AFFILIATE MARKETING
Affiliate Link Building: How to Do It the Right Way
Affiliate link building is like commissioned sales for the 21st century.
The concept is simple: With an affiliate marketing program, brands and businesses select leading influencers to promote a service or product by using a unique affiliate link.
Affiliate link building provides businesses an opportunity to earn additional sales through user-generated content. Profits are shared with influencers based on the number of links clicked or purchases made.
3 Benefits of Affiliate Link Building
Affiliate marketing is an effective way to gain exposure, drive traffic, boost conversions, and increase sales.
Let’s take a look at the three main reasons your business should be using affiliate link building strategies.
1. Easy Tracking
Affiliate marketing tracking software monitors the affiliate program and tracks links. When your company joins an affiliate network, the network’s program tracks the numbers for you.
Being able to track the effectiveness of each campaign or influencer is an essential part of an effective affiliate marketing strategy.
Some affiliate marketing programs provide detailed reports based on different marketing tools used, such as text links or banners.
2. Targeted Ads
If your business is running an in-house affiliate program, you have the freedom to accept influencers to join your program based on their reach and relevance.
When your business is partnered with an influencer through an affiliate network, there are steps in place to ensure that the influencer will reach your target audience through their content.
When an influencer creates new content using their affiliate link, their campaign (your advertisement) has the potential to reach your target audience in high volumes through channels like social media and the influencer’s website.
3. Cost-Effectiveness
Affiliate link building can boost conversions and increase sales with minimum effort and investment.
When setting your business’s marketing budget, consider these four costs for affiliate marketing:
Platform
Will you be running an in-house program, or joining an affiliate network?
Running an in-house program may be more expensive and take more time initially, but is lower-cost in the long run.
It gives your business full control over every aspect of the affiliate program and enables you to communicate directly with your influencers.
Joining an affiliate network is much cheaper to begin with, but might not be as cost-effective in the long run, since the network itself does take a fee.
This means a lot of the initial work is done for you, including selecting influencers, tracking, reports, and even issuing payments.
Creatives
Whether you choose to run an in-house program or join a network, your affiliate marketing program will require creatives.
That is, graphics and images for banners, copy for text links, videos and flash content, and any other tools that your influencers may use to promote your service or product.
Product Feeds or Landing Pages
If you’re running an in-house program, provide a detailed product feed to your influencers, including product names and descriptions, prices, categories, and creatives associated with the product.
The product feed serves as a resource for influencers when they’re preparing a new campaign.
If your business is selling a service or has a limited number of products, another option is to set up a unique landing page for each influencer.
Program Management & Compensation
Your business will need to hire an Affiliate Marketing Manager to:
- Recruit and onboard influencers.
- Create and monitor rules and policies.
- Communicate with affiliates (or with the network).
- Regularly update and optimize the affiliate program.
- And more.
And you’ll need to compensate your influencers!
Profits are shared with influencers based on the number of links clicked or purchases made, at a rate that you choose.
Keep in mind that if the commission rate is too low, many influencers may opt-out.
How to Start Affiliate Link Building (Correctly)
Keep in mind that like any other marketing tactic, there’s a right way – and a wrong way – to start affiliate marketing.
Now that you understand why your business should be using affiliate link building strategies, let’s take a look at how to implement affiliate link building strategies.
1. Have a Plan
Your first step is to get organized.
Implementing any new marketing strategy without a plan of action is a recipe for disaster, and it isn’t any different for an affiliate marketing strategy.
Plan your budget, decide which platform you’ll use, determine how you’ll select influencers, and set your commission rates.
Create a timeline and a content calendar, design your creatives, and watch your competitors. The time you put into planning your strategy is invaluable and will set you up for success.
2. Communicate Consistently
Your Affiliate Marketing Manager should be an expert communicator.
They need to:
- Be willing to reach out to your influencers personally.
- Always keep your influencers updated on new products or campaigns.
- Provide current copy and creatives.
Many companies use forums or private Facebook groups to communicate with their influencers.
3. Build Relationships
The Affiliate Marketing Manager needs to be willing to assist your influencers and provide support when needed.
Asking your affiliates questions and sending polls to request feedback will let them know that your business can be trusted, you’re listening, and you want to work with them.
When you begin affiliate marketing, your influencers are partnering with you. Their voice is your asset.
4. Be Open to Change
Monitoring and checking numbers and metrics is crucial to the success of an affiliate marketing program.
You need to be able to understand what works and what doesn’t, and you’ll have to make decisions based on new information about your KPIs and ROI.
Follow each campaign with a keen eye. Run some A/B tests with different campaigns and different influencers.
Using affiliate marketing doesn’t mean a business gets to sit back and watch while their numbers increase. Get involved and be open to making changes to your strategy.
It’s Time to Build Your Affiliate Marketing Strategy
Affiliate link building is a growing and ever-evolving channel of marketing that more brands and businesses are integrating into their overall marketing strategies.
There’s a lot of freedom with affiliate marketing: you decide which strategies to implement – and which influencers you want to work with – for your content and exposure.
Affiliate link building is about performance marketing, with a focus on content that is going to reach your target audience naturally, benefiting both your business and your affiliates.
Summary
Timeframe: Month 8, then ongoing monthly
Results detected: 4-12 months
Average links per month: 30
Tools:
- Affiliate marketing platform
- Affiliate marketing tracking software
Benefits:
- Easy tracking
- Targeted Ads
- Cost-effectiveness
AFFILIATE MARKETING
How to Control the Way People Think About You
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In today’s digital age, where personal branding and public perception play a vital role in success, strategic PR efforts have become more important than ever. Ulyses Osuna, the founder of Influencer Press, joined our show to share valuable insights on the significance of PR, the evolving landscape, and the keys to achieving business growth while maintaining a fulfilling personal life.
One of the key takeaways from the conversation was the importance of strategic PR efforts in building a personal brand and shaping public perception. Ulyses emphasized that PR is not just about getting media coverage; it’s about controlling the narrative and shaping how others perceive you. By strategically positioning yourself and your brand through effective PR, you can influence public opinion and establish yourself as an authority in your field. Another crucial aspect discussed was the power of leveraging relationships and connections.
Ulyses highlighted the “Buglight Concept,” which involves utilizing the support and connections of others to achieve success. By building strong relationships and leveraging the networks of influential individuals, you can significantly expand your reach and influence. Ulyses’s own success with Influencer Press is a testament to the power of connections in the PR world. While professional success is undoubtedly important, Ulyses also stressed the significance of balancing personal time and fulfillment. In the pursuit of business growth, it’s easy to neglect personal well-being and relationships. However, Ulyses emphasized that true success lies in finding a balance between professional achievements and personal happiness.
By prioritizing personal time and fulfillment, entrepreneurs can sustain long-term growth and avoid burnout. In the ever-evolving landscape of PR, Ulyses highlighted the need for a clear mission when seeking press coverage. He emphasized the importance of aligning your brand with a cause or purpose that resonates with your target audience. By having a clear mission and purpose, you can attract media attention that aligns with your values and goals, ultimately enhancing your brand’s reputation and reach. Additionally, Ulyses discussed the importance of pricing services correctly and finding the right balance between personal involvement and business scalability.
The conversation also touched upon the dynamics of client relationships and the impact of showcasing external support. Ulyses emphasized the value of building strong relationships with clients and going above and beyond to exceed their expectations. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of showcasing external support, such as media coverage or endorsements, to establish credibility and attract new clients. Ulyses’s own podcast, The Blacklist, where he shares insights and interviews successful entrepreneurs, was also discussed. He explained that launching the podcast was a way to give back to the entrepreneurial community and share valuable knowledge.
By continuously learning from others and implementing breakthrough ideas, Ulyses emphasized the importance of immediate action and continuous improvement for business growth. In conclusion, strategic PR efforts are essential for building a strong personal brand and controlling the narrative in today’s digital age. By leveraging relationships, finding a balance between personal and professional life, and having a clear mission, entrepreneurs can shape public perception, expand their reach, and achieve long-term success. Ulyses Osuna’s insights serve as a valuable guide for those looking to navigate the ever-changing landscape of PR and personal branding.
About The Jeff Fenster Show
Serial entrepreneur Jeff Fenster embarks on an extraordinary journey every week, delving into the stories of exceptional individuals who have defied the norms and blazed their own trails to achieve extraordinary success.
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AFFILIATE MARKETING
Set Your Team up for Success and Let Them Browse the Internet Faster
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
According to TeamStage, 31 percent of employees waste about a half hour each day, and the top 10 percent of them can waste as much as three hours in a day. Part of that might be attitude, but the other part might be hangups caused by internet speed and advertisements. To nip that lost time in the bud, consider equipping yourself or your team with a tool to help stay on task.
From April 15 through 21, this five-year subscription to Control D Some Control Plan is on sale for just $34.97 (reg. $120). This is the best price for this deal online. This tool is designed to help users browse and use the internet faster while also blocking ads.
Control D is described as a “one-touch solution” for taking control over the productivity of your computer and internet usage. The deal supports use for up to ten devices, and it empowers each user to block advertisements, enjoy faster browsing, and set internet safety rules and restrictions for kids.
Control D’s bandwidth is substantial. It can accommodate up to 10,000 custom rules, block more than 300 servers, support multiple profiles, and unlimited usage. This robust and well-designed tool is a reliable option for any business leader who wants to liberate themselves or team members from distractions online.
Control D is rated a perfect 5/5 stars on Product Hunt.
Remember that from April 15 through 21, this 5-year subscription to Control D Some Control Plan is on sale for just $34.97 (reg. $120)—the best price on the web.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
Grab Microsoft Project Professional 2021 for $20 During This Flash Sale
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
If you’re in charge of a business and you don’t have a clear understanding of how to approach projects in an organized and effective manner, that’s a problem. Like many leaders before you, consider leaning on software that’s designed to streamline the project workflow for companies representing a wide range of industries.
A rate that will only be available from April 19 through 22, you can get Microsoft Professional 2021 for just $19.97 (reg. $249).
This well-reviewed software comes with a range of pre-built templates that you can use to set your project off on the right foot. It supports a number of helpful functions like building complex schedules with varying timelines, auto-populating those schedules in instances where it can, and submitting timesheets that can be distinguished by project work and non-project work.
Some additional features of Microsoft Project Professional that can help entrepreneurs and their teams include what-if scenario generation capabilities. Microsoft Project Professional also allows you to sync projects on your local server with those online, which is massively helpful for remote teams.
Its comprehensive and well-curated offerings are part of why Project Professional is rated an average of 4.7/5 stars on the Entrepreneur Store.
Don’t miss this limited-time opportunity to make a worthwhile investment in your business for the price of a beer at the ball game.
A price that will only last from April 19 through 22, you can get Microsoft Professional 2021 for just $19.97 (reg. $249).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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