6 Tips for Affiliate Marketing Success

by Kim Hartman

Being an Affiliate marketer is a popular side hustle for many people looking to bring in some extra income; some very successful Affiliate marketers have even made it their main gig. Style Dots recently introduced an Affiliate Program giving Style Dots Affiliates the opportunity to share the jewelry they love while earning a 10% commission through their very own Affiliate link.

So what does it take to become a successful Affiliate marketer? Below are 6 tips for affiliate marketing success, whether you’re an affiliate marketing veteran or an affiliate marketing newbie.

As an Affiliate marketer, are you just selling products?

Instead of trying to hard sell products as an Affiliate marketer, become a source of knowledge for your customers. Namecheap.com says, “Blatant sales and self-promotion sites never gain traction. You need to help your visitors and provide quality information they find useful so they keep coming back” (“10 Steps”).

Your customers are going to look to you as an expert. As Namecheap.com advises, “Knowledge can distinguish you from your competitors….To stand out, you need to be seen as an expert, or at least a place to get detailed information about the products you promote” (“10 Steps”).

As a Style Dots Affiliate, we provide you with tools to help you learn about our products. Then you can talk about what makes them unique, how to use them, how to troubleshoot, etc., allowing you to become your visitors’ most valuable resource.

As an Affiliate marketer, what should you think about first?

As an Affiliate marketer, you should always put your audience first. Putting your audience first means putting yourself in their shoes. What do they need to know? What problem do they need solved that you can help them with? Look at the world through their eyes. Forbes.com suggests that you “pay attention to discussions on Twitter, Facebook, Quora, Nextdoor, Reddit, and other social media platforms and forums. What are people asking about and responding to? Engage with audiences that have similar interests to you or have problems that can be solved by your expertise” (“Six Things”).

As a Style Dots Affiliate, think about the problems your audience is experiencing that Style Dots is solving: buying new jewelry to go with every outfit is expensive; it is difficult to store; you end up with cheap jewelry that doesn’t last or tarnishes or turns your skin green.

When you are ready to offer your solution in these forums, “share your viewpoint and post [your] affiliate link that points to [the] solution that can save them time and money” (“Six Things”).

As an Affiliate marketer, how can I get more people to visit my site?

Affiliate marketing is all about creating relationships and a sense of community. So you’ll want to engage with the people who visit your sites helping them feel like they’re a part of the community you’re building.

One way to do this is by asking questions that encourage interaction. Namecheap.com suggests that you “ask questions at the end of a blog post. ‘What other factors should be included?’ ‘Would you like more information on this topic?’ ‘Tell us your opinion!’ These calls to action will help foster community interaction. When replying, use the commenters name wherever possible” (“10 Steps”).

The same goes for your social media posts. Interact with your visitors; if they comment, make sure you reply. Show your personality. Let them know you’re a real person who cares about their opinion and ideas. You’re not just there to collect their commission.

Create a sense of community that encourages people to return again and again.