navigate this evolving landscape.

Photo by Markus Spiske