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Affiliate marketing is a tried-and-true business model that works extremely well in the internet era. When implemented correctly, affiliate marketers can make money in their sleep, earning a chunk of change for every sale and referral that they facilitate. 

However, setting up an affiliate marketing program requires a fair bit of initial effort, and plenty of patience. Many people are eager to jump in, but fall short because they don’t have the right road map or willpower to blast through barriers. 

Let’s map out some of the top affiliate marketing tips from business owners who have mastered this method over years of trial, error, and valuable experience. 

These are the best affiliate marketing tips you won’t find anywhere else, so stay tuned. 

1. Understand the Opportunity

Most people have heard of affiliate marketing, but don’t truly understand what it means or how it works on a practical level. This is step one, so start with self-education. 

“It’s the ultimate win-win situation,” said Marketing Expert and Author Russell Brunson. “All affiliates get something from the arrangement, as does the company running the affiliate program, making it a mutually beneficial relationship. When you fully grasp the implications of this business model, you can put it to use almost immediately.” 

2. Learn the Fundamentals

Affiliate marketing guides can be found across the web for free or behind short paywalls.  

It may be smart to pay for a more in-depth tutorial that gives you more info and puts pressure on you to follow through. 

“Perhaps the hardest part of affiliate marketing is the initial setup period, which requires some backend work and interfacing with sellers and various platforms across the web,” said Jeremy Goldstein, CEO of Navitar. “Larger companies like Amazon, Shopify, and Gumroad make this process fairly easy to navigate, but not all affiliate programs are so simple. You may need to get into negotiations with sellers and learn some technical stuff in the process. It’s worth it. The more you invest in your own assets like a personal website and social media pages, the better off you’ll be in the long run.” 

3. Choose the Right Niche

Personal finance? Health and fitness? Coding JavaScript? 

All the great affiliate marketers have a specialty, and this mix of passion and expertise allows them to thrive in terms of sales. 

“The products you choose to sell in your affiliate program need to be relevant to you and your audience, otherwise it won’t make sense why you’re offering them,” said Tyler Read, Founder and Senior Editor of Personal Trainer Pioneer. “Work within a niche that you understand and allows you to engage with other people on your own terms. When you’re in the right niche, you’ll also be inspired to keep up with the space, create compelling content, and generally be in the loop as things develop on social media. This is key to building and keeping an audience that trusts you enough to make purchases.” 

4. Identify Key Marketing Metrics

Rather than posting content and making offers at random, the best affiliate marketers are driven by metrics and don’t leave their results to chance. 

“An affiliate marketing machine is only as good as the traffic flowing through it, so keep your focus on clicks, views, and the other bread-and-butter metrics that matter to your business in the first place,” said Matt Woods, Co-Founder and CEO of SOLD.com. “You’ll also benefit from digging deeper into metrics like landing page info and email newsletter insights. As you learn more about your audience and their habits, you can then craft campaigns and promos that push the right buttons and lead to more sales. It’s really one of the best hands-on ways to learn digital marketing from the ground up.” 

5. Aim to Build Trust and Connection

On a fundamental level, an affiliate marketing program is a business. Businesses require trust and audience engagement, so make these top priorities from the outset. 

“We are naturally drawn to ideas and objects that have the seal of approval from people we trust, and that’s the core dynamic that makes affiliate marketing work at scale,” said Luca Capula, CEO of Son of a Barista. “Therefore, your goal is to become that trusted person in whatever environment you choose to occupy. Create that persona that people are able to recognize and connect with. Keep your online presence polished and presentable, but don’t hesitate to show some edge as well. Ultimately, you need to create your own winning formula and blaze a new trail, but trust is at the center, always.” 

6. Expand and Evolve Your Offers

Your affiliate pages will grow in size and scope rather quickly. It follows that your offers should evolve as well over time. 

“Affiliate marketing is an excellent opportunity if you truly believe in the value of the product you’re selling,” said Entrepreneur and Writer Neil Patel. “Because many times, you can make money off of something you would probably recommend anyway. Build on your original offers as your audience grows and diversifies, because there’s always another offer you can capitalize on.” 

7. Stop Waiting and Dive In!

If you’ve got the blueprint and the drive to be an affiliate marketer, what are you waiting for? The sooner you get started, the better. 

“There is only so much you can learn about affiliate marketing – or any type of business venture for that matter – by reading books and watching video guides,” said Lauren Kleinman, Co-Founder of The Quality Edit. “Eventually, you’ve got to step up to the plate, invest the time and money, and take that leap of faith required to achieve anything worthwhile in this life. Based on my experience and what I’ve seen others accomplish, the risk generally pays off in a big way.” 

8. Get Ready for the Long Haul

Don’t fall for the idea that affiliate marketing is a way to “get rich quick”. It’s not. It takes time to build these systems, so prepare for the path ahead. 

“Just staying the course and continuing to build your digital presence is often the best thing you can do for an affiliate ecosystem,” said Will Watters, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Western Rise. “The truth is that most people hear about this idea, give it a stab, then stop putting in the work after a week of no results. Don’t be like that 95% of people who try affiliate marketing. Give it a real, honest effort and you’ll be astounded by the interest and income you can generate in time.” 

Affiliate marketing is a great entryway to entrepreneurship, and a smart way to leverage your natural abilities. Apply these tips and get started today – you’ll be glad you did. 

This content is provided by an independent source for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Consult an attorney or financial advisor when making decisions. This information is provided by legal writers and does not reflect the views or opinions of The Daily Sundial editorial staff.