If you have a blog or are looking to start your own blog then affiliate marketing is the term you are most likely interested in knowing about. Basically, what is affiliate marketing for bloggers?
Maybe, you got to have some other questions related to affiliate marketing. Or, maybe how bloggers make money with affiliate marketing?
I hear you.
This is the reason, I’m here today. I always wanted to listen to what other people say. What are their problems? How can I help them?
If you want to start your own blog and dig more into the amazing blogging world, get started with this step by step blogging guide to create a new blog from scratch.
Today, it’s about affiliate marketing and how affiliate marketing can help you make money.
A lot of money.
Don’t burst yourself by asking what is affiliate marketing, how to do affiliate marketing, how can I make money with affiliate marketing, how bloggers are making money with affiliate marketing and tons of similar questions.
There’s a ton of information available online.
Most importantly, I went through all this.
In my three years of blogging experience – I learned and learned every day. I absorbed the online content through ebooks, courses, digital products, emails, blog posts, and podcasts.
Before I teach you about the basics of affiliate marketing, here are few facts I genuinely want you to go through.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I might earn a small commission from those affiliate links.
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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT AFFILIATE MARKETING
WARNING: Don’t get overwhelmed. I have a few amazing things lined up for you. Take this as a cold beverage (or, a delicious pizza bite)
- On average, a blogger makes $250 per month with affiliate marketing but there are some top affiliate marketers that make $50,000 or more with affiliate marketing.
- Affiliate marketing is the best approach to make money online. The fast money-making scheme.
- It is 100% possible to do affiliate marketing
- Less work, more income
- You don’t need 100k monthly visitors to do affiliate marketing
- You do need highly effective affiliate marketing strategies
- It’s possible to make $1000/month out of affiliate marketing
This is all true. If you want to learn more about affiliate marketing and how bloggers can do affiliate marketing – scroll down.
WHAT IS AFFILIATE MARKETING FOR BLOGGERS?
As a blogger, you learn to create great content on your site. You also build an audience who trust you and follow. It doesn’t matter what niche you are in. But, your blog is a source of knowledge for your followers. Agreed?
The first, most prominent reason to start a blog is to help your readers. To understand the problems they are going through. The solutions you are capable to provide. Your solutions can be in form of blog posts, podcasts, recommendations, online products, ebooks, courses, emails etc.
You don’t need to create your own product every time.
It’s not possible to be everywhere.
That’s where affiliate marketing comes in. Even in this post, I shared how you can make money blogging as a new blogger.
It’s possible.
It’s simple.
In affiliate marketing, you pick a product and promote it on your blog. When someone makes a purchase you make a commission. It’s basically promoting someone else’s product and earn a commission for that.
Here’s how affiliate marketing works;
- Depending on your blog niche and audience needs, you pick a product.
- Join the affiliate program.
- You recommend and promote the product using a special tracking affiliate link.
- When someone makes a purchase through your affiliate link, you earn a commission.
Let’s see how you can make money with affiliate marketing?
It’s not as complicated as you suppose.
In fact, affiliate marketing is a quicker process to start generating some income from your blog. However, it’s not just to put affiliate links and expect to make xxx dollars.
There are affiliate marketing strategies involved and a proper understanding of how affiliate marketing works.
Before you plan to monetize your blog with affiliate marketing, I would like to draw your attention to learn how you can easily rank your new affiliate site using proven SEO strategies. This is the master guide to learn exactly what you need to do to start ranking for search engines and make more affiliate income.
Let’s get started.
1- CHOOSING A PRODUCT THAT YOUR AUDIENCE NEEDS
There are certain things to consider when we choose to promote someone else’s product on our site. Obviously, it’s your blog and you want to be sure about the product.
The affiliate product you’re going to promote should be awesome. It should solve your reader’s problem. It got to be amazing. The product should have a nice commission rate. The product should have a trustworthy affiliate program.
But, the most important thing is;
Relevance to your blog. You can’t promote a skincare product to people who are interested in online education.
When choosing a product – think about your audience. What things they’re interested in learning about? What products might help them to be better?
Some businesses have their own affiliate program. However, there is a list of affiliate networks you can join and pick products of your own choice.
Some of the popular affiliate networks are;
- Amazon affiliates
- Awin
- Shareasale
- CJ
- Rakuten LinkShare
- Ebay
Related: Join some high-paying affiliate marketing programs for bloggers.
2- PROMOTE YOUR AFFILIATE PRODUCT
Once, you’ve done the research and found out the best product. The next step is to promote your product in the best ways.
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Write a super helpful product review
You are promoting a product on your blog. The best way is to write a product review. It is one of the easiest ways to get people to click on your affiliate link. It also increases the chances of a sale.
The simple rule to success with affiliate marketing is to only promote products that you’ve personally used or had a good feedback. Because it’s about your reputation.
You can’t write about something which you aren’t sure about.
I only recommend products on my blog which I have personally either used or sure about it.
You can look at my review of Elegant Themes and why it’s one of the best WordPress themes. Now, when someone asks me about a responsive WordPress theme I send them to this specific blog post. Now, they have got an idea for a beautiful theme.
It’s easier to make a choice.
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Let your email subscribers know about it
I want to remind you about your blog purpose.
You started blogging because you wanted to share your opinions with the followers.
Why not talk to them about a new product? Or, a product that might help them?
We all buy things, right?
We are looking for recommendations from our mentors. If someone follows the social media advice that means they trust you. They know you got expertise in social media. Why not tell them about cost-effective social media scheduling tools?
Write an email to your followers.
If you haven’t created an email list yet, I highly suggest you build an email list. You can use Convertkit which offers a free plan up to 1000 subscribers or even, Mailerlite.
Share with them what you’ve bought recently. Maybe that’s a new ebook, courses or some video game accessory.
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Create an Expert roundup post
It’s not your regular roundup post. The main purpose is to promote your affiliate product.
Invite few blogger friends or experts in your blogging niche to contribute to a post. Maybe, ask some of their best productivity planners. Or, ask them about business books.
Depending on your affiliate product, ask a question and get their advice.
Incorporating their expert advice will have a great impact on your chosen affiliate product. The expert advice will convince your readers to click the product and see how amazing it is.
Chances are that some of the readers will even make a purchase.
WRAPPING UP
If you are a blogger, there are multiple ways to make money from your blog.
One of the easiest ways is through affiliate marketing. But, you will have to build expertise in your niche. Make a good relationship with your reader. And, have some consistent traffic to your site.
This is all about affiliate marketing for bloggers. You choose a product, promote it using different methods, and make a commission for every sale.
I also suggest you to check out these super detailed posts on affiliate marketing;
Post #1 – 7 top methods to promote affiliate products
Post #2 – 23+ affiliate marketing tips to increase your sales
Post #3 – Top Paying affiliate marketing programs for every blogger
If you have any questions in this regard, leave them in the comments sections below. I will give a response.
Before you go, I want to give you a little push to uplift your blogging dream. It’s totally possible to make money from your blog.
Stick with your blog, make it amazing, and grow yourself. And, then expect the progress.
Yasar Ali says
Affiliate Marketing is a good way for bloggers to make money online. While I notice some bloggers still rely on Advertising in which I was included myself. But later on, I came to know that Promoting Affiliate Products is far better than Advertising for many bloggers.
Thanks for the amazing Post!
Cheer,
Cynthia Crosby says
Thank you for this post, Affiliate Marketing can be so complicated.
Rawlings says
I have read few articles and most of them are focusing on affiliate programmes than google adsense. I don’t really know much about it and how to go about it but reading your post is very helpful. Thanks a lot.
Arfa Nazeer says
That’s why I create content that’s more new and unique. I’m glad you found it helpful. Good Luck.
Arfa Nazeer says
Absolutely, Yasar!
Affiliate marketing is a profitable way for website monetization. Thanks so much for sharing your insights.
Arfa Nazeer says
Hi Cynthia!
Yes, many bloggers still find it complicated as it does require a lot of work.
Sunshine says
I am learning about affiliate marketing and I have just launched my blog, yet to be monetized. Here I got a lot of clarity to start. Thanks for sharing this helpful topic Arfa.
Omofoma Musa says
Thanks for this article! Been stuck with this affiliate stuff, but a bit clear now.