Affiliate marketing has been one of the most lucrative ways for bloggers to monetize their blog. It’s a win-win situation: you earn money while you build your readership. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing reviews on affiliate products or sharing affiliate links in your blog posts; you can earn extra income just by adding affiliate links to your site. This is what makes affiliate marketing so lucrative for bloggers. To help you decide how to monetize your affiliate marketing blog, here are six best practices for starting an affiliate marketing business on a budget.
First, joining a few high paying affiliate programs can be the best way for beginners to get started with affiliate marketing. Joining several affiliate programs will give you exclusive access to promotional deals and new content — while making you more money at the same time. It’s better to spend your energy on joining several affiliate programs than to waste your time and effort on low paying affiliate programs that won’t bring you the profits you want.
Second, avoid using affiliate links in your post. Doing this can lead to numerous blog penalizations. Every time Google indexes your site, it checks the affiliate link. If you have any affiliate links in your content, Google will see those affiliate links and could remove your site from their indexing. They might also consider banning you from using that affiliate link to market your own products. In addition, if you use affiliate links in your blog posts, other publishers may see those affiliate links and could have the same consequences as Google.
Third, only include affiliate links within the body text of your article. Including affiliate links in your article content is fine, but placing them too often is not. Google and other search engines have a rule called ‘site-wide linking’, which means they want the content of your site to look natural. The links in your article may seem natural, but they are still not good. Try to place your affiliate links only at the end of your article, or in a text box at the very bottom. This rule will help you avoid getting banned from an affiliate marketing website.
Fourth, never put affiliate links in your website footer, blog side panel, or other static page. Putting an affiliate link in your website footer or other static page places you in violation of their rules. It also looks unprofessional. Also, placing an affiliate link in your website side panel or blog side panel is okay. However, placing an affiliate link in your static page causes Google and other search engines to devalue your site. Don’t let this happen to you!
Fifth, always give visitors a direct link to your affiliate marketing website. Don’t make them go searching for that ‘affiliate link’. Your visitors don’t have to go looking for that affiliate link in order for you to get money through affiliate marketing. You need to tell them where that affiliate link is!
Sixth, get as much traffic as possible to your affiliate marketing website. Affiliate marketing works because it is a ‘pay-per-click’ traffic exchange. When someone clicks on one of your affiliate links and proceeds to make a purchase, you get paid a small fee. This fee is called a ‘keyword’ fee.
Seventh, keep your affiliate links simple. Don’t use affiliate links that have fancy graphics or words on them. People who stumble upon your affiliate link and click it are not going to give you many chances to make a sale. They are more likely to just leave your website. Keep your affiliate marketing links simple and easy to read.
Wanda Rich has been the Editor-in-Chief of Global Banking & Finance Review since 2011, playing a pivotal role in shaping the publication’s content and direction. Under her leadership, the magazine has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted source of information and analysis across various financial sectors. She is known for conducting exclusive interviews with industry leaders and oversees the Global Banking & Finance Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in finance. In addition to Global Banking & Finance Review, Wanda also serves as editor for numerous other platforms, including Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.