Affiliate Marketing for Writers and Bloggers: A Beginner's Guide
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What a Tangled Affiliate Web We Weave
My first impression of affiliate marketing was that it was a tangled web that I would never be able to comprehend. Once I started digging into it however, I found that affiliate marketing is not as complicated as it seems. Basically you make money by selling someone else's stuff. Or. when someone else sells your stuff if you're the merchant.
You earn money when someone in your web-site, or blog clicks through to another site to make a purchase. There are different types of affiliate marketing programs, some pay when the user just clicks on the web-site, or for a lead, others require the user to make a purchase before you are compensated.
You can set up a blog, or website specifically for affiliate products, or you can add affiliates to an existing website, or blog. Another good example is a Squidoo lens. When you set up your lens here at Squidoo, you have the option of adding modules containing links to affiliates (and hopefully make a little cash). The most important part of your Squidoo lens is the content. Let me say that again content, content, content. You want to write, or buy good content to place in your blog, Squidoo lens, or website. If you give people (and the search engine bots) good information they will visit.
What do I use my Squidoo lenses for? I make lenses for topics I enjoy. I have a lens to promote one of my blogs, and I have lenses to promote some of my affiliate products. Create and write a lens about your passion!
I am still not an expert on affiliate marketing, but I am learning as I go, and I've come a long way since I first created this lens for a Squidoo contest six months ago. Check out some of the links, books, and other products listed here to help you learn more on the subject of affiliate marketing for writers and bloggers.
I hope to share what I have learned with other writers, to help them on their journey from writing for others, to writing for themselves.
This lens was a general affiliate marketing lens, and I decided I would like to compile information to help other writers.
The Key Earning an Income from Affiliate Marketing is Persistence
In order to have affiliate sales you will need traffic. Social networking is a great way to get more traffic to your website, blog or lens.
Keywords are also very important. Some of my top lenses here at Squidoo have been picked up by Google with a high search rank. How did that happen? I try to pick niche keywords, or keyword strings. Take a popular search you're interested in and think of something more specific. Or better yet a couple great related search strings. Then write awesome, engaging content including those key words.
Don't go for the big key words everyone else is using, find your own special niche.
Keep your ears open for what is new and trendy, or what is in season. I have my best luck following new trends, and promoting what's in season on my blogs.
If you build an affiliate website, with great content on a tight niche like Christmas cupcakes, or Halloween scrapbooking for example, you will have less competition than if you set up an affiliate site for Christmas or scrapbooking.
Squidoo is a great place to find out what people are searching for. Would you like to see if your chosen topic is hot, set up a Squidoo lens. It doesn't cost anything, and it's a great way to test the Google search waters. If your lens gets tons of traffic, you can point it to your future website or blog. The bonus is Squidoo tells you what the search terms are that bring people to your lens (in your dashboard, under the stats/traffic tab). This is valuable information. This will help you know what to incorporate in your lens, affiliate website, or blog.
My Favorite Social Sites
Don't spam these sites, only submit your best work for some quality backlinks.
Here are some social networking sites I am a member of:
Linette's My Space Page (I'm Linettewrites here)
My Blog Log Profile Page(I'm Barkely here)
My Technorati Favorites Just Linette here.
Social networking is a great way to meet new people and promote your sites. Become an expert in your chosen topic, the go to person for more information.
Building networks and friends = building readers and fans.
Stop by and say hi, or send me a friend request, I love to meet new people.
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Wordpress vs Blogger
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Wordpress vs Blogger Which side of the blogging table are you on? Do you prefer Wordpress or Blogger? Which is better in your opinion? I'm a Wordpress fan myself, but when I started I had all Blogger blogs. Both have their pros and cons. I'll presen...
Here Are Some Other Places To Bookmark Your Work
- Stumbleupon
- This is my absolute favorite! I love to add my best sites to Stumbleupon and watch the traffic increase.
I am also a big Stumbleupon user! I can get lost checking out others information at Stumbleupon for hours. I have to set a timer before - del.icio.us
- I love bookmarking my favorites here.
- Pingoat
- Ping your blog, or Squidoo page to let others know you just added some great new content.
- Blink
- Very easy to use.
- Furl
- Bookmark your own content, and see what is popular with others.
- Yahoo Search
- Just register to Yahoo!
- Submit your URL to Google
- Have some great content? Getting tired of waiting for the crawlers to find you? Submit your URL to Google. I do this whenever I have a content and key word rich blog post, or a Sqidoo lens I am particularly proud of the content on.
In my experience it helps your site get indexed faster. - Submit Express
- I haven't used this much personally, but it is supposed to help you get indexed with Google, Yahoo, and MSN quicker.
- Tutorialism
- A bookmarking website for tutorials.
Where Do You Get Started? Create Your Own Great Lens Here at Squidoo
If you've never made a lens before start here andSign Up With Squidoo
It's free to sign up, and you could make a some cash for yourself or charity, or promote your business along the way.
Here are a couple great articles to help you get started:
How To Create A Squidoo Lens
Affiliate Marketing on Squidoo
Warning!! If you've never made a lens before, it is addictive. Once you make one you will need to make more!
Want to learn more about Squidoo? Get the Squidoo book.
Social Networking on Squidoo
A web 2.0 guide on social networking here at Squidoo.
This is my favorite book for learning about the ins and outs of Squidoo. Find out how to use Squidoo in your marketing plan, and learn how to create your own great lenses.
How do you build affiliate sales without forking over the cash for your own website, and domain name? Set up a lens here at Squidoo of course. This book will tell you the secrets the Squidoo masters use to set up, and promote their lenses.
Find Your Key Word Niche
Think of the things you know
The things you love to do
What does everyone come to you for advice on?
What is the hot conversation at work, at your mothers club?
Your favorite holiday?
What are your hobbies?
Any of these could lead you to your niche. Once you've narrowed it down check out these links to see what would be a great niche in your chosen topic.
- Key Word Selector Tool
- Tells you how popular the search is for a keyword or phrase.
- Google Word Test Labs
- As you type in your key words you can see the number of search results available for that term or phrase.
- NY Times Most Searched
- What's hot right now? Check out the New York Times most searched list.
- Yahoo Buzz!
- Check out the buzz at Yahoo Buzz.
Looking For Ideas for Your Lens or Blog?
Check out what's popular right now.-
Where Do I Find Ideas For My Next Squidoo Lens?
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I've been working on lenses for the Fresh Squid Headquarters, and I thought I'd create a resource list of places to look for ideas for your next lens. Of course Fresh Squid is an excellent place to look, we have a daily list of Hot Topics...
My Favorite Writing, Affiliate Marketing, Traffic Building, and Blogging Information
- Affiliate Marketing Information
- Here is a growing list of articles to help you make more money from affiliate marketing & Google Adsense.
- Affiliate Marketing Information Network
- Affiliate marketing can be an excellent resource for income. Whether it be part-time with a supplemental income or full-time with a large income flow is entirely your choice.
- 26 Internet Marketing How To's for Every Level of Experience
- An excellent very informative blog post on using social media, and social networking sites to promote your work. Talks about Stumbleupon, Squidoo, Favicon, and Technorati among others. An excellent resource.
- 101 Steps To Becoming A Better Blogger
- What do the successful bloggers do?
- Stirring the Pot With Viral Marketing and Social Websites
- Do you know how to get a viral marketing campaign started?
- The Size of Trust
- Build trust with your customer list.
- A Unique Look at Adwords Advertising
- Ian Rollinson, has developed a rather 'unique' method to Adwords. He has done what every good enterpreneur does: he looked at the marketplace from an angle that others were simply ignoring and discounting.
- The Write Stuff
- Still a work in progress, but it looks like it's going to be a great resource for writers.
Affiliate Marketing Companies I Deal With
Just make sure you read the terms carefully for any company you choose to affiliate market for. The terms vary from company to company.
My absolute favorite is Shareasale. I like to use product links in my lenses and websites, Shareasale merchants have tons of great product links I can choose from.
I also really like Art, if you change the settings from thumbnail to full size the prints make great graphics for your lens or website.
Affiliate Marketing: Creating the Sales Pitch
Another important part of affiliate marketing is the pitch. Why should the customer purchase this product? Think of your product, or niche from a customer's prospective. How can you help the customer?Why does the customer need your product, and if they don't why are you trying to sell them that product.
You are getting paid to sell the product, so sell it. Your success as an affiliate marketer depends on the customer wanting and needing the products you have to offer. Many would be affiliate marketers forget this.
Try different approaches to adding your affiliate link to your website, for some things banners work really well. For other affiliate products a direct link with a photo works the best. Especially if the customer is looking for the product, and they happen to find your website in their journey.
For other products a text link in related content is an excellent way to promote your niche. Make sure the text link makes sense in the body of your content, or your readers, and the search engines will be saying Huhhh?
Don't forget the "long tail." Use phrases and terms in your writing specific to your product. Use key word phrases (such as affiliate marketing for dummies). Don't be afraid to narrow your topic down. The big guys go for the big terms. If you're a little guy you can compete by using the "long tail," and exploiting very specific market niches.
Affiliate Marketing for Dummies
The AdSense Code: What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense
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Amazon Price: $18.96 (as of 07/14/2009) 
List Price: $24.95
The Copywriter's Handbook, Third Edition: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells
At a loss for words? This is a great book to help you find that perfect headline to promote your great products.
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Amazon Price: $12.24 (as of 07/14/2009)
List Price: $18.00
HTML for Dummies
I have been using this as a great reference. It explains everything in simple terms, and teaches you enough to be dangerous!
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Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
List Price: $29.99
Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords: How to Access 100 Million People in 10 Minutes
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Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 07/14/2009)
List Price: $24.95
What's your affiliate marketing savvy?
Take a quick poll, and let us know what you know about affiliate marketing.
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What Else Would You Find Helpful Here?
I want to provide you with the best information possible. Have a question I haven't answered here let me know.
Or you can just say hi! I love visitors and friends.
nontracau wrote
Great lens! I'm just getting into affiliate marketing and can use all the info and help I can get. Your lens contains lots of useful resources. I'm going to fave it and will come back regularly for tips.
Posted January 24, 2009
staples wrote...
Fantastic lens! Lots of information i have loads to learn! Check out google sucks Let me know what you think!
Posted November 24, 2008
cannedguds wrote...
You truly are a great lensmaster, Barkely and always give the best information for all kinds of things and what I love most are your lenses about affiliate marketing! Hope you can find time to read some of my lenses or you might want to take a look at these cool Recycled Checks !!!!
Posted October 02, 2008
GiftsGalore wrote
Hi Barkley, Im trying to promote my own affiliate site and am now looking into the world of backlinks!
Basically trting to push myself up the rankings.
Have you any comment on word sites? like: www.submiturlsite.com , are these worth it?
Posted June 15, 2008
JConwell wrote...
Awesome lens Linette, very informative.
5-stars for sure!
Im going to favorite this so I can check out your other lenses. I've been into affiliate marketing for about 6 months. I did a lens about my favorite one so far.
Check it out sometime
Visit==> http://www.squidoo.com/mybestaffiliateprogram
Thanks for the info,
JConwell
Posted April 15, 2008
OliviaH wrote...
Faved this lens. This is the kind of lens you'd come back time and again for reference.
Posted April 11, 2008
blue22d wrote...
Thanks Barkely, very helpful lens. I've looked at several things and there is a lot here so I will be back. Thanks for your creations.
Posted April 07, 2008
beachbum_gabby wrote...
more to learn and practice from your helpful infos, great lens esp for aspiring bloggers out there. Kudos! 5*
Posted April 04, 2008
Tiddledeewinks wrote...
I'll be coming back to this for more help, as I am just starting out with affiliate programs. Thanks!
Posted April 02, 2008
Marelisa wrote...
Hi Barkely: I'm also trying to untangled the web of affiliate marketing. It's very complicated, definitely not a get-rich-quick scheme, but a lot of fun!You have a very nice and informative lens here.
Posted March 27, 2008
chefkeem wrote...
Very resourceful lens - thank you so much, Barkely! 5*s!
My dear wife is just starting out on Squidoo and got very inspired by this page.
-Chef Keem
Posted March 18, 2008
Monteath wrote...
Great lens! Thanks for all the great info, and thanks for stopping by and commenting on my lenses earlier :)
Posted March 10, 2008
GaryHarvey wrote...
Hi there. Nice lens, well done. Heaps of information on a diverse range of related topics. Good for serious players as well as enquirers. Congrats. I awarded you 5 stars. - Gary | SquidooAffiliateMarketing
Posted August 07, 2007
flaminglacer wrote...
Glad to have you as a member of the Make Money Online Group - drop by the Group HQ sometime and see what is there for you.
Posted June 01, 2007
gods_grace_notes wrote...
Hi Linette! Another great job...very practical and well written. Just the encouragment I needed to keep at it! Bravo,
Connie
Posted May 06, 2007
Acne_Medicine wrote...
Dear lens master, Your lens contains excellent information. Would you please consider adding your very resourceful lens to my Money Making Affiliate Marketing Programs Group. I'm sure my visitors will love the information. Tx.
Posted May 03, 2007
The Squidoo Lens Author Blog
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