Introduction

Have you ever seen your favorite influencer share links that help them earn whenever a purchase is made? Such links are known as affiliate links, and the model through which these influencers earn is known as affiliate marketing.

In recent years, with the rise of social media influencers, affiliate marketing has become a popular way to earn extra income while advertising and making a product visible to an already engaged audience.

Here’s everything you should know about affiliate marketing.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is an advertising model in which a brand uses third-party publishers (websites, influencers, or even other brands) to generate traffic and conversion for its products or services. This setup allows brands and content creators to collaborate and benefit from each other. Brands get to advertise their products or services to existing, loyal audiences, whereas creators earn a commission whenever a sale is made from their referrals. It is an engaging and effective way for businesses to reach new landscapes, tap into a more niche-specific audience, and generate brand awareness and leads.

How does Affiliate Marketing Work?

  • The affiliate (also known as the ‘publisher’) is an individual or a unit of individuals responsible for promoting a brand’s products or services.
  • The merchant unit is responsible for selling the products or delivering the services that the publisher is promoting.
  • An affiliate network that acts as a bridge between an affiliate and a business’s affiliate program. It is a common channel through which companies and affiliates connect and work together; however, being part of this network is not mandatory.
  • The viewer or customer who engages with the affiliate content makes purchases (of products or services). Merchants and publishers work together to connect the viewer to the affiliate’s audience and convert them into paying customers.

3 Types of Affiliate Marketing

  • Unattached Affiliate Marketing:

An affiliate advertising model is one in which the affiliate has no direct or indirect connection with the product or service they promote to their target audience. They may not have any related skills, expertise, or experience and may not make any claims about the brand's product or service. This type of affiliate marketing can make it challenging for merchants to earn sales as the publisher is not necessarily needed to recommend or advertise the product or service.

  • Related Affiliate Marketing:

Related affiliate links and marketing are the most relevant and vital ways to generate leads. They involve the publisher promoting a product or service while having some form of relationship with the offer. In such cases, the affiliated product or service connects with the affiliate’s target niche and audience. This enables the publisher to advertise the offer to an already engaged and interested audience. However, the affiliate may not necessarily use the product in question.

  • Involved Affiliate Marketing:

This type of affiliate marketing involves the affiliate and the product or service they are promoting. The affiliate is an active product or service user confident in solving a problem. The shared experiences act as the advertisement and their online reputation services as a trustworthy source of information. Such publishers are usually very particular about the product or service they are promoting, as any hiccups will directly affect their branding.

3 Benefits of Affiliate Marketing

  • Any brand can approach a content creator of their preference to advertise an affiliate without requiring the setup of an advertising campaign.
  • As the marketing is a commission-based program, merchants only pay for the affiliates' sales.
  • Businesses are in complete control of who they affiliate with, enabling them to reach an already invested and interested target audience.

How to Start Affiliate Marketing in 4 Steps

  1. Pick a niche you would like to get started with.
  2. Choose a platform where your content will be advertised.
  3. Find affiliate programs that can help kickstart monetizing your content. Amazon's affiliate marketing program, eBay Partner Network, and Gumroad are popular affiliate marketing partners.
  4. Promote the affiliated range of products and services with utmost transparency.

Bottomline

Affiliate marketing is an incredible way to put a product or service before an existing and engaged audience. Doing so significantly increases your brand’s chances of generating revenue, creating a buyer base, and reaching a broader landscape. However, to ensure you are making the most out of the collaboration, be transparent with terms and expectations and partner with content creators known for their reputation.