What is Affiliate Marketing and Does It Work?

So since you have ended up here you are probably thinking about ways to earn money
online.  But you might have no idea how that works, or the various ways you have to make that happen.

I am going to take you through one of the most common methods that has been proven to be very successful, and that you probably come across every day and might not even notice.

That is Affiliate Marketing.


You have probably been bombarded with information and might be feeling a bit overwhelmed.  What is real?  This sounds too good to be true.  Am I being scammed? Can anyone really do this?

Don’t worry!   I am here to simplify it for you, and let you know how you can get started today. (Yes, no joke, today!)

Affiliate marketing is not a new concept.  It is rather an update of the revenue sharing principle,  of paying a commission for referred business – that actually predates the internet itself.

There is a lot of information out there it can be overwhelming and confusing so I will try and keep it as simple as possible.


What is Affiliate Marketing today?

Affiliate marketing is the process of promoting a company’s or individual’s product or service in
return for a small commission at no extra cost to the consumer.  This is achieved by inserting personalised links into your content or social media posts that redirect to the merchant’s site, but allow them to track where the sale has come from, which allows you to earn the commission.

It is a relatively cost-effective marketing method for both big and small businesses.  This has led to it becoming a booming
industry with the rise of e-commerce and is today a billion-dollar business.

Here is a very simple breakdown of how affiliate marketing works.

How Does Affiliate Marketing Work

Who are the Key Players?

There are several players to the affiliate marketing system, any of which could be you,

The Seller – This can be any type of business or individual.  If you or your company produce a product or conduct a service you can be considered a Seller in the affiliate marketing arena.  This can be anyone from large corporations like Amazon to an individual running a small business.

The Affiliate Marketers – These are the people who promote products or services on platforms like social media or websites.  They earn a commission from the seller for every sale, and signup made via the marketer’s unique affiliate link.

The Consumer – This is you, this is me, and every other internet user on the planet.  Anybody searching any topic online is a potential consumer who can provide you an opportunity to make a sale and earn a commission.


Ways to make money from affiliate marketing?

Blogging – The process of creating a website and posting informative and engaging content to be shared on the internet.  Depending on your topic of choice the content could be anything from written articles, photography, videos, or any combination of the three.  The opportunities are endless and the more creative the better. 

Social Media – The rise of Social Media created a new avenue of opportunity for affiliate marketers.  By building a presence on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook you can develop a relationship with an audience as a person who’s advice can be trusted.  This can then lead to the conversion of those followers into sales through unique affiliate links. 

Email Marketing – This is combined with the other methods mentioned.  When building your readers or subscribers you can encourage them to join an email list as another way you can connect with them to expose them to your most current content and perhaps special offers that can lead to more affiliate commissions.

Video Marketing – Sometimes called Vlogging, Platforms like YouTube and TikTok provide another avenue to gain followers via content creation.  The rise of popularity of video content in both long and short forms has increased exponentially, creating a huge captive audience that can be leveraged.  Once you have attracted enough subscribers and watch hours these can also be monetised.

Products Reviews/
Brand Partnerships –
Using all of the above methods you may also be able to develop partnerships with businesses who may pay you to advertise or review their products.  This is most obvious amongst influencers but is also relevant in the affiliate marketing space.


Does Affiliate Marketing Work?

Short answer YES.

Yes, Affiliate Marketing does work.  If it didn’t there wouldn’t have been a billion-dollar industry built on the back of the technique.  As long as businesses continue to offer the opportunity for marketers to promote and earn from their products and services that will continue.

If you are willing to take the time to build up the authority of your site, by posting quality, informative information that will HELP your readers you have the potential to build a successful online business.


Conclusion

Despite what anyone says there is no GET RICH QUICK way of earning money in any business.  Short of winning the lottery you are always going to have to put in some work to reap the rewards.

This is just as true in the online world.  Don’t be fooled by those who try and sell you a quick and easy route to big money.

But if you are willing to put in the work and build out your site with great information that will help answer all of the burning questions that your readers have.  You will no doubt develop a relationship of trust and respect with your readers.  

There are endless products and services that you can promote to earn online.  

Affiliate marketing DOES work.  

It will take time but with billions of internet users at your disposal the opportunities are endless, all you need to do is choose your niche and get started.

Have more questions?  Want more Information?

Feel free to leave me a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Ready to get going?  Well don’t waste any time –   Head over here to find out my top pick of how to get started today!!

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