Blogging has been around since the early 2000s but it wasn't until 2009 that we saw its widespread use as a way of generating revenue online. With almost 30 percent growth each year, it's no wonder why blogging has become so popular over the past decade. In fact, according to HubSpot, 72% of B2B marketers plan on using blogs at some point during their campaigns.
Even though blogging can be used for many purposes, including building your brand identity or sharing useful information about yourself or others, it's also ideal for affiliate marketing because of its ability to drive traffic to your website where you sell products. But if you're just starting out in affiliate marketing, what should you know before diving into blogger-based affiliate marketing? Will blogging work for me? Is there something else I need to learn first? Let's take a look...
If you've ever tried to market anything online (whether it was selling physical goods or services or digital downloads) then you probably encountered difficulties finding customers who are interested in buying what you offer. The problem isn't necessarily your product itself, it may even be the price, but rather people don't want to buy things they didn't intend to buy in the first place. This means you either need to find ways to convince them otherwise or you need to change your approach altogether. Blogging allows you to reach potential buyers by providing valuable information. You could write articles about topics related to your business or share tips on how to improve your business operations. Since readers will come back to read more when they enjoy what they found here, you're likely to convert these visitors into paying customers.
You may also consider writing guest posts on other websites which link directly to your own site. Guest posting gives you exposure to new audiences while increasing the number of links pointing to your site. Not only does this help increase the chances of someone visiting your site, but it also increases the likelihood of them making purchases once they land there. A study conducted by Moz reveals that 79% of users prefer reading original content compared to rehashed material. This holds true for both search engines and human beings alike.
Another benefit of having a blog is the SEO benefits. If you choose to promote your products using affiliate links, Google will index those pages on your site automatically. As long as your keywords appear naturally within the text, they will rank higher than any paid advertisements and therefore bring more targeted traffic to your page. Plus, if you include quality content regularly along with relevant keywords, it helps build trust between your audience and your brand.
There are plenty of reasons why you might not want to go down the path of creating a blog. It requires time and effort, especially if you haven't had experience doing this kind of thing before. However, if you're willing to put in the effort, blogging offers several advantages over traditional advertising methods such as PPC and social media ads. Here are a few reasons why:
It's easy. Even if you aren't tech savvy, setting up a WordPress blog takes less than 5 minutes. Creating an AdSense account is also very simple. All you need to do is sign up for one of the ad networks available today and add some code onto your webpage. Once the ad network approves your campaign, you simply wait for clicks to show up. There's nothing complicated about this process.
It's cost effective. If you decide to go with a service like Google Ads instead of AdSense, you won't pay per click anymore so you save money right off the bat. Depending on whether you opt to purchase an individual keyword or select multiple ones, you can expect anywhere from $0.50 - $5.00 per day depending on the type of advertisement you choose.
It provides instant results. When you set up an AdSense account, you can instantly see the amount of impressions and clicks generated by your advertisement. And although you won't receive payments immediately, you still reap rewards when you do eventually earn commissions based on the clicks received.
It delivers highly qualified leads. Because you control all aspects of your webpages and content, you can easily target specific types of consumers based on their interests and needs. For example, if you run a dog training school, you can publish videos showing dogs being trained. Then you can advertise on YouTube and Facebook targeting viewers who have pets and love watching animal shows. By using keywords that match your niche, you can narrow down the pool of potential clients and attract them to your site.
Yes! Although you can get involved in blogging without promoting affiliate products, it makes sense to combine the two together for maximum impact. After all, most people looking for products online turn to review sites first. So by offering great reviews of whatever your affiliate product sells, you'll be helping your prospects discover exactly what they're looking for. Also, you can provide helpful advice regarding how to use your product effectively. Your audience will appreciate hearing from someone who knows firsthand what works well.
The biggest difference between regular internet marketing and blogging for affiliates lies in the fact that you have complete control over both mediums. While you can certainly hire freelancers to produce high-quality content for you, you can also post updates whenever you feel like it. You have total freedom to express yourself however you'd like. This is one reason why blogging is often referred to as "content marketing."
As far as earning commission goes, it depends on how much effort you put into your efforts. Of course, there's always going to be upsides and downsides to every situation. Some affiliates earn thousands of dollars annually while others struggle to break even after investing months of hard work into their businesses.
While the latter group doesn't necessarily mean that their efforts were wasted, it's important to remember that success comes with patience. Building a successful platform takes time. Just like with any form of entrepreneurship, you have to invest time into learning the ropes and practicing various strategies before you begin seeing real profits.
Now that you understand why blogging is advantageous for affiliate marketing, let's discuss which platforms are best suited for beginners.
Shopify
This ecommerce solution powers hundreds of millions of stores worldwide. Whether you're interested in selling clothing, electronics, home decor, or jewelry among many other items, Shopify is perfect for anyone wanting to open an online store. Best of all, it's completely customizable so you can tailor it to meet your exact business requirements.
ShareASale
Similar to Shopify, ShareASale lets you design a professional storefront for virtually any industry imaginable. ShareASale is also compatible with PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Payments, Braintree, Square Cash, and Authorize.net. Furthermore, this platform integrates seamlessly with Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Instapaper, and Buffer.
CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate is another excellent option for small scale entrepreneurs. Like ShareASale, it allows you to customize your storefront and integrate payment processing options. Unlike the previous two platforms, CJ Affiliate is entirely focused on affiliate programs. Therefore, it's essential that you familiarize yourself with the terms of the program before signing up. To ensure you qualify, you must generate a minimum of 10 sales before receiving commission checks.
This drag-and-drop builder has gained popularity due to its simplicity. Wix users can customize their homepage layout as well as adjust their landing pages. They can also upload images, insert video, and embed widgets. Moreover, Wix supports multiple languages and currencies. This means you can expand beyond U.S. markets and connect with international customers too.
WordPress
Although WordPress is primarily known as a CMS tool, it's actually quite versatile. Most importantly, WordPress powers 23.6% of all active blogs on the Internet. That said, it's difficult to say what percentage of bloggers would recommend this platform for affiliate marketing. One advantage of choosing Wordpress is that you can leverage existing knowledge about running a blog to establish your presence online. Another plus is that it's supported by countless plugins which allow you to automate tasks such as scheduling posts and managing comments.
Hosting companies
When deciding which hosting company to use, keep in mind that you should pick one that caters specifically to your needs. For instance, Bluehost focuses heavily on security features whereas SiteGround specializes in performance optimization. These factors alone determine how quickly your website loads, how long it stays live, and how easy it is to manage.
Conclusion
If you're looking into the world of online business and want to build your own empire, then it's important that you first understand what it takes to be successful at building a profitable website or blog. The truth is, there are no shortcuts when it comes to creating an internet-based business. You need to dedicate time, effort, and resources if you want your site or blog to succeed. However, even though starting out as an entrepreneur may seem daunting, it doesn't have to be. If you follow these simple steps, you will find yourself on your way to making a steady stream of revenue without having to worry about working hard every day.
The most common method used by people who wish to earn extra cash through their blogs is affiliate marketing. It has been around since the early days of the Internet but has only recently become more popular due to its simplicity. In fact, you don't actually have to know anything about coding or HTML - all you really need is access to some quality articles written on topics relevant to your niche market. Then, using one of many well-known affiliate networks like Clickbank, CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, Shopify, etc., you simply promote those products on your site or blog. This process is known as "affiliating" because it involves promoting someone else's product while earning commission off each sale made by visitors coming to your site.
This guide will help explain how to go about getting started in affiliate marketing so that once it becomes clear which platform works best for you, you won't struggle going forward. We will also discuss the various ways you can monetize your blog or website through affiliate sales. Lastly, we'll look at several tips and tricks that could potentially increase your earnings potential during your first few months of blogging. Let's begin!
It depends. There are two main types of blogs that you should consider before deciding whether they would work well for your affiliate marketing efforts: personal blogs and ecommerce websites. Personal blogs tend to focus more on sharing information that may not necessarily relate directly to other products. For example, if you run a fitness blog and write about exercising regularly, you might share helpful advice such as stretching exercises or dieting strategies. On the flip side, if you sell exercise equipment, you could use your blog to showcase the latest models available and offer reviews of popular brands.
Ecommerce sites, on the other hand, often rely heavily on selling goods and services. They usually feature a wide range of items ranging from clothing and accessories to electronics and furniture. Some sites allow users to shop within their pages (without leaving the site) whereas others require them to visit another page to complete transactions. Regardless of where customers purchase an item, both types of businesses benefit from affiliate marketing programs. When visitors buy something after clicking a link on your site, you receive a percentage of the profit earned by the merchant.
With respect to the latter type of sites, it is important to remember that you must always disclose any affiliation agreement between you and the company whose product(s) you are promoting. Otherwise, you risk violating FTC regulations against deceptive practices. Also, keep in mind that although certain terms and conditions may prohibit you from accepting compensation from affiliates, they cannot prevent you from receiving commissions from merchants.
There are three different channels through which affiliates can promote products via their blogs or websites:
1. Article Marketing: Blogging as a form of advertising is called "article marketing." Your goal here is to provide useful information to readers that they can take advantage of later. Ideally, you should include short summaries and links at the end of each post. These will give new visitors the chance to learn more about the topic covered in your articles and possibly add the product to cart. With a little bit of luck, your loyal audience will eventually turn into paying customers.
2. Product Review Ads: A great strategy to grow traffic to your blog is to write product review ads. Basically, you place text adverts on Google AdWords offering an unbiased opinion on a particular product. Once approved by Google, your advert appears on search results alongside paid advertisements. Since Google pays per click basis, you stand to gain additional exposure whenever someone clicks on your ad.
3. Banner Advertising: Banner ads are generally small graphics placed over images across the web. Generally speaking, banner ads are less effective than traditional display ads due to low clickthrough rates. Nevertheless, they still play a role in driving traffic to your site. To improve your chances of generating leads, try placing banners near popular keywords related to your target demographic.
As mentioned earlier, there are two main methods through which affiliates can promote products. One option is to set up a website dedicated solely to showcasing specific merchandise. Although this approach offers flexibility regarding customization, it requires more technical knowledge to implement properly. Another option is to integrate affiliate features into existing platforms, including WordPress, Tumblr, and Squarespace among others. While this is easier to manage overall, it limits the amount of control you have over the appearance and functionality of your site.
We recommend trying both options until you determine which one works better for your needs. Ultimately, whichever route you choose, it is crucial that you stay true to the interests of your target market. As long as you remain genuine and sincere, your prospects will appreciate your honest opinions and willingness to support their purchases.
Affiliate marketers typically earn anywhere from $0-$100 per month depending on how quickly they convert traffic into buyers. Even though this varies widely, it does demonstrate that affiliate marketing is definitely feasible. Of course, this is just the average case scenario. Most affiliate marketers earn far greater sums of money throughout their careers. The key thing to realize is that success isn't determined by the number of dollars you bring home, but rather by how consistently you generate sales.
To achieve optimal profits, it is imperative that you establish a solid foundation for your blog. First, ensure that your posts are high-quality, detailed, informative, and unique. Don't rush things either. Take your time to develop your voice and style. After all, it's your reputation that matters most. Secondly, always maintain a professional attitude towards your followers. Be polite and respectful whenever possible. Never forget that your primary job is to educate your readership and entertain them along the way. Finally, never hesitate to ask questions. Not only will doing so encourage further conversation, it will also boost your credibility as a knowledgeable authority figure.
Once you've built enough momentum and established a reliable following, you can start thinking about expanding your brand beyond your current niche. By diversifying your offerings, you can broaden your reach and potentially attract new clients. Before pursuing any major changes however, it is critical that you carefully consider the implications. Do you have enough room to expand? Is there adequate demand for your services outside of your present field of expertise? Will adding new categories detract from your core competencies? All of these questions are vital considerations that will ultimately dictate how lucrative your future endeavors will prove to be.
Regardless of whether you decide to pursue affiliate marketing full time or merely supplement your regular income, it is essential that you continue growing your blog. Remember, the more original content you produce, the higher the likelihood that you'll retain your loyal fans. And, the more loyal your fans are, the more likely they are to trust you with recommendations. Eventually, word-of-mouth referrals lead to repeat visits, increased engagement, and ultimately, massive profits.
So now that you know everything you need to know about setting up an affiliate blog, let us show you exactly how to create an affiliate blog for beginners. Read our step-by-step tutorial below and discover how easy it is to create a fully functional blog for affiliate marketing purposes.
Step 1: Choose a domain name
Step 2: Install WordPress CMS
Step 3: Setup theme based on your preferences
Step 4: Add plugins needed for your blog
Step 5: Create custom widgets and menus
Step 6: Set up email subscription service
Step 7: Start writing!
Step 8: Promote your blog/website
Step 9: Monetize your blog/site
Don't forget to check out our comprehensive list of top 10 tools for affiliate marketers.
If you're looking to get into affiliate marketing (or just starting out), there are some things that you need to know before jumping right in and making your first few dollars online. To help you along, we've compiled a list of resources that will answer the question "how can I become an affiliate marketer?" You don't necessarily need any special skills or experience to be successful at it -- all you need is access to an internet connection!
There's no shortage of people who want to do what you do. There's only one way to stand out above them though... by being better than they are. If you can write great articles, provide helpful tips and tricks, and share useful information about products and services that others might like, then you could easily find yourself doing quite well. But if not, maybe you should consider something else or try another strategy altogether.
The truth is, most affiliate programs require little more than writing good-quality original material on subjects related to those offered by their partners. In fact, many of these opportunities offer generous commissions, so long as you follow certain guidelines and adhere to their terms and conditions. The best part is that once you learn how to build up a following, it becomes easier and easier to generate traffic, which means even less time spent on research, development, promotion, etc., which translates into more hours working on creating valuable content that people actually care about reading and sharing.
But let's say you do decide to go down the affiliate path. What does this mean exactly? Well, basically, when someone clicks on your link and buys a product from within the site where you placed it, you receive a commission based on whatever percentage was agreed upon beforehand. That sounds really simple, but it doesn't always work out that way. For example, some companies pay very low percentages while others may pay anywhere between 10% and 60% depending on whether you place the ad correctly. It all depends on how popular the website you chose is and how competitive its niche market is. So it pays to read over every single detail of the program before joining in order to avoid potential conflicts.
Now, here are a couple more questions to ponder: Do affiliate blogs make money? And if so, how much? How often do affiliates get paid? Let us address each of these briefly and explain why you shouldn't worry too much about getting paid until you reach at least $100 per month.
Yes, definitely. Most affiliate networks allow you to set up automatic payments via PayPal or credit card processing. This makes it easy for both parties involved because neither needs to deal with tedious paperwork or wait for checks to arrive in the mail. However, as mentioned earlier, it also requires a lot of upfront investment in order to earn enough to cover such expenses for the period of time it takes a new account to mature, so if you plan on becoming an active affiliate marketer, you'd probably be wise to save up a bit extra cash in case anything goes wrong or unforeseen circumstances arise.
Don't forget that you won't see instant results either. As time passes, your earnings will increase steadily, allowing you to spend less time promoting and more time enjoying life. Now that you understand how affiliate advertising works, you can use it to help fund future projects without having to take on debt or ask friends and family members to donate funds.
Affiliates typically aren't paid immediately after signing up for an opportunity. Usually, it takes around two weeks for the payment cycle to kick in, during which time you'll continue to promote the service or product provided by your partner company. Once you hit your target revenue goals, however, you'll likely be able to request a check directly from the network itself.
As far as the amount of compensation goes, remember that most offers come with specific minimum requirements before you can begin earning money. These include referrals, sales volume, number of posts published, etc. Also keep in mind that the payout rates differ according to the type of product you sell and/or the size of your audience. Some sites have higher minimums in exchange for lower payouts whereas others charge relatively small fees yet still reward you handsomely. Again, the important thing is to read the fine print closely and compare different options available to you.
This varies greatly from person to person. Since affiliate marketing is largely dependent on your own efforts, the level of success you achieve will vary widely. However, the average monthly income range is somewhere between $500 and $5,000, depending on the nature of your business venture. Of course, this figure includes everything including costs associated with running ads, paying employees, buying supplies, and other miscellaneous expenses.
It's worth noting that the majority of people who succeed in generating significant amounts of residual income choose to focus solely on blogging rather than taking advantage of additional avenues like PPC campaigns and social media promotions. Why? Because building a community of loyal followers has been shown to yield significantly greater profits in the long run compared to simply attracting random visitors to your website through traditional methods.
For starters, it's safe to assume that the bigger the audience you attract using affiliate marketing techniques, the larger your overall profit margins tend to be. On top of that, you'll enjoy a large degree of control over your entire process. For instance, you can determine what kind of products you prefer to feature, how frequently you post updates, and how much effort you put into promoting each individual piece of content. Finally, you'll never have to worry about spending days trying to optimize your website's performance since you'll already have done all the hard work for you.
So now that you have a general understanding of how affiliate marketing works, you can finally jump right in and start putting together your own profitable operation. Just remember to stay consistent and focused on providing value to readers instead of merely selling stuff. Good luck!
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.