Affiliate marketing has been around for about 20-plus years. And with it comes a new breed of business people who we have come to identify as affiliate marketers.
These newcomers to the world of e-commerce are starting their own businesses and have become successful affiliate marketers. They are earning commissions from top sites like Amazon, Commission Junction (CJ) and Clickbank for helping to sell their products.
Social media is an effective way to promote the products you wish to sell because the networks are free to use. And, chances are you already have an account at all the top ones, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The main issue is how often to promote product links. You can’t do it too often, because you will start to look like a spammer. But in general, you can present yourself as a helpful person who is in the know about a certain topic, commonly referred to as a niche.
Know Your Niche
Choosing to promote products based on one niche helps you avoid the “scattershot” approach to marketing and really focus on what that particular target audience wants and needs.
Most people have “pain points” or problems in relation to a niche that they would like to solve. The affiliate products you promote could be the solution/s they are looking for. In that way, you are adding value to your fans and followers of whatever social media platform you have chosen.
Individual Posts
Your posts can be chatty, discussing a common pain point and then suggesting an affiliate product that can help. You could also post a review of a product or service you have used that has helped you solve a problem you had.
Video is being pushed hard by all social media channels these days, so a video review or demonstration video could get a lot of visibility and audience engagement. Most social media platforms now allow you to go live. The more engagement you get, the more visible your content will become.
Group Participation
Search on Facebook and LinkedIn to see how many groups there are related to your niche, and how active they are. If you see regular posting of content, it is a lively group worth joining. The best way to make sure you get the most out of your participation is to first offer value before you start making recommendations. Alternatively, you can find posts about problems and comment with a solution that would work, without being spammy.
Once you join, be patient and just participate. Start building a reputation as a helpful person in the know. Gradually, you can get them to visit your site or blog, or make product recommendations directly. You can also start your own Facebook group if you wish, so you have an active, engaged audience interested in your content.
Email Marketing List
Any affiliate marketer worth their salt will tell you, that the money is in the list. While social media is a great place to build relationships and promote your affiliate products, it can also get crowded.
To effectively profit from promoting your products on social media, you would need to get the people interested in your product to signup for your email marketing list. You can use this list in one of two ways – direct email marketing or remarketing on social media for people who have already shown interest in your recommendations.
Paid for Ads
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook ads are low-cost, but still highly targeted. You can drive traffic to your links or group page for only pennies per click. Using free and paid methods, you should soon see steady affiliate sales.
Companies are happy to pay commissions to people just like you, in return for selling their products and services. You have the potential to make a great income when you choose the right niche, stay committed, and understand your audience. For a no-nonsense, kick-start guide to getting started, download my free Affiliate Marketing for Beginners checklist.