Not necessarily. While it is possible to register a site that is not live, it's important to understand that most merchants look to partner with affiliates who have an established blog/website with a good network of readers/visitors. They also want to work with affiliates who have a track record of providing high-quality content to a targeted, loyal audience that's relevant to their vertical. For example, if the merchant sells women's jewelry and your blog/site is mainly targeted at men who love grilling, then that affiliate program might not be a good fit. Therefore, we strongly recommend having an established blog/website that's receiving good traffic before you apply to a program. Alternatively, if you don't have an established site, but do have an established social media following, most programs will accept and allow you to post affiliate links on social media pages you own or operate.