To understand how affiliate marketing works, let’s first define what it is. Affiliate marketing is an arrangement between an online merchant and an affiliate, in which the affiliate earns a commission from the merchant for generating a sale. It’s a win-win situation for both parties. Keep reading to learn how to get started with affiliate marketing step by step.
The merchant is able to advertise his products to a larger audience, via an affiliate, increasing his sales over time. The affiliate receives a commission on each product sold by sharing the merchant’s links. Basically, it’s a company and an online marketer helping each other make money.
Merchants save time and money by using an affiliate to help promote their products. The affiliate marketer, in return, has the ability to make a passive income online in exchange for recommending a merchant’s products or services. Affiliate programs are free to join so no overhead is involved.
Table of Contents
How To Get Started With Affiliate Step By Step
Follow these steps to increase your chances of become a successful affiliate marketer:
1. Choose A Niche Or Target Audience
First, choose a niche, or target audience, that you’d like to market to. Select a niche around a topic you are passionate about, and at the very least, interested in. It’s so much easier to create relevant, valuable content when you are interested in, and have experience with, a particular subject. What do you want to write about? Be specific in your selection.
Let’s say travel is your passion, and you’d like to design a website and marketing plan around anything having to do with travel. This could include affordable airfare and accommodations, how to travel economically, to your favorite travel destinations. What a great niche but it’s too broad. Let’s narrow it down.
How about building a site dedicated to adventure travel. You would write, specifically, about trips focused on adventure, such as, scuba diving, rock climbing, or skydiving. This niche would target a narrower group of people. Now we’re getting somewhere. Go find your niche!
2. Select Affiliate Merchants With Good Commission Rates
Now that you have your website up and running, and a niche you’re excited about, your second strategy is to select affiliate merchants with high-converting products, and good commission rates. Make sure these merchants sell products and services relevant to your niche.
Request to join each affiliate program that meets this criteria. If accepted, determine what marketing materials – articles, text links, URLs, and banner ads – are available. Form a productive, long-term relationship with the merchants you’ll be promoting.
Consider joining affiliate networks. These networks act as intermediaries between merchants and affiliates making it easy to find and join affiliate programs all under one network. Be selective in choosing merchants with the most profitable products and best-paying commissions.
Here is a list of affiliate networks to consider:
- ShareASale
- ClickBank
- Rakuten
- CJ Affiliate
- Terraleads
- Commission Factory
- Avangate
3. Start Promoting Your Affiliate Links
Now for step number three – start promoting products through your affiliate links. This includes writing free content, on a consistent basis. You can see the importance of this since your affiliate links are highlighted in your blog posts. This is how you’ll generate income as an affiliate marketer.
You will see an increase in sales as you establish your brand, and build trust with your audience. This takes time and dedication. You may not make your first sell for months. Be realistic and understand that success happens over time.
Affiliate marketing is a viable way to make money online if you understand the ins and outs of what makes it work. You’ll want to become a knowledgeable social media marketer. Every blog post you create should be shared on social media sites to further your reach. This is a powerful tool to promote your content – use it to your advantage.
You’ll also need to learn about SEO – search engine optimization – to ensure google knows about your website, and that your content is getting indexed. Rankings are important because the higher your ranking, the more traffic your site will generate. More traffic equals more commissions. Blogging frequently is a critical key in SEO.
4. Email Marketing For Affiliate Marketers
Lastly, email marketing provides your readers with the option to sign up for your weekly emails. Offer your subscribers an incentive for giving you their name and email address. People are reluctant to do this unless there’s something in it for them. Make it worth their while.
An incentive could include a free PDF, a complimentary eBook, or a discount on a program or product. If they choose to sign up, content will be delivered to their inbox every time you publish a post. More content leads to more sales. Email marketing also keeps you in contact with your niche, which is a good way to build your brand and online presence.
The autoresponder I use is GetResponse. Automation will enable you to put your email sequences on autopilot. GetResponse’s dashboard is intuitive to use and easy to navigate.
Learn more about GetResponse HERE
5. Learn The Step By Step Process
If you’d like to learn these skills and more, check out Wealthy Affiliate, an online platform that teaches affiliate marketing to people of all skill levels. The certification program will teach you a step-by-step blueprint of how to get started online.
With millions of people on the internet, it’s the perfect time to begin investing in your financial future. Joining Wealthy Affiliate was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made. You can get started for FREE today. READ MY REVIEW to learn more or click the banner below to create your account!
Key Points
Now you know how to get started with affiliate marketing step by step. Pick a niche, choose products and services to promote, and get busy writing some fantastic content. Your hard work and persistence will eventually pay off.
Are you an affiliate marketer? Would you mind sharing the techniques that have led to your success? Share your thoughts in the comments:)
Holly,
I tried for many years to start some kind of online business, but I always failed. I was writing on something that I loved, but I lacked any real knowledge of exactly how to get my message out there.
I had some success when I worked for an online paper. I learned how to utilize keywords, but they pushed keyword density over content quality.
I joined Wealthy Affiliate 3 months ago and what a difference! I now own 3 domains and 6 websites. I have ranked on Google, Bing, and Yahoo! and I am loving every minute.
Thank you for breaking down the process so clearly. It really is this simple, but you have to find the right platform.
Take care,
Gwendolyn J
Hi Gwendolyn,
I agree with you, finding the right platform is absolutely critical and will provide the foundation on which to build your business
I feel the same way about Wealthy Affiliate as you do. It’s simply the best program out there for affiliate marketers. The training provides a step-by-step blueprint of the skills needed to create a thriving business on the internet.
The community is so essential as well. Starting something new requires support and that’s what is provided at WA. I think it’s incredible to be able to get my questions answered quickly. Site Support is also awesome.
Thanks so much for your comment!
Holly,
I tried for many years to start some kind of online business, but I always failed. I was writing on something that I loved, but I lacked any real knowledge of exactly how to get my message out there.
I had some success when I worked for an online paper. I learned how to utilize keywords, but they pushed keyword density over content quality.
I joined Wealthy Affiliate 3 months ago and what a difference! I now own 3 domains and 6 websites. I have ranked on Google, Bing, and Yahoo! and I am loving every minute.
Thank you for breaking down the process so clearly. It really is this simple, but you have to find the right platform.
Take care,
Gwendolyn J
Hi Gwendolyn,
I’m so happy to hear that you joined Wealthy Affiliate. I know it can be a turning point for many people in terms of business success. That’s awesome that you have six websites. What a great way to keep busy and productive. Thanks so much for reading my article on affiliate marketing.