The purpose of this article is to introduce you to affiliate marketing.
If you own almost any type of website, you can potentially earn monetary commissions by referring visitors of your site to the site of merchants with whom you are affiliated.
For example, as a Six Figure Mentors Elite Partner you are able to direct your clients and other referrals to the Digital Business Lounge which offers all website services including wordpress, hosting, copywriting, lead capture pages and more
So, what do you need to know and do in order to become a successful affiliate marketer?
Just as one doesn’t open a shop or business without first identifying the kind of merchandise to be sold or the location of the business, an affiliate marketer doesn’t just build a website or Facebook page without knowing what audience to target or what to offer visitors who come to their website. There are four basic steps a person must take to start the journey toward affiliate marketing.
Choosing your type of website
First, you have to decide what kind of affiliate you want to be and therefore what kind of site to create. There are a number of types to choose from:
Blogs
These are probably the easiest types of affiliate sites to set up and one of the most popular. Blogs can be as informal, as interactive and as wide ranging as you want them to be. But no matter which direction you choose, in order for a blog to be successful these days, you must write about topics you’re passionate about and with which you have a real connection. It’s also very important to blog every day to build up your content and maintain your reader interest.
Download
Download sites are among the most lucrative type of affiliate sites, particularly if you can become an affiliate of a great number of companies. These sites are aimed at consumers who are looking to become educated in a specific field. Business coaching, Fitness, Quitting Smoking, Dieting and Professional Services are some examples of products that can earn your big ticket commissions.
Choosing your domain
After choosing what type of site you want to use to refer visitors to affiliates, the second decision to make is choosing your domain name. This name is important and will be a huge part of your online presence. It may take time to settle on a domain simply because so many are already taken either because they are being used or have been previously purchased and are being held for later sale.
Whatever you choose should reflect the kind of affiliate site you’ve decided upon. Choosing “BestCoupons.com” when your site focuses on reviewing appliances will not only confuse your visitors, but can also lead to bad word of mouth from the Internet community and penalties from the search engines (i.e. Google).
Choosing your host
The next step is to choose a hosting service, also known as an ISP (Internet Service Provider). This host will connect your site to the Internet. You will be paying rent, so to speak, to a company to use their servers and storage capacity for all your web files and data.
Many companies offer hosting service plans in addition to domain name registration but you should first know or have a good idea of what your particular needs will be so you can choose the plan best suited to your site.
Choosing your theme
Unless you know HTML and CSS code, in which case you can build your own website, a theme will ensure that your site is readable and functional. Website themes, written by experienced web designers, can be used for free or purchased. Generally speaking, purchased themes will allow you greater customization and provide more built-in features such as easy formatting and traffic analytics tools.
Keep in mind that paid themes can provide you with a “unique” look so your site can stand out from the crowd. They are also less prone to security issues, updated more frequently, and come with a higher level of support from the developers.
You need a clear understanding of what sort of affiliate you intend on being so you can choose a theme that is suitable for your needs. That being said, you’ll most likely want a theme that allows you to grow. You may not have any intention on including video now for example, but maybe in a year or so you will.
Keystone
Deciding on your type of affiliate site, domain name, hosting company and site theme are only the first steps in creating an affiliate website. Continue investigating the process of website building and the world of affiliate marketing if you want to succeed.