What is Affiliate Marketing?

Back in 2008 when I was hired at a company called affiliateCREW (re-branded as Net Media Group) nobody really knew about affiliate marketing. Explaining what I did for a living was often met with glazed-over expressions. Affiliate marketing is a little bit more mainstream now and most people I talk to have a general idea of how it works. For those that are still unclear, here is a very basic rundown of how affiliate marketing works.

Affiliate marketing is a popular way for businesses to generate revenue and for individuals to earn money online. In affiliate marketing, a business will pay a commission to individuals or websites that promote its products or services.

Affiliate marketing is a win-win situation for both the business and the affiliate. The business benefits from increased exposure and sales, while the affiliate earns a commission for driving traffic and sales to the business.

To start with affiliate marketing, the first step is to join an affiliate program. There are many affiliate programs available, and most businesses will have their own program that they manage in-house. Once you have joined a program, you will be given a unique affiliate link that you can share on your website, social media, or through other marketing channels.

When someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase, the business will track the sale and pay you a commission. The amount of the commission will vary depending on the business and the product or service being sold.

In order to be successful with affiliate marketing, choosing products or services that align with your website or audience is important. For example, if you have a website about hunting, you might choose to promote hunting equipment or hunting clothing. This will help to ensure that the products or services you promote are relevant and useful to your audience.

Another key to success in affiliate marketing is to promote the products or services in a way that is engaging and compelling. This can include writing product reviews, creating videos, or sharing personal stories about how the product has helped you.

Overall, affiliate marketing is an excellent way for businesses to increase their revenue and for individuals to earn money online. By choosing the right products or services and promoting them effectively, anyone can be successful with affiliate marketing.