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Starting a blog isn’t as simple as it sounds. Especially when you plan on starting the proper way. However, there are many materials out there to expand your ‘know-how‘ and plenty avenues to monetize, once you get started.
That’s where Affiliate Marketing comes along. It presents a unique opportunity to earn from your blog while doing what you love – producing content! Nonetheless, if done incorrectly, it could harm your business!
Before diving into those horrible mistakes and how you can avoid or fix them, let’s cover some basics.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
“Affiliate Marketing involves earning a commission by promoting a product or service made by another retailer or advertiser. It is a monetization model where an affiliate partner, which is you, is rewarded a payout for providing a specific result to the retailer or advertiser.
Typically, the result is a sale. But some programs can reward you for leads, free-trial users, clicks to a website, or getting downloads for an app.”
Shopify
Why Become an Affiliate Partner?
If monetizing your blog/website is something that you plan on doing, then becoming an affiliate partner is a good idea, considering it is a passive income earning model and you won’t have to do much to keep earning from the partnership.
Now, on to Affiliate Marketing MISTAKES, that will Harm your Business
1. You sign up for too many!
As a result, you loose track of many of the programs you signed up with. When that happens, you may forget to promote certain products/services and loose out on potential sales.
Not only that, but you may spread yourself too thin. Its not the quantity of affiliate programs that matter – rather, its the quality and the amount of effort you put into marketing the programs well.
Another downfall of signing up for too many affiliate marketing programs is that, you may loose sight of your niche. You must remember that the content you blog about determines the audience you attract.
If the products you market are not relative to your niche, your audience may not necessarily be interested. Hence, no profit.
I learnt that the hard way, and you don’t have to.
Do this instead:
Find affiliate programs that give you access to products and services that are relevant to your niche and helpful to your audience. Zoom in on about 3-5 and monitor them closely, so they stay in your field of remembrance and won’t be too much to market.
2. You do not Read the policy guidelines/ terms and conditions
The importance of reading the “fine prints” is so imperative when it comes on to contracts. Which is exactly what your agreement is – a contractual agreement to be an affiliate partner with an affiliate program, retailers or advertisers.
Most often than not, these agreements lay down the foundation of the operations expected of you and those you should expect.
They are your guide and, if read carefully can help you steer clear of affiliate marketing mistakes.
3. You Purchase Products from your own Links, expecting to profit
And you don’t!
Many affiliate programs warn you of this. Usually, this warning comes in the form of policy guidelines, in the fine prints you didn’t read.
Don’t worry, I’m not judging you. Actually, I was on the verge of making this mistake once – then I thought “I don’t think this is so easy.” So I went and read the policy of the affiliate program I had signed up with.
Lo, and behold – that constitutes a breach and could lead to you loosing your contract. Besides, these programs usually have excellent ways of tracking sales and could easily – point you out.
Do this Instead:
Purchase the products/services directly from sites and without using your own links. Then create content reviewing those products/services that you’ll share with your audience.
You may have even had or used those products/services before and can find them around your home.
Highlight the good things, how your audience would benefit and don’t be afraid to be honest if there are any little flaws with something. Your audience will appreciate you for that.
When I started my blog with the best web hosters there is – I truly loved all their features, user friendly systems and the affordability of using them. Honestly, I have not yet found any flaw with them and have not regretted my choice to start my blog and website with them.
I regularly, promote products from Amazon, as I am an affiliate partner with them. I frequently recommend this growth enhancing book that I have at home and benefit so much from: The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, by John C. Maxwell.
I though about using my link to purchase another copy – but when I became aware of the policy, it was a no go.
I’ll stick to the old one – for now.
4. You persuade close friends and families to use your links…
And some affiliate programs are against this. But how exactly will they even know that it is you who asked your friends and family to purchase using your links? What if they did – but not under your influence?
These programs have good ways of tracking sales and the connection a particular device has with yours – if any.
Again, it comes down to reading the terms of your agreement, carefully. That way, you will know what is acceptable and what isn’t.
Besides, no two affiliate programs are the same. And what may be true for one, may be far from the truth for others. Read your agreements carefully.
5. Non – Disclosure
Okay, okay , okay… maybe you think that persons may not purchase items or services if they know you will profit. Truth is, many persons won’t. And many other won’t mind.
Regardless, your blog and websites are reputable places (which is why you would have landed the contract in the first place). So you will need to uphold standards that are required in the field.
Do this:
As an affiliate marketer, it is advisable to disclose to your audience that there are links on your site that may take them to third party sites.
Not only that, but it is recommended to let your visitors know, that you may receive commissions from sales and any other information that may be relevant to their data.
Again, some affiliate programs expressly advise partners to disclose to their visitors that affiliate links are on site. Some are specific in the way it must be done or ought not be done.
I highly recommend disclosing affiliate links to visitors in the early paragraphs, sentences, blocks – before those links arise in the article.
Be sure to also provide links to pages like terms and conditions, privacy policy, disclosure etc. where they can read more about the links if they wish to.
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6. Waiting to have Hundreds of Readers…
Getting content published is a major success for many bloggers, including myself. I love hitting that publish button.
Many times, I am unsure how many persons will see it, let alone read it. But if I wait around for the statistics to show that hundreds of readers are coming to my site – before publishing, I may delay the progress that I could be making. Especially as it pertains impacting others, care how few in number.
Similarly, showcasing wonderful products and services doesn’t need hundreds of readers to be successful.
Surely, the more, the merrier in terms of reach and sales. However, starting small is still a start – and a good one too.
For social platforms like Pinterest, its the oldest pins that oftentimes generate the most traffic. How often have you come across a pin on Pinterest, realizing that the article is almost 3 years old?!
Chances are, when that blogger started out, even with their affiliate marketing – there may have been little traffic and sales. Nonetheless, they still started and published.
Go ahead, and market those products/services.
All in All…
Affiliate marketing is not always easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. Follow the core concepts above to avoid making those mistakes that will harm your business.
Remember, that growth takes time. So if you are not seeing the results you anticipated, try as best as possible not to quit.
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