Affiliate marketing gives you the opportunity to earn commissions by selling other companies' products or services. It's a great way to increase your income from the comfort of your home. The good news is that becoming an affiliate of well-known companies is also easy!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Become an Affiliate
Step 1. Sell what you know
To get started, sell a product or service that is familiar to you. Online marketers refer to this process as “choosing your niche.” You should choose a niche that represents your current interests or work.
For example, if you're an interior decorating expert, selling bedding sets makes more sense than selling auto parts. You'll be better off marketing if you're selling a product you know
Step 2. Create a website that is relevant to your niche
Before you become an affiliate, many companies want to know the URL of the website you use to sell their products. This is done because they want to make sure the content of the website does not damage the reputation of the company.
- Nowadays creating a website is so easy thanks to sites like WordPress.com.
- Make sure that you fill your website with content that is not too aggressive and harsh in selling products. You want your website to look very much in control of your niche.
Step 3. Research affiliate programs
Find affiliate programs that offer products or services in your niche.
- Amazon sells almost anything so your niche will most likely include products that are also sold on Amazon. That's a great place to start if you're thinking of getting into affiliate marketing.
- Commission Junction is another great option because it allows you to become an affiliate of many well-known companies (eg Overstock, Office Depot, Boscov's, and many more).
- Clickbank is also another option that many marketers prefer because the company's commissions on the site can be very lucrative.
Step 4. Join the affiliate program
Usually you can join affiliate programs without paying any fees.
- Even if you are asked for a credit card number as a condition of becoming an affiliate, you may be exposed to fraud. Reputable companies that offer affiliate programs allow people to become affiliates at no cost.
- However, you will be asked for information about your bank account number or PayPal. Remember, the goal is not for the company to take money from you, but for the company to pay the commission that you make on the sale.
- In some cases you will also be asked for your website URL. Just provide the website URL that you created in the previous step.
Part 2 of 3: Marketing Products on Your Website
Step 1. Add affiliate links to your content
One great way to earn commissions without appearing to sell anything is to add affiliate links to your content. Thus, when people click on the link, they will be directed to the company's website and if they make a purchase, you will earn a commission.
- For example, if you're writing an article about decorating that includes purple blankets, link the phrase "purple blankets" to Amazon's site, which displays only purple blankets for site visitors. Readers of your writing can browse the various offers on Amazon and buy the items they like.
- The good news is that companies make it easy for you to get links to their sites. How to get those links varies from company to company, but it's usually very easy to find links to the specific product you're looking for.
Step 2. Insert image ads in sidebar
Like most other websites, your website may also have a sidebar. In that section, it is very suitable to add image ads for products that are relevant to your niche.
You will find that the affiliate program provider companies provide images and links that are very easy for you to get. All that you need to bring your site visitors to their site. The process is almost as easy as copying the program code and placing it in your sidebar
Step 3. Keep creating content according to your niche
You definitely want a lot of people to come back to your site, right? If so, you need to continue to produce original content that is useful to your visitors. Digital marketers call this "content marketing".
- Good content keeps visitors coming back for more. That means your site visitors might end up clicking on your affiliate link and buying something.
- You can also use your content to include affiliate links as previously described. The more content you generate, the more affiliate links you will have. The Law of Averages applies and you're about to start selling something.
Step 4. Use analytical tools to measure your success
Think of this analytics tool as a collection of information about the products you sell, how you sell them, and to whom they are sold. Luckily most affiliate marketing sites offer very helpful tools, so you can figure out which method is working for you.
- If you find that a particular product is selling well on your site, create content that increases your chances of marketing it.
- Use Google Analytics to understand the demographics of your site visitors. Measure content marketing efforts to people in that demographic.
- Pay attention to the most visited articles. If you find some articles are getting more traffic than others, consider adding extra affiliate links to those articles.
- Focus on the ways that work, get rid of the ways that fail. The analytical tools your company provides will tell you which types of ads are successful and which are failing. Use successful ads and eliminate failed ads.
Part 3 of 3: Managing Your Business
Step 1. Be prepared to pay taxes
If you make money through affiliate marketing, you will definitely have to pay taxes on your income. At the beginning of the year, your partner company must send you a tax form 1099 or something, depending on your country of residence. Otherwise, you must still report the income to the IRS or local tax agency. ji
- If you run an affiliate marketing business as a sole proprietor or limited liability company (LLC), you will need to report income on tax form 1099-C – Profit or Loss from Business or similar, depending on your country of residence.
- If you run your business as an S or C type company, you report revenue on the Schedule K-1 form.
Step 2. Expand your business
Your business may get bigger or it may shrink. That's why you should always strive to improve. Otherwise, your business will shrink and your profits will decrease.
- Look for new products that you think you can market online. Explore various affiliate websites. Look for new businesses that accept affiliate marketers and if they offer something you think you can do well, partner with them.
- Continue to promote your business online. Use social media, email, and other channels to promote your business to keep people coming back and looking for great deals for the products and services you market.
Step 3. Delegate routine tasks
Once your business is up and running, you need to focus on how to grow your business while delegating routine tasks to others. It's going to cost you a lot of money to pay employees, but if it gets you new ways to promote your affiliate marketing business and grow it, the costs are worth it.
Step 4. Automate everything you can
There are many digital marketing tools available. Some tools definitely pay, but if it gives you more time to build your business, then the return on investment is definitely worth it.
Focus on creating a long-term strategy for your business while your equipment and employees handle day-to-day tasks. That way, you can handle the main responsibilities to ensure your business continues to grow
Warning
- Avoid using illegal topics.
- Avoid search engine optimization by illegal means.
