Thanks all for your feedback on our 50th episode of the ProBlogger podcast! I still can’t believe we finally made it.
Onward with episode 51 and my tips on affiliate marketing as an income stream:
This episode is sort of an introduction to what affiliate marketing is and how I personally approach it. There are a heap of practical tips so you’re sure to get something out of it whether you’re a complete affiliate newbie, or have seen some success before.
Affiliate marketing is a blogger’s promotion of a particular product (created by someone else) with a specific link that contains a tracking code. When someone buys on the basis of your recommendation, and clicks through from your tracking link, you get a commission on that sale. For Digital Photography School, we often recommend cameras, and therefore will get 4% of any sale resulting from that recommendation from Amazon.
So why consider affiliate marketing as an income stream? When you consider in advertising the advertiser is taking a risk by paying you for amplification on your blog that might not work out, and you as the publisher are taking the risk by becoming an affiliate, it seems like a dud deal. But the rewards of affiliate sales can often be greater than through general advertising alone, which can make it an attractive option despite the risk.
Today I discuss one particular experience I had with an early affiliate collaboration and how it exceeded beyond everyone’s expectations, and I also talk about the kinds of blogs that can be more successful with affiliate sales, and the three things I believe they need to have that will boost their chances of getting a high return.
The other topics I touch on are:
- Personally how I approach affiliate marketing
- How much of my income is derived through affiliate marketing
- How it is often dictated by seasonal trends
- The three types of affiliate programs I promote on my blogs
- The types of affiliate networks available and how they work
- Tips for affliliate marketing on blogs (and what NOT to do!)
- The types of promotion you can use depending on your audience
- Placement of affiliate links for higher returns
- How I drive traffic to the post and the promotion
- Tips on transparency and disclaimers
- Easy tracking of results
- Promotional sequences and strategies
- How to balance promotion frequency
Related Reading:
- How to Make Money as an Amazon Affiliate [REPLAY]
- 3 Simple Questions to Understand Why Your Affiliate Promotions Are Not Converting
- The Ultimate Guide to Making Money with the Amazon Affiliate Program
- Affiliate Marketing Strategies: Smart Passive Income
- The Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing: Monetize Pros
This is really useful article. I was using adsense before 4 to 5 months, but now I am using affiliate program and my earning goes dabble then adsense. This article is worth for all bloggers.
Thank you -Darren Rowse
Hi Darren,
Affiliate marketing is such a wonderful concept that each time I come across anything related to it, it fascinates me – and draws me in. Aside this, the concept of simply referring (great) products and earning a commision on the strength of your referral alone is out of this world – especially when it has really started picking up for you :)
I sincerely appreciate your efforts in enlightening your audience about your views on this and more importantly, how you do this form of marketing that ensures the great success you’ve achieved with it.
Do make the day great.
Always,
Akaahan Terungwa
This is really a wonderful article, in fact i have been using adsense now, and have thoroughly neglected affiliate programs considering the fact that i run a blog in which people come to download mp3 music, but from now i would give it a try i have even considered registering with a seller
Thank you for sharing the ProBlogger Podcast about affiliate marketing. We developed several affiliate product comparison portals for our UK, USA clients but always wonderful to learn new things from you Darren.
I thought this was a great post. I’ve been thinking about how to monetize my blog and really didn’t want to put ads on it.
Now I know about affiliate marketing, I definitely have more options. And I think if I combine this with email marketing, I will have a lot of great options that will help me as well as my readers.
Insightful thoughts as always, Darren. Thanks for the podcast.
I have read this post have seen best for making money and how to earn from your post. I have also written my blog and want to make money so this affiliate marketing post will help me. Thanks for sharing with us.
This really is truly helpful post. We had been utilizing adsense prior to four in order to 5 several weeks, however right now I’m utilizing affiliate marketer plan as well as my personal generating will go dabble after that adsense. This short article may be worth for those writers.
Thanks -Darren Rowse.