Learn What Affiliate Marketing Is About – Really About

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In this post you will learn what affiliate marketing is about….what it’s really about. I think the majority believe affiliate marketing is all about promoting and selling stuff to people. Yes, that’s definitely what it is, but it goes a little deeper than that.

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What Is Affiliate Marketing?

In case you’re reading this and are just starting to delve into the possibilities of affiliate marketing online, but are unsure what it means to be an affiliate marketer, then here’s a very quick definition.

As an affiliate marketer you are an affiliate of other companies. You are not employed by these companies, but rather promote products and services for them on their behalf. You are given unique affiliate links and banners to use on your own websites, blog, or to post in social media. If someone clicks through on your link and makes a purchase, you get paid a commission for your efforts. You are acting as an online sales rep for other companies and businesses without being in their direct employ.

That’s it in a nutshell. It’s a pretty simple business model if you strip it right back and look at affiliate marketing for what it actually is.

Another good point to consider, too, is that anybody can do this as an online enterprise, regardless of age, nationality or education. It also costs very little to set up and run. All you really need to get started is a computer and an internet connection.

Now, onto the main purpose and point of this post.

 

What Affiliate Marketing Is Really About

Learn The Hard WayNow, as marketers, of course we all want to make money. That’s why we’re either in the game already, or seriously considering getting involved. It’s business and the bottom line is, we want to get paid for our efforts.

Yes, we should promote our affiliate offerings, but there is something way more important to consider first.

The person on the other side, the very person reading our website posts, searching for information or answers to a problem. As marketers, if we truly want to be successful in our businesses, our very first priority – our top priority – should be to HELP PEOPLE!

The word “Help” can take on a number of different meanings in the marketing world. It means different things to different people depending on what their objective is.

You have to think like the potential customer. Why are they reading your website post or social media post? Why should they be interested in the product you are promoting and why should they buy through you?

If they think you are just trying to “Sell” them something, they’ll run a million miles as fast as they can. First, you have to gain their trust – and this should be genuine – by solving a problem for them.

Most people are online either searching for an answer to a question, looking for advice on how to solve a problem, or seeking more information on a product they are thinking of buying. If your website post solves these dilemmas for them, then you have helped them. If part of the solution can be solved with a product you happen to be promoting (a quality product), then your promotion is further helping them. But you have to explain why Product X will help them, not just merely tell them they should buy it.

You could either do a product review of Product X, or write a post relevant to a certain problem that Product X can help solve and interweave your promotion of Product X in with helpful content.

 

Here’s Where The Real Money Comes In

“If you can solve a problem for a lot of people, you will make a lot of money!”

It’s absolutely true!

But you must care about the problem, genuinely have a desire to help people – through your content and through your promotions. Otherwise you’ll just come across as a salesperson looking to make a quick buck, unconcerned whether you help your readers or not.

Affiliate marketing is all about building trust and being believable. If people don’t trust your opinion or believe anything you are telling them, they will never buy from you in a million years, even if they know you are offering the best product on planet Earth.

If you can really put yourself in the shoes and mind of the person reading your “helpful” post, the more successful you will be as an affiliate marketer. Try and imagine what answers and solutions they are really looking for and provide those answers and solutions.

Make Money From Helping People

 

I’ll Leave You With An Example

One of the things I promote the most on this website is a company called Wealthy Affiliate. They are both a training platform to learn affiliate marketing as well as a helpful community of active members. I’m still a member of Wealthy Affiliate and I’m also an affiliate for them.

Now, do I promote Wealthy Affiliate a lot because I want to earn commissions? Yes, of course I do. I want to make money.

But here’s the difference. I wholeheartedly believe Wealthy Affiliate will help people looking to get started in affiliate marketing and online business in general. In my posts I’ll make points about how WA can help them achieve their dreams and goals.

For example, I’ve written a number of posts on how to make money while travelling. It’s the laptop lifestyle. One good way to make money while travelling is through affiliate marketing. I’m offering a possible solution to the dilemma they have of making money while on the road. I will then go on to mention the great training at Wealthy Affiliate and how it will help them learn to make money online, thus giving them a way of making money while travelling.

Do you see how I’m promoting something as well as trying to genuinely help solve a problem with a solution that can definitely solve that problem?

At the end of this post I’ll leave a link to my Wealthy Affiliate review for anyone who may be interested in checking this opportunity out in more detail. As Wealthy Affiliate is free to join initially (that is an affiliate link right there, which will take you to their free sign up page), if you do join up, I don’t get paid anything. However, there is a no-obligation paid upgrade to a Premium Membership. If you become a Premium Member at any stage, then I get paid a commission (thanks). The thing is, the price for Premium Membership remains the same whether you join through me or not. My commission isn’t added onto the price.

I just wanted to explain that.

I hope you have found some value in this post. All the best with your affiliate marketing efforts. Remember, the more you genuinely help people, the more money you will make. Feel free to leave comments below, and click the banner below to read my more detailed Wealthy Affiliate review.

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Darren Burton

Site Owner
I am an author, online entrepreneur and internet marketer. I work from home and anywhere else in the world I choose to work. I've been making a living online since 2010, and you can do it too. I'm here to help.

4 thoughts on “Learn What Affiliate Marketing Is About – Really About

  1. I totally agree with everything you’ve said. I really like your point about making your links and recommendations relevant to what you’re talking about. This is key to conversions and sales I think – rather than plastering affiliate link banner ads randomly all over and being perceived as spammy.

    Great advice, affiliate marketing is the number way I menotise my sites.

    • The more you help people as a marketer, the more money you will end up making. So long as we are genuine about helping solve someone’s problem, the money will follow. Thanks for reading.

  2. Hi Darren

    That was a really good explanation of what affiliate marketing should be about.
    Many times we forget that there is someone on the other side looking to have a problem solved.
    If affiliate marketers can provide that, people will have success. Actually, that’s just a general rule in life, help people with their problems and you will be appreciated.
    Thanks for reminding me what affiliate marketing should be about.

    • Hi Minhaj. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, as much as we as affiliates want to makes sales and cash, first and foremost we have to provide value. Sometimes I forget that, and I’m sure a lot of other marketers do as well. The world’s most successful people generally provide solutions to peoples’ problems and great value in one form or another. The money is a byproduct of that.

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