Most people have heard about affiliate marketing and know that it is one of the most popular ways to earn money online. You’ve probably run into affiliate links posted by one of the many bloggers and entrepreneurs that utilize it as a source of income. This might have led you to the question, is affiliate marketing worth it, and should you consider becoming an affiliate marketer? If that’s the case, stick around as this article will give you all the answers.
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based advertising model in which marketers promote the products and services of other companies. In return, they get paid commissions for every sale they generate.
To become an affiliate marketer, you just need to sign up for an affiliate marketing program online and start publishing the affiliate links it provides you. They are generally free to join, and at the moment, there are more than 11,000 affiliate programs in the US alone that you can choose from.
With affiliate marketing, you make money every time a buyer uses your link to make a purchase, which means the business is an ideal passive income source.
Affiliate marketing goes hand-in-hand with social media and YouTube, so influencers with a large number of followers are usually the most successful at it. While there are many approaches, creating niche content and promoting products from that same niche has proven to be a successful formula for affiliate marketing.
Does Affiliate Marketing Work?
Not only does it work, many experts believe that affiliate marketing is the future of advertising. Presently, it is an industry worth over $12 billion and one of the most popular ways to monetize a website or a blog.
Affiliate programs do work because they are based on a simple principle — you only get paid when you deliver results. In other words, hiring affiliates is a low-risk strategy for companies. Even if the affiliates don’t generate any sales, the company isn’t losing any money. This certainty of return on investment is why businesses love affiliate programs.
At the same time, it is a low-risk revenue source for influencers as well. In fact, you can start affiliate marketing with no financial investment. The only thing you need is an online platform to promote the products or services and engaging content to drive traffic.
Does Affiliate Marketing Really Work?
Still not convinced? Okay, let’s try to explain this from a consumer’s point of view. Affiliate marketing works because it is beneficial to all parties involved, including the customers.
Ads are intrusive and annoying, while donations, sponsorships, and premium content behind paywalls don’t sit well with everyone. A lot of consumers, however, are likely to go out of their way to read a review about a product they are considering.
Affiliate marketing is a legit and convenient way to show your audience the quality of the product you are promoting. This is why running a YouTube channel and reviewing items you are passionate about is highly encouraged. There are more than enough affiliate marketing programs online to allow you to work with a niche in which you are genuinely interested.
This way, you will create entertaining and quality content and, at the same time, give your customers a chance to get to know the product before they buy it.
Is Affiliate Marketing Hard?
You know what they say: “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” On a more serious (and realistic) note, affiliate marketing is certainly not for everyone, and it can be quite challenging, particularly in the beginning.
The truth about affiliate marketing is that most people who tried it gave it up before earning a single dollar, the main culprits being unrealistic expectations and underestimating the work needed to succeed.
You never read about the people who spent months creating a marketing strategy and never got a dime because no one writes about them. The success stories about influencers making millions in their sleep account for an infinitesimal percentage of all affiliate marketers.
Is Affiliate Marketing Easy?
While no job is ever easy, affiliate marketing can be a fulfilling job that allows you to express yourself creatively. For people that enjoy writing, snapping photos, shooting videos, editing, and producing content, it can be a great incentive to work even harder.
For example, if you are doing regular posts on Pinterest, why not use affiliate marketing and get rewarded? If this is your approach to making money with affiliate marketing, then yes, it can be easier than a regular nine-to-five job.
Moreover, it can get even easier once you’ve created a considerable chunk of content and have amassed a substantial following. This is when affiliate marketing becomes passive and allows you to pursue other business opportunities.
Is Affiliate Marketing a Scam?
There is a common misconception that affiliate marketing is one of those get-rich-quick pyramid schemes. The truth is affiliate marketing is quite the opposite and requires long-term commitment to be successful.
However, while affiliate marketing is a legit business model, and you won’t be scamming anyone, it is not entirely certain that you won’t be a victim of a scam. To avoid being defrauded, you have to consider the reputation of the company you are about to promote.
Many big-name brands like Amazon, Rakuten, eBay, ShareASale, and Fiverr have affiliate programs. It is best to stick with these companies as they offer more security. Smaller companies might offer better commissions, but at the same time, you might never get your hands on them.
What Is the Success Rate of Affiliate Marketing?
It is hard to answer this question objectively as everyone defines success differently. For some people, success might mean quitting their day job and earning a full-time affiliate marketing salary. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen too frequently.
There are people that like their jobs but still love to create content. To them, affiliate marketing is just a way to stay productive in their spare time. Of course, any extra income is welcome, though not everyone prioritizes making money with affiliate marketing. So, naturally, the success rate of these people is much higher as every dollar they earn is considered a huge success.
In the end, it all comes down to how you approach affiliate marketing. If your only goal is to make money, then you are more likely to fail. However, if you see it as an opportunity to express yourself and try to help people in the process, then you are more likely to find success.
How Long Does It Take To Make Money With Affiliate Marketing?
This is another question that doesn’t have a straightforward answer as it depends on everyone’s unique situation prior to starting the business. Some people might have some level of popularity on social media or YouTube they can leverage to quickly launch their program.
Others might start from scratch but have a knack for creating engaging content and manage to build an audience within a few months. Utilizing SEO to drive traffic to your platform is critical for reaching customers and can help you make money with affiliate marketing in the shortest possible time.
Unfortunately, some marketers might need six months or even more to earn their first profit. This usually happens when you choose a niche with no market or a niche that is so popular, that its market is oversaturated.
Focusing on the wrong priorities can also be a reason for not making money as quickly as you’d like. For this reason, it is important to always look for ways to improve your strategy and content.
Can You Really Make Money With Affiliate Marketing?
Okay, this is an easy one. The answer to this question is a resounding yes! Thousands of people have managed to make a full-time income by promoting other people’s products.
Just to clarify, we’re not only talking about Instagram millionaires. There are plenty of ordinary people who make money with affiliate marketing without being celebrities and excessively exposing themselves to the public.
However, as we already discussed, it takes effort, dedication, and creativity to establish a stable income from affiliate marketing. Therefore, if you are not ready to put in the work, you shouldn’t expect to make much money.
Are Affiliate Programs Worth It?
It all comes down to this. Is affiliate marketing worth it? The goal of this article was to provide you with enough information so you can decide for yourself. However, we promised to give you all the answers, so here it is. Affiliate marketing is an excellent opportunity for bloggers, YouTubers, photographers, and other creative individuals to monetize their content. Joining an affiliate program is free, so it is definitely worth trying it out. If all goes well, you may end up doing what you love the most for a living.
