This is when you promote/recommend other peoples products on your site, if your visitor clicks through and make a purchase you will make a commission.
So say that Hanna is looking for a swaddle blanket for her baby. If you have a baby site related to this topic, you can write a swaddle blanket review for example.
Hanna search Google for “best swaddle blanket” she see your result in Google and click through to your site – she finds the review helpful and click a link that takes her to Amazon.
At Amazon Hanna purchase the swaddle blanket… Hanna is now your referral and you make a commission.
In fact with Amazon you will make a commission on anything Hanna purchase within the next 24 hours. Yes, just recently somebody clicked through one of my links on one of my sites and purchased 9 items, I made a commission on all 9 items. Some of them were low cost items like sunscreen (I don`t even promote sunscreen) but it all ads up.
The most common affiliate offers come in the following 3 categories:
Physical products like the swaddle blanket. Digital products this can be an e-book, domains, downloadable software. Services – development, creative services, designs, travel, writer, membership sites.
How to Find Affiliate Offers
You can find affiliate offers by using larger affiliate networks like Amazon or Linkshare for example, you can then search them for specific offers or items.
The best way that I find though is to put in your niche + affiliate programs. So if we use the above example of swaddle blankets you can type in the following in Google:
“Swaddle blanket + affiliate programs”
The first thing that show up is….
Turns out that the first listing Happiest Baby have a affiliate program with ShareaSale. So you could sign up with them and earn commission.
One Time Sale vs. Recurring Sales
Most physical products would be a one time sale. You would buy that swaddle blanket and be happy with it.
A great way to do affiliate marketing is to market recurring sales. This can be a membership offer, a downloadable product that you need a monthly license for to give a couple of examples. When the customer is signed up you will make a commission as long as the customer keeps the service.
Don`t SELL, Help
Some websites / bloggers will press on the selling – if you are a professional blogger you are selling. That is NOT true. If you want to make money, you want to build relationships and you want to recommend helpful tips and advice. Sometimes that turns out to be a product.
Don`t sell, help and recommend… a HUGE difference
This is a huge topic if you want to know more about affiliate marketing and how that works read about how I got started with it My #1 Way to Make Money Online
