Common Affiliate Marketing Mistakes
There are a few Affiliate Marketing mistakes that I see clients make repeatedly.
When I'm asked about web site monetization options I often suggest signing up with an affiliate program and promoting products and services that are directly related to the theme of a web site. Of course, the suggestion is taken literally, without any investigation about how to best promote affiliate products and services. Simply adding affiliate links, either in the form of banners or text links, does not convince a site visitor to either click the link or purchase a product (if you are lucky enough to get them to click the link in the first place).
Put yourself into the mind of your site visitor. If they are on your web page it is likely they are somewhat interested in what you have to say. However, placing an affiliate link on the page without discussion of how the product or service fits into the content of the page is a wasted opportunity. Site visitors are much smarter than they used to be and not qualifying an affiliate product suggestion is viewed as just another affiliate link.
One of the biggest misconceptions I witness is that just because you place an affiliate link on your page and the visitor clicks through to the merchant's site that you will earn the commission. But, that isn't how affiliate links work: it isn't the first affiliate that sends the visitor to a merchant's site that gets the credit, it is the last affiliate. This means that your page has to provide enough information about the product to convince the visitor that clicking the back button to find more information isn't going to be a very productive action. Convincing a site visitor not to use the back button requires that you know the basics of the product at least as good as anyone.
Affiliate Marketing Mistake #1: Not knowing the product
This first mistake beginning affiliate marketers make is not having a good understanding about the product. If you are trying to sell software, for instance, download, install, and get to know the product first. Provide screen captures of the essential functions and, if possible, videos of seeing the software in action. Make note of the online transaction process (was it easy or difficult) and contact support and ask some basic questions about the product. Yes, this can cost you time and money but the end result will be that you know more about the product than most people so it will be a waste of time for the site visitor to click the back button. Most affiliate programs allow you to purchase products under your own affiliate code and can get the product at a much cheaper cost by earning the commission of your own purchase. Also, it is possible to get evaluation copies of software so that you can get to know the product before you purchase. These tactics are not specific to just recommending software, but, instead, are used by affiliate marketers to sell any type of product or service.
Affiliate Marketing Mistake #2: Not understanding affiliate marketing
Often when I suggest selling related affiliate products, the assumption that I'm making is that the site owner's thought process will go something like this:
affiliate marketing?...hmmm...what's that?....guess I should research the topic and learn more about it.
More often than not, this just isn't the case with people in general, and building websites specifically. It seems that getting tasks done as quickly as possible takes precedence over getting tasks done correctly. We just don't build websites that way anymore, and, if you want a successful site, you have to slow down and think.
Affiliate marketing is a complex topic with many, many, different sub topics. To be successful with affiliate marketing is to learn all you can about it. Use Google to search "affiliate marketing" and investigate what it is, how it started, how to be successful with it. Here are a few places I like to go for basic affiliate marketing information:
- ABest Web - currently has over 50,000 members who have been discussing affiliate marketing for over 8 years.
- Affiliatetip - affiliate marketing blog run by Shawn Collins. Check out the affiliate newbie section to get started.
You'll find a million references to people who claim to be an affiliate marketing expert. Pick only a few to follow and try not to get lost in all the smoke screens.