Affiliate Marketing for Dummies
Affiliate marketing has taken the marketing and advertising industries by storm. If you feel like you got lost in the storm, rest assured that you are not alone and there are plenty of resources for you to use to catch up.
Below you will find a comprehensive affiliate marketing for dummies guide to help you to better understand the concept. This guide is not restricted to dummies alone, even expert affiliates need to brush up on the basics every now and again. Use these, and additional, resources to educate yourself on the basics of affiliate marketing.
What is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing involves a business partner-like relationship between the advertiser, or affiliate network, and its affiliates. An affiliate, sometimes called a publisher, promotes offers, services and products offered by advertisers within the affiliate network.
The appeal to becoming an affiliate is that each time an affiliate facilitates a sale, lead or desired action they earn a commission, paid by the advertiser, based on a portion of the desired transaction.
How do affiliates make money?
Affiliates make money by driving traffic to the advertiser’s product or service by marketing the offers provided by the advertisers through a number of marketing options that include, but are not limited to, the following:
- SEO – search engine optimization involves the process of improving the visibility of a website, through link building, in search engine results through natural search results. The higher up in the results the better the visibility.
- Social Media Marketing – social media marketing is an impactful way to connect with your target audience, as well as reach new audience members, on a more personal level.
- Email Marketing – another way to reach a large audience at once is through targeted email marketing. Sending out a promotional email to a list of people within your target market is another great way to get your promotions out there and elicit an interested response.
In order to monetize traffic, affiliates implement the above marketing options to expand their web presence and offer products or services to a targeted audience. Newcomers to affiliate marketing should be aware that affiliate marketing is not a get rich quick scheme that happens overnight. Success as an affiliate takes time and dedication.
How do I become an affiliate?
The first step toward becoming an affiliate is to obtain your own website. If you already have a website or a blog that receives steady traffic then you are already on your way.
The next step is by joining an affiliate network. Joining an affiliate network is as simple as finding one and filling out their online application. There is a plethora of affiliate networks available to join.
The key to joining the right affiliate network is deciding which one best fits your interests. Think about your website. What niche, or suitable category, does it satisfy? What products or services are your viewers going to be interested in purchasing?
If you have a website about dogs then you are going to want to search for an affiliate network that promotes products or services that dog owners are going to be interested in, such as dog training lessons, dog books, and dog accessories.
Another great way to explore your options is by attending an affiliate marketing conference like Affiliate Summit. Affiliate Summit is a three day, bi-annual conference where affiliates and affiliate networks come together to learn and network. Affiliate Summit welcomes newcomers, experts and all types of networks.
Additional Resources:
1. Shawn Collins Blog - Extra Money Answer
