Margie Barkley: How do you start affiliate marketing?

Many new challenges have presented themselves over the past two years, something no one expected. Unfortunately, this has meant that you have had to look at your income sources and make a decision to change. Terrifying? This is a terrifying situation.

But where do you start? Affiliate marketing is a large industry with many moving parts. You also know that starting your own business can be expensive, which may not be an option for you right now.

ShareASale is here to help. We have broken down the costs of becoming an affiliate marketer and provided some tips to help you get started.

What is affiliate marketing? How does it work?

Affiliate marketing is performance-based marketing. Affiliates are also known to promote brands and products for advertisers, also known by merchants or brands. They are paid a commission for every sale they make.

Trackable links and data are the basis of the system. Each publisher receives a unique code or link that uniquely identifies customers they have referred to an advertiser. An advertiser can track these customers and award their affiliates commissions.

Joining an affiliate network like ShareASale makes it much simpler to do this. The entire process is simplified by sharing unique affiliate links and keeping track of all data related to affiliate marketing for publishers and advertisers. We also provide a platform where both parties can meet and create great partnerships.

Publishers aim to get their readers to click on their affiliate links and make a purchase. Learn more. Learn more about affiliate marketing.

Are you looking for affiliate marketing money?

The short answer is yes. But it’s only a small amount. Affiliate marketing is a way to reduce the costs associated with starting a business. It is important to remember that everyone must start somewhere. Even the most successful publishers in the industry started with very little.

It is up to you and what your skills are to decide if you want to make startup costs large or small. A great place to begin affiliate marketing is to create your own website, blog or landing page. This can be done easily if you have technical knowledge. Although there are many web-building tools that can be used, most have very low costs. Squarespace costs $12 per month to host a website with up to 20 pages, while a Wix Combo Plan costs $8.50 per monthly. WordPress also offers free services, but you will need to use WordPress.org instead of WordPress.com because WordPress.com has strict rules about affiliate marketing. These services can be used to build your first website and offer a variety of templates. If all of this seems overwhelming, you can always hire someone to build your website for you. This will cost you a bit more but provide you with peace of mind.

If the hosting company you choose does not offer this, you will need to buy a domain name.

Affiliate marketing can also be done without a website. You may have to pay additional costs depending on the method you choose, but these can be offset by your affiliate earnings.

Paid advertising is a popular strategy for publishers who are successful. However, it should not be used as a short-term strategy. Once you have some traffic to your affiliate efforts, this should be a long-term strategy.

Here are eight tips to get started in affiliate marketing without spending any money

Build an audience

Affiliate marketing is all about building trust with your audience. This can be done in many ways. You can build trust and engage your audience by creating content about a topic you are passionate about. However, you must first decide which platforms you will use for content creation. Consider the content you are comfortable creating – whether it’s written content, video, photos, styled images or podcasts.

It is important to consider who your target audience is. Although people are multifaceted and may use many platforms, is it where they spend the majority of their time? Younger people may spend more time on TikTok than older ones, while older folks may use Facebook more frequently. Make sure to research the platforms and find out which one best suits your needs.

Make the most of social media

Nearly all social media platforms are free to sign-up, even if you’re a business. This gives you extra exposure in any industry that interests you.

Although we do not recommend that you use social media exclusively to promote affiliate links, it is a great way to build trust with your audience and increase your exposure. Social media is a great way to grow your valuable audience.

Many people are unaware that you can post to websites and interact with other users without having to create a profile or business page. If you prefer, you can use your personal profile. You can comment on Reddit discussions, in Facebook groups, or in the comments section on Youtube. This allows you to find relevant discussions for your niche and add interesting thoughts or commentary.

It is important to understand the disclosure guidelines when using social media for affiliate marketing. You could be penalized for not disclosing paid partnerships to your audience in many countries and regions.

Review your experience

Affiliate marketing is all about positive reviews. You should make use of review platforms to your advantage. Consistency in your review process will help people trust you.

It is important to only comment on services or products that you have used.

Review style websites, or the product review section on a website, can be used to provide honest feedback and promote your affiliate links. You can embed your affiliate content in your content, and provide more detailed reviews and explanations.

Follow the experts

What do those who have succeeded in their chosen field look like? It’s obvious that it works. Let’s be clear, never copy another person’s work. This is a quick way to be blacklisted in the industry and could lead to legal consequences. You can learn from successful people’s techniques and put your own spin on them. What is their approach to communicating with their audience? How is their website organized? Where are the buttons located? What are their ideas? What type of ads do they use? These are great questions to ask yourself and then use them in your marketing research.

Create inviting CTAs

You will need to be familiar with the concept of a CTA, or Call To Action (Call To Action) if your goal is to build and maintain your website. Affiliate marketing is all about creating great content that encourages people to take action. We have provided detailed information on crafting great CTAs to help you succeed in this field.

Great stories are told

Marketing is all about being convincing storytellers. Sometimes, the best way to convince a customer is not in the hard facts of a product/service, but the story you tell about it. Storytelling doesn’t have to be about telling fairy tales or making up stories. It’s all about creating an atmosphere that is inviting, rich, compelling, and engaging. Great storytelling can make you stand out among the sea of information on the internet.

Be consistent

Consistency is key. We’ve already said it many times. You can’t afford to pay for a large audience. Instead, you must build one. This is best done by consistently creating value-added content. It takes time to grow organically (growing without money).

Affiliate network

Affiliate marketing is a huge industry. It can be difficult to start your own business, especially if it’s not a digitally-savvy field. ShareASale allows you to look for the right partners and see what’s available. You can join as many or as few networks as you wish.

We are also experts in the field, and can provide support for advertisers and publishers alike. You’ll gain access to a wealth knowledge and a team that can help you when you feel lost.

Affiliate marketing without spending any money? Get free resources

ShareASale’s Blog

We cover topics such as Getting started in affiliate marketing, Getting Started on ShareASale and Affiliate Marketing Guide.

Youtube

YouTube is full of great videos that will help you understand affiliate marketing. You can search for affiliate marketing videos and find many great tips.

We are however biased. Our channel is the best. We offer webinars, tutorials and interviews as well as insights into the market.

Blogs

Blogs are a great resource for information on this topic if you don’t like video and prefer to read the research. You’re currently reading one. There are many blogs that explain everything in affiliate marketing to help beginners and experts.

You can also find many other great blogs covering a wide range of digital topics, such as Later, Neil Patel and Hubspot.

Training for publishers

Although publisher training is often cheap, it’s not always free. You’ll likely find many people claiming to be experts who will try to sell you their training or courses. It’s difficult to decide which one to go with.

We offer free training for publishers on our website to help clear up any confusion. We cover topics such as:

Get familiar with your accountPartner with brandsPromote relevant services and products with affiliate linksGet paid

Awin Report

Awin publishes a report every year on the state affiliate marketing. It contains all the relevant data you need to understand the current state of the industry. This report is a great way to refresh your knowledge and learn more about affiliate marketing and the digital world.

Final note

Affiliate marketing can be done without any money. However, it may take some extra effort and time. This means that you have the chance to create a solid foundation for your success as an affiliate marketer.

How do I get started in affiliate marketing without any money? .