There's nothing wrong with wanting to make some extra cash on the side without investing any time or effort into it yourself. Fortunately many affiliate marketplaces exist where you can promote other people's products and earn commission from each sale.
But finding the best affiliate marketing product isn't as simple as just picking one at random. There are so many different options available, especially online, that it would take me several articles to cover them all. Instead this article will focus on only two popular online affiliate networks - Clickbank and Shareasale – which happen to have by far the most competitive offers.
So let's look at these two services first before we continue down the rabbit hole.
The easiest way to begin looking for affiliate business opportunities is to use Google. Start typing "affiliate" followed by whatever niche you're interested in (e.g., "coupons", "clothing"). Then search through the results. You'll see lots of companies offering their own affiliate solutions like Amazon Associates, Commission Junction etc. But if you want something more specific then you should check out the top sites below. These are known as network marketing/multi-level marketing companies because they sell products directly to consumers as opposed to selling products to distributors who resell those products to others. This means that when you sign up to become an affiliate you don't need to worry about buying inventory upfront.
Most of these companies offer multiple levels of compensation depending on what type of person you are (a beginner or experienced). The top three types of affiliate programs are listed here along with links to relevant pages within the company website. If you click on the link under 'products' then you'll see a list of the various products offered. It's important to note that even though these products may seem similar sometimes the terms used for the same thing may differ slightly between companies. For example, some call their affiliate programs 'partnerships', while others prefer to refer to them as'merchandise'. So pay close attention to the terminology used when selecting the correct affiliate program.
As well as being able to choose from thousands of different products, you could also browse the entire category listing to see what else is available. Some categories include 'digital information products', 'business products', 'internet tools & software' or 'health & fitness'.
If you're still unsure after browsing around then why not try signing up for a trial account? Most of these companies allow you to test drive their platform for 30 days before committing to anything permanent. After 30 days you simply cancel your subscription.
Now that you've found the perfect brand to join, it's time to contact them! Unfortunately the majority of affiliate programs require you to submit a form detailing certain details such as name, email address, URL of your blog or website, age, gender and occupation. Sometimes you might be asked to provide additional personal information too including hobbies, interests and location.
Once submitted you'll receive an automated reply confirming receipt of your details and asking whether you'd like to apply as an affiliate. Depending on the affiliate program, this step may involve uploading images or videos to prove that you know exactly what you're doing. In fact, some programs ask you to send back an actual physical item (such as a picture) showing off the product. However, if none of this seems too complicated then you probably shouldn't bother applying.
However, if you decide to go ahead anyway then congratulations! Once accepted as an affiliate you'll now be part of a huge community dedicated solely towards helping other people grow their businesses. And that's always great news!
You'll soon notice that every day new affiliate partners are added to the system. All you need to do is select a few products that interest you based on your niche, upload a review and post it onto your blog or website. When someone clicks the link you provided they'll be taken straight to the merchant's site where they can purchase the product(s) featured in your review.
After completing the transaction the merchant usually sends you payment via PayPal or Payza. You then forward the funds to the third party service provider responsible for processing payments. They will handle everything from depositing the funds into your bank account to sending you a confirmation email stating that the payment has been made.
Sometimes the payment gateway itself requires a small fee but in my experience this rarely happens. Even so, keep in mind that once you've started using affiliate marketing you won't have access to credit cards anymore so you'll need to transfer the funds manually.
It doesn't matter which method you chose above, either PayPal or Payza, to collect the fees. Both methods work perfectly fine although Payza tends to attract fewer complaints than PayPal.
When searching for the best affiliate program to join, the last thing you want to consider is price. Sure, high prices mean higher profits for both parties involved but low prices often result in less sales overall. So that's definitely a good reason to avoid joining cheap affiliate networks. It's better to spend somewhere in the middle rather than risking getting scammed.
Well fortunately there's another option - the number one affiliate on earth. That's right, it's ClickBank. With over $2 million per month in revenue, ClickBank is currently ranked #1 worldwide. Not bad considering they were founded in 1996!
This particular company offers its affiliates two main ways to profit. Firstly, you can promote their merchants' products and secondly you can create your own products to sell as well. To learn more about creating your own products read our guide to making money online with affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketers typically earn anywhere from 10% to 70% of the total amount charged by customers purchasing items sold through their websites. On average, however, affiliate marketers are paid approximately 20%.
That sounds pretty lucrative until you realize that you can actually lose money promoting almost any product regardless of how profitable it is. The worst case scenario is that you end up losing money on a poorly performing product. Thankfully, most affiliate marketers lose very little compared to the potential profits gained from their efforts.
In addition, affiliate marketers are given access to powerful features such as tracking systems and customer support. By using the tracking feature you can monitor individual sales reports and sales trends related to each product you promoted. As a bonus, this feature allows you to track your referrals as well.
Finally, as mentioned earlier, affiliate marketers also gain access to a range of promotional materials designed specifically for them. These include banners, graphics and text ads that can easily be uploaded to your website or blog.
With all of these benefits, why wouldn't everyone want to become an affiliate? Well, aside from those pesky scams, there are plenty of legitimate reasons. One of the biggest issues facing aspiring affiliates is the lack of quality products. Many of today's internet users expect instant gratification so it's difficult to satisfy their appetite for fast results. Also, it takes a lot of hard work to build traffic to your blog or website.
Luckily, there are loads of resources out there that help you generate traffic effectively. Our guides to building successful blogs and websites contain useful advice on how to achieve this goal. For example, you could follow our tips for starting a blog quickly. Or maybe you'd prefer to watch our video series on YouTube instead. Either way, remember that patience is key!
Another problem faced by many affiliates is poor communication regarding changes to the rules governing promotions. This makes it difficult to understand the exact requirements needed to successfully complete campaigns. Luckily, most affiliate platforms give you detailed instructions on how to run successful campaigns.
Overall, becoming an affiliate is not a complicated process. Simply put together a compelling content strategy that includes reviews and helpful tutorials, and place advertisements across social media channels. Next, pick quality products and promote them as much as possible. Finally, enjoy the rewards!
Do you think there are enough products out there to cater for everyone? What sorts of things do you recommend as the best affiliate programs? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Affiliates have been around for as long as online shopping has existed. They help drive traffic to websites by getting other people involved (the word "affiliate" comes from the Latin affilare meaning "to bind together").
There's a lot more to this than just driving visitors to sites though - if you're serious about making money online then it's important to understand all aspects of affiliate marketing so that you can make informed decisions when choosing which companies to work with.
So, how does one go about finding affiliate marketing opportunities? What should they look for in terms of product selection? How much will they pay per sale? Should they join up with only the biggest names or try their luck on smaller but better-known brands? And what exactly do these 'bigger' companies offer anyway?
If you've ever wondered how to get started with affiliate marketing, we'll tell you everything you need to know here.
The first step towards becoming an affiliate marketer is to determine whether you want to sell physical goods or digital downloads. If you choose the latter option, you must decide between Clickbank, eBizMBAcademy, Shareasale, CJ Affiliate, eBay Partner Network Inc., Rakuten Advertising, etc.
You'll notice that some of those providers use different acronyms for themselves, and even within each acronym there are several variations. That's because these businesses were founded at different times and evolved over time, so sometimes certain features overlap while others don't. For example, ShareAsale was originally called Commission Junction before changing its name to shareASale in 2009.
In general, however, most affiliate networks provide similar services and feature many of the same tools. So you won't run into any major problems if you decide to sign up with any one provider.
Nowadays, almost every company offers affiliate programs to both retailers and consumers. The fact that Amazon offers them means that anyone can become an affiliate without special training. It doesn't matter where you live either. You can promote anything anywhere in the world!
Some popular items include books, software, music CDs, DVDs, video games, movies, clothing, hardware, pet supplies, electronics, household appliances, furniture, jewelry, sports equipment, health & beauty aids, kitchen utensils, home décor, office supplies, etc. Not only can you take advantage of the popularity of specific products, but you can also target niche interests such as weight loss, gardening, cooking, travel, finance, business, dating advice, personal development, religion, parenting, sex therapy, hypnosis, self improvement, spirituality, etc.
It goes without saying that you shouldn't attempt to promote illegal or dangerous products. Even if you did manage to convince someone to purchase something like heroin or poison, you'd likely lose your commission. Most affiliate programs require that you follow strict rules regarding promotion and advertising.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid selling things you wouldn't actually buy yourself. This way your customers feel comfortable buying from you rather than feeling pressured to spend money on something they may not really need.
Also keep in mind that not everyone has the same budget. Some shoppers only wish to purchase high quality items while others would happily accept lower prices provided they receive value for their money.
When looking for affiliate programs, consider which ones best match your needs. Make sure they offer attractive commission rates, have lots of active sellers, allow you to set your own earnings targets, and give you access to useful tools.
Many companies now offer affiliate programs that automatically track sales, allowing you to monitor results easily. To ensure that you receive payment quickly, check out the various methods used by each network.
Once you've decided which types of products you want to promote, the next thing to figure out is how to obtain them. There are three main ways to do this:
1) Buy directly through the seller
2) Use an auction site
3) Find pre-made listings
Let's examine each method in turn.
Buy directly through the seller
This type of setup involves connecting with individual sellers directly. Many of them will already have established accounts with multiple platforms, so you might end up working with dozens of vendors at once.
On top of this, some merchants prefer to deal exclusively with individuals rather than large corporations. Because of this, you usually have to negotiate a fair price for your efforts.
To increase your chances of success, you could try contacting several suppliers simultaneously. If they agree to work together, you can split the profits 50/50. Otherwise you'll have to come up with a solution to compensate each party fairly.
Using an auction site
These days, nearly all mainstream retailers utilize auctions to sell their wares. These transactions typically involve two parties - the retailer and the buyer. When a shopper places a bid, he buys the item outright. In exchange, he receives a percentage of the profit.
For instance, say you're trying to promote a new book. One day, a customer bids $10 for it. Then another person pays $20. Finally, after paying back taxes and shipping costs, you pocket half of the total sum ($6).
You're left with nothing unless you happen to win the auction. However, if you place the winning bid and the vendor accepts, you'll earn a hefty portion of the entire transaction amount.
While this approach certainly makes sense in cases where the cost of acquiring inventory isn't prohibitively expensive, remember that auctions often fail to cover expenses. Therefore, you'll still need to invest additional funds to secure deals with small sellers.
Find pre-made listings
Alternatively, you can simply search for ready-made links that connect buyers with sellers. Once again, you'll need to locate a reputable website offering genuine merchandise. After visiting the page, click the Add link located near the bottom of the page.
Then select the category you'd like to advertise under. Next, specify the exact keywords you'd like to appear in the ad text. Don't worry too much about grammar and spelling - the system uses algorithms to verify accuracy. Lastly, add a title, description, image, and pricing information.
After clicking Submit, you'll see a list of potential partners. As soon as you identify a suitable supplier, you'll receive an email notification letting you know that the listing has gone live. From there, you can begin sending traffic to the merchant's webpage.
Unfortunately, no. But that doesn't mean you can't benefit from promotional discounts, bulk orders, referral bonuses, etc. Just remember that these perks aren't available to everybody.
Most companies limit their rewards to existing affiliates and loyal clients. In addition, you may be required to wait until you reach certain numbers of sales before receiving gifts. Also, some vendors reserve exclusive promotions for their most trusted associates.
Nonetheless, you should always apply for membership whenever possible. Doing so allows you to gain access to valuable promotional materials, special events, newsletters, and other resources. Plus, you'll save money when purchasing wholesale quantities.
Additionally, you can ask friends and family members to refer you to certain stores. By doing this, you stand a chance of obtaining discounted packages or coupons in return.
Finally, if you happen to belong to a relevant organization, you might qualify for membership benefits. For example, if you're part of a club that focuses on fitness, dieting, or healthy living, you might enjoy reduced fees for gym memberships and health food store gift cards.
Yes, they do. In fact, many successful affiliates regularly acquire thousands of dollars worth of merchandise each month. Sometimes, they even hold garage sales to collect extra cash.
However, don't expect to earn significant sums overnight. Your income depends largely upon the number of clicks received during the course of a single campaign. Furthermore, you should never base your decision solely upon the size of the payout.
Take into account factors like brand recognition, customer satisfaction ratings, and overall reputation. A solid reputation ensures repeat purchases and a steady stream of revenue. So make sure to pick carefully!
The key point to remember is that affiliate marketing requires effort, dedication, and patience. While it may seem difficult at first glance, it's well worth pursuing nonetheless.
There's one thing about starting any kind of business venture - it requires time, effort, dedication, and most importantly, capital. The majority of entrepreneurs don't have much of this at their disposal when they first begin looking into affiliate marketing as a viable means of making some extra cash on the side. This can prove difficult if you're just getting started or perhaps aren't sure what exactly affiliate marketing entails, but luckily, there are plenty of resources available online today that will help you learn more about affiliate marketing so you can jumpstart your own successful journey down this road.
When it comes to finding the right affiliates for your particular niche, there's definitely a lot of work involved. There's no specific formula to follow though because each individual market has its own unique set of requirements, which is why we've compiled a list of five things you should keep in mind whenever you want to join an affiliate network. Not only does this ensure you'll never miss out on a potential commission opportunity, but it also allows you to build up confidence before diving headfirst into your new endeavor. Here's our list of tips for success!
First of all, let me dispel the myth that you need millions of dollars to make a fortune from affiliate marketing. While there are many factors that play into building wealth through affiliate marketing (and there's no way of knowing them without actually doing it), the fact remains that anyone can profit from using these strategies. As long as you know where to look and understand the tools required to succeed, then you too can become financially independent by earning passive income through affiliate marketing.
The truth is that even if you were to spend $100 per day on advertising, you'd still come away ahead of the game after six months. So while it may take longer than you think to earn back your initial investment, once you see those numbers add up over time, you'll soon realize that affiliate marketing isn't something that you have to worry about being "too good" at. It's like anything else -- you just need to put in the work to develop your skills and stay motivated throughout the entire process.
As far as top-selling products go, it really depends on what type of market you're targeting. If you're trying to sell physical goods such as books, electronics, clothing, etc., then chances are good that Amazon would be the place to go. On the other hand, if you're looking to promote digital downloads (such as eBooks) or services (like web hosting), then Google AdSense might be a better option for you. Regardless of whether you're selling physical or virtual products, always remember to use keywords within your ad copy to increase your clickthrough rate. This ensures your ads reach the correct audience, increases sales conversions, and ultimately saves you money.
High-ticket affiliate items refer to products that cost anywhere between $500-$5,000. For example, if you were looking to create a website about dog training, you could potentially offer different levels of membership based on the amount someone was willing to pay to access certain information. In addition, you could charge a monthly fee for unlimited access to everything included in your membership package. Another example would be an internet security service. You could provide three different packages depending on the price range of your target customer base.
While you certainly won't be able to compete against companies offering high-end products, you can still generate substantial amounts of revenue simply by promoting lower priced items. A great example of this would be a company providing a subscription service to bloggers. Your goal would be to convince people that signing up for this service provides them with increased exposure, leads, traffic, and eventually profits. Of course, you wouldn't want to undervalue the value of this service either. After all, it doesn't matter how cheap your prices are if nobody knows about them...
Ultimately, the best product for affiliate marketing is whatever your customers are searching for. The key here is to research popular topics and niches, identify related businesses, and then figure out ways to position yourself as a leader in your industry. Once you've done all of that, you can decide whether or not you want to enter into direct competition with existing brands or instead focus on becoming an authority within your chosen field. Either approach works well, especially if you can find the perfect balance between the two.
Now that you have a few ideas about how to choose the right affiliate products, it's important to note that a successful campaign relies heavily on proper planning. Don't expect overnight results, and don't underestimate the importance of choosing the right partners either. These steps alone can boost your earnings significantly, but if you combine them with effective SEO techniques, social media marketing campaigns, and email marketing tactics, you can quickly transform your efforts from mere clicks into cash flow.
So now that you know the basics behind affiliate marketing, it's time to consider joining an affiliate network. But before you dive in, check out our article titled How To Find High Paying Affiliates That Are Easy To Work With. We explain the benefits of working with both established and newer networks to discover the ones that fit your needs best. And finally, if you haven't already read it, you absolutely must download our eBook entitled 5 Simple Steps To Successful Affiliate Marketing. Inside, you'll receive step-by-step instructions on how to effectively navigate every stage of the process. Good luck out there!
1) Join Affiliate Programs
Once you've decided to get involved with affiliate marketing, it's important for you to understand how affiliate programs work. There are two main types of affiliate programs – paid and non-paid.
Paid affiliate programs require members to pay a fee (usually either monthly or annually), which then allows them access to all sorts of benefits such as exclusive content, advertising opportunities, and special sales events.
Non-paid affiliate programs provide free membership options for those who wish to promote certain companies' products or services without being required to pay anything upfront. These include Amazon Associates, ShareASale, ClickBank, CJ Affiliates, Commission Junction, LinkShare, VigLink, and others.
If you want to start earning money through affiliate marketing, you'll need to join up with an established company that has an existing reputation and following among its customers. This way, when you choose to link your website to theirs using their tracking software, you'll be able to track your earnings from each sale made by your visitors. It really isn't hard to set up and manage these kinds of sites once you know where to look for them. Most of these websites offer various levels of membership depending upon whether you plan to use them only occasionally or regularly throughout the year.
You should always make sure to read the fine print before signing up for any type of membership because although many of these websites allow you to advertise for a specific amount of time, there may be other terms that apply beyond that initial period.
Becoming an Affiliate Program Member
To become part of a particular affiliate network, you must submit a request form stating that you'd like to participate. Once approved, you'll receive an e-mail containing information regarding the steps needed to ensure proper implementation of your account, including your username and password, as well as instructions on how to add links to your site.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.