You can market your affiliate partner's products online using a variety of strategies.
Here's a ten-item initial list to give your affiliate marketer brain something to think about and remix:
1. Create An Epic Post
When I'm promoting a product, one of my favorite things to do is write an Epic Post about it.
What is an epic post, exactly?
Consider it a potential one-stop-shop resource for this specific product—not just a review, but a full-fledged introduction, how-to, FAQ, best practices, and troubleshooting guide for anyone who buys it.
People will be more inclined to make a purchase if you can provide them this much information before they make one.
At the same time, the epic post becomes a highly shareable piece with the potential to rank highly in Google for the product term.
I'd go all out in this epic post and...
2. Create Multiple Youtube Videos About The Product
The epic post should include these videos.
Because YouTube is the world's second most popular search engine, this is a significant affiliate marketing tactic. Through your affiliate link on YouTube, you can get a lot of traffic, and the videos themselves can rank in Google.
Furthermore, by creating many videos on a single product, you expand your SEO opportunities.
Include your affiliate link in the video description, preferably in the first paragraph, so viewers don't have to click "show more" or "read more" to see it.
What should these videos be about?
I propose recording yourself from beginning to end and then breaking it down into manageable bits. People enjoy being entertained.
What should these videos be about?
I propose recording yourself from beginning to end and then breaking it down into manageable bits. People prefer shorter films, so this works in your favor, and you'll have several chances to rank for different keywords relating to that product.
Start from the point of purchase if it's a digital product, and lead consumers through the full process. Consider producing an unboxing video if you're doing a physical goods.
3. Host A Webinar
Hosting a webinar for your affiliate product promotion is one method to take it to the next level.
Webinars are an exceptionally effective approach to communicate with your target audience. They're personable, live, and can be treated as if they're a real event. As a result, your marketing will be considerably more effective than simply inserting an affiliate link into a post.
Combine this with tip #15 in my list below, and you've got yourself a winner. Have the product's owner give high-value information and even answer people's queries directly on the webinar.
4. Publish A Webinar Replay
Make a recording of your live webinar so that you can put it on your website as a replay for people who couldn't attend in person or for those who did but want to go over the information again.
To be honest, more people will likely watch it as a rerun than they would live, which is a good thing—you just have to offer them the option.
I propose using screen capture tools like Camtasia Studio or Screenflow to record your presentation.
Here's an example of a blog post on my site that includes a webinar replay—one I taped with Clay Collins of Leadpages, a firm with whom I'm affiliated:
a snapshot from a LeadPages webinar
Finally, make sure that you provide several opportunities for users to click on your affiliate link in both the webinar and the article where you embed the replay.
5. Give Away A Bonus
This is arguably one of the most underappreciated advice I have to offer today, but it's also one of the most effective.
In addition to marketing the affiliate product, as a thank you, offer a bonus to everyone who purchases the product through your link.
Because you're probably not the only one promoting that product, offer a bonus that can only be obtained through your link to entice folks to buy from you instead of the other man.
Simply request that your audience members send you their receipts through email, and then respond with the bonus or instructions on how to obtain it.
So, what could that extra benefit be?
Perhaps it's a one-of-a-kind webcast that shows how to use the product and closes with a Q&A session. Imagine being able to buy a product, learn about it, and then have access to a webinar a few days later that explains how to use it and allows you to ask questions about it. That would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Perhaps the bonus is a product or piece of software you already own that works well with the affiliate product. Maybe it's a deal you struck with the product's owner, a deal that gives them an incentive to buy from you.
It could be a promo code or a discount for another product you own or are affiliated with.
It could be a PDF quick-start guide with instructions and best practices for that product, or connection to a website with similar videos.
You're adding value to the transaction, putting your buyers at ease, and assisting those on the fence in making the transition from "I'm not sure if this is appropriate for me" to "This is precisely what I need, and more."
6. Promote Your Products Indirectly On Social Media
Although your website should be the focal point of your affiliate marketing strategy, social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram can also be useful.
The thing about social media is that if you actively promote on your social media platforms, you're not going to receive a positive response, at least in my experience and that of many other people I know.
People use social media to connect with one another, not to be sold to.
However, all is not lost in the world of affiliate marketing because you can do an indirect social media push, which means that instead of linking directly to your affiliate links on Facebook, Twitter, or any other platform, you link to something of value that includes the affiliate link, such as a video, an epic blog post, or a link to sign up for a webinar.
You're not linking straight to your affiliate link, but to a resource that will engage visitors before they click on your affiliate link, earn their trust, and show them what the product is about.
Yes, for a long time, one of the fundamental tenets of web marketing has been that the fewer gateways or clicks someone must go through before reaching the "purchase" button, the better.
However, I believe that this is changing, and that the less information you give up, the less likely you are to earn a sale.
The more trust you can build up ahead of time, the more likely individuals are to buy from you.
You don't want someone to have to click 100 times to get to where you want them to go, but a few clicks is fine as long as you provide them with enough information to aid their decision.
7. Run A Giveaway To Take Advantage Of “Social Proof”
The concept of social proof is that people will naturally gravitate toward what the majority is doing. Let's imagine you're visiting the mall and notice a large crowd gathered around one particular store.
You can't help but wonder what's going on—everyone else is there for a reason, and you're curious as to what it is.
This translates to having other people conduct your marketing for you online, only in this instance it's done through metrics like subscriber counts, likes, and comments.
Here's how this method might work in practice.
When promoting a product as an affiliate, try to work with the owner to obtain a few complimentary copies to distribute to your audience.
Perhaps you can negotiate a special rate for your audience for a limited time. Although this isn't always possible, it never hurts to inquire.
Review this product in a blog post—it could be your epic post, or you could just mention it at the conclusion of one of your normal entries.
Share that you have two or three free copies of the product to give away, and that to be entered to win one, your audience members must write one comment about how they would use the product and why it would be beneficial to them.
Allow them to learn more about the product by clicking on one of your affiliate links, and then return to your blog to make a comment.
What happens here is that a large number of people provide comments, which serve as social proof for the product's superiority.
There's nothing more powerful than a suggestion from someone else, and in this case, it's a recommendation for a product you're pushing as an affiliate.
Plus, you may contact people who leave a comment on the page but don't win to offer them a limited-time offer or send them an email thanking them for entering and providing them with your affiliate link once more.
I've had amazing success with this method in the past while promoting numerous items, so I recommend you give it a try.
8. Promote Products Indirectly Via Your Email List
Any affiliate marketing plan needs an email list, and if you don't have one yet, you should start building one right away! Because email is so effective for marketing, many people say, "The money's in the list."
I advocate indirectly advertising to your email list in the same way that you would on social media. On my email list, I don't advertise anything directly. If my emails have any links, they usually lead to other stuff on my site, such as epic pieces, videos, webinars, and the like.
Instead of straight marketing, email should focus on providing them with as much high-value content as possible. In reality, some affiliate programs, such as Amazon's, do not allow affiliate links to be included in emails.
You should treat your email list with respect and avoid being overly aggressive with it. Indirect promotion is a far superior approach, especially if you're trying to create trust with your audience (which you should be!).
9. Promote Products Indirectly On Other People’s Sites
This is another case when indirect linking comes in handy.
You can link back to a piece of material on your site that contains your affiliate link if you're interviewed for another person's blog or requested to submit a guest post.
You don't want to bombard them with your links, just like you don't want to bombard them with social media or email—and most of the time, if you try to link directly to an affiliate product through someone else's site, they won't allow it anyway.
10. Review And Compare Different Products Of The Same Type
Another option is to compare products of the same category. Compare and contrast, and make sure the link you give them is an affiliate link if you give them your recommendation.
People prefer to shop around, but they also like convenience, which is why this works. Instead of forcing customers to conduct their search throughout the internet, keep them on your site by reviewing all of the products in one place.
A well-written comparative review of multiple products of the same type might be a terrific strategy to drive affiliate transactions if you've done a good job building up audience trust.
This might also turn into an amazing post, complete with videos and exclusive offers for your readers.
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