Nearly everyone with a website or a blog has heard the term affiliate marketing and look to make money with this marketing technique. The truth is that many who want to take advantage of the opportunities available, have no idea how to do it right. You can’t just post ads for other companies on your site, and expect money to start pouring in. While difficult, it is possible to make money with affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Marketing In Short
To begin making money as an affiliate, you have to understand how affiliate marketing works. You sign up with other companies and post their ads on your site. If one of your visitors clicks on the ad and makes a purchase, the company pays you a percentage of the sale. Kind of like a finder’s fee. Whether you are paid by the click or only when a purchase is made, the end result is the same. If no one clicks on the site, you won’t make any money.
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Keeping It Relevant
First off, don’t try to build an online shopping mall with hundreds of affiliates. You have to have some reason for people to go to your site in the first place and if they are looking for a particular product, your site isn’t going to land at the top of search results pages.
For the sake of argument, say you have a blog on water sports. Advertisements on your page for tennis shoes are probably not going to be interesting to your readers. Instead find companies with affiliate programs that sell products related to water sports. This may seem like a no-brainer, but too many bloggers look for companies that offer the highest commissions. Some may offer commissions of 30 or 40 percent but remember that 40 percent of nothing is still nothing.
Any affiliate ads on your site must be relevant to the information on your site, otherwise you are wasting time and space. You will also want to stay updated on your site. You should try to frequently change the content of your site with updated information. You will also want to stay updated on the ads on your site, even those from the same company. In February, if the ads are still focused on Christmas, you’re missing any opportunity with that company.
Knowing your audience is an important part of affiliate marketing success. Since many competitors travel to various events, becoming affiliated with a travel company may produce results, especially if you can offer reviews of the online agencies you promote on your site. Your readers will be more informed of their travel options and you have provided them with the chance to make their reservations without leaving your site.
Familiarize Yourself With Your Partners
It helps to understand the companies with which you conduct business. It is never a good idea to post banner ads on your site without at least visiting the business. You might be surprised about the content of some banners, which might be offensive to some of your readers, which could cost you business in the long run, not to mention readers.
Remain A Sticky Site
There is one trick that many affiliate marketers miss out on. No matter what type of affiliate marketing ads you use, your site should remain a “sticky” site. What I mean is when one of your readers clicks on an affiliate ad it needs to open in a new tab or new page. When the user is done with that site and closes it, they are still on your site. It’s an easy fix with just a single command added to the hot link.
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It is possible to make money with affiliate marketing, but just like your blog, it is not a set-it and forget it option. Maintaining your site with ads that actually work will help create the revenue stream you want. If you find the affiliate ads are not producing, don’t be afraid to swap them out for a different one that may produce better financial results.