Are you one of 32 million plus Americans who run a blog?
There is no doubt you love what you do. Many people join the industry because they are passionate about blogging.
However, over time blogging has evolved from a passionate activity or hobby into a profession (or business) that earns bloggers a good income. In fact, some of the top earning blogs pull in over a million bucks a month!
Must See | Affiliate Marketing Opportunities That Will Help You Monetize Your Blog
Want to join this league? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we are telling you:
How to Make Money from an Affiliate Marketing Blog
Grow Your Blog Audience
A common mistake many bloggers who are interested in affiliate marketing make is entering the industry with a get-rich-quick attitude. They think all one needs is to set up a blog, post content here and there, add in affiliate links and…boom! Checks start flying in.
The only way to make good dough from affiliate marketing is to build a blog that attracts a big audience. The more people viewing your content, the higher the chances a good number of them will click through the affiliate links and actually buy the products or services you’re promoting.
The question is, how do you grow your blog audience?
First things first, choose a niche and stick to it. Niche blogging enables you to write about stuff you enjoy or know about. If you’re a petrol head or car enthusiast, for instance, you’ll have fun writing about cars or making videos about cars than, say, yachts.
Also, niche blogging offers you a great opportunity to build an authoritative voice. Readers are more likely to trust you when you only blog about cars, as compared to blogging about just anything. Nobody likes a jack of all trades!
Other ways to grow your blog audience include:
- Blogging with SEO in mind
Find Affiliate Networks
Once you’re confident your blog is pulling sufficient traffic, it’s time to start monetizing.
Begin by finding affiliate networks in your niche. Even though the temptation to sign up with as many affiliate networks as possible will always be there, don’t give in, and here is why.
Sticking with our car blog example, your readers are very likely to be interested in purchasing cars, car parts, and auto insurance. As such, being an affiliate of an auto insurance company will yield good returns, because you’re already targeting the right market.
On the other hand, let’s consider an automotive blogger who signs up with a hotel affiliate program. Does it even make sense? In fact, most of your readers will be put off, and may never return to your blog again.
Moral of the story? Sign up for affiliate programs that blend organically with your content and overall niche of the blog.
What if you really want to be an affiliate for business in multiple industries? After all, it’s the best way to maximize your affiliate blogging income.
Well, when that’s the case, you need to set up your blog with this aim in mind. A good solution is to run a product review blog. You will be reviewing a diverse range of products, and depending on your voice and style, it’s possible that people won’t give a hoot about whether you’re a car expert or a smartphone expert!
That way, you can freely join various affiliate marketing programs, including Amazon associates.
Most importantly, be sure to assess the quality of a program before joining. Several online resources offer useful reviews.
Don’t Over Promote Products/Services
It’s always a dream come true for any affiliate marketing blogger to earn their first commission, even if it’s a few cents. From there, you want to earn more and more.
In this desire to rake in more dollars, some affiliate bloggers forget about their primary goal – which is to provide valuable content to readers – and instead focus on promoting products and services.
Turning your blog into a full-fledged affiliate marketing tool comes at a steep cost. At a time when most internet users are annoyed by online advertisements, visitors won’t hesitate to abandon your blog if they have to navigate through several banner ads, pop-ups, and links just to find their favorite content.
Also Read | Strategies Smart Amazon Affiliates Use for Explosive Commissions
Disclose Your Affiliate Relationships
Did you know blogging can land you in legal trouble?
Yes, if you fail to disclose your affiliate relationships, you’ll violate the law, and you’ll make the Federal Trade Commission very angry. Plus, disclosing such relationships is a matter of honesty. You don’t want to trick the same visitors who enable you to earn affiliate commissions.
That said, it’s important to be creative with your disclosures. Visitors will appreciate your creativity, and they could be even more motivated to buy.
If you run a food blog, for instance, say something like:
“DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links. When you follow the links and make a purchase, I will earn a commission, which I will obviously blow on my all-time favorite recipe– waffles and custard!”
Who won’t love that?
An Affiliate Marketing Blog Can Make You Money
Running an affiliate marketing blog will earn you an income, no doubt, but you need to put in the work. And now that we have given you the tips you need to turn this venture into a cash cow, what’s left is for you to take action.
Keep in mind that your income will also depend on the products or services you choose to promote. Also, the company that offers such services or products matters. This is because commissions are usually different, so be sure to promote products that are most relevant to your audience.
Need more tips for making money online? Explore our blog.
