Affiliate marketing is growing in popularity. With everyone working from home, alternatives to work like this form of marketing have hit all-time highs. People are talking about it all over the internet. But is affiliate marketing really worth it in 2021?
At first glance, it seems like an incredible way to make money online. But as we should all know, not everything is what it seems. Affiliate marketing isn’t as great as it is marketed, but it has its advantages. How good is it Is affiliate marketing worth it in 2021 and how do I start? Stay tuned to find out!
Affiliate Marketing – Myths vs. Reality
Affiliate marketing has achieved an almost mythical status among online marketers. Many people think that it is an easy and foolproof way to make big bucks in no time. And for some it is. Affiliates who have been in business for years have perfected the art of affiliate marketing. You know all of the tricks and tips in the book, heck, you probably made up some of them! To make real money, you need to know if affiliate marketing is worth it and how to get there!
These pro-affiliates, often called super-affiliates, made and earn millions from their campaigns. They usually use this wealth to promote their lifestyle. Flashy cars, expensive houses, and a luxurious lifestyle. They love to show off and, to be honest, they should. They made their money and they have the right to do what they want with it.
But all of this hype about the affiliate lifestyle has influenced public opinion about affiliate marketing. Nowadays people think that every affiliate makes this kind of money. Newbies come to the industry and expect insane paydays on the first day they sign up. But that is very far from reality.
The industry itself is very competitive. There are thousands of affiliates vying for attention and most of them have been in business for years. This leaves inexperienced newcomers at a massive disadvantage. These beginners need to learn to hold their own in the industry and make their campaigns profitable, and that is much easier said than done.
Instead of making money, affiliates who are starting to lose can even find themselves learning the basics of the industry. This usually brought up the question “is affiliate marketing worth it?” And this learning phase can take months. But after you know the basics and carve out a small niche for yourself, you will begin to see some gain.
It is important to know that not everyone can become a successful partner. Many people will fail in their ambitions and lose a lot of money. But some people will make a lot of money, and the difference between the two is persistence and expectation management.
If you’re expecting millions and getting peanuts, you might get discouraged and stop. But those who set their expectations low and work hard and persistently have the chance to be successful and to make a name for themselves. It’s hard to make affiliate marketing worthwhile, do your best and don’t give up!
How is Affiliate Marketing Today?
A lot has changed in online marketing in the last decade or two. Strategies that used to be golden are now outdated or outright forbidden. Some of the old methods are completely illegal today, and affiliates who previously made millions can face extreme problems if they try today. This applies to most blackhat methods. These used to be a bit fraudulent and tricked people into buying certain products. It’s not easy to do today, and even if you could, we wouldn’t recommend it.
Slowly but surely, the industry has developed and changed dramatically. Advances in technology and regulations are constantly changing the industry. This means that affiliates have to spend a lot of time every day keeping up to date. Tactics that worked a few weeks ago may already be old news in affiliate marketing.
Things like campaign tracking and reporting have gotten incredibly advanced. Nowadays you can track everything down to the finest detail and see exactly how your campaign is performing. This leads to huge data sets that enable marketers to optimize their campaigns in unbelievable lengths.
Affiliate marketing is a lot easier too. There are many resources and guides available online to get you started and increase your chances of success. None of this was available a few years ago, and affiliates had to figure it all out for themselves. But affiliate marketing is still worth a try.
Make use of affiliate marketing
For affiliate marketing to be worthwhile, it’s about using everything you can to promote your campaigns.
In order to do this, you need to do a few things beforehand. Create a strong connection with the product. Only promote products that you believe in yourself.
Take things slowly and learn from each mistake. Don’t rush things. Take it all one step at a time. Consolidate forums and guides, or ask other partners if possible. Learn from your mistakes so that you don’t repeat them!
Always add value to your audience. The more you give them, the more they feel obliged to give something back.
Work on your reputation. Try to be fair and objective about every decision you make. It’s a lot easier to convert your audience when they believe what you have to say. But it can take years to get there.
If you are concerned about always having a stable income and a secure job, affiliate marketing may not be worthwhile for you. The industry is notorious for its ever-changing landscape and if you want to be a part of it you have to adapt to it.
What types of affiliates are there today?
All of these changes result in many different types that have evolved over the past few years. This leads to a diverse group of different marketing approaches, each with their ups and downs.
- Blogging and social media
Blogging is a great way to introduce and promote your affiliate product to your audience. No wonder it is one of the most popular ways for affiliates to promote their products. Blogs can be for different niches and if done correctly you should be able to get lots of views from interested prospects. The same goes for social media. People are influenced by large social media accounts these days and often buy things that those accounts advertise.
Comparisons and ratings for products are some of the best ways to promote your affiliate products to an audience. You can compare your product or service with other, better-known products. Show your audience what makes your product better and how it fares against the competition. Keep these reviews fair and objective as fake reviews can negatively affect your reputation as a reviewer.
Classes and workshops are a great way to give back to your community. With workshops and courses, you are giving away valuable knowledge that your community should appreciate. Not only can you give away knowledge, but you can also try to promote your products and services.
- Communities and mastermind groups
This is similar to courses and workshops, but these types of groups are usually more specific. Interacting with these niche groups can come in very useful as advertising them is usually much more effective because you know what they like.
The partnership with apps is relatively new in the affiliate world. The concept is simple. You work with an app and advertise it through your channels. The app then advertises your product in it. For example, a beauty app could advertise certain brands that you own. The only thing to keep in mind is to choose ads that target the same audience as your products.
Paid advertising is the old and tested way of reaching audiences. Affiliates typically use paid traffic through PPC and contextual ads or social channels. Of course, this is only an option if your affiliate program allows it. There are many restrictions on some affiliate programs, and this can be one of them!
This includes all general content that is difficult to classify into specific categories. It includes large organizations that own numerous websites and get millions of clicks a month, or smaller partners that are uniquely approaching the industry.
So is affiliate marketing worth it?
Knowing that affiliate marketing is no longer what it used to be, it is time to answer the main question behind this article. Is Affiliate Marketing Worth It? The short answer is yes!
The long answer is a little more complicated. Affiliate marketing is only worthwhile for those who are willing to invest some time learning and optimizing their campaigns. Anyone who expects unbelievable success in a few days or weeks will be disappointed. Affiliate marketing is a very competitive industry that requires a lot of work to be successful.
About 50% of affiliates making money in this industry make less than $ 20,000 a year. Only 9% of affiliates make more than $ 50,000 annually. A small percentage of that 9% can make millions, but it is difficult to get there. That’s why If you’re serious and ready to work hard, join the iAmAffiliate premium forum where you can get 1 on 1 help from me with affiliate marketing, paid ads, and many more industry challenges!
The best you can do is start with it. Don’t give up no matter how difficult it may seem to you. Keep learning and don’t let mistakes discourage you. Every affiliate has bad campaigns from time to time. But the good should outweigh the bad!
