Making money online has never been easier than it is today. We live in a time where you can literally make money in your sleep, and if you capitalize on something as great as passive income, it’s a truly beautiful thing. So what is the best way to do it? Enter affiliate marketing.
Today, I’ll be showing you everything you need to know about becoming an affiliate, and how affiliate marketing works. If you’re reading this, I bet you’ve heard about the beauty of becoming an affiliate, but do you know the steps?
Now, with that being said, I want to give you the tools you need to succeed. So I’ll be breaking everything down into easy-to-read sections, this way you can skip around if you feel you need to.
Here is a look at what I’ll be covering in this guide to becoming an affiliate:
- What is affiliate marketing?
- Becoming an affiliate
- How to market your product
- My final thoughts
So now that you know what I’ll be covering, let’s dive right into the facts.
Are you ready?
What is affiliate marketing?
Before I get into the process of becoming an affiliate, I want to set some time aside to talk about how it works. This is due to the fact that understanding affiliate marketing -as a concept- is a key step in becoming an affiliate. So let’s take a look.
What does affiliate marketing consist of?
The whole purpose of affiliate marketing is to make money by selling a product for a commission. You’ll receive a link to a product that you like -which usually tends to be from a platform like Amazon- and if people make a purchase through that link you earn a commission.
So when push comes to shove, affiliate marketing is really just online sales. You’ll be able to choose a product, set up your own marketing strategies, and relax as people use your link to purchase that product.
Pretty simple concept, right?
Becoming an affiliate
Now that you’ve brushed up on what affiliate marketing is, it’s time to talk about becoming an affiliate. The process may seem complicated, but to be blunt, it’s not very difficult. Let’s have a look.
Choosing your product
Before you even receive an affiliate link, the first thing you should do is research. You’ll want to look for a product that people want, but you’ll also want to take longevity into account. So make sure that you spend a substantial amount of time on choosing a product that you like.
Choosing your platform
The next phase of becoming an affiliate comes down to choosing a platform that you like. A common misconception I’ve noticed is that people think that Amazon is their only option. Now, while it is popular, there are thousands of affiliate programs out there. So you’ll definitely want to do some more research, and discover which one works for you.
Here are some examples of affiliate programs:
- Amazon
- ClickBank
- Insurance companies
- E-course companies
- E-books
Keep in mind that these are only a handful of the options you’ll find out there, so feel free to choose a niche that you feel passionate about.
Your affiliate link
The most important aspect of becoming an affiliate comes down to the affiliate link itself. This link will be your bread and butter, because this is how you’ll be able to earn a commission. These links will use cookies to track a prospect’s conversion, so you’ll want to make sure that you get your link in front of as many people as possible.
The mindset
The last thing I want to talk about in this section is your mindset. This is due to the fact that a lot of people fail at becoming an affiliate due to a lack of mindset. Now, with that being said, I want to show you what the right mindset is.
What mindset do I need?
The mindset that you need is an entrepreneurial one. Don’t think of yourself as a salesperson, but as a business owner. You’ll want to make sure you run everything like a business, all of the way down to your metrics (measuring conversion and other performance indicators). Unfortunately, if you lack this mindset, the game is over before it even starts.
I’ve also noticed that some affiliate programs may require you to have a following or website, so it might be a good idea to start building your brand early.
How to market your product
I know that I made becoming an affiliate sound easy, but that’s really only the first step. This is due to the fact that you’ll need to actually market your products, I want to show you some quick ideas that you can implement as soon as you get started.
Becoming an affiliate is only half the battle; winning the war requires clever marketing to generate sales.
A WordPress website or blog
The first thing I would recommend is creating your own website. The route that you take this is entirely up to you, but I would consider creating a blog based website.
Why a blog? Because you’ll be able to really sell your product through a blog.
Here are some clever blog ideas that you can incorporate into your affiliate business:
- Product reviews
- Product descriptions
- A list post of the best products in your niche
- A post about how your product works
- A post about why you’re credible
Feel free to get creative with your blog, because there is a lot of saturation out there already. So having a unique and clever blog can really help you take your affiliate marketing to the next level.
I would also recommend brushing up on how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) works, this way you can rank higher on Google.
Social media
Having a website is a great tool to get started, but a clever social media campaign is another great way to really kick things off. You’ll be able to build a following, link that following to your website, and even promote your product on your page.
Also, if you have the means, I would recommend leveraging influencers if you can. These are pages that have massive followings, so a little shoutout from one can go a long way.
Remember… any type of sales is a numbers game.
Email marketing
The final marketing strategy that I want to talk about is email marketing. This is due to the fact that emails are a great way to get your link in front of people quickly, and if you develop a large enough email list, you’ll see your sales increase quite a bit.
I would definitely recommend delving into some courses or software options that help you develop and leverage an email list. They’re very important, but trust me on this one, they can be hard to get started.
Final thoughts
I know that I went over a lot of information today, but like I said earlier, I just want to make sure that you’re well informed. I know that it may seem like becoming an affiliate is overwhelming, but trust me on this one, it’s definitely worth it.
If you ever feel a bit lost on your journey to becoming an affiliate, please feel free to refer back to this post as a guide. There is no shame in getting a little bit of help from a friend, right?
Becoming an affiliate has never been easier, and now that you know the facts, I really hope that you decide to give it a try.
I bet you’ll thank me later; let me know where your journey takes you!
Frequently Asked Questions
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