{"id":52103,"date":"2022-04-08T12:25:17","date_gmt":"2022-04-08T12:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shanebarker.com\/?p=52103"},"modified":"2024-04-04T21:14:18","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T04:14:18","slug":"what-is-affiliate-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shanebarker.com\/blog\/what-is-affiliate-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Affiliate Marketing & How Does It Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which you can sign up as an affiliate for a business and promote its products or services to your circle. You\u2019ll get rewarded for each visitor or customer you bring to that brand or for each sale made as a result of your marketing efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Affiliate marketing is often touted as a way to make money while you sleep and there is some truth to that statement. However, like most things in life, it's not quite that simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this blog post, I\u2019ll discuss what affiliate marketing is and how it works in detail. You\u2019ll also learn about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are you ready to start your journey as an affiliate marketer to create new income sources for yourself and help brands grow while you do so?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, let's start…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Affiliate marketing is a form of marketing in which you, the affiliate marketer, help brands promote their products or services. In turn, you get rewarded for every new visitor, lead, or sale you bring to that brand with your marketing efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally speaking, there are three main types of affiliate programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This payout model works best for brands as they only have to pay an affiliate when they make money from the affiliate\u2019s marketing efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still unclear about how affiliate marketing works?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out the below diagram to understand all steps involved in affiliate marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That's the general idea of affiliate marketing and how it works. In the next section, we\u2019ll discuss what makes affiliate marketing worth your time and efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Affiliate marketing is a multi-billion dollar industry and affiliate spending is expected to reach $8.2 billion<\/a> in the U.S. alone by the end of 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This statistic not only shows that brands recognize affiliate marketing as an effective tool to promote their products and services but also means that you have more opportunities to make affiliate income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many advantages of becoming a part of the affiliate marketing industry. Let\u2019s take a look at some of them here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may also like to listen to Everflow\u2019s Michael Cole as he talks about Affiliate Marketing\u2019s Evolution and What the Future Holds<\/a> on my podcast, Marketing Growth Podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know some of the benefits of affiliate marketing, let's discuss how to become an affiliate marketer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Affiliate marketing can be quite confusing to newcomers, but once you understand how it works, the process is fairly simple. So let's break down the steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the steps you should follow to become an affiliate marketer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step to becoming an affiliate marketer is to choose a niche market. Your niche determines what you sell and who your target audience is. So, it's crucial that you choose one that you're interested in and passionate about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you love doing your makeup to enhance your looks, choosing beauty and cosmetics as your niche is a good idea. You'll be able to easily create content that is interesting and useful to your target audience, and eventually, monetize it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let's take a look at a few tips that can help you decide on a profitable niche market for your affiliate marketing work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In all, you should focus all of your affiliate marketing efforts on a niche that you\u2019re interested in and know something about. Plus, this niche should offer ample monetization opportunities so you can become a successful affiliate marketer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of the best affiliate marketing niches that you may like to explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro tip:<\/strong> When choosing a niche, don\u2019t try to become an expert in everything at once. You should focus on establishing yourself as a specialist in one thing first and then try to learn about other topics related to your niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you've chosen your niche, the next step is to find affiliate programs that align with your interests. So, how do you go about finding these programs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best ways to find high-paying affiliate programs is to search online. There are many different directories and databases that list affiliate programs, and most of them are free to join.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another great way to find affiliate programs is to search online for “affiliate networks” or \u201caffiliate platforms.\u201d These platforms connect affiliate merchants with affiliate marketers. Therefore, joining a popular affiliate network is a great way to find high-paying affiliate programs, as well as quality products and services to promote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the most popular affiliate networks include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another option is to visit the websites of products and services you use often and see if the brand runs an affiliate program. Most large companies have their own affiliate programs to help boost sales with performance-based marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One such example is Amazon Associates<\/a>. As a blogger, publisher, or content creator, you can sign up for Amazon\u2019s affiliate program, promote hundreds of products with unique affiliate links, and earn up to 10% commissions from qualified purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to sell Amazon\u2019s affiliate products is to create a blog or use your social media profile to create product reviews and product comparisons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While not all affiliate programs are created equal, you can find programs that offer higher commissions than others by doing a little bit of research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you search for an affiliate marketing program on Google or other search engines, on forums like Quora, or on affiliate networks like those mentioned above, always be sure that it offers information about three points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose an affiliate marketing program that aligns well with your expertise, skills, and the needs and preferences of your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also read: How to Set Up a Profitable Affiliate Program<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have a list of high-paying affiliate programs that fit your niche, it's time to decide what type of products or offers will work best for your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are usually three types of affiliate partnership payment models:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, the popular ecommerce platform<\/a>, BigCommerce, has a lucrative affiliate program. It lets its affiliates earn 200% of the first-month payment by their referred customer or $1,500 per Enterprise referral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you run a digital marketing or business growth blog like mine, you may find BigCommerce<\/a>\u2019s affiliate program worth the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most important thing when choosing what offer\/product to promote is to decide on products and\/or services that really sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wondering how to do that? Here are a few tips for you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you sign up with an affiliate marketing program, there should be some sort of tracking system in place so that the company knows how many sales were made and by whom. This allows both parties involved; affiliate marketing partners and merchants, to be paid what they deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, in the image below, fashion and lifestyle influencer, and also Hooters\u2019 affiliate partner, Brittany, promoted the brand\u2019s takeout delivery offer with a unique promo code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This unique discount code not only encourages users to take any action but also makes it easy for the brand to track how many orders the affiliate generated. Many brands reward affiliates with an additional commission or a higher commission rate if they drive more sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When promoting affiliate products, services, or offers, you should always use a unique tracking link or code for each of them to track results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the long run, using unique affiliate links or codes will also help you analyze which products or services your audience likes the most. You\u2019ll be able to make better decisions about which brands and products to promote in the future to increase your affiliate revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best ways to promote affiliate products on your blog or social media is by creating quality content around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you\u2019re promoting a product that helps people save money, you could write a blog post about the best ways to save money. Or, if you\u2019re promoting a product that helps people stay healthy, you could write a blog post about the best healthy foods to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to creating valuable content, you can also promote affiliate products by including links to them in your email newsletters and your posts on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When people click on these links, they\u2019ll be taken to the product or service\u2019s website, where they can learn more about it and potentially buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both website\/blog and social media channels have their pros and cons but what matters most is what works best for YOU. If all else fails, go with what feels right at the time. There's no reason why one platform would work better than another if it's not going to provide any benefit whatsoever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When sharing a link, always be sure to write an enticing description that will make people want to click through. You can also use graphics or videos to help explain what the offer is about. The goal is to help your audience learn more about the product or service and be in a better position to decide if it's something they're interested in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most successful affiliate marketing professionals use in-context images and videos for the online promotion of their partner brand\u2019s products or services. It helps the audience connect on a personal level and see how a particular product could improve their lives, which encourages them to buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike Giese, a competitive cyclist, promoted Honey Stinger products that are easy to carry and help him get the on-trail nutrition he needs to get going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While promoting the product, Mike shared a video and a few snaps from his riding time. Plus, he also offered a 15% off affiliate code to give an additional benefit to his audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As marketers, we know that people love stories. So, telling your story of using a particular product or service using real-time photos and videos works best to entice users and compel them to buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Promotions on Forums<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t run an affiliate website, you can always turn to popular community forums related to your niche to promote the referral links of your affiliate products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you want to promote a design course or software solution, you can look for forums where budding artists, designers, and other people talk about design principles, tools and their functioning, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, you shouldn\u2019t spam forum users with your affiliate links. If you want to drive results from forum promotions, you need to be actively involved in the forum conversations and help other users by answering questions and sharing valuable content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paid Advertising<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Paid advertising is an easy way to promote your affiliate\/referral links to a large pool of internet users at once. You can advertise your affiliate products through Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, or by buying advertising space on someone\u2019s website or blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, investing in paid advertising means that you\u2019ll be spending some part of the affiliate income you generate. So, determine your paid advertising budget, platform, and strategy wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Podcast Advertising<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you host a podcast or participate in a podcast interview, you can use this chance to tell listeners about your affiliate products. However, make sure that the product you speak about is relevant to the topic of the podcast episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Video Marketing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Videos are one of the most effective channels to tell stories. You can also create product tutorials and reviews while sharing hands-on experiences of using the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And the best part? It\u2019s easy to promote affiliate links in the description or caption of your video posts. If you\u2019ve got a unique affiliate discount code that is easy to spell, you can also mention it verbally in your video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The final step is to wait for someone to use your links and make a purchase. Once this happens, you'll receive a commission from the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the easiest part of doing affiliate marketing, but your job doesn\u2019t end here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be a successful affiliate marketer, you should track how effective each of your affiliate promotions is turning out to be and find ways to make more money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should track the following key metrics to determine the success of your affiliate marketing strategies<\/a> and system:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wondering how to do that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The easiest way to collect valuable insights about your affiliate campaigns is to use the right tools<\/a> to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Becoming an affiliate marketer is a straightforward process that doesn't take much time. However, to become successful as an affiliate marketer, you'll need patience and dedication because it takes some time to start making money from your marketing efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For affiliate marketing success, here are a few tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. What does an affiliate marketer do?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n An affiliate marketer is a person who promotes other people\u2019s products and services for a commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To do this, they create marketing materials such as blog posts, social media posts, and email newsletters, and then drive traffic to the product or service through these channels. When someone buys the product or service through the affiliate\u2019s link, they earn a commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two main ways that affiliate marketers make money:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. How do I earn with affiliate marketing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n An affiliate marketer is someone who promotes products or services for a commission. They do this by creating content around the products or services they're promoting and then including links to those products or services within that content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When someone clicks on those links and makes a purchase, the affiliate marketer earns a commission from the sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how do you become an affiliate marketer? It's actually quite simple. You just need to follow the steps below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Are affiliate marketers rich?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n No, affiliate marketers are not necessarily rich. However, there are many affiliate marketers who make a very good living from their businesses. It's important to remember that affiliate marketing is a business, and like any other business, it requires time and effort to be successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. How much money can you make as an affiliate marketer?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some affiliate marketers make a few hundred dollars while others earn six-figure incomes from affiliate marketing. It totally depends on how much reach and influence an affiliate marketer has, and the types of affiliate programs they sign up for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make more money as an affiliate marketer, you should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. How do affiliate marketers make money without a website?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even marketers without their own affiliate websites can make money by promoting the products and services of their partner brands through social media channels, email newsletters, community forums, and other marketing channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online, but it's important to choose the right offers and programs to promote. By following the steps listed above, you'll be able to find high-paying affiliate programs that fit your niche and start making money in no time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Image Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Does Affiliate Marketing Matter? Statistics You Should See<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
How to Become an Affiliate Marketer: The Step-by-Step Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Choose the Right Niche for Your Affiliate Business<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Step 2: Find and Join High-Paying Affiliate Programs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Image Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Choose Which Offers\/Products to Promote<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Image Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Obtain a Unique Affiliate Link for Each Product\/Offer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Image source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nStep 5: Promote Affiliate Links on Your Blog, Social Media Profiles, and\/or Website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Image source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nOther Ways to Promote Affiliate Products<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 6: Collect a Commission Every Time Someone Uses Your Link to Make a Purchase<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 7: Track and Measure the Effectiveness of Your Affiliate Promotions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
How to Make More Money with Affiliate Marketing: Best Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Affiliate Marketing FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
Ready to Start Making Money with Affiliate Marketing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n