Discover the insider tips of affiliate marketing with Jamie I.F., a seasoned SEO expert.
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In this focused Q&A, we dive into essential strategies for niche selection, boosting traffic, and maximizing conversions. Don't miss these expert insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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\nI\u2019m Jamie I.F. \u2013 I\u2019m 26, have been in SEO for around 3.5 years, and run niche sites focusing on affiliate marketing, and I\u2019m the head of marketing at a SaaS company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I got started mostly by accident \u2013 I was writing a blog on a niche I was passionate about. The ads weren\u2019t making much money, then the affiliates I tried worked well! So I focused on that!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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2. How do you go about choosing the right niche or industry for affiliate marketing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\nThese factors are what I look for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Boring\/technical niche<\/strong>: I want a barrier to entry to be boredom, and ideally difficulty. AI also struggles with very technical niches.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Mostly ignored by conglomerates<\/strong>: a lot of the most competitive SERPs are super competitive for DR90+ rolled-up conglomerates. Ideally, they avoid these niches for whatever reason (adult, technical, don\u2019t know it\u2019s valuable, etc).
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Lots of products, and lots of passionate fans:<\/strong> So for example for affiliate marketing, you have the Authority Hacker course, which is a great product. This fits in a lot of different keywords to rank, so this would be a good niche and product to promote.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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3. What factors do you consider when selecting an affiliate program to promote? (not just commissions but also ?)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\nThe only thing that matters is EPC (earning per click), and your ability to rank in order to drive traffic and affiliate clicks. I recommend reading this guide on earning per click<\/a>, and ways you can increase it, to best understand this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conversion rates, commission rates, etc, are just factors that combine to create EPC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you know your EPC, all you have to do is generate traffic, and CTR!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t really look at the EPC that affiliate networks like Shareasale and Impact show in the program network dashboard. I just test the affiliate programs, compare the results, and then scale up the ones that work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It used to take ages to manually check this with custom SubIDs for different links, and managing them in confusing spreadsheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But now Lasso Performance does this instantly for you, and automatically finds the exact revenue, EPC, etc, on every link, product, and page on your site :).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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4. Is it worth having affiliate links on info-type of articles? How well do they convert?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\nOften yes! It really depends on the context though. Some will convert terribly, some amazing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It depends if the product is the solution to the \u201chow to\u201d article. For example, if you\u2019re writing about \u201chow to prevent hackers from stealing your money\u201d, then a product like 1Password is likely to convert very well because it\u2019s super relevant. Or perhaps a VPN program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or, if writing about \u201chow to get bed bugs out of bed sheets\u201d then certain vacuums, or cleaning products, are the obvious solution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understanding what best helps people, making them trust you through excellent info, and then recommending a product once you\u2019ve built that rapport, can convert extremely well!!!!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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5. Links or Product boxes. What converts better? Does it matter?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\nIt matters more than anything else you could possibly do on your site.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
So many people take 100+ hours to write 30 pieces of content, rank it, and then give up because it\u2019s only making them $100 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if you changed from links to product boxes, you could make up to 10-15x more. They could be making $1-1.5K\/month from the same traffic :(.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Text links aren\u2019t good because:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- They\u2019re easy to skip past. They don\u2019t command attention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You have to hover over them to find out where you\u2019re going \u2013 and often, because of the way affiliate links are, it\u2019ll show to be like \u201casxisid.io?ref=2d3dsa\u201d <\/strong>before redirecting to the merchant. This just looks like a virus or something lol.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Readers don\u2019t trust these as it\u2019s not clear what the price is, where they\u2019re being taken to, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also key to do the right things with product boxes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Add a \u201cbest for X\u201d e.g. best for beginners, best under $100, etc, so that it\u2019s clear to the reader which is best for them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add a star rating for social proof<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add pros and cons<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add the price<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add the merchant name so they know where they\u2019re being taken to if they click the link (optionally include 2 purchase buttons from different retailers)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There are several options, like AAWP if you only use Amazon, as well as more premium options like Lasso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jared Bauman, the host of the amazing Niche Pursuits podcast, recently switched from AAWP to Lasso, and increased his earnings by 88%! You can read Jared\u2019s full Twitter thread here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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6. What type of content (e.g., reviews, tutorials, comparisons) tend to convert best and why?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\nThough I said some informational posts can work well, on average, specific affiliate articles will always convert best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s a few easy examples: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Product reviews<\/strong> can convert really well (keywords for \u201cx review\u201d), especially if you know why someone would buy this vs another (and you can recommend these alternatives also if they would suit the other product).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVS\u201d articles <\/strong>(keywords for \u201cx vs y\u201d) are probably the best-converting. Because the reader understands and is so ready to purchase that they\u2019re comparing two specific products. These are also less competitive to rank for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBest\u201d product<\/strong> (keywords for \u201cbest x\u201d or \u201cbest x for y\u201d) round-ups are also great. They\u2019re slightly higher in the funnel than \u201cVS\u201d articles but if you segment correctly, and have each product be the best for a specific audience segment. Like \u201cbest for beginners\u201d, etc.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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7. What are common mistakes you see new affiliate marketers make, and how can they avoid them?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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- Writing for keywords they\u2019ll never rank for. Know your lane!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Text links only, not more attractive, scroll-stopping affiliate links. These are essential to high conversions!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Not measuring affiliate link performance, such as CTR, EPC, and revenue per link. If you earn less than $1000\/month from affiliates, Lasso will even do this for free for you! You have no excuse! ;).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Not segmenting products in product round-ups. Don\u2019t say all the products are \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cgreat\u201d. Be specific: \u201cThis is the best if you\u2019re 25, single, and want to invest without a lot of financial experience\u201d<\/em>, or \u201cif you\u2019re a small business looking to get into commercial cleaning for offices\u201d<\/em>. This is how you convert well.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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8. I have affiliate links but they're not converting well. What could be the top reasons?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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- Context<\/strong> \u2013 are you targeting the affiliate offer at the audience who would be receptive to it? You can\u2019t treat affiliate offers like ads and just trust a company to stick placeholders in the right place. It has to be bespoke, with a focused effort on what the reader would want.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Is it relevant to your article?<\/strong>
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Bad quality product<\/strong> \u2013 does this product actually help the reader? Or are you shilling it because the affiliate commissions are high?
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Have you explained the uses and benefits properly?<\/strong> \u2013 You can\u2019t just jam it in their face right away, warm them up. Then place the offer there when they\u2019re in the best possible position to trigger a buying action.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Specificity, segmentation and precision<\/strong> \u2013 have you made it clear for the specific person reading, that this would suit them. The easiest way to do this is just to have each product you recommend be the \u201cbest for X type of person\u201d (\u201cbest budget pick\u201d, \u201cbest for beginners\u201d, \u201cbest for Linux users\u201d, etc).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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9. It's tempting to go for products offering high commissions, but they might not always be of the best quality. What do you recommend?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\nCommission rate is only one input \u2013 and it\u2019s nice to have a high commission rate, but it\u2019s not the reason to choose a program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you find a high-converting program, and you convert a lot of business for them, you can always go back to the company and ask for a higher commission anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s more important to find programs that convert \u2013 and therefore earn you the highest earning per click (EPC).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Factors that feed into affiliate success:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- CTR (clickthrough rate) \u2013 not directly within EPC, but high CTR = more potential to earn<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Conversion rate<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Commission rate<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Price of the product<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Whether this product is commonly bought with other parts (raising average order value)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Time-sensitive offer, injecting urgency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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10. Top tips to build trust with your audience to ensure they value your recommendations?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\nIf people love you, you can do whatever you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, speak from first-person. \u201cMy personal opinion is that X product is good, based on my hands-on testing, as I found that\u2026\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do the product reviews, so you can speak confidently on the pros and cons of the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mention the cons, and reasons not to buy \u2013 this shows you\u2019re not just trying to shill this product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talk about imperfections or mistakes you made during the test. (\u201cOops, I accidentally did this! Don\u2019t be like me! Haha!\u201d<\/em>) = builds a bond and rapport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use niche-specific slang and in-jokes that only fans of the niche would understand. Talk like your tribe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be very specific and visual with the language:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Visual:<\/strong> use words that conjure up visual images in the reader\u2019s mind. This is basically storytelling. As soon as you\u2019re creating a visual image and story, the reader will never leave the page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Specific:<\/strong> use scenarios that the reader imagines them using the product in, in your writing. This takes them through the story as the protagonist, and further lets them visually imagine themselves using the product as a purchaser. The more specific, the more powerful.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve mentioned some additional points in my SPEAR framework<\/a>, of which the R is rapport \u2013 and how you build a bond with your reader.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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11. For those new to email marketing, what's a simple strategy they can use to promote affiliate products to their list?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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