Tip #1: Limit the amount of products promoted. Those beginners in affiliate marketing who sign up under every affiliate program they come across soon find themselves overwhelmed, and unable to properly direct a steady flow of traffic to any of their online retailer/e-commerce associates. Understanding the current market needs and trends, as well as promoting products that align naturally with one's website, are a few ways to ensure traffic and subsequent sales with resulting commissions.
Tip #2: Learn to Build a Residual Income:
A banner on a website leads someone to an online book retailer. A book is purchased, and a commission paid to the site with the banner link. It's a one time sale, one time commission. Another affiliate marketer has a banner leading to a site offering magazine subscriptions, or some other ongoing, monthly subscription. A residual income is established, one that pays month after month, long after the original "sale" was made. Some residual incomes can be earned off the two tier affiliate marketing system. In this case, an affiliate recruits other affiliates, creating a team under him or her, which in turn generates a bigger improvement in sales for the affiliate merchant. There is plenty of good information on building two tiered affiliate programs on the internet. Sales generated by the "co-affiliates" result in a commission being paid to the affiliate, who in turn pays out a commission, albeit a smaller one, to the co-affiliates. A second tier commission is usually a flat percentage of the affiliate's commission.
Tip #3: Gaining the Right Traffic:
Having the right traffic visit a blog or website is winning half the battle in affiliate marketing. The other half is linking to merchants compatible with that traffic. A blog that has low readership, a website with few visitors, and affiliate marketing won't result in a livable income. It's vital to get the right traffic to a website, and the right amount of traffic. This can often be done by learning the ins and outs of SEO marketing. SEO - search engine optimization - is a tool used by merchants and affiliates alike to promote traffic to a website. Learn about SEO marketing techniques to drive traffic to a blog or website, and affiliate sales will pick up.
Tip #4: Purchase Power:
They are coming to the website - traffic is flowing to a blog. Readership has never been bigger, or better, or stronger....yet those affiliate links don't appear to be working. Or, people are clicking on them, but not buying anything. What could be wrong?
This tip connects with the above tip regarding gaining the right traffic. The right traffic is those people who have purchasing power. The consumers who use credit ad debit cards for online purchases need to be targeted. An online merchant who accepts a variety of payment methods, such as credit and debit cards, paypal, or any other secure method (depending on country) that is tied to one's bank account makes a better affiliate merchant than one who has limited payment options. As much as a blogger might want to write about high school fashion for teens, unless one targets an area of teens that do have credit lines, affiliate sales will be very low. Blogging about mother and daughter fashion, though, could bring in the parent who has the purchasing power.
Tip #5: Make Sure The Merchant is Reputable:
Do the research. Read what those who have purchased from this merchant are saying. Are items shipped in a timely manner? Do they arrive unscathed by the packing and delivery method? Merchants who have poor reviews won't be warmly received by traffic on a blog or website. In today's economy, more and more people are doing their homework and checking out merchants before buying. A "name" or brand merchant, with a good online reputation, is one whose link will be used most often. A merchant may sell branded products, but if his or her shipping is unreliable, or the payment processor not secure, word will get around. The internet is no friend to those who rip off others. A merchant's reputation affects the affiliate's reputation, too. Stay aligned with reputable, trustworthy merchants. Make sure they have some type of return or money guarantee policy. In other words, check out their policies as any consumer would.
Tip #6: Stay Current with Techniques and Tools:
An affiliate "plug in" that is compatible with a blog or website is just one of many tools that can be used in affiliate marketing. The right one can keep blog posts from appearing too spammy, and present links in an appealing way to readers. Marketing trends and techniques advance and change constantly; this is one area where the affiliate needs to "keep up with the Joneses".
One final tip, not numbered here, is to have a plan in place. Affiliate marketing is a business. In order for businesses to grow and make a profit, they need a plan, that is, something structured. A clear, step by step plan, outline, or some type of system will make the work go much more smoothly, and bring in results. There is no haphazard guesswork with a good plan in affiliate marketing. There are many systems offered online that can easily be used, or with some research, one can develop one's own plan for successful affiliate marketing. Either way, with a structured plan in place, eventually affiliate marketing will "do the work itself", allowing the affiliate to sit back and rake in the money. Follow the tips, find a plan, and set forth on an adventure in profits and commission earning known as online affiliate marketing.