I think it should be easy to start affiliate marketing. No convoluted tutorials and guides. Just something you can read and start with a bit of free time.
This isn’t an invitation to see affiliate marketing as “easy”. You’ve got to put in time and effort.
But:
I’m all for “quick wins” because the market changes nearly day-to-day.
You don’t want to spend months building a niche website and launching to a lukewarm reception. A look on Google Trends and you’ll either get in at the right time or avoid costly investments.
Instead, I much rather see you get the 1st sale leveraging what you’re already doing.
And… what you already own. And, so you’re not spending a lot of money.
Sound good? Great!
Follow these three steps for an easy way to start affiliate marketing.
Step 1: Make a List of Products You Own
I see the following within a 180-degree scan of my current setting:
- Laptop and monitor
- Printer and office supplies
- Home/office phone
- Under-the-desk exercise bike
- Cell phone
- Craft items
These are all items I’ve purchased.
They came from a store. Millions of others are going to these stores to purchase these very same items.
I call this the “room check”.
It can give you an affiliate offer idea in a minute.
Go ahead and do the same for your room – scan from left to right – what do you see?
Now, make a list:
- Items you’ve purchased
- Their current price on Amazon/eBay
- If they’re still “hot” or “cold”
Do you have friends or family owning these products, too?
Does your social circle talk about them? Or, do you see reviews, blog posts, tutorials, and YouTube videos about them popping up in a search and feed? If so, you’re onto something…
Step 2: Measure the Product’s Affiliate Opportunity
Let’s say I have a few extra hours of my time to build an affiliate campaign for one of these items.
I’ll choose the mini exercise bike.
I would most likely set up a campaign/project around using Amazon Associates affiliate program.
Or, the eBay program would work fine, too.
Here’s what I found on Amazon.
This hits all the marks for a good product selection:
- High price — You’ll get 5-10% with most programs so promote items between $50 – $100 minimum
- Lots of reviews — More people enjoying the product equals less buyer’s remorse and sales barriers
- Small and simple — Not a lot of parts that could break or cause issues meaning fewer returns and aggravation
I’m also looking for a product I could share related promotions in its niche.
This way I:
- Have an alternative if it’s priced too high for people
- Could get me extra sales and commissions if bought together
Amazon already does an amazing job of showing its related products.
Do you think someone would buy one of these if they’re really interested in our example? Of course.
I’d look into affiliate programs if things look on the up for this product and niche.
The product is about exercising — so I could maybe promote:
- Weight loss programs
- Meal kit programs
- Workout apparel
… you get the idea.
Easy Ways to Promote Products Anyone Can Do
I’d want to check into the overall niche and market. This gives me a better idea if it’s going somewhere.
Think of how people would find the thing you’re promoting. Or, how you found it.
Per example, the focus would probably something like “Exercise for Office Workers” or something along those lines.
Apparently, this is quite a hot topic and it makes good sense.
We have a whole ton of individuals going into the office which remain sedentary for most of the day. They’re concerned about their health so they figure there must be ways to get a bit of exercise in during the work hours.
Note: I’m just going on gut instinct but you should always validate your ideas.
Other ideas — if I wasn’t using a blog — would be:
- Sharing a review video
- Showing progress pics
- Tagging it on a social update
Make this something neat for your family, friends, and followers and they’ll look into it.
As you can expect… your affiliate link is there to capture the sale.
Step 3: Branching Out and Growing the Affiliate Efforts
The mini desk bikes are good and all for a niche site but we can do a lot more if we put in extra time and effort.
You can figure that people might want to try other equipment, follow guides, and perhaps change their diet that would fit the office lifestyle.
They may not be going all crazy P90X, here, but they’re putting in some effort.
I could expand efforts onto an affiliate niche site if I wanted.
On the site I would cover the following:
- Office Exercise Equipment
- Office Exercise Routines
- Office Equipment Reviews
- Office Health & Wellness
The ways I’d earn would be through:
- A buyer’s guide to office exercise equipment
- A couple, solid product reviews for the big items
- Dedicated pages as comparison shopping guides
- There would be a best and worst list
- Video reviews to double-down on content
I would try creating content every day to keep the site relevant.
I’d also build links to the money making pages to make sure they’re ranking well in Google.
All this is coming off the top of my head as I’m writing this.
And…
If I were to sit down for an hour or two to really look into pursuing this niche I’m sure there are many, many opportunities to be had.
Now It’s Your Turn to Start Affiliate Marketing
Look around you.
Ask yourself:
- What’s something you bought, that has value, yet after doing a Google search you do not see a lot of specific information (or a website) dedicated to the item or its category?
- Is this item something you feel comfortable talking about in excess? Could you create posts, a buyer’s guide, and keep up with the community?
- What else is selling on Amazon and other affiliate marketplaces? What could you pair with the main item to increase commissions? How could you use these related items to expand your niche site into a full-fledged authority domain?
You can do this activity in an afternoon.
With experience, you could even have the site up and running along with some content by the end of the day.
This is the beauty of learning affiliate marketing.
Everything you own becomes an opportunity to make money online.
If things start to pick up and you see some income roll in then you know you’re on the right track.
From there you could test out one of the other items you observed and wrote on your list. Or you could step it up and put a lot more effort into the existing site. It’s up to you on how you’ll use your time and resources.
Either way – I think doing a “room check” is definitely worth it if you seek ideas for an easy affiliate income.
All the pieces of the puzzle are already there … you just need to put them together.
