Affiliate programs are everywhere, promising vast wealth and providing all the necessary sales materials, including a complimentary website. It may seem like a foolproof plan, with everything set up for you, and all you need to do is wait for the checks to roll in. However, the reality is often different. The responses may trickle in, but sales are few and far between. This article explores the reasons behind this and offers strategies for making affiliate programs work for you.
Affiliate programs are abundant, with thousands of people participating. However, if you've seen one affiliate website for a specific product or service, you've essentially seen them all. The URL often gives away the nature of the site, making it less likely for people to visit your site. This doesn't mean that affiliate programs are ineffective, but rather that the tools they provide often fall short.
Marketing research shows that it takes 5-7 exposures to an ad before a potential customer might make a purchase. With a generic website, the chances of them returning to make a purchase are slim.
So, how can you make an affiliate program work for you? The first step is to ditch the affiliate website as your primary web contact and create your own. This website should provide interesting content for anyone who visits and should be updated regularly to keep visitors coming back. You can then provide a link to your affiliate website.
The next step is to get listed on search engines. With thousands of identical affiliate websites out there, the chances of someone stumbling across your site are slim. However, with your own site, your chances significantly increase.
While having your own domain is the preferred route, using a site that isn't your own domain is still better than using the link provided by the affiliate program. Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer free web space. With a bit of HTML knowledge, you can set up your own site. Alternatively, you can hire someone to do it for you.
The old saying, "a salesperson sells themselves first, the sale of their product or service follows shortly thereafter," holds true in this context. Establishing yourself on the web and in newsletters/ezines as a trustworthy and knowledgeable individual can significantly boost your affiliate program.
Having control over your webpage allows you to have a guest book for visitors to sign, providing you with their email addresses. These are invaluable for sending updates about your website without being accused of spamming.
You can also run contests on your website to collect more email addresses. The prizes don't have to be extravagant; an ebook can suffice. Publishing a regular newsletter/ezine with interesting content can also help collect email addresses.
Consider partnering with a non-competing party to help with the site or to write articles for the ezine. Having another link to a different affiliate program on your site won't hurt you, especially if they're willing to share the workload in return for the link.
So, are affiliate programs a boon or a bust? If you simply join and wait for the money to flow, it's likely to be the latter. However, if you're proactive and willing to put in some work, it can be a great opportunity.
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