Those new to the online world of business and marketing need not be overawed by the plethora of programs and tools at their disposal. There are many very helpful ones, but also a massive number of totally useless ones.
Therefore, is affiliate marketing for beginners?
Can newbies hack it?
Of course, they can!
With the right attitude and a load of hard work, affiliate marketing is there for anyone – but, you must stick at it. Success only comes to those who work for it!
So, can you sort the wheat from the chaff? If not, then I will assist with a starter lesson right here…
It can be a little daunting to be faced with pages of HTML, CSS or any other coding language, but the learning curve can be fast. Don’t be put off and don’t let this stop you from moving forward with an online career!
Becoming an affiliate marketer will be the first step onto the online marketing ladder. Other steps will enable you to maximize your earning potential by spreading your income methods, some of these are outlined below.
Time never stands still, so rather than bleating about the difficulties of change, especially within the world of technology, grasp it with both hands – or one hand and a mouse, and run with it!
Find out how to become an affiliate marketer and start to earn commissions.
What Exactly Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate Marketing is a performance-based type of marketing, whereby commissions can be earned by the affiliate from the advertiser.
It involves three main parties:
- The Advertiser – the merchant offering the products.
- The Publisher – also known as the affiliate.
- The Consumer – the end user who buys the product.
When a customer buys a product that has been promoted by the affiliate, the advertiser will pay a small percentage fee (commission) to the affiliate. The fee amount is different, depending on which advertiser is used or which product is sold.
Affiliate marketing is sometimes confused with referral marketing (promoting products or services through spontaneous referrals, i.e word of mouth and digital marketing). Both use third parties to drive sales, but they are very different from each other.
Affiliate marketing relies specifically on monetary motivations to drive sales, whereas referral marketing relies on developing trust and a relationship with your readers to drive those sales.
Internet Marketing Often Overlaps With Affiliate Marketing
Many affiliates will also use certain regular internet marketing methods that overlap with affiliate marketing ones, such as:
- SEO – Organic Search Engine Optimisation.
- PPC – Paid Search Engine Marketing.
- Email Marketing.
- Content Marketing.
- Advertising.
Another less orthodox technique involves publishing product reviews. This is an excellent way to create a relationship with a partner or product you believe in and wish to endorse.
There is nothing like promoting something that you have experienced and like. You will create a better review having had first-hand knowledge of it.
Affiliate Marketing Works Well On Blogs
Developing a trust with readers is highly important from an affiliate marketers point of view.
As the trust deepens with your readership, only then will they be more likely to follow your recommendations.
However, there can be a negative effect if you promote the wrong product or give lackluster advice, as the relationship can be broken instantly.
Always promote products that are popular and already have a reputable history to them. Don’t be tempted to rush off to ClickBank, ShareASale, Commission Junction or some other affiliate network and grab what looks like a high-ticket product just because the commission looks great.
Whatever you do, do not break the trust in your readership. It will be virtually impossible to regain it.
Write With Confidence And Become A Credible Author
Continue to write interesting and useful content, as this is the #1 way to bond with your readers. Once they like what you write about and begin to engage via questions or comments, then you are building up your credibility as a reliable source of good information.
Once you can produce articles that are written from the heart, which are perhaps peppered with a little lighthearted humor, then you’ll begin to capture the attention of more readers. Also, don’t forget to use good images and video to accompany your text – even some funny whiteboard animated cartoon videos can help get messages across.
With an increased readership usually comes a boost in traffic, which in turn will help to improve your SEO rankings in the search engines.
Then it’s a matter of rinse and repeat, and you will be well on your way with your new online affiliate marketing business.
Are you an affiliate marketer? If so, what are your experiences and how do you decide what products or services to promote? I would like to get you valuable feedback, so drop a line below in the comments box and I’ll get back to asap.
Rob
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I think affiliate marketing is a relatively easy way for a beginner to learn.
The products are created for you, the sales pages are written, the better programs lock in your affiliate code so you get credit when someone purchases later on in their funnel.
And maybe the semi-amateur nature of being a beginner helps you be more credible: Rob’s advice on making your writing with confidence is a fantastic tip. If you’re not sure how to do that, imagine you’re writing or speaking to a friend and follow that instinct.
Hi Trevor, I understand it when you say that “the products are created for you, the sales pages are written“. However, if you are acting as an affiliate trying to promote something, you need to write your own review or sales page (mustn’t plagiarize or use existing copy).
Thanks for joining in the conversation!
I´m a newbie at affiliate marketing myself and it is definitely very learnable for everybody.
The secret to successful affiliate marketing is not to bite off more than you can chew. What I mean by that is to concentrate on fewer good programs, products or other items to promote and do them well, rather than trying to cover dozens ineffectively. You’re right, it is very much achievable by everybody.
Great job breaking down what affiliate marketing is about. This can help boost confidence levels for beginners starting out, as it can be a bit intimidating at first…I remember. Trying anything new usually is, but the key in gaining confidence and reaching any level of success is finding a good training platform, and applying what you learn. If others can succeed so can you!
Hi Jess,
I’ve always found that by breaking up tasks, articles or any large project into smaller bite-size chunks, it helps one to focus the mind better on each specific section. You don’t tend to get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the entire task itself, and the results usually speak for themselves.
The secret to a positive progression with affiliate marketing is to carry out constant little tasks, which will all go toward the bigger affiliate marketers goal – knowledge. A good training has to be the means to successful online careers.
Regards
Rob
Thank you so much for explaining on this difficult topic: Affiliate Marketing to us. You let us understand what it really is from head to toe. You even let us knows the Do’s and Dont’s. I have bookmarked your web site and I will keep visiting it 🙂
Hi Andy,
The basics of affiliate marketing are not difficult to understand, but putting them into practice can sometimes be a bit ‘hit-and-miss’. I say this because, even if you fully comprehend this type of marketing, you may not implement it properly or successfully.
I feel that marketers should start small and learn before growing too big. Once they have acquired that new found knowledge, only then can they streamline their campaigns.
Appreciate the visit, come back anytime!
Rob
Hi Rob!
Great post! I have a question:
How often should you post in a blog? Do you do keyword research? What is your strategy to attract organic traffic?
Hi Keye,
I don’t post as often as I would like to. At the moment I can only find time to do two or three per month (would like to do at least one per week minimum). I spend a lot of time on keyword research and researching information about the topic, which takes me way more time than some other bloggers do! I would rather produce one article that is useful, than two which are not!
Traffic comes from persistence and consistency, and it takes time to build up relationships and trust. Just keep producing good content that people find beneficial, don’t rush it – do it well.
Thanks for your comment and visit, it’s always appreciated.
Rob
Great post, and I definitely agree that affiliate marketing is right for beginners. Also, it is true that promoting products just because they have high commissions is NOT the way to go; if your visitors aren’t happy then they won’t come back to your site. As far as products that I review, I usually stick to products I’ve used myself… or someone I know has used or is interesting in.
Hi Diana,
You’re right, visitors are fickle and know exactly what they want, so one must try and give it to them! It’s not always easy, but by putting yourself in their shoes, you should be able to craft your content accordingly. I find taking away stuff that is distracting seems to help – and of course, it must be relevant!
Promoting products you have experience with is by far the best way to go!
Thanks for dropping by,
Rob
I was impressed with the way you break down your topics and tell your story about each one of them; But most impressive to me were the cartoon animations and how they link you to other relevant topics.
Well done Rob. I hope to walk in your shoes some day.
Hi Eric,
Good to meet you, and many thanks for endorsing my article. I think that the use of animated cartoons in marketing is still not too widespread, but I bet you it will be in time – judging by the number of people who try out VideoScribe.
Thanks again,
Rob
Thank you for the clear and concise explanation of affiliate marketing. Was still uncertain as to how exactly it all works and your site has helped to wipe away the cobwebs and make it understandable. Gives one confidence that it is possible to make money while still doing something they enjoy. I also like the text links that take you to more in depth information, makes finding what I want to know so much easier.
Traci
Hi Traci,
I’m glad you found something of interest here. I like to hear that an article has helped you comprehend the topic – that’s always good to know! It certainly is possible to make money online in any chosen niche, you just have to work at it and take your time – Rome wasn’t built in a day!
Thank you kindly,
Rob
Hi Rob,
Great article, particularly where it highlights the issue of building trust (and not breaking it). One thing I wouldn’t mind knowing a bit more about is referral marketing – what is it, and how is it different to affiliate marketing? You mention that they’re very different, but don’t detail how – is one better than the other?
Aside from that, really enjoyable read, thanks!
Hi Dominic,
I have always been aware of the ‘trust’ issue in marketing of any sort, and none more so than in affiliate marketing, when you are trying to build up your traffic. It seems to be very easy to put visitors off with either poor content, too many ads or irrelevant stuff. I have tried to address each of those, and produce easy-to-read, hopefully useful information minus too many distractions!
I have added a bit in about Referral Marketing in the article, (see above) – thanks for highlighting this!
Rob