According to Statista, ecommerce is projected to reach US$3,567.00bn in 2024â ⌠and âthe number of users is expected to amount to 2.5bn users by 2028.â
(Source: https://www.statista.com/outlook/emo/ecommerce/worldwide)
So what does this mean for you as an affiliate marketer?
It simply means that now is as good a time as any to take a nibble or even a large bite from this highly profitable pie.
Since you wonât have to deal with the hassle of fulfilling orders, worrying about inventory, or even answering customer support as an affiliate â all youâll really need to do is focus on driving traffic, generating leads and promoting hot, high converting products.
While thatâs easier said than done, itâs still less challenging than a lot of the other online marketing models that have several moving parts.
Now letâs look at 7 affiliate marketing tactics you can employ in your âbusinessâ today.
Use a âMaster Linkâ
Whatâs a master link, you ask?
Simple â itâs a link that you have full control over.
When you apply for any affiliate program, youâre usually given a long link made up of numbers and characters that make no sense.
This is a tracking link that the vendor uses to assign/credit sales to you, if someone buys through your link. Itâs how the vendor knows how much to pay you.
But hereâs the problemâŚ
Sometimes, a product that youâve been promoting is suddenly discontinued. Other times, the vendor decides to use a new affiliate tracking software and youâll be given a new link to use.
When this happens (and it happens quite frequently), the links you were using earlier will become defunct. Either they wonât work or the product no longer exists.
This traffic leak will cost you sales and credibility.
Another problem that arises is that youâll need to manually change all the affected links if you were using the vendor-provided link as-is.
In many cases, if youâve posted your links on social media, PDFs, you wonât even be able to remember where all the links are â and many times, itâll be impossible to fix those links.
If you have a website, changing the links one at a time can be more time-consuming than explaining technology to grandparents.
The best way to prevent this problem from happening will be to use a tool like the Pretty Links plugin on your website⌠or if you donât have a website, just sign up for an account at TinyURL and create a master link for each product youâre promoting.
(Do NOT use these tools if youâre promoting products on Amazon.)
Youâll then use this master link in all your promotions.
In future, should a product be discontinued or if the affiliate link changes, all youâll need to do is edit the destination URL in the master link and ALL your links everywhere will be updated at once.
Easy peasy. You wonât lose sales or need to scramble to fix broken links in multiple paces.
(Note: Youâll need to purchase a subscription at TinyURL to edit the destination URL.)
Use a landing page
As an affiliate marketer, you wonât be able to build an email list of customers, because youâre not processing orders. Very few vendors will share their customer list with you even if youâre the one who is responsible for the sale.
So itâs imperative that you build your own email list of subscribers. This is the one asset youâll truly own â and itâs easier to remarket to warm traffic. Youâll also have the opportunity to build a relationship with your list and this will improve your conversions.
To build a list, youâll need 2 tools:
- A page builder like OptimizePress
- An autoresponder such as Aweber or GetResponse
Some platforms discourage affiliate marketing. Itâs best to exercise due diligence and check with the email marketing software provider if they allow affiliate marketing before signing up.
Once you have the landing page and autoresponder integrated, create a master link that points to your landing page â and use it for all your promotions. When youâre siphoning traffic from popular platforms, most of the time youâll want your link pointing to your landing page.
This will help you to build your email list and increase sales in the long run.
Promote products that have a funnel
This is especially true if youâre promoting infoproducts on marketplaces such as ClickBank, WarriorPlus, Digistore24, etc.
When a product has a bump offer and a couple of upsells/downsells, itâll encourage the customer whoâs already in a buying mood to purchase more. This will increase the average customer value and put more money (commissions) in your pocket.
If a product is a standalone product, youâll only get a percentage of that one sale⌠but if it has a funnel, youâll get a percentage of every product in that funnel, depending on how the vendor has set it up.
A funnel can increase your commissions considerably⌠but⌠once again, this approach must be tempered with moderation.
Avoid promoting funnels that are deeper than the earthâs core.
One or two upsells is fine⌠9 upsells is NOT ok. Less is more here.
Promote high-ticket items
Thereâs usually a mental hurdle that many affiliate marketers will need to overcome â and thatâs promoting higher-priced items.
While lower-priced items tend to convert better, itâs usually easier to generate sizable profit with higher-priced products. This seems counter-intuitive to most affiliates UNTIL they try it out.
This applies to both digital and physical products.
While you donât have to solely focus on high-ticket items, having a few in your ârepertoireâ will see you have some high paydays.
For example, if you have a website that does movie reviews and promotes Disney+ ⌠you could always have a blog post promoting a cool movie projector like the one below.
Imagine watching your favorite Disney+ shows in âcinema qualityâ thatâs right in your own home!
Youâll probably get a few sales every now and then, depending on how frequently you mention the product.
Study your competitors
Look at what the popular sites in your niche are promoting. Usually, theyâll be focused on promoting relevant, high-converting products that are in demand.
Make a list of these products and try promoting them too.
Work with influencers
This strategy is highly effective on Instagram and TikTok â but youâll need to know your numbers (conversion rate) and youâll have to find an influencer that has reach and is willing to post your affiliate link in their profile (for a fee.)
Since youâll be paying the influencer to make a post with your affiliate link in it, the amount you pay must be less than the affiliate sales that will be generated (your commissions.)
So you donât want to overpay them⌠and the influencer must have good reach. Your link has to be in their profile for at least 8 to 24 hours, depending on the stipulations you negotiate with them.
Use a link tracking tool such as ClickMagick or LeadsLeap to see how well the promotion converts and if you make a profit. With the right influencer and a good post, you can make anywhere from hundreds to even thousands in commissions for a relatively small outlay.
Offer a bonus
This is a simple but highly effective strategy when it comes to converting visitors into buyers.
Generally, most people want a good deal. If you have a solid bonus for those who purchase through your link, youâll incentivize people to buy through you just so they can get your extras.
This tactic has been proven to work over and over when promoting infoproducts. That said, some vendors do not allow affiliates to use bonuses in their promotions. So check with them before employing this strategy.
In conclusionâŚ
The 7 powerful affiliate marketing strategies outlined in the article above will amplify your earnings and help you to thrive in the expanding ecommerce and/or digital marketing landscape.
By using efficient link management, leveraging influencers, and offering bonuses, you can capitalize on lucrative opportunities and boost your profitability in no time at all.
Donât miss out on leveraging these tactics to elevate your affiliate marketing success. Start using them today!