Avoid commodity products that your readers can buy anywhere — the commissions are so small you won’t make worthwhile money unless you can drive tremendous traffic to your site.
Commissions on e-commerce products are usually fairly low because of the overhead of production costs, storage costs, shipping, etc. So unless you are planning to build a large review or shopping site, physical products will probably be a very small portion of your blogging affiliate income.
However, if you have a favorite tool of your trade, a must-have gadget that will make your readers’ lives easier, or a high-quality recommendation that you’re sure people will be thrilled with, go ahead and offer it.
You’ll build goodwill even if you don’t make a lot of money.
Examples:
Niche shopping — Product Review Mom (parenting), Compost Mania (gardening), Roemer’s Workshop (hobbies), Pinch of Yum (food)
Tech or gadgets — Engadget, Gizmodo, Craziest Gadgets
Engadget
Cool stuff — This Is Why I’m Broke
Advantages
Once you have an established blog, companies may approach you and offer you free products in exchange for a review. (You should always disclose this, as it could be seen as a conflict of interest.)
If you can afford to purchase products on your own in order to test them, you’ll be seen as a truly objective reviewer.
Disadvantages
Commissions from e-commerce stores are usually a lot lower because of the overhead, so you’ll have to sell a whole lot more products to make a decent income.
Buying products so you can review them before promoting them can be expensive.
Our Recommendation?
Offer physical products only under certain circumstances:
They’re directly related to your blog topic and something your audience absolutely needs.
They’re not commodities. Specialized and distinctive products from e-commerce stores reflect better on you, boosting your reputation and credibility.
You should now have plenty of ideas for types of products you can represent.
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The Bottom Line on Affiliate Marketing
That dream you’ve had of making passive income isn’t just a silly fantasy.
It’s a completely achievable reality.
Sure, it’s not as easy as pushing a magic button or throwing Google Adsense all over your site, but with a little knowledge and persistence, you can definitely do it and even turn it into an online business.
Once you’ve gained a respectable following, affiliate marketing is one of the best business models for making money (and from the comfort of your own home too).
And the best news is that it’s so easy to get started. All the steps for starting an affiliate marketing business are spelled out in this post.
MarketingSimply identify the one big thing everyone in your audience needs to reach their goals and start there.
Choose a great digital product from an online business you believe in. Share it. Tell the story of your successes.
Provide lots of valuable content that helps and educates your readers, and take care not to be too salesy.
Be upfront, honest, and transparent. Nurture the trust that readers place in you.
And finally, be patient.
All your efforts will pay you back with that sweet “cha-ching” of affiliate commissions being deposited into your bank account.
What is affiliate marketing and how to get started?
Affiliate marketing is a $12 billion industry* globally, with $6.8 billion of that figure coming from the United States alone. Even during uncertain times, affiliate marketing remains a top-performance channel. And for marketers, affiliate marketing also recently ranked as a top in-demand skill*. That’s because of its high earnings potential for advertisers and affiliates alike.
For brands, affiliate marketing can deliver up to 30 percent or more of total revenue, with an impressive average return on investment (ROI) of $15 for every dollar spent. Meanwhile, affiliate publishers with lucrative partnerships can earn up to $10,000 a day*. Or, at the very least, they can diversify and level up their earnings through brand partnerships.
Whether you’re a new or aspiring advertiser or affiliate, this ultimate guide to affiliate marketing will set you on the right path. It’s a step-by-step guide that teaches you the basics on how to get the best out of the channel.
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1. What is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing channel. Brands reward affiliate publishers for driving traffic or sales to their website.
Let’s start with a breakdown of the four major parties involved in affiliate marketing:
Affiliates — Individuals or companies that get paid to generate clicks, leads, and/or sales for advertisers. Also called publishers or partners.
Advertisers — Companies that pay commissions to affiliates that drive traffic to their website. Also called enterprises, merchants, or brands.
