The affiliate marketing sector is enormous. Even ten years ago, before blogging or social media had taken off, it was worth more than $2.1 billion a year. Today, the market is about a hundred times the size, and regular people who reach out to others online are scooping up a huge chunk of the returns.
The problem, of course, is that, as the pie gets bigger, more and more people are trying their hand at creating their own value. So what do savvy entrepreneurs need to do to generate mind-blowing incomes online?
Start Up Your Own Blog
To be a successful online entrepreneur the first step is to get up your own blog. This is the place where you’ll entertain your guests and recommend products and services. The entertainment part is critical – if people aren’t interested in what you’re doing, then the won’t take note of your recommendations, and big companies won’t be inclined to make substantial payments.
Use a web hosting service, preferably WordPress, and make sure to join as many blogger networks as possible, including Bloglovin’.
Find Products To Promote
The next step is to find products which naturally complement your blog. Ideally, you’ll choose products that your target audience is likely to be interested in. For instance, if you run a health and beauty blog, then you’ll promote health and beauty products.
There are also companies out there who can provide you with products to promote. These companies usually target specific sectors, so find out ahead of time which are best for your blog.
Finally, you can go for more generic forms of advertising – for instance Google Adsense PPC marketing – to generate revenue for your site. Companies will pay you in proportion to the amount of traffic going through your site. The more people clicking on advertising banners, the more money you’ll make. Just remember, volumes need to be high to make a substantial income through this method.
Be A Resource Or Review Site
How will you attract people to come to your website so that you’ll be valuable to marketers? The first way is to be what’s sometimes called a “resource” site. These sites focus on providing users with useful information. “How To” posts are common. On these sites, you’ll provide people with links to your affiliates to “find out more” and so on.
The other type of site is review sites. The purpose here is to draw people in by providing high-quality reviews of products. Again, you’re providing people with something they want – information about products they may be thinking of buying.
Leverage Forums
Finally, your blog doesn’t operate in isolation. It should be part of a larger network of online communities to really succeed. That means having a social media presence that runs alongside your regular blog. It also means joining forums specifically designed to cater for the needs of affiliate marketers. Affiliate marketing forums provide you with helpful information on how to proceed in an otherwise challenging and technical marketplace. Read as much as you can and start using strategies used by experts.