Are you wondering, “What is affiliate marketing?”
Then you've come to the right place. Ever heard bloggers or influencers talk about how they earn cash through affiliate programs and wondered how you could do the same?
Well, today's your lucky day!
In this post, we'll explain the ins and outs of affiliate marketing, giving you the knowledge and tools to succeed.
So, let’s look at how to make the most of your affiliate marketing efforts.
Let's jump in!
What is affiliate marketing?
Simply put, affiliate marketing is a way for sellers to boost product sales by teaming up with influencers who earn commissions for driving sales.
Here’s a breakdown of the different players involved.
How does affiliate marketing work?
Let's see how different groups understand it:
| Sellers | Influencers/Bloggers | Customers | |
| Affiliate Marketing | Reach more customers by getting influencers to recommend their products in exchange for a cut of the sale | Earn money by suggesting products to their audience and getting paid when people they refer buy the product | Learn about new products from people they trust |
Here are the benefits of affiliate marketing:
- ✔️ Sellers reach more customers.
- ✔️ Influencers make money by reviewing products they love.
- ✔️ Customers get to find new products or services through trusted recommendations.
Now that we understand more about the marketing side of things, let's talk about affiliate programs and affiliate links.
What is an affiliate program?
An affiliate program is a way for companies to encourage people to promote their products or services.
Those people share it with their followers and get a little something in return for their help.
Here's an example:
WP Tasty has an affiliate program on ShareASale, a platform connecting sellers (like WP Tasty) with influencers (like bloggers or website owners) who want to promote their products.
How's it work? When you join WP Tasty's affiliate program on ShareASale, you receive a unique affiliate link to share with your audience when you create content.
You earn money whenever someone clicks on that link and makes a purchase from WP Tasty.
This makes it fun for everyone involved.
What is an affiliate link?
An affiliate link is a special link given to you when you join an affiliate program.
When people click your affiliate link and make a purchase, you earn money. It's a way for companies to track and pay you for the sales you bring in.
Here's the exciting part: you can share this link across different channels like your blog, social media, or website. As more people click on your link and buy through it, you become a successful affiliate marketer!
Affiliate Link Cookies
Affiliate links also have cookies that store information in your browser. When someone clicks an affiliate link, a cookie is saved in their browser to track if they make a purchase.
Remember, these cookies may have an expiration date. The expiration time varies and can be as little as a few hours to a month or longer! So it’s important to check with your affiliate program.
But if the purchase is made within that time, you get credit for the affiliate sale and receive a commission.
P.S. Tasty Links (our WordPress affiliate plugin) makes it super easy to have your keywords automatically linked to your affiliate links. That way, you just set it, forget it, and watch the money roll in!
Do I need to disclose affiliate links?
When using affiliate links in your post, you must tell your readers you may earn a commission if they purchase the product.
In fact, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides guidelines stating disclosures should be clear and visible to readers.
It’s easy to set up affiliate disclosures with Tasty Links! It adds a disclosure after each link or at the top of your post:
Plus, by using Tasty Links for your affiliate links, you’re:
- Following best practices and legal guidelines
- Being transparent with your readers
- Ensuring your links are treated correctly by search engines
How to start affiliate marketing
Teaming up with an affiliate partner is a simple and rewarding way to make money.
By sharing products you genuinely love and believe in, you earn an income and help others discover great products.
Let’s get into how to get started!
1. Find an Affiliate Program that Matches Your Interests and Sign Up ✅
Start your affiliate marketing business by finding an affiliate program that matches your interests.
Look for programs that sell products or services you genuinely love and would be excited to recommend to others.
Then, sign up for the program and create your affiliate account.
2. Select Products to Promote and Get Unique Affiliate Links ✅
Once you're part of the program, it's time to choose the company's products or services you want to promote.
Check out how the different affiliate programs work and select the ones you believe relate to your audience.
The program will provide you with special affiliate links for each product you choose.
3. Share Affiliate Links with Engaging Content & Recommendations ✅
Now comes the fun part!
Write blog posts, create YouTube videos, or post on social media, highlighting the benefits and features of the products you're promoting. (We’ll cover this more below.)
Your goal is to provide valuable info, and encourage others to check out the products using your affiliate links.
4. Earn Commissions When People Make Purchases Through Your Links ✅
Here's where the magic happens.
You earn money whenever someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase. (within a certain time, of course!)
Remember, being honest and genuine with your audience about the affiliate links is essential. Tell them you may earn a commission if they buy through your links.
How to make money as an affiliate marketer
It's time for some fun! Let's explore some awesome ways to make serious cash through affiliate marketing!
Influencer Marketing
On platforms like Instagram, influencers tag brands, add links to their bio, and use Stories and Reels to discuss products.
Remember to choose products that align with your brand and share only what you genuinely like.
Referral Linking
Once you join an affiliate platform, you get a special referral link. When people click on your link and buy something, you earn money.
Include your referral link in newsletters, blogs, and reviews, or use it in tutorials, resource pages, and videos.
Blog Posts
Create blog posts to promote affiliate products! Show your readers different ways to use it and add affiliate links for extra earnings.
Don't know what kind to make? Well, ‘Best', ‘Review', and ‘Comparison' type articles are great for promoting affiliate products!
Landing Pages
Picture this: You have a special page on your website called a “landing page” where you share all your favorite products with your readers.
These are items you genuinely love and think they would enjoy, too.
Social Media Digital Marketing
You can use social media to drive traffic to your blog posts/landing pages. However, you can also promote products directly on your social media pages.
Write reviews, record videos, and include affiliate links to rake in the dough.
Email Marketing Campaigns
Share your favorite products with your email subscribers and earn money when they buy.
Quick tip: no Amazon affiliate links are allowed in emails!
Tasty Links
Use the Tasty Links plugin to automatically insert your affiliate links when you type a keyword on a blog post! No more remembering which products to promote, it’s all done for you so you can sit back and earn money!
Examples of affiliate marketing programs
There are tons of affiliate programs out there, so we recommend checking if one is available before you promote a product on your site.
Here are some popular ones:
Amazon Associates
This is a perfect program for affiliates! Let's be honest, what ISN'T on Amazon? And that means you can promote almost any product you use!
Check out our blog about how to add Amazon affiliate links to WordPress if you want to know more.
Target
If your audience includes millennials and savvy shoppers, then Target's affiliate program is right up your alley!
Walmart
Are you trying to reach families or bargain hunters? By promoting Walmart's products through its affiliate program, you can offer your audience exclusive discounts and special offers, making their shopping experience even more enjoyable.
WP Tasty
WPTasty has an affiliate program so bloggers of all levels can earn some extra money! Our affiliate program is on ShareASale so it’s easy for you to get paid. Sign up to our affiliate program here!
Tasty Links WordPress Affiliate Plugin
Introducing Tasty Links, a tool that boosts your affiliate marketing strategy.
It's like having a helpful assistant that takes care of all the nitty-gritty details for you.
With Tasty Links by your side, you can focus on creating awesome content and let our plugin handle the rest with:
- Automatic Link Generation: Tasty Links creates affiliate links for specific words in your blog posts. No more manual work!
- Disclosure Automation: Tasty Links adds disclosure statements to your links automatically, so you keep up with federal guidelines.
- Link Management: Easily manage and update all your affiliate links in one place, saving you time and hassle.
- Compatibility: Use alongside popular affiliate networks like Amazon Associates and ShareASale, giving you more earning opportunities.
Tasty Links also offers a Featured Links Block, which are like mini shopping experiences for your readers!
Create curated collections of products and showcase them in an attractive, clickable block. It's a fantastic way to engage your audience and increase the chances of them making a purchase. Here’s an example below.
Overall, Tasty Links simplifies the affiliate marketing process, saves you time, and empowers you to maximize your earnings. If you’d like to learn more, check out our pricing page.
Our goal is to make it dead simple to boost SEO and affiliate revenue with automatic linking. If that’s not your experience when using Tasty Links, there’s a money-back guarantee for the first 14 days after purchase!
Affiliate Marketing Frequently Asked Questions
Still curious about affiliate marketing? Look no further!
In this FAQ section, we'll address some common questions and concerns related to affiliate marketing.
What does an affiliate marketer do?
An affiliate marketer promotes products and earns money when people buy them through their referrals.
There are three ways to make money through affiliates:
- Pay Per Sale (PPS): Earn money when someone buys through your referral link.
- Pay Per Click (PPC): Earn money based on the number of clicks through your referral link, regardless of purchases.
- Pay Per Lead (PPL): Earn money when someone does something on the merchant's site via your referral link, like signing up for a newsletter.
What is an example of affiliate marketing?
Here’s an example of affiliate marketing. Imagine you run a popular food blog and are a fan of WP Tasty's WordPress plugins. Their affiliate program allows you to earn commission by recommending WP Tasty to your readers and followers. When a visitor to your site clicks on the affiliate link to WP Tasty and signs up, you receive a commission.
Can you really make money from affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to make money! With a large portion of the population connected to the Internet, online sales are growing!
Ready to start affiliate marketing?
When it comes to creating an affiliate marketing website, the benefits are truly worth considering. Not only does it allow you to diversify your content, but it's also a breeze to set up.
The best part? Joining affiliate programs won't cost you a dime. As your blog or social media account grows, so does your potential for earning more money.
Whether you're a seasoned blogger/influencer or just starting out, we highly recommend affiliate marketing for bloggers. And with Tasty Links, it’s even easier to expand your income with the best WordPress Amazon affiliate plugin by your side.
