If your like me and your looking for a side hussle , chances are you’ve typed into a Google search What is the easiest way to make money online.
Again if your like me, a lot of stuff will be thrown up at you which may or may not resonate with you. One of the answers that caught my eye was Affiliate marketing.
In this post I will explain what this is so you can make an informed decision as to whether it’s a good fit for you or not.
Introduction to Affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is a business model whereby companies actively seek out and accept bloggers, Influencers, youtubers, ticktockers, etc , to promote their company’s products or services for a commission fee.
Chances are you’ve clicked on a link in Amazon, ebay, etsy, or whatever social media you happen to be on, to buy a product or service you need, the link you clicked will most likely be through an affiliate marketer.
That’s basically affiliate marketing in a nutshell. An affiliate, individual or marketing company, will promote a companies product or service, by sending traffic, i.e customers, to that companies site by talking about or writing about the particular company or product.
How it works, step by step.
Step 1.Select a niche.
A niche is a particular kind of product or service within a market.
Let’s say your expertise or hobby is in dog training. Your audience would be people looking to get their dog trained.
Within that audience or market your niche could be dog training for Jack Russell’s, or Bichons etc.
Step2. Research affiliate programs within your niche.
Choose programs and products or companies that align with your hobbies , expertise or beliefs.
If your promoting or selling something that doesn’t resonate with you or your belief systems then chances are you won’t enjoy it.
Pick things that get your juices flowing. Look for reputable companies who’s products or services you believe in.
Step 3. Join an affiliate program.
Research affiliate programs online. Check out their websites, accept any free content that may give you a better understanding of the company.
One thing I did was check them on trust pilot. For me the one that came out on top was Wealthy Affiliates. They resonated with me. They may not resonate with you.
Step 4. Build an online presence.
When you sign up to one of these programs you’ll get a unique affiliate tracking link.
When you share a blog, or V blog, or you tube video, or perhaps you love being, or want to be an influencer, then every time your content is shared promoting whatever you enjoy, your link is also posted.
Step 5. Create quality content.
Develop engaging and valuable content for your chosen niche market audience that includes the company or products you wish to promote.
This can include tutorials , product reviews, or storytelling.
Step 6. Drive Traffic.
By utilising your blog, social media channels or email marketing strategies, you drive customers to your content, increasing the likelihood of customers buying.
Step 7. Keep going.
Basically rinse and repeat, find what works best , be it blogging, social media platforms, emails, whatever. Then keep repeat same process.
Step 8. Build relationships.
Cultivate a trusting relationship with your audience and the people around you in your affiliate program,
They are eager to help you succeed and reach your goals. Adhere to Affiliate guidelines and disclose your affiliate relationships transparently to your audience.
Step 9. Scale and Diversify.
As you get more experienced as time goes by, consider investing in yourself.
Diversity into other niche markets. Again pick niches that you would be happy promoting. Your business would really start to soar then.
Step 10. Be Happy.
The most important step of them all. Affiliate marketing takes time and effort. Yes it can be done around your life commitments, work, family, etc.
But it will be mentally draining if you get on your laptop and start promoting services or products you don’t particularly care about.
That’s why i would urge you to keep to a hobby or craft or expertise that you enjoy. Otherwise you will give up.
Tips and Strategies for a successful Affiliate.
Choosing your Niche.
Most affiliate marketing networks will have within them programs that you can access your niche markets with just a click of button.
Wealthy Affiliates have such a program that all users can utilise. They also have programs that will help you with keyword research which I will explain later.
Align yourself with Affiliates that have such software, it’s a real game changer.
Know your audience.
Understand the needs and preferences of your target audience.
Tailor your content to meet their needs in a practical way to address their problems and provide valuable solutions.
Quality content is key.
Create high quality relevant content. This could include blog posts, video, social media updates, or even podcasts.
The better your content, the more likely people will trust your recommendations.
Build credibility.
Establish yourself as an authority in your niche. Share your expertise and be transparent with your audience.
Trust is crucial in affiliate marketing.
Use SEO.
Yeah, I didn’t know what this was either. SEO is Search Engine Optimisation. It’s basically how you get your content ranked in Google.
When you join a good affiliate team all this will be explained to you in much more detail Than i could ever do justice to here.
A good affiliate will also teach you about keyword research. Another brilliant strategy to get traffic to your website.
Engage with your audience.
Build a community around your content. Encourage discussion, respond to comments.
Build a relationship with your audience. When people engage with you, they are more likely to buy your goods or service.
Conclusion
So there you have it. I hope my attempt to help you understand affiliate marketing has gone some way to help you make a decision one way or another.
Affiliate marketing is not for everyone, but everyone can do it. You don’t need any special computer skills, most good Affiliates will have training and software to help you master these skills.
It does take time and patience, and investment. Time investment and money investment. Some affiliate programs will charge you a lot to join, others very little.
I prefer the mid range prices, the one’s that don’t charge an arm and a leg, the one’s that will let you try for free for a time.
I researched a few of these Affiliates and as I stated before, Wealthy Affiliates seemed the best for me. They have a large community of people willing and able to help with whatever it is you need.
They have all the programs you’ll need to get going and stay going. They have a lot of training in website building which may surprise you when you have your own site up and running within the first few lessons.
I hope all this answers your questions, feel free to leave a comment below, god or bad, I can take it.
Member of Wealthy Affilates.com
What to sell online to make money