Affiliate Marketing: How to make money as an affiliate blogger

Affiliate marketing can be a VERY profitable revenue source for bloggers.  This post is going to tell you how to how to get started and stay profitable!

Affiliate marketing makes up about 30% of my revenue stream, and conversely — Affiliates market about 1/3 of my courses.

It can be EXTREMELY effective for both sides of the isle (and be sure to grab my seven sweet tips)

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Advantages to Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers

Forever

Instead of writing one sponsored post, getting your $500 dollars (or whatever) affiliate posts can make you money for MONTHS at a time.

I have made tens of thousands off of ONE post.  It can be HIGHLY lucrative

Your Voice

I can write an affiliate post HOWEVER I think it will sell best.  Sometimes companies have particular restraints (especially medicine devices) but often they give you free reign.

I also then promote it as I see fit.  I don’t have to tag them in promotions (looking at you Facebook).  I love that about it.

Share stuff you love

If you love a particular company, see if they have an affiliate program.  Most of my top earners are companies I would recommend with or without the income.  That’s just a huge bonus.

As far as companies to go with my #1 tip is to find something you use already.  Often those brand area on networks.  The 3 I use most frequently are:

• Commission Junction
• Share-A-Sale
• FlexOffers

Advantages to Affiliate Marketing for Companies

Low pressure

I take the risk and write the post — then, we see what comes of it.  I only earn if I sell.

So the risk on your end is a lot less than paying me to write a post.

I will promote it myself

The blogger takes on promoting it, and if she/he is good — they will do advertising for you that you wouldn’t even have thought of.

Instead of setting up Facebook campaigns, you have me.  And again, you only pay me if you sell.

Incorporate them

A lot of companies love that I promote them, because I have an RN behind my name, and I’m also good to put a testimonial on their review page.

Then, when my readers come over and see me on the page, they’re reminded that I LIKE IT.

Again, a win for everyone!

Tips for companies

1. Put it out there that you have an affiliate program.  Make it easy to access, and use a portal that bloggers can see into, if at all possible
2. Make commissions high enough that it perks attention from bloggers.  Check around for industry standards.
3. Talk to bloggers — see what they want.  Great places to find them are people who have tagged you on social media!
4. Don’t change it.  You might be tempted to lower commissions or change your program.  But don’t.  You need to be in this for the long-term as well.
5. Offer incentives in the beginning.  Tell bloggers who get X number o sales, that you’ll send them an Amazon gift card — that way your program can be SOLID (and you don’t change it) but you also lure them in for the initial push.
6. Keep in touch — don’t let them forget about you.  I also have an email series that all my new affiliates go through to remind them awesome ways to promote ME and make us BOTH rich! 🙂

Now, for bloggers, I have a whole email set to go with my sweet seven tips for affiliate marketing for your blog.

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I don’t sell a course on affiliate marketing, but my friend Carly does (she is also one of my top affiliates, so she really does know what she’s doing).  I totally recommend it (and it’s priced right).

My thoughts on her course

• Her tips don’t require boatloads of traffic
• She gives smart non-smarmy tips to using your newsletter to sell
• Carly’s a mom who can’t spend HOURS and hours
• She pulls back the curtain on crazy income reports (and why people are sort of lying to you).
• It’s not all BlueHost {vomit} — she has tips for ALL genres of blogging (more than I’ve seen in most other affiliate courses)

Grab Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers.  You can even use code CURLS10 to get 10% off!

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