Affiliate marketing is one of the oldest modes of digital marketing that is still very much in demand today. It is simple, easy to set up, and can be incredibly profitable. But how does affiliate marketing work?
The idea here is to market a certain product, made by someone else, and every time someone purchases that product on your recommendation, you will get a commission. This commission can range from $1 to $10,000 based on the type of product you’re marketing.
With that said, is affiliate marketing worth it? Is it as simple as it sounds?
How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?
As mentioned, every time a customer purchases the product from your affiliate link, you will receive a commission. So, if you successfully market the product on multiple social media channels, there is a high possibility of getting a handsome commission. The process is simple, and once you choose a niche, you’ll easily end up with great profits in a couple of days.
However, do note that every affiliate program has a different set of terms of service. This includes the terms of payment, the cookie policy, and other factors.
Since most of you aren’t familiar with the cookie policy, we’ll give you a quick idea. Most affiliate products have a cookie period ranging from 30 to 150 days. When a visitor clicks your affiliate link, doesn’t buy any product immediately, but returns to the site during the cookie period (30 to 150 days), you will still receive an affiliate commission.
Getting Started
To get started with affiliate marketing, you only need to do two things: sign up for an affiliate program of your chosen brand and share your affiliate link to different platforms to reach as many consumers as possible.
Step 1: Sign Up for an Affiliate Program
To get started with affiliate marketing, you need to sign up for an affiliate program. Almost all leading brands offer affiliate programs. Some of them include Amazon, Puma, Adidas, Blue Apron, Vega, and Estee Lauder. Once you’ve zeroed in on a brand, you can immediately register for their program.
Step 2: Share Your Affiliate Link
In almost every case, the registration for affiliate programs is free of cost. After you complete the process, you will receive a unique affiliate link. Once you have this link, you can go ahead and share it on social media platforms or Facebook advertisements.
Alternatively, you can also create a website for reviewing the product and share the link on your site. Yet another way to market the product is by creating a YouTube video. Either way, the idea here is to reach out to the maximum number of customers, some of whom will hopefully click on your affiliate link and make a purchase, as a result of which you earn commission.
Is Affiliate Marketing Worth It?
Now that you have a basic insight into affiliate marketing, you might be wondering whether or not to turn this into a vocation. If you are hesitant, here are some reasons why you should try affiliate marketing:
Complete Flexibility
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of affiliate marketing is the fact that it offers complete flexibility regarding the work schedule. You can be your boss by scheduling flexible hours. What’s more, you can also work as much or as little as you want.
Since affiliate marketing gives you the option of choosing your preferred projects, you can explore a wide range of options before finally choosing a product that you want to market.
Low Start-Up Costs
Starting an affiliate marketing business is not just simple, but it is also extremely affordable. The amount you need to pay will depend on your preferred mode of marketing. For instance, if you’re promoting the product with a blog, you’ll just have to pay for your hosting account and domain.
Alternatively, if you are offering a detailed review or a podcast about the product on YouTube, there are no monetary costs involved at all. All you’ll need is an internet connection for getting started with an affiliate marketing project.
Plenty of Products to Choose From
Like we already mentioned, almost every leading brand has an affiliate program. So, you can always explore your options and choose a product that you are truly passionate about. For instance, if you’re a beauty vlogger, pick any top-rated makeup or beauty item and review it on your YouTube channel.
Alternatively, if you’re fond of cooking, choose from a wide range of cooking items from big brands and write a post about it or review it online. Either way, there are plenty of options, and you will be practically spoilt for choices.
No Employees or Office Hours
Affiliate marketing is a one-man job. So, you won’t have to deal with employees while choosing this profession. All you need is a solid strategy and a proper plan to promote your preferred set of products.
Since there are no working hours involved in the process, you also get to spend more time with your family and loved ones—or yourself!
Unlimited Profit
When you’re an affiliate marketer, the sky is the limit when it comes to profits. While office jobs limit your potential income with hourly wages, such is not the case with affiliate marketing.
If you have a solid game plan and an excellent strategy, you can soon make thousands of dollars from affiliate marketing.
Hone Your Digital Marketing Skills
By the time you’re a successful affiliate marketer, you will have a complete set of digital marketing skills. Whether it is building a website, search engine optimization, marketing content, optimizing conversions, managing social media channels, or email marketing, you’d be able to do it all.
On-the-job training is an excellent way to master new skills. And since digital marketing skills are in massive demand, you can easily hone them by trying out affiliate marketing.
Bottom Line
Is affiliate marketing worth it? While affiliate marketing is surely advantageous, it takes plenty of time and effort to get started. Since the results from this marketing won’t be driven in a single day, you also need to be patient while trying this mode of marketing.
Remember, affiliate marketing is not an automated way of making money. To run a successful affiliate business, you need to work on a day-to-day or weekly basis. Finally, when you devote the necessary time and implement a solid marketing strategy, you’ll soon be able to make the most from your marketing channel!