The lure of affiliate marketing is undeniable; who can resist passive income?
But to make that passive income happen, you have got to put in some work first.
To succeed in affiliate marketing, there are a number of crucial steps you must take before you earn that first affiliate profits. And these steps are, well … not passive.
The good news is that if you’re determined to make this work and are willing to put in the time and effort, you’re already well on your way to affiliate marketing success.
All the work you put in is to help you make your first affiliate marketing sale. There is nothing like a first sale to motivate you and make you keep at it.
So, what do you need to do to get started?
7 Steps to Earning Your First Affiliate Commission
We've broken down the process into seven steps for affiliate marketing beginners. Following this guide will set you on the right course and have you earning your first commission in no time.
1. Choose a Niche
Before you even begin building your first site, you’ll need to decide which niche you’re going to target.
Obviously, if you don't know what your site is about or who you're going to target with it, you can't really build a site around it...can you?
If you’ve already figured this one out, way to go! This is undoubtedly one of the most difficult and overwhelming steps.
If you don't quite know what your niche is yet, here's some advice that you might find useful.
Some key questions to ask yourself when determining your niche are:
What topics am I already passionate about?
It's much easier to work on something if you're passionate about it. Plus, when you have a passion, you're usually quite knowledgeable about it too, so that definitely helps. For example if you have a passion about about makeup, your niche of choice might be makeup related, too.
Is there money in this niche?
While following your passion is definitely the recommended option, sometimes the possibility of making money in a profitable niche trumps passion. So, you might not necessarily know much about your niche, but if it's likely to make you money, you can always learn more about it, right?
For example, KitchenFaucetDivas is clearly a site that was built for profit, not passion. Unless of course there is someone out there with a serious passion for kitchen faucets! ;-)
What topic could I see myself easily writing 25, 50, or 100 blog posts about?
The topic you choose must have enough depth that you can create a lot of content for it. This is important for building an authoritative site, for search engine optimization, and most importantly, for the end user. If you don't have enough content about a topic, you're not going to be taken very seriously as an authority on the topic and it's unlikely you can convince someone to make a purchase from you.
MoneySavingExpert is a great example of a site with a topic for which you would have a never ending supply of content ideas.
Is there room in this niche for another affiliate marketer?
There are several profitable niches that are also very popular among affiliate markets (e.g., weight loss). Before jumping on board with a hugely popular niche, make sure there's enough room for you. That is — will you be able to make money and compete with already established marketers? If not, keep looking.
Is there enough interest in/demand for products in this niche?
The niche you choose might draw enough interest from your audience when it comes to reading and acquiring knowledge, but are they willing to buy relevant products too? Without consumer interest in products, your niche isn't going to make you much money.
Are there affiliate programs available in this niche?
This is obviously a crucial factor to consider. You might come up with an idea for a niche you know a lot about, but are there affiliate programs for the niche? No affiliate program = no sales. Time to look for a different niche.
Additional Resources for Choosing a Niche
Want to learn more about choosing a profitable niche? Here are some excellent resources we recommend for further reading:
Free Lesson: 7 Steps to Finding Profitable Affiliate Niches
From the Affilorama Community:
Do I Look for a Niche With Easy Keywords?
How to Look for Other Products in a Niche?
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