Have you ever wondered what affiliate marketing is, and how you can leverage it for your business?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, affiliate marketing is “a marketing arrangement by which an online retailer pays commission to an external website for traffic or sales generated from its referrals.”
Keep reading for affiliate marketing 101 for business owners to help you start utilizing this extra source of income like a pro.
Start with your blogs.
Go through the blogs on your site first. Check for posts that relate to some of your affiliate links. Make sure to add a disclaimer at the beginning of your blogs, notifying readers that there are affiliate links within the post.
Here is a sentence you are free to use, “This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.” Once you set up these links, they will be there as long as you desire!
Promote those blogs.
Now it’s time to make sure you have content promoting the blogs that contain your affiliate links. Thankfully, you probably already do! Make sure your content clicks to those affiliate-linked blogs on platforms like Pinterest, your podcast, or YouTube channel. If you need to create some fresh posts or pins, take the time to do so. Again, once you have these created, they will continue to be live without any extra work.
What if I don’t have affiliate links?
Let’s rewind for a minute. You might be thinking, “Wait, what if I don’t have any affiliate links yet?” Don’t worry! You can gain affiliate links easily. Here are a couple of places we recommend gathering these:
- Your favorite products: Often, your favorite products will offer the opportunity to become an affiliate. Check the website for each product you are interested in. There will either be a page where you can apply to be an affiliate or you can contact their business email. If you use Amazon, you can create a “store” for your business. Your store will include all of your favorite products. When a client purchases a product from your store links, you will receive a small commission. When selecting products, think about if they are applicable to your business.
- Your Network: Contact your network! Many fellow business owners create their own affiliate programs. You can ask if they need new affiliates. If they do, there is another link or you can start adding to your content! If you are a woman entrepreneur looking for your network, come join the Business Relationship Alliance! You’ll gain access to our online community comprised of hundreds of talented women business owners across the globe and so much more.
Creating Your Marketing Strategy
We’ve gone over where to add your affiliate links and the evergreen content you can set up. If you are looking to boost your affiliate sales even more, create a marketing strategy. Also, some of your affiliate links will have an expiration date. You will want to market these links within the given time frame to make the most of them. For the affiliate links that do not have a time limit, it is still beneficial to highlight them individually from time to time. At least one affiliate promotion per month is a great way to build on this source of income.
Email Campaigns
Schedule out some email campaigns that promote your affiliates! You can schedule these out so you do not have to continue to write emails. Be aware of your audience. Will they need to be introduced to what you are promoting or are they already familiar? Most individuals on your email list won’t be ready to make a purchase at first. Work with your team to create strong emails that sell your affiliate links effectively. Remember how we started with your blogs? Try including a helpful blog in your initial email that happens to include the affiliate you are promoting. When your ideal client feels informed and they can see the importance of the topic you are speaking about, they are more likely to make that purchase.
Social Media
Along with your emails, promote your affiliates on social media! Add your links to your bio, schedule some related posts, and go live to discuss them.
If you found this blog helpful, read about the 5 ways to network anywhere next!
