5 Mistakes to Avoid when Working with an Affiliate Program
Whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been a member of an affiliate partnership program for some time it’s easy to make mistakes. And they’re not always easy to recognise. You might find that your income is lower than you’d expected. Or you may find that after an initial success, your revenue is fading away. There are reasons for these problems, but how do you identify them?
Today, we’re going to look at the top mistakes that partners make when working with affiliate networks.
1. Joining too many online affiliate programs
It’s probably counter-intuitive, but diversification isn’t always a good thing. Logic dictates that the more products and services you promote, the better your chance for return. However, your best chance of gaining a worthwhile number of leads is to become known as an authority. Choose one or two key areas of interest about which you can write/talk with knowledge. Then select your affiliate partnership programs to match. If you can gain your follower’s respect and trust on your chosen subjects, they’re more likely to follow your recommendations.
2. Promoting goods/services without testing them
Having established a name for yourself, you don’t want to lose your reputation by endorsing something substandard. That’s the quickest way to see your revenue stream dry up. So, before you join an internet marketing affiliate program of any kind, check them out thoroughly. If it’s an online dating affiliate, sign up yourself, check out the processes. Is it easy to register? Is the match criteria helpful? Are there enough other users to make it worthwhile? If it’s for a product, try to use it. As a blogger or vlogger you may well be able to secure a review copy. If not, see if you can borrow or buy one. If you can talk about the product sincerely, and answer your reader’s questions, they’re far more likely to follow your advice.
3. Failing to manage your affiliate program links
Your links are your bread and butter, so it’s in your interest to manage them well. You need to keep track of where they are, who they’re for and how many clicks they receive. Tracking software, such ClickMeter and LinkTrackr are widely available. So, spend time finding the right one for you – then use it.
4. Selling hard to first-time visitors
This links back to points one and two. If you want to make money, you need to build trust. Ask yourself these questions: would I buy, or do, something on the recommendation of a stranger? Would I be more or less likely to make the purchase if they put on the pressure? The answers are likely ‘no’ and ‘less’. Less than 2% of sales occur on the first contact, the other 98% of people need to be persuaded. Put in the effort up front and you’ll soon see the rewards.
5. Not collecting visitor emails
This isn’t always easy, as people are often reluctant to fill their inbox with junk. But, if you can make signing up enticing, it allows you to make regular contact with your visitors, meaning that you can build a worthwhile relationship with them. And it’s this that will keep them coming back, showing an interest in your other recommendations, and ultimately keeping that pay per sale cash coming in.