A Step by Step Guide to Affiliate Marketing

Is affiliate marketing still a good way to earn passive income? The simple answer to this question is yes. Affiliate marketing has certainly become a lot more challenging.  But, it hasn’t gone away completely.

You need to do everything right from the word go. Therefore it is important to learn the ins and outs before you jump in. There are a number of courses that teach how to earn from affiliate marketing. But most of these courses are not legit. They are either way too old and never updated. Or they do not deliver on the promises made in the sales pitch.

Is Profit Point Autonomy legit?

Profit Point Autonomy academy is one of those courses. It’s a legit training program but you are not going to get much. There’s a lot of hyperbole on the sales page. Earning your first $500 or $5000 with affiliate marketing is definitely not as easy as it makes it look. Here’s a detailed review that will help you decide if Profit Point Autonomy is a scam or not. 

You can search for a legit course but the process is fairly simple. You can learn the basics for free and simply build on these skills to grow as an affiliate marketer. 

Here’s a step by step guide on how to start an affiliate marketing business:

Step 1 – Choose a niche:

Choose what you want to focus on. Maybe it’s health and fitness products or a specific type of product that appeals more to the ladies. You need to narrow the scope of your business and become an expert in that niche. You will find many people or mentors telling you that you should choose a niche that you are passionate about. The advice is not wrong. But I’ll recommend choosing a niche with the least bit of competition.

Step 3 – Find the right affiliate programs:

This probably is the most boring part but easily the most important.

You need to find the right affiliate programs that suit your niche. Amazon has a product for pretty much all niches. It is one of the best platforms for beginners except that the commission rates are not always great. You can look at a number of different affiliate networks like Adsense, CJ, etc. But most of these networks do not cater to specific niches and you’ll need to sign up for each program individually. Once you have chosen the right platform or program, spend some time reading the guidelines.

Step 3 – Create extraordinary content:

This is where the fun starts. If you are looking to earn from affiliate marketing, you need to create content that’s hard to beat.

Start by getting a website or blog. You can start with free hosting like Blogger, Weebly, etc. but it’s always better to purchase your own domain and hosting. You do not want to risk it all by relying entirely on a platform.

If people do not stop to read your content and click your links to the affiliate sales page, you are not going to make any money. This is why you need quality content that’s engaging. You need to provide value and build trust with your readers. In the meantime, always have an eye out for new trends in your niche so that you can capitalize on them.

Step 4 – Get target customers on your website:

Internet Marketing is not all about creating content. You need to drive traffic to your site and make sure that they click on your affiliate links. This might require you to get some knowledge of SEO so that you can optimize your blog posts for the search engines. SEO results will usually take a few months so be patient. Make sure you are also building some social media presence. Be active in the bloggers’ community by commenting or guest posting on other people’s blogs. You can also consider some paid traffic if the commission rate allows.

Step 5 – Build an email list:

There will be many people who will like your content and would want to stay up-to-date with what you have to say. You should try to capture these emails so that you can send them to offer related information.

The great thing is that when someone subscribes, they usually come back again and again. It’s very important for you to build a relationship with your audience and not just money.

Once you have some loyal readers and subscribers, it’s time to start promoting the affiliate program. This might take some time. Only once people stop clicking on your links will you actually make money.

The only way you can make consistent money from affiliate marketing is if you achieve the right balance in all these areas of business building. After a few months, you’ll start seeing results. But be prepared for some dry spells when there will be days when no one clicks on your links.

Don’t let the dry spells discourage you.

Just continue writing quality content and getting more subscribers to your email list. You’ll see results once it gets a little consistent.

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.