How do I get more traffic as an affiliate marketer?

If you're looking to drive more traffic to your website and increase sales from it, then there's a good chance that one or two key areas could be holding you back - namely, driving enough traffic to your site.

You may have heard this statement before: "It takes money to make money". You also might not know that that doesn't mean all affiliates will necessarily become rich overnight by simply selling their products online (although many do). The reality is that it does take time and effort if you want to see success with your business. But while it takes work, it shouldn't feel like drudgery! It should be fun and exciting. And you don't have to spend thousands on advertising campaigns either. There are plenty of ways for successful affiliate marketers to build a thriving business without spending too much cash upfront on advertising.

But let's say you've already started building up an audience through content creation, social media promotion, email lists etc., but still aren't getting anywhere near the amount of traffic you'd expect. What's going wrong here? Are you struggling to create compelling material that people actually care about? Do you struggle with creating high-quality blog posts every day? If so, stop right now because these problems alone won't solve your issue. Instead, start learning about how to generate more traffic using several different methods which we'll explore below.

How do affiliate marketers grow traffic?

The first thing to understand when trying to learn how to drive more traffic to your affiliate links is that most affiliate programs pay out based on sales made. So if you want to earn commissions, you have to sell something to someone who wants to buy it. This means generating leads is crucial if you want long term growth. Here are some tips and tricks for growing your list of subscribers, followers and fans:

1) Offer value instead of price

In order to attract customers, give them value they cannot get elsewhere. Create unique and valuable content that helps people achieve goals in their lives. Once you gain trust among consumers, they will gladly subscribe to receive future updates from you.

2) Use video

Videos rank higher than text articles and therefore offer better clickthrough rates. Videos allow you to show off your expertise, demonstrate product features, explain concepts, provide testimonials, share funny stories, etc. Video ads are proven to convert well, especially if used correctly. They can even boost SEO rankings.

3) Promote other affiliate products in your own emails

Offering other affiliate products alongside yours gives visitors another reason to sign up. For example, if you promote eBooks written by yourself, include a short blurb promoting other related books. Or if you're offering digital downloads, add a small description explaining why readers would benefit from buying those additional items.

4) Share useful information regularly

This is where blogs come into play. Blogs are often updated daily, weekly or monthly depending on whether you have regular guest contributors writing for you. Regularly updating your blog allows you to keep your loyal readers engaged with new interesting topics. Plus, sharing relevant info builds credibility and authority for you within your niche. Readers love finding helpful resources, so include lots of great advice and tips about running your internet business. Keep coming up with ideas to give readers value and they'll stay subscribed.

5) Add call-to-actions to everything

Call-to-action buttons are important tools for increasing conversions. These simple words at the end of your copy prompt users to perform specific tasks such as signing up for your newsletter, downloading a white paper, purchasing a product, subscribing to webinars or joining a webinar series, etc. Make sure you use CTAs strategically throughout your entire landing page design to maximize results.

6) Include opt-ins everywhere possible

Opt-in boxes appear at the bottom of pages, above the fold and on banners across your website. Not only do they encourage visitors to join your mailing list, they enable you to track conversion data for each visitor. By including multiple options for subscription forms, you can segment your database according to interest levels.

7) Be consistent

Consistency is vital for affiliate marketers. People enjoy following consistency patterns. Always write the same type of article/blog post/review over and over again. Don't change anything until you've tested various versions thoroughly. Then decide what works best and stick with it.

8) Test everything

Testing is essential when optimizing websites for search engines. Google recommends testing 10% of keywords you think people are searching for. Try variations of headlines, descriptions, images and videos, along with title tags, meta descriptions, body texts and URLs. Run tests using keyword research tools and check your analytics reports frequently. Look for opportunities to optimize your sites further by adding alt attributes, image optimization and internal linking strategies.

9) Optimize for mobile devices

Mobile usage has increased dramatically in recent years. In fact, 50 percent of searches are done on smartphones and tablets nowadays. That means you must ensure your website looks perfect on both desktop computers and mobile phones. Designing responsive templates ensures everyone gets exactly what they need, no matter what device they're viewing your site from. Also consider designing your site to load quickly and efficiently on mobile devices.

10) Have fun with your content

Writing quality content for your target market is hard work. However, having fun while doing it makes things easier. When you're passionate about what you do, you tend to produce better content and connect better with your reader base.

How can I grow faster in affiliate marketing?

While driving traffic to your affiliate links is crucial, converting that traffic into buyers is equally important. To do this effectively, you need to set clear objectives and measure progress against benchmarks to determine if your efforts are working. Here are five tactics you can implement immediately:

11) Set realistic expectations

Do not promise huge amounts of income overnight. Instead, focus on earning $50-$100 per sale for the next few weeks. Focus on improving your skills and gaining experience. Eventually, you will get comfortable with making bigger profits.

12) Track performance accurately

Track your efforts carefully using software applications designed specifically to monitor your affiliate marketing campaign. Measure the number of visits, clicks, bounces and purchases generated. Learn to analyze trends and identify bottlenecks. Find out what kind of traffic converts best and what actions are needed to improve your results.

13) Optimise your landing pages

Landing pages are essentially mini websites dedicated to a single product/service. Your goal is to capture a user's attention and persuade them to purchase your item. Landing pages usually contain CTAs, contact forms and payment processors. If your landing page designs look unprofessional, potential buyers will leave your site in disgust. Pay close attention to details such as colors, fonts, layout and graphics. Ensure that your CTA button stands out clearly and is large enough for visitors to easily press.

14) Improve your customer service

Customer support plays a major role in determining customer satisfaction. Poor customer service leads to negative reviews, lost revenue and bad word-of-mouth publicity. Therefore, always strive to deliver excellent service to your existing clients and prospects. Treat everyone with respect, dignity and professionalism. Respond promptly to inquiries and complaints. Give feedback on how to improve processes and procedures. Provide detailed answers to questions. Listen attentively.

15) Write engaging newsletters

Newsletters are a powerful way to keep your current and prospective client informed about ongoing promotions, special deals, seasonal events and brand news. Send regular newsletters containing informative tips, marketing materials, discounts and exclusive offers. Encourage subscribers to comment on the contents of your newsletters and respond accordingly.

16) Build relationships

Relationships are built slowly over time. Start today by sending personalised thank-you notes after orders are placed. Follow up with phone calls and send friendly messages via social networks. Ask for referrals whenever appropriate. If you treat your customers and partners with courtesy and kindness, they will reciprocate.

17) Get involved in your community

Engage in local activities that relate to the interests of your target market. Participate in forums, meetups, conferences, seminars and workshops. Attend networking functions and trade shows. Contribute to open source projects. Showcase your knowledge about your topic on social platforms. Become part of your industry associations and participate in discussions. Join groups on LinkedIn. Invite others in your network to attend too. Help answer questions related to your field. Answer comments left by other members and engage in conversations.

18) Network with influencers

Influencer marketing involves partnering with top experts in your chosen industry. Influencers can greatly impact your visibility online. They can help you reach millions of potential customers worldwide through influential blogging, tweeting, commenting and speaking engagements. Connect with influencers directly and ask them to endorse your company. Let them know you appreciate their contributions and invite them to visit your website.

19) Work smarter rather than harder

If driving targeted visitors to your site and converting them into customers sounds like a daunting task, then it's time to take on new tactics that will make this process easier. And while there is no shortage of information out there about driving traffic to your website via search engine optimization (SEO), social media or email campaigns, one of the most important things to consider when getting started with these efforts is finding ways to increase the amount of visits coming from those who actually want to buy something - people referred by other affiliates. We'll look at how to use several traffic sources, including the best paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing, along with tips on how to attract high-quality leads which can lead to increased sales volume.

The first thing we should talk about is why you're trying to drive traffic to your sites if you don't plan on making money directly off of it (e.g., selling merchandise). There are many reasons. Maybe you're looking for additional exposure so you can start building up relationships with potential partners. Or maybe you just enjoy doing business online and have a lot of ideas but aren't sure where to begin. Whatever the case may be, let us know. In all likelihood, we've been there before too!

So now that you understand why you'd want to drive traffic to your own websites, let's dive right in and see exactly how to go about getting traffic using different methods. The good news is that each method has its own advantages and disadvantages based on what you're trying to accomplish. For example, depending on whether you prefer SEO or PPC advertising strategies, you could choose one over another. You might also decide that content creation is better suited for your goals than either type of ad campaign would be. It really depends on your individual needs.

What are examples of paid traffic?

Paid traffic means paying someone else to visit your website. This can include both traditional ads placed through Google AdWords and Facebook Ads, as well as various forms of pay per click marketing such as Fiverr, ClickBank, etc. Paid traffic comes in two flavors: organic and non-organic. Organic refers to traffic generated without having paid for it - i.e., "free" traffic. Non-organic refers to traffic bought from advertisers.

Top traffic sources

Once you've decided to focus your efforts towards driving traffic to your website, here are some places you should start looking to fill your ranks. These are not ranked according to their popularity among marketers, but rather our personal experience working with them. If you're unfamiliar with how to approach these options, please read the relevant guides below.

1. Search engines

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is still king when it comes to ranking highly in search results pages. While it used to be enough to simply put your URL onto the page, nowadays that won't cut it anymore. Your goal is to build backlinks to your site from reputable resources like blogs, forums, directories, etc. By creating quality content and posting it regularly, you'll naturally gain visibility. Once you create backlinks pointing back to your site, they will serve as citations which tell Google that your site contains valuable information that users want to see. To learn more about how to optimize your webpages for SEO, check out our guide on How Do You Get Traffic From Search Engines?.

2. Social Media Networks

Social networks are becoming increasingly popular as a way to reach audiences. They allow individuals to connect with others who share similar interests and opinions. Some of the biggest ones today include Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Like search engines, social networking platforms rank higher the longer a user stays active. So, it pays to stay engaged with your followers and encourage interaction between yourself and your audience.

3. Email Marketing Services

Email marketing services often come bundled together with hosting plans. However, you can sign up for email lists separately and receive emails whenever anyone subscribes to your list. When you send out mass emails, remember to keep them short, sweet and informative. Also, try sending follow ups after a certain period of time to remind subscribers of products they signed up for. It helps to keep your brand fresh in their minds.

4. Article Submission Sites

Writing articles for publication on article submission sites is a great way to generate links to your blog posts. Many companies offer opportunities for bloggers to post articles on their behalf. As long as your work meets their standards, publishers usually give you a link to your published piece once approved. One caveat is that you typically must agree to a standard contract beforehand. But if you write compelling stuff, chances are good that readers will be interested in reading an article written specifically for them.

5. Pay Per Post Advertising

One of the easiest ways to boost traffic quickly is to run advertisements across multiple major social networks. Popular alternatives include Facebook, Reddit and even Craigslist. Depending on the niche you're targeting, you can probably find a few dozen options within minutes. Just browse around until you find a service that matches your requirements. Then, submit your profile and wait for approval. Afterward, you'll set up payments for every visitor directed to your landing page. For example, you could charge anywhere from $0.50-$20 per click - whichever price suits your budget. Keep in mind that you'll only earn commission on clicks originating from your advertisement.

6. Video Sharing Site

Video sharing sites are extremely popular because they enable viewers to watch videos uploaded by everyone from professionals to amateurs. Although video streaming sites vary wildly in terms of features and design, they tend to feature a large library of movies, music and TV shows. That said, you can easily upload your own videos and promote them through channels created for specific niches.

7. Forum Sign Up Pages

Forums are excellent tools to gather community support for whatever topic you have going on. Because they require members to register accounts before joining discussions, they tend to draw bigger crowds than other social networks. However, forum owners generally restrict participation to registered members only. Therefore, you shouldn't expect to get very far unless your topic attracts lots of attention. Still, it's worth checking out anyway since many forums hold giveaways and contests for their loyal participants.

8. Affiliate Programs

Affiliates are businesses which sell items to consumers in exchange for commissions. You can become an affiliate by promoting a product owned by someone else. Typically, affiliates place banner ads on their website containing a hyperlink leading to the merchant's store. Consumers click on the link and end up buying the item. For instance, Amazon Associates allows you to promote Amazon products. When you refer visitors to Amazon, you get a percentage of whatever they purchase.

9. Content Writing Service

Content writing services provide writers with tasks to complete. Most of these assignments are small projects requiring minimal effort on the part of clients. Writers accept jobs based on the number of hours they can deliver per week. Some providers even offer bonuses for completing extra work beyond deadlines.

10. Forums & Blogs

Blogs and forums are great avenues for connecting with likeminded individuals looking to discuss topics related to your industry. Whether you're seeking advice or hoping to recruit contributors for your own project, most communities welcome newcomers with open arms.

11. Web Hosting Plans

Web hosting plans allow you to host your own website and customize it however you wish. Usually, you'll pay a monthly fee to access the company's server space. Since the server itself does everything for you, you won't have to worry about installing software like WordPress or Joomla. Instead, you'll have full control over what goes on behind the scenes.

12. Directories

Directories are basically collections of links to websites organized into categories. People visiting directories will likely discover interesting sites they wouldn't otherwise stumble upon. Directory submissions are fairly simple. All you need to do is add a brief description and category to your entry, then hit Submit.

13. Free Website Builder

Free website builders are programs designed to help beginners construct professional websites without needing programming knowledge. Such programs usually consist of drag-and-drop elements which enable users to arrange text, images and multimedia files in order to create a fully functional webpage.

14. Press Release Distribution

Press releases distribute information regarding events, trends and happenings in the world. Companies issue press releases to inform journalists covering specific industries and topics. Publishers publish selected stories in newspapers, magazines and newsletters.

15. Blogging Platforms

Blog platforms are applications which facilitate blogging activities. Some of the most famous blogging platforms include WordPress, Tumblr and Medium. Each platform provides ample customization options for advanced users but beginners will feel comfortable using basic templates offered by default.

16. Online Classifieds

Online classifieds are listings services dedicated to helping buyers and sellers meet one another. Some of the most common services include eBay, Craiglist, Kijiji and Backpage.com. Users can usually filter the available listings using criteria such as location, date posted, seller rating and feedback history.

17. Affiliate Marketplaces

Affiliate marketplaces function similarly to shopping malls except that they specialize in digital goods instead of physical objects.

As a newbie or intermediate internet marketer, there's no doubt that driving targeted visitors to your website can be tough if you're trying to make money from it. The good news is that one way around this problem is by using paid traffic instead of relying on organic traffic alone.

If you have been reading my articles over the past few years, then you'll know that I'm all about making money online and not just being another "internet guru" who talks a lot but doesn't actually produce anything worthwhile (which is why I started writing these articles).

So today we will look at three different ways that you can drive targeted traffic to your site so you can start making money with affiliate marketing too!

How do affiliates increase traffic?

The first thing to understand when looking at getting traffic through affiliate links is that although they may seem like the quickest route to success, it is still important to build up a decent following before starting to push traffic to them. This is because even though you might see instant results when pushing traffic to those sites, most people won't stick around long enough for your products to convert into sales. It takes time to build up trust and credibility within your niche audience - something which is hard work but also very rewarding once you've done it right.

Once you have built up a solid number of followers, however, it becomes easier to promote other peoples' products without worrying about whether or not anyone else has already taken the product out onto their blog/website before you did. As such, you should now consider how to drive traffic via your own blogs and websites.

It's worth noting that when promoting someone elses product, you don't necessarily have to use affiliate links either. You could simply post a short review of the product and include relevant links back to the seller's website. Many times, this approach works better than linking straight away to the merchant's website since it shows your readers that you really believe in the quality of the product and want to share it with others!

What are the best cheaper paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing?

There are many different methods for generating traffic to your site and each method comes with its pros and cons. One popular method is article sharing where you write unique content relating to the subject matter of whatever merchants you are selling and submit it to directories like EzineArticles, ArticleBase etc... These article directories allow you to put together a profile page containing your bio details, images and contact information to attract search engines to index your pages and send plenty of visitors towards your site. However, I would suggest against submitting your articles to EzineArticles unless you are able to generate 1000+ daily visits per month. If you aren't yet producing high volumes of traffic, then you probably shouldn't waste valuable resources on doing something which isn't going to provide you with immediate returns anyway.

Another great source of traffic for affiliate marketers is social networking sites like Facebook & Twitter. While these can sometimes result in spammy posts and tweets, you can easily prevent this by only sending messages directly related to your business. For example, if you sell weight loss supplements then you'd only tweet about dieting tips rather than posting endless selfies.

Finally, the third option available to you is to buy PPC advertising space on Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing and Bing Advertising. There are two key things to remember here: 1) the cost involved in buying PPC ads is relatively expensive compared to other options 2) you must ensure that you select keywords carefully otherwise you run the risk of paying for clicks you didn't intend to receive.

How do I get free traffic for affiliate marketing?

Free Traffic is exactly what it sounds like: traffic sent to your website without having to pay for it. In fact, there are several ways in which you can achieve this goal, including:

- Free blogging services: Blogging platforms like WordPress offer users the opportunity to create professional blogs in minutes, meaning that you can quickly begin building up a loyal following who love to read your regular updates and keep coming back every day. Once you've built a strong presence on these kinds of sites, you can move onto earning revenue by selling your own products and services.

- Social bookmarking: Sites like Reddit, Digg and StumbleUpon are perfect places to discover interesting topics and gain exposure to thousands of potential customers across the world. Just add a small snippet of text mentioning your brand name somewhere on your blog along with a link directing interested parties to visit your site, and you're well on your way to increasing your SEO rankings and gaining tons of free traffic.

- Guest blogging: By regularly contributing original pieces of content to other bloggers' sites, you can establish yourself as a reliable resource while simultaneously boosting your visibility among both existing fans of the blog owner and incoming visitors searching for similar material. Not only does this tactic improve your SEO ranking, but it also increases your chances of receiving guest blogger opportunities with larger companies offering lucrative commissions for articles written by experts in their chosen field.

- Forums: There are literally hundreds of forums dedicated to everything under the sun, ranging from cooking recipes to sports betting advice. You can join in conversations about almost anything imaginable and become known as an expert in your niche area. Then whenever a member asks questions regarding a particular topic, you can reply with helpful answers to keep your reputation growing.

What are the top 3 sources of paid traffic?

In order to succeed with affiliate marketing, you'll likely need to spend quite a bit of cash on acquiring traffic to your website. Fortunately, there are lots of different ways to go about this process, including:

- Pay Per Click Ads: When creating ad campaigns on Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing and Bing Advertising, you can target specific geographic areas, demographic groups, keyword phrases and a whole host of other variables which enables you to control precisely who sees your advert. Even though these advertisements tend to be pretty pricey, you can often save money by purchasing multiple keywords and targeting multiple audiences at once. And when you combine PPC with other forms of traffic generation, such as article submission and social media engagement, it makes sense to invest in this kind of service.

- Affiliate Networks: Some big names like Commission Junction, ShareASale and LinkShare enable you to connect with tens of thousands of advertisers who are willing to pay handsomely to advertise their wares on your behalf. They're generally considered to be the best place for beginners to start investing in paid traffic, especially considering that you'll typically earn higher rates of commission thanks to their generous referral bonuses.

A final option is to sign up to ClickBank and sell digital downloads using your eBooks. ClickBank allows you to upload your eBook files, set the price accordingly and then let people purchase copies of your titles directly from your account. You'll usually earn anywhere between 30% and 75%, depending on the title's popularity and overall demand. Of course, this form of traffic generation requires you to possess a fair amount of knowledge about publishing eBooks and writing engaging copy. But if you enjoy learning new skills, then it's definitely worth taking the plunge.

When choosing an affiliate program, it's wise to ask lots of questions and thoroughly research the company itself. Make sure they have a proven track record and that their customer support team is responsive and friendly. Also, check that their payment processing system is secure and efficient. Remember, you don't want your bank account to end up empty after spending days setting up your account and uploading your products.