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CBN vs CBG: two minor cannabinoids with tons of potential

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CBN vs CBG

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission when you purchase products featured in this content or purchase from vendors featured here. Our professional curators independently research and recommend products and services, with no newsroom involvement. Merchants can pay for a sponsored listing and may choose to rewrite their summary. When that happens, we label the listing as “Sponsored” and highlight it in grey to differentiate the merchant-provided content from our writing.

Cannabis has many names – Weed, Mary Jane, Pot, Herb, Reefer, or Ganja. The origins of these names may be obscure, but it is indisputable that cannabis is “a plant of a thousand compounds.” 

Cannabis research started in the early 1940s before running into strong headwinds due to legal reasons. The enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill gave new life to cannabis research and efforts to position the crop favorably for economic exploitation.

Today, we are undoubtedly more knowledgeable about cannabis than in yesteryears. So we know that besides the two dominant cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabis also contains hundreds of other cannabinoids. And today, we’re discussing two of the most popular minor cannabinoids in the market.

In this article, we look at CBN vs CBG. We will explore how they work, their similarities and differences, potential benefits and side effects, legal status, and how to use them.

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Key Takeaways

  • CBN is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid best known for its sleep-promoting properties.
  • CBG is a mostly nonpsychoactive cannabinoid with wide-ranging potential health benefits for eye health and inflammatory conditions.
  • CBN is made from oxidized THC, while CBG is made when CBGa decarboxylates.
  • Research on these two cannabinoids is by no means complete, and a lot of gray areas exist that still need more work.

What is CBN?

CBN is a cannabinoid formed when THC oxidizes in the presence of light and air. For this reason, it is predominantly found in aged cannabis material. Despite being lesser known than CBD and THC, CBN is actually the first cannabinoid to be identified and isolated from cannabis. 

Since CBN is derived from THC, assuming that it’s psychoactive is a very accurate assumption. Indeed, this cannabinoid exhibits one-fourth of the potency of THC at both the CB1 and CB2 receptors within the endocannabinoid system. As such, it is weakly psychoactive. The exact effects may vary depending on your tolerance to psychoactive products, but most people will find CBN mildly intoxicating.

Due to its ability to interact with the CB receptors, CBN is thought to have therapeutic benefits, which we shall get into much later. As a minor cannabinoid, CBN exists in very low concentrations, between 0.1 and 1.6%. So, it is mostly artificially synthesized for commercialization. 

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What is CBG?

CBG is another minor cannabinoid that has recently attracted significant scientific interest. It is formed through the decarboxylation of Cannabigerolic Acid (CBGa) and is predominantly found in young cannabis plants. Unlike CBN, CBG is mostly non-psychotropic because it binds weakly to the CB1 and CB2 receptors. 

CBG is the precursor of CBD and THC in its acid form, which is why it is called “the mother of all cannabinoids.” CBG typically exists in very low levels in most cannabis strains, but there are a number of high CBG strains such as White.

How Do CBN and CBG Work?

All cannabinoids exert their effects via the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a vast network of endogenous cannabinoids (“endocannabinoids”) receptors and enzymes that work together primarily to maintain body homeostasis. Of course, there are many other functions the ECS regulates, but the major ones are:

  • Emotion processing
  • Sleep
  • Pain control
  • Immune system function and inflammatory responses
  • Learning and memory
  • Reproduction 

So, a few years back, scientists discovered that our bodies produce cannabinoid-like molecules that regulate the ECS. These molecules are many, but the two most studied are anandamide and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol.

AEA and 2-AG are also the main endogenous molecules of the ECS. They bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors triggering wide-ranging physiologic and behavioral responses that benefit the body. 

For example, anandamide preferably binds to the CB1 receptor causing feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and contentment. This is why it is also called the “bliss molecule.” Interestingly, THC’s binding action to the CB1 receptor produces more or less similar effects, i.e., euphoria, relaxation, etc. As a result, anandamide is considered an analog of THC.

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CBN and CBG work in a similar fashion – they interact with preferred CB receptors, stimulating pharmacological effects unique to them. For example, CBG has a low affinity for the CB1 and CB2 receptor but behaves like a CB1 antagonist. As such, it may neutralize the psychoactive effects of THC.

On the other hand, CBN shows a high binding affinity for CB1 receptors but a partial preference for CB2 receptors. Despite its strong affinity for CB1 receptors, CBN is weakly psychotropic, so its psychoactive effects are not as strong as THC’s.

Do CBN and CBG Get You High?

The notion that any compound of cannabis is potentially psychotropic is misguided. Cannabis produces two types of cannabinoids – psychoactive and non-psychoactive. 

The main psychoactive ingredient of cannabis is THC, which can be quite high content-wise in landrace strains. However, in hemp—the legal cannabis—THC typically appears in very low concentrations of not more than 0.3%. This is, of course, as per the requirements of the 2018 Farm Bill.

CBN is mildly psychoactive, probably due to its close relationship with THC. Even then, its potency is quite low (~25% of THC), so it is unlikely to induce much of a high. Look at it this way; the standard THC dose that produces noticeable psychotropic effects (a “high”) is 5 milligrams for experienced and naïve users. Of course, frequent users develop tolerance and could need more.

If CBN’s potency is ~25% of THC, you would need roughly 20 milligrams to get high. Keep in mind that these rare cannabinoids are more expensive to manufacture so that much CBN would certainly put a dent in your wallet.

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Unlike CBN, CBG is 100% non-psychotropic for most people, so any chances of getting high on it are practically zero. 

How to Take CBN and CBG 

How you take CBN and CBG and, indeed, other cannabinoids is a matter of personal preference. Let’s highlight the main ways to take CBN and CBG.

Smoking

Since time immemorial, smoking has been one of the most common methods for taking cannabinoids. And it is easy to see why – all you had to do was to grind the flowers and leaves, roll them in a joint, light it up, and voila! 

In traditional medical systems, passive inhalation was also used. Whether for rituals or healing, people would be subjected to the smoke and fumes of burning cannabis. Today, smoking cannabis is a more elaborate affair with specially designed pipes and bongs made particularly for the activity. Both accessories have merits and demerits but have certainly made smoking cannabinoids a lot easier.

Inhalation

Vape carts and pens are considered safer and more hygienic than the good old joints and blunts. These tools eliminate the smoke aspect because instead of combusting, they vaporize the cannabis material. The vapor is then inhaled.

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Unlike joints and blunts, vape carts are specifically designed for cannabis oils. These can be infused with a particular cannabinoid(s), allowing you to experience their genuine effects. With joints, blunts, pipes, and bongs, you cannot tell how the cannabinoids affect you even if you are doing CBN/CBG-rich cannabis flower.

Edibles

Edibles are primarily stuff like gummies, baked goods, tablets, pills, and homemade treats like cookies, smoothies, and brownies. As the name suggests, these cannabis-infused foods are taken orally. 

You can take CBN and CBG by adding concentrates/isolates to your regular recipe of cookies, brownies, or smoothies. Commercial edibles like gummies, pills, and tablets can also be infused with these cannabinoids before being sold to consumers.

However, you should know that the oral bioavailability of cannabinoids is quite low. CBD, for instance, has an oral bioavailability of roughly 13-19%. This is due to the first-pass mechanism, which reduces the cannabinoid load that enters your systemic circulation. So, if you eat a gummy with 25mg of CBD, for example, just about 3.25mg to 4.75mg gets into your bloodstream. 

This is why if you are using cannabinoids for therapeutic reasons, you need to take them consistently for some time (2 weeks to a month) to feel the effects. The reason is that they need to build up in your system to sufficient amounts to stimulate their therapeutic benefits.

Topicals

Cannabinoids are increasingly being added to skincare and cosmetic products. This is because the body can absorb certain substances through the skin. So adding CBG and CBN to skincare products certainly makes sense due to their array of potential benefits, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antibiotic properties. 

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One downside of cannabinoid topicals is that they don’t penetrate the skin deeply enough. Fortunately, this can be resolved by adding penetration enhancers and ‘warm’ Chinese herbs. You can also wash and clean the affected area before applying CBN/CBG cream or lotion to enhance skin penetration. 

Alternatively, you can use a warm towel to clean the surface of the affected place. The warmth unclogs the pores, making it easier for the ingredients to pass into the bloodstream. Topicals are fairly fast-acting, especially for injuries and skin conditions.

What Are the Similarities Between CBN and CBG?

CBN and CBG are naturally occurring cannabinoids derived from cannabis. So, expectedly, they share some similarities, such as:

  • Both cannabinoids exert their effects by interacting with your endocannabinoid system. 
  • CBN is slightly psychotropic, while CBG is mostly non-psychotropic. However, CBN is unlikely to induce a “high” due to its low potency. In effect, both cannabinoids do not cause a “high” for most people.
  • Both CBN and CBG are considered minor cannabinoids because they naturally occur in trace amounts. So, for commercial purposes, both cannabinoids are synthesized artificially.
  • Both cannabinoids exhibit considerable anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
  • CBG and CBN are federally legal in the United States thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill.

What’s the Difference between CBG and CBN?

Even though CBN and CBG share some qualities, they are also different. Here is how:

  • CBN and CBG have different molecular structures. CBN’s structure closely resembles THC’s, while CBG’s molecular structure is similar to CBD and CBC.
  • Both cannabinoids interact with the CB1 and CB2 receptors to produce different physiologic effects. As a result, CBN is touted for its potential pain-killing, anti-inflammatory, and appetite-stimulating effects, while CBG may offer therapeutic effects for anxiety and glaucoma.
  • It is also worth noting that CBG and CBN originate from different precursor compounds. CBG comes from CBGa, while CBN results from oxidized THC.
  • CBG, like CBD, can mitigate the psychoactive effects of THC, while CBN does not exhibit this property.

CBG vs CBN Potential Benefits

The whole idea behind cannabis research is to identify how these unique plant compounds can benefit us. So far, research has established the following:

CBN Potential Benefits

  • CBN demonstrates anticonvulsant activity in mice but not as potently as CBD and Delta 9-THC.
  • Like Delta 9-THC, CBN can potentially stimulate appetite.
  • Due to its soothing effect, CBN is widely regarded as a sleep enhancer.
  • CBN possesses significant potential anti-inflammatory and antibiotic activity. Consequently, it is proposed as a potential ingredient for topical applications for treating psoriasis.
  • Other studies suggest CBN may be instrumental in promoting bone formation.
  • CBN may also potentially impact intestinal motility and platelet aggregation and may help with internal bowel disease (IBD).

CBG Potential Benefits

  • CBG is scientifically noted for its potential ability to reduce intraocular pressure. As such, it may help boost eye health by treating glaucoma.
  • CBG exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties and is touted as a potential candidate for developing novel drugs to prevent/control/treat conditions involving pathological inflammatory responses.
  • Its antioxidant property makes it a potential curative agent for inflammatory diseases like IBD.
  • Older studies suggest that CBG could possess muscle relaxant properties.
  • Other studies indicate CBG could have stronger analgesic and anti-erythemic effects than THC.
  • CBG’s ability to antagonize 5-HT1A receptor agonists suggests it may have an antidepressant effect.

Check out our blog for other things CBG is potentially good at.

CBG vs CBN Potential Side Effects

While the potential benefits of CBN and CBG are noteworthy, keep in mind that we do not know everything about these compounds. For example, barring CBD and THC, the toxicology profiles of other cannabinoids are pretty much gray areas.

Mostly, their potentially harmful side effects are determined by their similarity to either CBD or THC. For instance, CBG is structurally similar to CBD, so it is more likely to display CBD’s side effects.

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The same principle applies to CBN. It is structurally similar to THC, so we contend that its side effects would closely mirror THC’s. However, CBN is only mildly psychoactive, and we do not expect it to produce the intense psychomimetic effects we associate with THC.

CBN vs CBG: Which One Is Better?

We try to dissuade cannabis users from looking at cannabinoids through the “which is better” lens. In truth, no cannabinoid is better than the other. They both have different pharmacological profiles and produce different therapeutic benefits. 

One cannabinoid might improve one aspect of health better than another. For instance, if you are a poor eater looking for some boost in appetite, CBN is a practical choice compared to CBG. However, CBG would be the logical choice if you want potential help with glaucoma.

Sometimes, they share qualities, meaning combining them would enhance their collective potency. For example, both cannabinoids exhibit anti-inflammatory properties, so mixing them would boost their overall effect. Indeed, the key to getting the most out of cannabinoids is taking them together.

The idea of cannabinoids working better together than alone is theorized in the “entourage effect.” Taking CBN and CBG together is certainly one way of experiencing their collective health benefits.

Can You Take CBG and CBN Together?

Yes, you can definitely take CBG and CBN together. As we have just discussed, doing so enhances their synergy, thus helping you get the most out of cannabinoids. 

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Fortunately, most hemp products tend to contain more than a single cannabinoid. Moreover, it has been shown that certain cannabinoids work extremely well together. For example, the excellent synergy between THC and CBD has seen them be used frequently within the cannabis ecosystem.

What Is the Legal Status of CBG and CBN?

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp with a THC concentration of not more than 0.3%. This effectively made hemp-derived compounds and derivatives legal. As such, hemp-derived CBN and CBG are federally legal in the United States.

Where to Buy CBN and CBG Products Online 

So, all factors considered, you may be thinking of trying CBN and CBG. Lucky for you, we have a list of some of the best products out there containing CBG and CBN. Let’s quickly go over them.

First up is this Full Spectrum CBG Oil, from Fab CBG, which contains CBG and CBD in a 1:1 ratio to ensure you enjoy the best of both worlds. With 2400 mg of CBG and CBD, we proudly inform you that this CBG oil is one of the most potent cannabinoid products on the market. It comes in three delicious flavors—citrus, natural, and mint—to enhance your enjoyment. 

For lovers of edibles, these Live Resin CBN Gummies from Tribe Tokes with 20 mg of CBN and 10 mg of CBD are just what you need to help you fall asleep fast and stay sleeping longer. These gummies strike the right balance of chewy and soft with added terpenes for an authentic cannabis experience.

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We also have this CBDFx CBD + CBG Oil, which, as the name suggests, combines CBG and CBD with terpenes, curcumin, and Coenzyme 10. The result is a tincture that provides a one-of-a-kind experience. It is available in four strength levels—500 mg, 1000 mg, 2000 mg, and 4000 mg—to ensure no one is left out.

You can also try the NuLeaf Extract CBN Oil to experience the synergy of cannabinoids. This product comes in three strength levels—300 mg, 900 mg, and 1800 mg. Whether your overall goal is better quality sleep or pain relief, this well-formulated CBN oil certainly does the trick.

Conclusion — CBN vs CBG

CBN and CBG are just two of the many cannabinoids found in cannabis. Although not much is known about them, existing studies suggest that they may have properties that could be beneficial. 

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However, it should be noted that much of what is known about CBN and CBG comes from animal studies. It is unclear if such findings can be replicated in human subjects, which is the benchmark for validation.

Nonetheless, cannabis as a plant has been used for millennia, and all historical and contemporary evidence suggests it potentially possesses significant health benefits. But, we still have much more to learn here.

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission when you click links in this content. Our professional curators independently research and recommend products and services, with no newsroom involvement. Merchants can pay for a sponsored listing and may choose to rewrite their summary. When that happens, we label the listing as “Sponsored” and highlight it in grey to differentiate the merchant-provided content from our writing.

 



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AFFILIATE MARKETING

Common Affiliate Marketing Scams and How to Avoid Them

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Common Affiliate Marketing Scams and How to Avoid Them

At WPBeginner, we have been on both sides of affiliate marketing as affiliate marketers and as businesses running affiliate programs.

With over a decade of expertise, we have encountered all types of affiliate marketing scams and frauds.

While most folks in the affiliate business are honest, hardworking people, there are always people trying to make a quick buck at the expense of others.

Here, we’ll discuss some of the top affiliate marketing scams and how to avoid them. We’ll talk about it from both perspectives as a business owner and as an affiliate marketer.

Common affiliate marketing scams explained for beginners

How Do Affiliate Marketing Scams Affect Businesses?

Affiliate marketing scams try to steal from businesses by pretending to be affiliate marketers. Similarly, they may also defraud unsuspecting affiliate marketers by pretending to be a legitimate business.

Thousands of people make money online with affiliate marketing. It is a lucrative industry worth over $17 billion (Source).

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Due to the low barrier of entry, good payouts, and higher returns on invested time and resources, it attracts many businesses and marketers.

Affiliate marketing industryAffiliate marketing industry

However, this success also attracts many bad actors who want to profit by scamming and defrauding affiliate marketers and businesses running affiliate programs.

For these reasons, affiliate marketers and businesses may struggle to distinguish between legitimate opportunities and scams:

  • Financial loss – Affiliate marketing scams may use deceptive practices to hijack ads, change payment terms, or block payments, causing financial loss to marketers.
  • Reputational Damage – Some scammers create fake websites, advertisements, and landing pages pretending to be from a legitimate business. This causes harm to the business’s reputation.
  • Legal Damages – Some affiliate marketing scams may promote illegal products or fraudulent activities. This can lead to legal consequences and damage the affiliate’s personal and professional standing.
  • Increased Skepticism – Due to encountering scams, affiliate marketers may become more skeptical and hesitant to join new programs or promote certain products. This can limit their opportunities for legitimate partnerships and revenue generation. Similarly, businesses may find it difficult to trust affiliate marketers if they have been deceived by fraudulent actors in the industry.

However, this can be mitigated by carefully researching an affiliate program’s terms and conditions. Before signing up, you can also look for the common shady tactics scammers use.

Here are some of the most common affiliate marketing scams you should avoid.

Common Affiliate Marketing Scams Targeting Affiliate Marketers

Scammers often target affiliate marketers to promote illegal or dubious products with little to no payout in return.

Here are some of the most common scams targeted at affiliate marketers.

1. Get Rich Quick Schemes

Get rich quick scamsGet rich quick scams

Get-rich-quick schemes are perhaps the industry’s most common and longest-running affiliate marketing scam.

They promise affiliate marketers a much higher commission for promoting their products with dubious promises and big claims about earning potential.

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These scams can be harder to identify. Many niches in the affiliate industry offer higher incentives, and it is not uncommon to make big claims even by legitimate businesses.

These scams differ because they often sell questionable products with little to no value. These programs have their terms and conditions set up so that they end up paying nothing to the affiliate marketers.

How to Identify This Scam:

These businesses often make big promises of incredibly high earning potential. They are often selling dubious products with little to no value. Their affiliate program is not transparent, and terms and conditions are often vague or have hidden clauses to avoid any payment.

2. Fake Products

Another common scam targeting affiliate marketers is fake products. These scammers would sell a cheap (and often illegally obtained) copy of a legitimate product by a recognized brand.

However, often, they don’t even deliver the cheap copy and just steal money from the customers.

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Another variation of this scam involves digital products. After customers have paid up, there is no product to download or access, and the company’s customer support is non-existent.

On the other end of things, these scammers will also simply refuse to issue any payment to the affiliate marketers, meaning they get money for nothing.

How to Identify This Scam:

Fake products are often shown by copying an existing brand or business. Their pricing would be lower than the actual products to lure customers into believing they are getting a cheaper deal. Do your research about the product, search for real reviews, or dig into background information of the business.

3. Pyramid Schemes and Multi-level Marketing Programs

Pyramid schemes or they’re modern name, multi-level marketing (MLM) are scams dating back to pre-internet days. It is still effectively used to target innocent people.

They target affiliate marketers by asking them to recruit investors into often imaginary, fake, or shoddy products. Marketers are promised a commission on each new sign-up that their recruits or people they bring in make.

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Eventually, it becomes impossible to find new recruits, and the whole scheme fails. These scammers then go ahead and launch the scheme with different names.

Even if there is a real product being sold, a MLM company floods the market with affiliates, meaning no one makes any meaningful money and saturates the market.

How to Identify This Scam:

These scams often ask you to promote a fake business or product like a get-rich-quick scheme, dietary supplements, or cheaply made fake products. You will be promised higher payouts when people you bring in recruit more people. You may also be asked to deposit a joining fee, which they may label as an investment.

4. Pay to Join Affiliate Programs

Another common scam is to ask for you to pay a fee to join an affiliate program. These pay-to-join programs will claim that they run an exclusive affiliate partnership program, and in order to ensure that only serious marketers join their program, they need you to make a small payment.

Such programs will pretend to sell high-value items and promise to offer unrealistically high commissions.

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All genuine affiliate programs are free to join. It is possible that some affiliate programs may require you to demonstrate product knowledge or industry expertise, but they would never ask you to pay them in order to promote their products.

How to Identify This Scam:

The most obvious sign of this scam is that they will ask you to make a payment. Some may even want you to pay with Bitcoin so the transaction can’t be reversed or traced back. If you are asked to make any payment just to join an affiliate program, then it is most likely a scam.

5. Fake Gurus and Influencers

Social media influencerSocial media influencer

Another popular scam is when you are asked to promote a fake guru or social media influencer. These fake influencers or self-claimed gurus often pretend to be experts in something and typically sell courses and 1-on-1 training sessions.

You may be asked to bring in unsuspecting customers and will be promised a lucrative commission when they sign up for the course, follow the influencer on social media, or join an email list.

These scammers would then sell customers useless courses with little to no value. They would refuse to pay affiliate marketers by not recognizing any leads or conversions they bring.

On the other hand, there are legitimate experts in various industries selling online courses and mentorship programs. This makes it harder for affiliate marketers to distinguish between legitimate businesses and scammers.

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How to Identify This Scam:

These scammers usually have no track record of their supposed expertise. Their testimonials would sound phony and unverifiable. They would use pushy tactics to make sales, and most of their followers on social media profiles would be bot accounts.

6. Phishing Scams

Phishing scamsPhishing scams

Another way scammers target affiliate marketers is by using phishing tactics to steal sensitive information.

They create fake websites or emails that appear to be from legitimate affiliate programs, tricking affiliates into providing login credentials or personal information.

Besides fake websites and emails, scammers may also target affiliate marketers on social media websites and messaging apps. They may use brand images of popular affiliate platforms to deceive victims into believing that they are talking to an official account.

How to Identify This Scam:

Ensure that you are visiting a legitimate website. If you are unsure, then close your browser window and try to reach the actual website manually. Any email account asking you to visit a website should be sifted through. Don’t provide any login information to any fake website.

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Common Affiliate Marketing Scams Targeting Businesses

If you are a business running an affiliate program to generate more sales, then you may be targeted by scammers in a number of ways.

Here are some of those common scams to look out for:

1. Fraudulent Transactions

Transaction fraudTransaction fraud

Scammers may target a business by generating fake sales using stolen credit cards, dummy payment accounts, and other fraudulent techniques.

Once a sale is generated, they are qualified for commission. However, your business may pay a refund or chargeback on the fake transaction.

More sophisticated scammers may even attempt to manipulate your conversion tracking data to credit them for more sales.

How to Identify This Scam:

The easiest way to detect this scam is by monitoring your refund and chargeback requests. However, this could be due to customers being genuinely unsatisfied with their purchase.

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You can look for patterns to detect fraudulent activities causing higher refunds. Compare the refund rates of suspected affiliates with other affiliates to detect suspicious activity.

2. Cookie Stuffing

This is a sophisticated affiliate marketing scam targeting businesses that run an affiliate program.

Here is how it works, the scammers use phishing tactics, malware, and popups to install cookies with their affiliate tracking IDs on unsuspecting users. After that, when users visit the website and make a purchase, these marketers earn a commission.

These cookies are often set never to expire unless a user deletes all cookies in their browser. The user would have never interacted with the affiliates’ content and wouldn’t even be referred by their URL.

How to Identify This Scam:

This sort of scam is harder to identify. However, depending on your affiliate management program, it may automatically detect fraudulent activities. You also need to monitor your conversions in Google Analytics to find suspicious URLs and activities.

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Many affiliate programs only allow marketers to send traffic from a pre-approved list of websites, and any conversions not originating from their approved websites are discredited.

3. Google Ad Keyword Hijacking

Google Ad HijackingGoogle Ad Hijacking

Another problematic affiliate scam that affects businesses is Google Ad Keyword Hijacking.

Basically, the scammers sign up for an affiliate program and run Google ads on brand keywords or keywords where your business may already be advertising.

This increases your cost to bid on those keywords, and you end up paying additional commission to a source of traffic that you could have acquired yourself by running the ads.

An even more problematic situation arises when these scammers first redirect the users to their websites before sending them to yours. This makes it harder for you to detect fraudulent activity for a longer period of time.

How to Identify This Scam:

Monitor your top keywords for PPC ads on Google. The easiest way to do this is by using a search marketing tool like Semrush.

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Another way to identify this scam is to monitor your website traffic and look for unusually high-traffic sources. You can also carefully monitor affiliate activity to look out for unusually high conversions, sudden jumps in referral traffic, and other signs of suspicious activity.

4. Fake Leads

Fake leads can be a problematic affiliate scam for businesses paying affiliate marketers to bring in leads.

Scammers can generate fake leads using sophisticated techniques like stolen user data, unverified leads bought from third-party sources, or simply paying someone to create fake user accounts.

More sophisticated scammers may even send bot traffic from their legitimate-looking websites. These bots then fill in forms with fake user data to submit a lead.

How to Identify This Scam:

One way to thwart fake leads is by requiring customers to double opt-in. Another way to detect quality leads is by reaching out to customers.

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If more leads appear to be non-existent, you can dig deeper and find the affiliate accounts sending those leads.

Look for your affiliate reports to find patterns like a website sending a specific number of leads per day could be a sign of fake leads.

5. Click Frauds

Businesses running pay-per-click affiliate programs are vulnerable to click fraud. Scammers can use a wide variety of techniques to generate fake clicks and traffic.

Some of these techniques use automated bots to click on links. These bots may use IP spoofing and appear as legitimate traffic in your analytics or affiliate marketing reports.

Other scammers may use click farms, where scammers pay pennies to click farms where actual humans click on links as part of their job. These click farms may use hacked computers worldwide to generate those clicks.

How to Identify This Scam:

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Monitoring your Google Analytics reports can help you look for signs of click fraud. You can look for suspicious traffic sources, traffic coming from random places, low conversion rates than the industry average.

Keep track of IP addresses to look for signs of click fraud. Your affiliate management software may also provide tools to detect and prevent click fraud.

6. URL Hijacking

Another common scam targeting businesses is when an affiliate partner registers similar domain names or misspelled URLs.

For instance, if a business’s website is a stargardeningtools.com, the scammers may register stargardiningtools.com or similar domains.

This scam is also called domain squatting. It can be easily tracked by looking at referral domains in Google Analytics. However, some of these affiliates may set up dubious redirects to ensure that the squatted domain doesn’t appear as a referral domain.

How to Identify This Scam:

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You can track most such tactics by regularly monitoring the referral domains in Google Analytics. Also looking for traffic sources that look suspicious can be helpful. Sometimes, these traffic sources may not have any content promoting your products and services.

Avoiding Affiliate Marketing Scams Tips and Tricks

Following are some handy tips that will help you avoid common affiliate marketing scams both as a marketer and as a business.

1. Join Reputable Affiliate Platforms

Join the top affiliate networks and platforms to work with top businesses, best products, and legitimate affiliate marketers.

Platforms like ShareASale, Impact, and Amazon offer a large number of products and businesses to promote. They also help businesses partner up with the best marketers, handle payouts, and prevent fraud.

However, these programs cost money and may reduce the profitability of your business.

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Luckily, there are platforms like AffiliateWP. It is the best affiliate tracking and management software that runs on top of WordPress.

AffiliateWP comes with easy affiliate management, advanced fraud detection, easy payouts, and no middleman fees.

Another excellent alternative is EasyAffiliate. Similar to AffiliateWP, it runs on top of WordPress and allows you to manage and run your own affiliate program.

2. Monitor Your Website Traffic

Whether you are an affiliate marketer or an affiliate manager, monitoring your website traffic regularly helps you detect and prevent fraud and scams.

The easiest way to do this is by installing MonsterInsights. It is the best Google Analytics plugin for WordPress and helps you easily track your website traffic.

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MonsterInsightsMonsterInsights

MonsterInsights has features like eCommerce tracking, conversion tracking, outbound link tracking, and more. Plus, it helps you easily see where your traffic is coming from and what those users do while visiting your site.

3. Use Better Link Management Tools

As an affiliate marketer, you will need tools to manage all your affiliate links easily. This helps you insert links easily and increase your earnings, but it will also help you track link performance and detect your clicks.

This is where ThirstyAffiliates comes in. It is the best affiliate link management tool for WordPress and allows you to easily manage and track all your affiliate links.

ThirstyAffiliatesThirstyAffiliates

ThristyAffiliates helps you detect broken affiliate links, track link clicks, set up redirects, and cloak affiliate links.

Another excellent alternative is PrettyLinks. It is a link management tool for WordPress. It allows you to shorten affiliate links, cloak links, manage all your links, and easily insert them in your website.

Pretty Links Pro WebsitePretty Links Pro Website

For more on this topic, see our complete affiliate marketing guide for beginners.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Affiliate Marketing Scams

The following are some of the most commonly asked questions about affiliate marketing scams by our users.

1. Is affiliate marketing risky?

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Affiliate marketing is just as risky as other type of marketing strategies. Due to the increasing number of fraudulent activities and scams, it may give an impression of being risky. However, most of these affiliate marketing scams can be easily avoided. Affiliate marketing still provides excellent opportunities for publishers to make money online and businesses to promote their products and services.

2. Is affiliate marketing similar to pyramid schemes?

No, affiliate marketing is not similar to pyramid schemes. Unlike pyramid schemes, affiliate programs are free to join, and affiliate marketers are paid to bring in customers. However, some pyramid schemes may present themselves as an affiliate program in order to appear legitimate.

3. Is it possible to avoid affiliate marketing scams altogether?

Yes, it is possible to avoid affiliate marketing scams by joining reputable affiliate platforms and carefully selecting affiliate marketers, products, and businesses that you work with.

We hope this article helps you avoid common affiliate marketing scams. You may also want to explore these low online business ideas or take a look at these additional ways to make money online.

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If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.



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How Creators Make Money Is Changing

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In 2021, we reported on a survey that measured creators’ top sources of revenue. At that time, sponsorships with advertisers took the top spot by …

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The Ultimate Guide to Succeeding Alone in Business in 2024

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The Ultimate Guide to Succeeding Alone in Business in 2024

What is a solopreneur? And how do you become one?

Well, in this post, we’re diving into the world of solopreneurship to help you get started.

You’ll learn:

  • The difference between a solopreneur and an entrepreneur
  • Pros and cons of solopreneurship
  • A step-by-step guide to becoming a solopreneur
  • Plus, solopreneur business ideas you can start today.

Let’s get started.

What is a Solopreneur?

A solopreneur is a person who starts a business by themself, without a partner, and the need for hiring employees.

What is a Solopreneur?

Merriam-Webster defines it as:

One who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise without the help of a partner : a solo entrepreneur.

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They typically bootstrap their business using their own money and manage all aspects of the business needs to make a profit.

This might involve sales, marketing, product development, managing finances, and customer satisfaction.

Solopreneur vs Entrepreneur

Now, you might be asking, “What’s the difference between a solopreneur and an entrepreneur?”

Solopreneur vs EntrepreneurSolopreneur vs Entrepreneur

Here are the key distinctions between the two. Knowing these can also help you choose which one to pursue.

Purpose

A solopreneur and an entrepreneur have slightly different intentions when launching a business. The solopreneur starts a business so they can work for themselves, make extra money, and work on something they’re passionate about.

Solopreneurs often start a side hustle while working a regular job, hoping their business will take over their salary.

The entrepreneur generally starts a business for growth, scalability, and profit. They may also be driven by having an impact on a market.

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Entrepreneurs might start as solopreneurs in the beginning but with an aim to expand. They may also have an exit strategy in mind from the very beginning, whereas solopreneurs rarely start to sell the business.

Management

Solopreneurs don’t hire employees as they aim to manage all aspects of the business themselves. But, they might hire a freelancer, independent contractor, or virtual assistant for specific daily tasks.

The solopreneur doesn’t usually seek investments either, as their startups are self-funded.

Entrepreneurs will build a team of employees and seek investments so they can expand the business quickly.

Most entrepreneurs don’t want to be working in the business but rather focus on their vision and creative direction.

Focus

The focus of a solopreneur is primarily to create a lifestyle business. They might also want to achieve financial independence and work on things they love.

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Many solopreneurs are simply driven by their interests. For example, an artist might want to spend more time painting, so they research ways to monetize their work.

When their art business makes more money than their job, they can leave and focus on painting full-time. They’ve turned their hobby into a business.

Whereas the entrepreneur might have a passion for growth, innovation, impact, or for business itself. The businesses they start can be varied, and they don’t necessarily have to be passionate about their niche.

Pros and Cons of Solopreneurship

Like any venture, business model, or career choice, there are advantages and disadvantages.

Here’s what you need to know when becoming a solopreneur.

Solopreneurship Pros

  1. The introverts dream. Solopreneurship can be very appealing to introverts or those who like working alone.
  2. Total autonomy. You have complete control over business decisions, projects you work on, and the people you serve.
  3. Flexibility. It provides total freedom regarding the hours you work and your location.
  4. Low startup costs. Many solopreneurs can start with a social media account and free marketing tools like Substack.
  5. Passive income. There’s a lot of potential to earn passive income as a solopreneur. Here are some passive income ideas to look into.

Solopreneurship Cons

  1. Workload. Many roles are required to be a successful solopreneur. These include marketing, sales, accounting, and client satisfaction.
  2. Inconsistent income. Revenue can be slow and inconsistent in the beginning.
  3. Isolation. Running a business alone can get pretty lonely sometimes, even for introverts.
  4. Work-life imbalance. It can be hard to switch between work and play, especially when working from home.
  5. Financial responsibility. Financial management can be quite daunting for some people and may lead to failed startups when not managed well.

How to Become a Solopreneur

Here are 9 steps you can take to make the solopreneur journey a breeze.

1. Evaluate Your Skills

Solopreneurship is all about monetizing a skill or what you know. So, the first step is to know what you’re good at.

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This is harder than it seems because what we’re good at often comes naturally to us. Therefore, we don’t recognize our own talents.

It could be fixing your diet, graphic design, writing a novel, or dealing with stress.

Start by documenting your life and answering these questions:

  • What are you passionate about that you’ll never get bored with?
  • Have you achieved anything significant that came easy to you?
  • What do you spend the most money on?
  • What do your friends come to you for advice about?

Spend some time journalling or brainstorming things that come to you. Just try to keep it simple.

You don’t have to be an expert to be your own boss. Only a desire to help others who are a few steps behind you.

If you’re really stuck, you can choose one of the easiest online businesses to start to get you going.

2. Set Financial Goals

Next up is knowing how much income you want to make.

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Solopreneur financial goalsSolopreneur financial goals

Do you want to make a little extra on the side? Or do you want to replace your salary?

There’s no limit to how much you can make when starting an online business as a solopreneur.

But it’s still important to set business goals. Doing so will help you make better decisions and even choose a business model or product to sell.

You’ll want to establish short-term and long-term financial goals. That way, you’ll stay motivated and maintain focus.

3. Choose a Business Model

Your business model is how you deliver your products or services. Establishing one will give you clarity on the direction you can take.

It will also reveal how you’ll generate income, establish risk, and how you might scale if you want to.

We’ll take a deeper dive at specific business ideas later, but these are the main business models to choose from.

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  1. Service-based. Things like freelance writing or web design services.
  2. Content creator. Teaching through YouTube, blogs, or online courses.
  3. Coaching. Helping people achieve personal or professional goals.
  4. eCommerce. Selling physical or digital products.
  5. Developer. Launching web or mobile apps.

4. Identify Your Ideal Market

So you have an idea of what you’ll be offering and the business model to deliver it.

But now you need to find an audience who needs it. Skip this step, and you could sell something no one needs.

Market research validates what you have to sell and will help you clarify your offer.

It involves understanding the pain points of your target audience and crafting a compelling solution.

Here are some popular ways to perform market research today:

  1. Forums and communities: Join and engage in niche forums or communities like Facebook groups. Use Google to find these forums or the search feature on Facebook.
  2. Social media: Monitor conversations on social media sites like Twitter and Reddit. Search for niche-related tags to find the right people.
  3. Competitor analysis: Research your competitors to see what pain points they focus on. Analyze the copy on their website and social media channels to gather insights into your audience.
  4. Keyword research: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMRush to find out what your niche is searching for. This will help you understand what their needs and goals are.
  5. Start a community: Launch a free Facebook Group or community platform like Skool to get to know your audience on a deeper level.

Niching down will always help you find a more passionate audience, so try not to go too broad. You can also read our posts on the best niche markets to get some ideas.

5. Create a Business Plan

According to a study published in Small Business Economics, people who create a business plan are 152% more likely to launch their business .

Develop a business planDevelop a business plan

Another study revealed that companies that plan grow 30% faster than those that don’t plan.

The downfall when planning is that many solopreneurs can get caught up in all the details. However, it doesn’t have to take weeks or months or need to be perfect.

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What’s important is getting the fundamentals down on paper.

This notion template is a great place to start, or this Udemy course for a more comprehensive and guided approach.

6. Launch Your Brand

Now, you’ll want to define the identity of your brand. This includes the name, logo, and messaging to attract the right people to your business.

The easiest route is to use your name and start your business as a personal brand.

But if you intend on scaling your business or selling it as an entrepreneur, you might want to start a professional brand instead.

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Either way, start by brainstorming ideas and checking for domain availability and social media handles.

You might want to register your business legally at this point, too.

If you have design skills, a simple logo might be sufficient enough. You can also hire a designer on Upwork to design your logo and brand identity professionally.

Lastly, you’ll need to tailor your brand messaging to resonate with your audience. A great book on this subject is Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller.

7. Establish an Online Presence

The next step to solopreneur success is forming a coherent online presence. These will be the places where you market yourself, publish content, and deliver your offerings.

Here are a few things you’ll need to set up:

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  1. A website: You can build a simple site using WordPress or Shopify if you sell products.
  2. Social media channels: Sign up and claim your social media handles on the main sites. These include Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, Medium, and YouTube.
  3. Email list: Use ConvertKit or a newsletter service like Substack to start building an email list. The earlier you start this, the better.
  4. Blog: If you like writing, you can also start to publish articles that attract organic visitors through search engines.

You don’t have to be active on all these channels at once. Just set them up so no one else takes your username, then choose a channel your audience uses most.

As a solopreneur, it’s possible to grow your business by sticking to one channel.

8. Develop a Digital Marketing Strategy

Marketing is how you’ll raise awareness of the problems your niche experiences and how you can help solve them.

Solopreneur marketing strategySolopreneur marketing strategy

To do this effectively, you need a strategy.

You’ll want to decide which platform to spend most of your time on. As a solopreneur, there’s only you, so trying to juggle multiple channels will spread you thin.

The strategy is to publish content at each level of the funnel.

Using the AIDA formula is a good place to start:

A: Grab the audience’s Attention with well-crafted headlines
I: Create Interest by communicating pain points. This will help grow followers or subscribers.
D: Create Desire by emphasizing the desired state for potential customers.
A: Provide a call to Action to drive conversions and sales.

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You can check out the 1-Page Marketing Plan for this. It will help you define a comprehensive marketing strategy on a single page.

9. Never Stop Learning

Lastly, you’ll make your journey so much easier when you become a continuous learner and adopt a success mindset.

You can read the best audiobooks for business, take Udemy courses, or even join an online community.

Some great books for solopreneurs include The Lean Startup, Company of One, and Alex Hormozi’s books.

Solopreneur Business Ideas

There are tons of different types of businesses you can start as a solopreneur.

Choosing one will depend on your skills, passions, available resources, and market needs.

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Here’s a quick look at some one-person business ideas to give you some inspiration:

  • App developer: Creating mobile or web apps like habit trackers or even games.
  • Blogger: Publishing content on Medium, Quora, Twitter, or a WordPress blog.
  • Paid newsletter subscription: Sharing your insights and knowledge through a platform like Substack or Beehiiv.
  • Copywriter: Offering copywriting as a freelancer on Upwork on your website.
  • Digital products: Sell your knowledge in the form of digital products on Gumroad or Systeme.
  • eCommerce: Sell physical products through Amazon FBA, Etsy, or a Shopify store.
  • YouTuber: Share your knowledge and monetize with YouTube affiliate marketing and ads.
  • Start a community: Create a Skool community and charge a monthly subscription.

Solopreneur in Conclusion

Becoming a solopreneur has many advantages when starting a business. Unlike entrepreneurship, you get to work alone, choose your hours, and only work on things you love.

Don’t expect things to go perfectly, though. Achieving success in any business venture takes time and dedication.

If you want to connect with others on their solopreneur journey, consider joining the Niche Pursuits Community. You’ll get access to weekly calls from successful bloggers, YouTubers, and 7- and 8-figure digital business owners.



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