Affiliate marketing can be a great way of making some extra cash online without any upfront investment. It's also an extremely flexible type of business model which means you're not limited by your own skills or experience. If you have something else going for yourself (whether that's good looks, charisma, or even just being patient) then this could be the perfect option for you.
But what if you want to get started but don't know where to begin? How should you go about getting started as an affiliate marketer? Do you need to set up a website? What exactly does it take to build a list? Is there anything else you'll need before you can earn money from your efforts? And most importantly, will it really pay off?
In this article we've put together everything you need to know about starting out as an affiliate marketer so that you can decide whether it's right for you. We'll look at different types of affiliate products, explain why they tend to perform better than others, cover various methods of earning commission, and explore ways to monetize your effort. Let's jump into it!
If you haven't already guessed, one thing you want to focus on when looking to become an affiliate marketer is building traffic. This is because once people are interested in whatever product you're promoting, they'll naturally click over to buy it. You may think that all businesses are selling their stuff directly to customers, but this isn't always true. In fact, many companies prefer using affiliates instead. They see them as a cost-effective solution, allowing them to reach new audiences while still keeping control over sales. So, let's talk about how you can increase conversions with your affiliate links.
The easiest way to boost your conversion rate is to use compelling content. The best kind of content to promote is informational articles rather than ebooks or video tutorials, since these offer higher value to readers. However, you must remember that writing quality content takes time, especially if you're brand new to blogging. But don't worry -- plenty of resources exist to help you with this. For example, consider signing up for Udemy courses to learn how to write informative blog posts, YouTube videos to show viewers how to solve problems, and podcasts to discuss topics related to your niche.
Another key factor behind increased conversions is having a clear call to action. Your visitors shouldn't be confused about what they should do next after reading your post, so give them a link to purchase the item they came across. Once someone clicks this, you'll receive a commission based on the sale price.
You might wonder why people would choose to buy things online instead of visiting brick-and-mortar stores. Well, according to statistics, around 90% of purchases made via online shopping happen during non-peak hours. This makes sense given that consumers often like to browse items first before buying, and that physical locations aren't usually open 24/7. Plus, online retailers benefit from lower overhead costs compared to traditional retail outlets, meaning they can pass those savings onto buyers. If you're unsure about the benefits of doing business this way, check out our guide on why online shopping is becoming increasingly popular.
So far we've discussed how to maximize your affiliate commissions by increasing your site traffic, but now we need to cover the other side of the equation - which is maximizing revenue per visitor. After all, every dollar earned is ultimately reinvested back into your business.
There are two main factors that affect this metric:
Quality vs quantity
Costs
Let's look at each individually. First, you obviously want to aim for creating content that attracts lots of views. Remember, though, that the average person only spends around 3 minutes browsing a webpage. So you need to keep your text short and sweet, yet packed full of useful information. Also avoid including too many images, as this increases load times and reduces user engagement rates.
Second, you need to ensure that your costs stay low. To do this, try to find suppliers who provide excellent service and support, such as hosting providers from reputable brands. Then stick to proven payment options whenever possible. Finally, invest in a good SEO strategy by optimizing pages for keywords relevant to your audience. These three tips alone can save you thousands of dollars per year.
Now that you understand how important traffic is, it's time to shift gears and examine how well known individuals make money as affiliate marketers. There are several metrics you can measure against, including:
Average earnings per day
Earnings per month
Total lifetime earnings
It doesn't matter whether you want to make millions overnight or settle for less frequent payments. As long as you're happy working hard enough to achieve financial freedom, then you're probably ready to start marketing your own goods.
For comparison purposes, here's a table showing the annual income of five prominent figures within the industry:
Name Earnings Per Year
Brian Dean $1 million+
Jared Gessner $500k-$999k
Kerry Blue Book $300k-$499k
Scott Cardell $200k-$299k
Mike Filsaime $50k-$99k
What about you? Are you planning to join the ranks of top affiliate marketers soon?
As mentioned earlier, the ultimate goal of starting an online business is to create passive income streams. This means that you won't necessarily hit huge amounts of profit straight away, but you'll gradually accumulate wealth over time. Some affiliate marketers claim to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly profits, but the truth is that everyone has different goals and expectations.
Of course, it helps to be lucky, but success hinges on a few crucial components. Here are four essential elements to achieving success as an affiliate marketer:
Decide on a topic you enjoy
This sounds obvious, but the reason it matters is because it gives you something productive to focus on. When you love your subject area, everything becomes easier and more enjoyable. It also allows you to develop deeper knowledge and expertise, giving you more credibility among peers. Think carefully about which areas interest you the most, and spend ample time researching them thoroughly.
Find a niche to target
Niche refers to a particular group of customers who share similar interests. People generally fall into one of three categories:
Targeting general demographics
Targeting specific groups
Finding niches
Once you've decided on a niche, you need to determine its size. A large number of potential customers mean bigger opportunities, but it also means competition is fierce. On the flipside however, smaller markets allow for quicker growth, leading to greater profitability. Try to find somewhere in between depending on your circumstances.
Develop your personal identity
When you establish a strong connection with your ideal clients, you'll feel more confident sharing valuable info with them. This builds trust and encourages repeat visits, both of which lead to additional sales.
Create a solid plan
Without a roadmap, you'll struggle to build momentum. Instead of randomly throwing ideas at the wall, outline a systematic approach so you can track progress along the way.
These steps are necessary for anyone wanting to succeed in affiliate marketing, regardless of skill level. Of course, there are countless variations on the theme, so experiment until you land upon a method that works for you.
And finally...
Remember that the path to riches as an affiliate marketer is rarely straightforward. While there are certainly shortcuts to taking advantage of existing trends, you'd be wise to follow a methodical process wherever possible. Otherwise, you risk wasting precious time chasing fruitless dreams.
If you want a successful business online, then starting your own website or blog is one of the best ways that can help you achieve this goal. However, if you don't have any idea about what you should write about or how to promote your content, it's going to be very difficult for you to get traffic to your site.
In addition, there are several other factors that will also influence whether people click on your link when they go searching for something relevant to their interests. And these things include your ability to create unique content, your ability to make compelling sales pitches, your personality, etc.
But even though creating great content is important, getting targeted visitors to your page isn't enough. You need to find a way to convert them into customers so that you earn some profit from all those hours spent writing. So how exactly do you go about doing this? That is where starting an affiliate program comes in handy.
So let us take a look at the basics of starting an affiliate program. We'll show you examples of different types of products that you can choose to promote and we'll explain why each type works better than others depending on your niche. Then, we'll give you tips on how to set up a landing page so that you can drive more traffic to your site. Finally, we'll teach you everything you need to know about promoting your affiliate links and making sure that your audience converts into paying customers.
Before you even consider setting up your own affiliate program, it's essential that you first figure out who you're trying to reach. This means that before you decide which products to promote, you must ask yourself questions like "What kind of person does this product appeal to?" and "Who would buy this product?". If you can answer these two questions correctly, you can easily identify the right target customer base for your affiliate program.
For example, if you're selling dog grooming services, someone who loves dogs would probably be interested in buying such a service. Or if you're selling weight loss supplements, someone who wants to lose weight would likely purchase your product. The same principle applies when you're looking to sell cosmetics, vitamins, shoes, clothing, etc.
To build trust between your potential buyers and yourself (as well as among your affiliates), you must provide genuine value to your readers. But here's the catch - you shouldn't try too hard. People won't feel satisfied just because you've created a bunch of articles on how to cure cancer using baking soda or how to cook chicken without fat. Instead, focus on providing useful information by sharing facts, statistics, and advice that can benefit your reader(s). For instance, you could share how many calories are packed in certain foods and which ones contain the most.
The key thing to remember here is that you shouldn't push anything on your buyer. They may not agree with you, but instead of arguing back, simply present your point of view and move on. Afterward, encourage them to leave comments below your article so that they can tell everyone else what they think.
This approach allows your followers to form opinions based solely on your original material, rather than coming across as aggressive or dishonest. Ultimately, this makes you seem trustworthy and likable since your readers respect your opinion. It's pretty much like being friends with someone who shares similar values and beliefs. As long as you deliver good quality content, you'll develop a solid rapport with your target audience.
When you first begin learning how to become an affiliate marketer, chances are you might be overwhelmed with the amount of choices available. There are literally thousands of products that you can promote as an affiliate, and that's only counting physical items! To cut down the number of options that you have to deal with, it helps to narrow down your list of possible companies to just a few brands.
As mentioned above, you should pick something that appeals to your target audience. Also, keep in mind that every company has its strengths and weaknesses. Some offer low commissions while others pay higher rates. Some are known for slow payment cycles while others usually release new promotions within 48-72 hours after they post. By choosing the correct brand, you can save time and effort in finding the perfect match for your needs.
Once you've decided upon the right company, you now have to choose a product to promote. Depending on what industry you belong to, you might already have a favorite item that you'd love to recommend to your audience. In case you haven't come across one yet, you can always search around the internet to see if anyone has posted reviews on the topic. Alternatively, you can check out Amazon's catalog to see what kinds of products are currently trending.
Another option is to use paid advertising sites such as ClickBank, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Commission Junction, LinkShare, etc. These platforms allow you to submit a listing of your chosen products and receive commission fees whenever someone clicks on your ad. One caveat to note is that you'll need to invest quite a bit of cash upfront. But once you start earning revenue from your ads, you'll soon recoup your investment cost.
Finally, another method involves building a simple web store using WordPress, Shopify, Bigcommerce, WooCommerce, Magento, or whatever platform you prefer. The process of creating a virtual storefront requires minimal technical skills and costs practically nothing to operate. Once you finish building your online shop, you can either display it directly on your blog or host it elsewhere to attract additional traffic. Either way, you'll still be able to generate income via affiliate payments.
One of the main reasons why people fail when starting an affiliate marketing business is due to poor branding. When people visit your profile page, they expect to see a professional image along with a clear message regarding your expertise. Unfortunately, many marketers overlook this step.
You can improve your visibility and increase your conversion rate by following these basic rules:
1) Always add images. Adding photos to your posts gives off a sense of professionalism, authority, and credibility. Plus, adding pictures to your profiles lets viewers understand how knowledgeable you truly are.
2) Make your bio interesting. A powerful headline combined with a brief summary of your experience and qualifications shows interest in your field. Additionally, including a call to action button at the end of your bio encourages people to contact you.
3) Use keywords wisely. Add relevant keyword phrases to your title, description, and tags. Doing so increases your chances of appearing in Google searches related to your niche. Not only that, but it also improves your organic ranking on SERPs.
4) Choose the right image size. Images uploaded onto social media accounts tend to vary greatly in dimensions. Your choice of photo sizes depends entirely on your goals. For SEO purposes, you should upload larger sized images that can appear inside your Facebook cover photo. On the flip side, smaller images are ideal for Instagram posts.
5) Create engaging headlines. Headline length matters because shorter copy tends to perform better than longer text. Long titles typically lead to lower conversions, especially for short attention spans.
6) Include a CTA at the bottom of your bio. Call-to-actions play a crucial role in driving leads towards your website. Therefore, it's vital that you design a strong CTAs that clearly explains what your prospects can gain from visiting your website.
7) Maintain consistency. Having multiple blogs under the same domain name increases your chance of becoming popular. Even better, having separate domains for each blog offers greater flexibility for future growth.
Now that you've figured out how to position yourself as an expert, you need to find a reliable partner who can handle the sale itself. Fortunately, there are plenty of vendors that specialize in helping small businesses grow. You can sign up with any of them and market their products as part of your affiliate account.
However, it pays to carefully select the vendor that suits your specific needs. For example, if you plan to sell weight loss pills, you shouldn't join forces with a digital marketplace that specializes in health & fitness products. Likewise, if you intend to advertise makeup products, you should avoid signing up with a provider that sells household goods and appliances.
A quick rule of thumb is that reputable merchants generally charge reasonable commissions. Moreover, they also provide 24/7 support and ensure that their clients' orders arrive safely and quickly. Before joining any affiliate network, find out if they have a return policy and what the refund policies are.
Also, keep in mind that the success of your campaign relies heavily on proper management. As an affiliate marketer, you'll need to spend lots of time managing your affiliate links, tracking your performance, and maintaining communication with your partners. Otherwise, you'll waste both your valuable time and resources.
If you're looking for a way to earn some extra cash online or even build an income from your hobby, then affiliate marketing may be right up your alley. It's one of the best ways around today if you want to get paid without having to spend any time working hard at all!
However, there are many different things you need to know before jumping into this field so we've put together this comprehensive guide to help you understand exactly what to expect as well as give you tips and tricks on how to succeed in this industry. We'll also provide some information about which products are likely to bring the most success and why.
We will cover everything from getting started to maximizing profits, plus offer a few solid methods to find those top-notch products you should really consider promoting. There are plenty of resources out there offering advice but not enough focusing on actual results. So let us show you how to get started making money online safely by learning more about affiliate marketing.
To begin earning decent amounts of revenue you first have to determine how much traffic you can realistically generate. This means finding something people would buy over and over again. Ideally, these items will either require little maintenance (such as a book) or they're easy to resell such as clothes, electronics, or toys.
The other important factor is choosing a niche market that has a good amount of competition. If you choose an area where there aren't too many competitors, you won't have to worry about being left behind when someone else starts selling similar things online. The more competitive the market, though, the harder it becomes to stand out and gain attention.
Once you've found a great product idea, you must decide whether or not it fits within your own personal skill set. Many successful affiliates are experts in their fields who simply use their expertise to promote another person's product. That doesn't mean every item sold needs to be related to your chosen subject matter, however. Just because you don't personally feel like writing articles does not mean you cannot write them and still become profitable. You just might need to hire writers instead.
You could also focus on creating videos to share with others online. Or perhaps you'd prefer to create eBooks about certain subjects. Whatever method you choose to go down, always try to keep your audience in mind and ensure that whatever products you choose to recommend are ones that resonate with them.
Another thing to remember is that there's no magic formula for generating tons of customers. Some people say that the key is to "build relationships" and "make friends." Others claim that you shouldn't try to sell anything until you've already built rapport with your followers. In reality, building trust takes time. But once you've established yourself as an influencer, word spreads quickly. People often see value in buying from people they relate to. And they usually tend to stick with brands they believe in rather than switching between companies constantly trying to catch a break.
It's also important to note that although many marketers claim otherwise, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using social media sites and apps to drive traffic to your website. However, you should only ever post links to content that directly relates to your business. Otherwise, you risk losing credibility among consumers who might think you're pushing ads disguised as useful posts.
One surefire way to increase your earnings potential is to join multiple affiliate networks and sign up for offers from several different vendors. This gives you access to dozens of new opportunities each month that you wouldn't normally hear about. Plus, you'll receive more commission checks if you refer sales from those partners back to the original site where you were introduced to the brand.
As far as increasing your chances of becoming popular, you should never rely solely on social proof. Instead, you should actively seek out individuals whose opinions align with yours and engage with them regularly. As long as you remain genuine and sincere, you'll endear yourself to your audience. And since your fans will naturally spread positive comments regarding your work, you'll soon develop a reputation for honesty and integrity.
When it comes to selecting affiliate marketing products, it's important to look at two factors. First, are you interested in the product itself? Second, is it something you're passionate about. Once you've decided that you enjoy the product enough to talk about it, it's important to take care in ensuring that you select a reputable vendor. After all, you'd hate to lose all of your hard earned commissions due to fraudulent practices or scams.
There are hundreds of thousands of items available on Amazon alone and it can sometimes seem overwhelming to figure out what exactly you should pick next. To save yourself lots of time, here are three simple steps you can follow to narrow down your choices:
Use Google Trends to check the popularity of keywords relating to the products you're considering.
Look at reviews written by previous buyers of said product.
Check out the seller's history and ask trusted associates if they've had any experience with them.
These are just three ideas off the top of our heads. Of course, you could always consult numerous other sources including Reddit forums, YouTube channels, and blogs. These days, anyone can easily research almost anything they desire online. You just have to know where to dig.
Since affiliate marketing involves sharing other people's products with your readers, it makes sense that the ones which are most highly rated by users are going to attract the greatest number of visitors. Thus, it's essential to pay close attention to feedback scores whenever possible.
Of course, you should also take a look at customer service ratings when deciding which products to advertise. A lot of times, businesses will hide negative experiences under the rug to avoid bad press. So while a company might appear perfectly fine on paper, its true nature may come across differently after you contact support.
In addition, you should always look closely at the terms and conditions associated with each deal. What happens if you fall short on meeting expectations? How fast can refunds be issued? Are cancellations allowed? Can you return unopened merchandise? Do you have to wait a certain period of time before receiving a refund? All of these questions should influence your final decision on which products to endorse.
Finally, you should always examine the quality of the product itself. Don't base your entire opinion merely upon numbers. For example, a $100 item might only cost $50 to produce and therefore it makes financial sense to purchase it. Yet it may turn out to be poor quality overall. Always weigh both sides of the equation before signing up for any promotion.
This answer depends entirely on your location and current economic climate. When it comes to North America, the obvious choice is ClickBank. They currently boast over 1 million merchants worldwide and average payments per sale hover around $40-$60.
With Europe, many of the same trends hold true. Payouts range anywhere from $5 to upwards of $150+ depending on the region. Other countries include Australia ($10 - $25), Canada ($20 - $30), New Zealand ($15 - $20), India ($3 - $6), and South Africa ($35 - $55).
For Asia, payouts vary wildly. Most commonly, you'll see rates hovering around $1.50 - $2.00 per sale. China and Japan, though, typically charge 10% lower fees compared to Western markets. Finally, there's Africa, where payout percentages run roughly $0.50 - $1.00.
And yes, it's safe to assume that the higher the fee, the better the payout. However, there are exceptions to that rule. Sometimes low-cost deals with big rewards can compensate for the small payment percentage. On the flip side, you'll occasionally come across extremely expensive products with ridiculously low payouts.
Regardless of where you live, it's important to realize that the higher the price point, the less likely you are to qualify for high payouts. Therefore, it's crucial to carefully review the terms before joining any given network. Also, bear in mind that the majority of affiliate networks operate on a CPM model meaning they will pay you based on the total number of page views you send them.
That means if you have 100,000 visits but only sent 20,000 links, you'd only receive 20 cents. Keep in mind that this applies regardless of whether or not you referred a sale.
Ultimately, the sky truly is the limit when it comes to earning money via affiliate marketing. No matter what kind of skillset you possess, there exists a product that you can leverage to profitably supplement your income. Whether you're a writer, artist, photographer, musician, teacher, or simply someone with a passion for helping others, you should seriously consider turning your hobbies into passive incomes streams.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.