Affiliate Marketing – what you need

Starting as an affiliate marketer was not what I expected. I took a couple of courses that “promised” overnight results. I was naïve, inexperienced and was completely confused by all the hype. What I did learn is you probably shouldn’t jump in with both feet. More specifically take your time; in fact, take baby steps.

As an affiliate marketing beginner I went into this arena with some technology, marketing and writing skills. I searched the internet for information about the topic. Of course, there are many “gurus” who pop up and “guarantee” they can help you make thousands overnight. Well, maybe if you already have a quality website, found the perfect niche, have already been publishing material, and have 1,000 followers.

You will probably need to take a few courses; just be sure to recognize what skills you should focus on first. For example, if you are unsure how to use your website and theme, don’t jump ahead into classes that guarantee “Make Thousands/Week With Affiliate Marketing Overnight”.

What is that saying…”don’t put the cart before the horse“. Meaning, don’t get ahead of yourself. More specifically, There are things you need to know and do first. For example, do you know your niche? How extensive is your knowledge in that area? How good are your writing skills? Do you know what it takes to get on Google searches? That is only scratching the surface.

Technically, there are some ways to do affiliate marketing without a website. However, I can only share with you my experience.

BTW, Affiliate Marketing Isn’t A Hoax!

It is just a bit misrepresented. You can make money; however, it will probably take longer than most suggest. Further, make this your mindset; consider it a marathon, not a sprint. In fact, it depends on multiple variables. For example,

Let’s Look At Some Beginner Pointers and Suggested Steps.

Chose A Niche

Every affiliate marketer must decide on their niche and who their target audience. Look at both to see where you can be the most effective and fits you at the same time. What to consider:

Consider what you are passionate about and research if people search that nicheIs that niche sustainable – don’t chose something that will quickly fadeWhat does the competition look like – remember if it’s low you will likely see income much soonerCheck out affiliate programs that fit that niche

Take your time in this step and make sure the niche fits you. In fact, if you choose something you are not interested in nor believe in, you will get bored and quit.

Choose A Brandable Domain Name

You want a website that you can get traffic from Google search. Moreover, it should be something that people are searching for. When picking a name, be sure to look for something catchy that tells the reader what your site is about. Additionally, make sure the domain is easy to remember.

Starting Writing Articles Before You Build Your Platform

Building a website/blog takes a minute; you have to figure out themes, how the theme works (they don’t all allow the same options), and what plugins you will need to start. Furthermore, once you are up and running, you will save time if you have articles to start posting.

Track Progress

Once you have your site, domain name and are starting to post articles – you need to track everything. To begin with, it is critical to track what works, what doesn’t.  Moreover, note the popularity of some postings, who visits your sites, how many followers have you gained and the products you are promoting as an affiliate.

Some build their website with one product in mind – don’t put all your eggs in one basket. In fact, consider that some products don’t work, and you want to easily replace what your promoting with something different to the same audience. 

Make Sure You Are Posting A Quality Product

In order for people to find you, Google will analyze your product and decide whether you are up to their standards. The easiest way to do this is to have a SEO and Google Analytics. The SEO will analyze your writing and make suggestions to better your posting. Google Analytics will analyze website conversations, user activity, and traffic to help you get to know your users.

Don’t Give Up

Let me repeat that; DON’T GIVE UP. The easiest way to hang in there is to realize it’s like a work of art; it takes time to become a fine tuned affiliate marketing machine. So, don’t give up. I’ve said it before; there is a learning curve to becoming an affiliate marketer. You will have days with wins and others with frustration. Just keep going and eventually it will pay off.

Persistence allows you to learn how to improve your skills and resources for your affiliate program. So, just be patient; it could take six months or three years to start seeing a profit.

Continue To Upgrade Your Product

Let’s be honest; unless you have experience building websites, it will take a bit to build a decent product. That’s ok; keep researching ways to improve your site.

In addition, apply the same concept to your postings. Take time to improve the quality and reliability of your writing. Don’t post just to post – people recognize fluff and avoid it. Always consider what you would do. What would make you want to read an article? Do your research and only post high quality, original content. You will only gain followers if people trust you.

Summary

Affiliate marketing can be profitable; however, be realistic in your expectations of how quickly you will see the results you are looking for. By all means, take your time learning this field; research, take courses, and track what works and what doesn’t. Above all, don’t crank out fluff; it is crucial to write high quality, original content – that’s how you gain followers and are accepted into affiliate programs.

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