Right now, it’s estimated that 80 percent of brands have affiliate marketing programs. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. These things have proven to be one of the best ways to attract customers. Therefore, it also makes a lot of sense to start your own affiliate site. But what exactly are these sites? And how do they work? How do they make money? Let’s dive right into it.
Affiliate marketing explained
Before we start talking about how they work, we first have to explain what affiliate marketing is. Basically, it’s a process that lets you earn a commission for marketing another company’s products. When running an affiliate, you can just find something you like, promote it, and earn a piece of the profit from each sale. The best part – you don’t have to keep track of who enters your website and clicks on the affiliate link. There’s a tech behind it that does all the work for you. And since the popularity of affiliate marketing has skyrocketed recently, there are affiliate programs available in all sectors. So, no matter what field you’re in, finding ones you can join should be a real piece of cake. Some of the most common types of affiliate marketing channels are influencers, bloggers, email lists, and media websites.
How does affiliate marketing work?
Affiliate marketing didn’t become so popular by accident. The thing is – it’s a perfect way to spread the responsibilities of marketing. Just think about it. Entering the business world can be risky if you plan to build your own product. By running an affiliate website, you don’t need to do that. Instead, you get to focus only on building your audience and redirecting them to other companies’ pages. Those businesses can focus on their core operations, and let parts of their marketing be handled by their affiliates. It’s a win-win situation. Also, there’s nothing tacky about it. Most of the time, the consumer won’t even be aware of the fact your site will earn a commission from their purchase.
Getting paid
What many people don’t understand about this type of marketing is how affiliates make money. The thing is – it’s as simple as it gets. Your job includes getting the consumer to the page where they can buy the product you’re promoting. When you make money depends on the type of program you’ve joined. Some companies choose to pay per sale. This means the consumer has to buy the product for you to earn the commission. Some, on the other hand, pay per click. In that case, all you have to do is get the consumer to the company’s site. Whether or not they actually purchase the product has nothing to do with it. Lastly, companies that pay their affiliates per lead want them to get the consumer to the site and complete the desired action.
Affiliates across sectors
As mentioned earlier, affiliate marketing is growing at a rapid pace. As a result, there are numerous niches you can enter. Let’s say you’re running a fitness blog but you don’t sell products of your own. There’s no reason not to join a program run by a company that sells workout equipment or diet supplements. You just include their links in some of your posts and there’s a chance you’ll earn a commission. The fitness industry is just an example. Affiliates operate this way across almost all sectors out there. For example, if you learn how casino software tech works, you can start an iGaming affiliate. Then, you can join one of many online casino affiliate programs available,
Why be an affiliate marketer?
One of the biggest advantages of running an affiliate business is passive income. “Regular” jobs require you to work to make money. In affiliate business, a single link can earn you commission while you’re in bed. Sure, entering the business requires some investment but it’s way less than you’d have to put into a traditional business. Also, you don’t have to worry about customer support. The product isn’t yours and the company that sells it is in charge of ensuring customers stay happy. If you need more reasons to enter affiliate marketing, just consider it lets you work from home and start without investing a lot. And since you make money based on performance, the amounts you can earn are sky-high. Of course, there’s also the convenience of being your own boss and working a flexible schedule.
The bottom line
With the way the affiliate marketing industry has been growing, now’s the right time to dive into it. So, if you’ve always dreamed of running your own business, now’s your chance. You don’t even have to design a product of your own. As long as your visitors click on the affiliate links on your site, the money will come.