{"id":8423,"date":"2024-11-13T04:21:40","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T04:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=8423"},"modified":"2024-11-13T04:21:41","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T04:21:41","slug":"affiliate-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ap\/blog\/affiliate-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Affiliate Marketing and How to Get Started?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Affiliate marketing involves promoting another business\u2019s products or services online in return for a small affiliate commission after each sale is made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a promoter, affiliate marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate passive income online. Once you sign up for a participating platform, you\u2019ll get a unique affiliate link. You can then embed this in your website, blogs, emails, or social media. When a consumer clicks that link and buys a business\u2019s products, you\u2019ll receive a percentage of the sale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In return for providing a cut of the profits, the participating business benefits from cost-effective marketing, helping them attract more customers and generate more sales. Think of it as a mutually-beneficial partnership. It\u2019s not surprising the global affiliate marketing industry<\/a> is currently valued at $16 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affiliate marketing for beginners<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re just getting started with affiliate marketing for the first time, you\u2019re likely wondering how the process works. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. The aspiring affiliate marketer finds an affiliate program that interests them. After inspecting the types of products they\u2019ll be selling, the commissions on offer, and the payment structure, they sign up and await approval confirmation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Once they\u2019re accepted into the partner program, they\u2019ll receive custom affiliate links for different products. These links are entirely unique to the marketer, meaning the business can track which customer purchase came from which promotion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The marketer utilises different channels to promote products to their customers. They might include an affiliate link in a blog, place it in a podcast description, or add it to their social media along with a video explaining the benefits of the product. Note that the marketer needs to tell the audience that they\u2019re promoting a brand via an affiliate link.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. A consumer sees the marketer\u2019s promotion, clicks the link, and buys from the business website. As the affiliate link contains a tracking ID, the merchant business can see when the marketer has referred a customer to them. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. After the affiliate earns enough commissions, they can withdraw the funds. Depending on the affiliate model, the business may offer the money directly or provide a different form of reward, such as a voucher. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    This is the standard type of affiliate marketing program. Common affiliate sites that offer this include Amazon, Etsy, and the eBay partner network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the flip side, brands may also approach content creators directly to become affiliate marketers \u2014 usually with a larger commission fee attached. This is a common tactic for brands to form affiliate partnerships with influencers, as well as popular websites that receive a lot of traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What happens if the consumer doesn\u2019t buy the product immediately?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Affiliate marketers often worry they won\u2019t receive a commission if the customer doesn\u2019t click the link and buy right away. Fortunately, this isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When a consumer clicks an affiliate link, a cookie (small file) is stored on their device. That way, even if the customer abandons the page and returns to the site later via a Google search, it still counts as the marketer\u2019s referral because they initially sparked interest in the product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What are the different types of affiliate marketing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    To further explain the concept of affiliate marketing, let\u2019s break down three major types you should know about:  unattached<\/strong>, related<\/strong>, and involved. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Unattached affiliate marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    With unattached affiliate marketing, the marketer promotes a business\u2019s products without having any expertise or personal connection to the niche. They\u2019re simply relaying information without having any relation to that product. This is the most common type for paid advertising. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Related affiliate marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In this type, the related affiliate marketer promotes products that align with their audience\u2019s preferences and interests. An affiliate doesn\u2019t necessarily use the products, but the products they promote are related to the theme of their content. For example, a cleaning YouTuber receives a commission for promoting a new detergent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Involved affiliate marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    With this type, the involved affiliate marketer promotes products they\u2019ve used and believe in. For instance, a dedicated tech review site that tests products and promotes the best ones earning a commission in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Which type of affiliate marketing should I choose?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Every type of affiliate marketing has its own considerations, benefits, cons, and use cases. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Affiliate Marketing Type<\/strong><\/td>Unattached<\/strong><\/td>Related<\/strong><\/td>Involved<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Best for<\/strong><\/td>Paid adverts<\/td>Social media and influencer marketing.<\/td>Affiliate marketing websites and blogs.<\/td><\/tr>
    Audience engagement<\/strong><\/td>No audience engagement<\/td>Some audience engagement.<\/td>Very good for building engagement.<\/td><\/tr>
    Benefits<\/strong><\/td>Easy to do with little effort<\/td>More credible as you\u2019re promoting in your niche.<\/td>Scalable. Good for building trust.<\/td><\/tr>
    Drawbacks<\/strong><\/td>Expensive to run paid ads<\/td>You could lose audience trust if a product you promote isn\u2019t awesome.<\/td>Takes a lot of time and effort.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    What are the benefits of affiliate marketing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Is affiliate marketing right for you? Here are four compelling benefits to consider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Passive income <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Once you begin the initial work to grow your marketing channel and choose one or more affiliate partners, you\u2019re all set. Your unique links will open passive affiliate income streams without you having to do anything else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Low investment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    With affiliate marketing, you don\u2019t need to buy or own any of the products you\u2019re selling online, meaning the initial affiliate marketing spend is quite low. All you need is a marketing channel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Flexibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The low initial investment allows you to switch affiliate programs without incurring extra costs. You can experiment with different products to find out which gain the most traction. As affiliate marketing is a passive form of income, you can also work it around your regular job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4. Scalability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    One of the most enticing parts about affiliate marketing is that you can commit as much or as little time to it as you want. Test the waters by investing a few hours a week. If you find it\u2019s a good source of income, you can quickly scale by joining more affiliate programs and promoting more products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to get started with affiliate marketing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Building an affiliate network isn\u2019t necessarily complex. However, the more time you invest in the beginning, the better your chance of making serious cash. Let\u2019s dive into our seven steps to successful affiliate marketing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 1: Choose an affiliate niche<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You don\u2019t have <\/em>to decide on a single affiliate marketing product, but carving out a niche will often help you land more commissions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Picture it this way. If you were to trust an affiliate link for a new smartphone, would you be more likely to trust a credible tech review site or a car blog? The more your audience trusts your recommendations, the more affiliate marketing conversions you\u2019ll get. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How do you choose a niche? Here are a few considerations to think about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n