Wondering how to monetize your blog with affiliate marketing? Here are five quick tips on how to use affiliate marketing for your blog today.
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Brand Deals vs. Affiliate Marketing
Although brand deals are great, affiliate marketing can be a game-changer! First, the difference between the two is that brand deals come with parameters. There are restrictions in terms of the content you’re going to create and the products you need to feature. Therefore, although you might really love a brand, they may give you an item for content that you are not into!
In contrast, there is so much freedom with affiliate marketing. Once you find some programs (LTK, Collective Voice, Amazon) that resonate with you, you are good to go! Here are five tips to jumpstart affiliate marketing for your blog:
1. Link What You Truly Love and Wear A Lot
First, link what you love and matches your lifestyle. Here is why – you already have a connection to the items you’re sharing. Therefore, it will make you an authority on the item. As a result, people feel like you know what you’re talking about. I think it makes a huge difference in terms of the conversion rate (the percentage of links vs purchases) and people actually purchasing from you.
2. Consider Your Audience and What Problem Can You Solve
Second, consider your audience. My consideration for my audience has grown since I started affiliate marketing. I think about what are people looking for and the problems I can solve for them. For example, what are the women in my audience searching for online and in stores. I consider what’s coming up this season. For instance, women as summer approaches will be looking for bathing suits. My content can solve that problem!
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“In fact, according to affiliate marketing statistics, almost 65% of affiliate marketers generate website traffic through blogging. Plus, blogging can improve your product’s organic search ranking through search engine optimization.”
Source: Entrepreneur
3. Be Picky With What You Share
Likewise, the next thing you want to do with affiliate marketing is be picky with what you share. Do not promote junk! I am careful about what I share for a few reasons. I treat audience like they’re my friends. For example, you wouldn’t recommend junk to a friend, right? Similarly, you don’t want to recommend trash because when they return it you get the commission deducted. Additionally, they’re not going to trust your recommendations. You will seem inconsistent.
4. Affiliate Marketing is About Promote, Promote, Promote
Also, don’t be shy about what you are linking on your blog. This is why it is called affiliate “marketing”. You should be creating content that serves people. It informs them and it happens to have links for the items. Therefore, it’s about “learn about this” and “hey, I found this, I really like it, this is why”. If you shift to trying to solve the problem your audience might have you won’t feel so salesy. I got over it! Now, most of my content is has all kinds of statements on where to find items. I make it clear where they can get whatever I’m talking about. Moreover, I include information on my blog post such as another source related to the topic.
Additionally, when people make purchases from you, they’re helping you. If they like your content and they want you to keep doing it, they’re going to be fine doing it! Likewise, they’re purchasing the item for the same price, so it’s just that you get a commission from it. So, just get in the habit of promoting a lot.
5. Thank Your Audience If They Do Make a Purchase
Lastly, thank your audience! For example, whenever I get feedback on a purchase during an Amazon live I am so grateful! Here’s the thing – they don’t have to buy from me. Unlike blogging to just share your life and score brand deals, the purchases matter! Therefore, I am grateful for every purchase my audience makes! I keep in mind that they didn’t have to listen to me. Also, when they do purchase something I thank them as this is how I can continue my business.
To wrap up, those are five quick tips on how to use affiliate marketing for your blog today! I’m telling you it’s a game changer, and it’s not that hard once you get a workflow going. Want more posts on creating and blogging? Check out the post here and here.
