Affiliate marketing is a great way to make some extra income, but only if you’re prepared and do it the right way. Here are some mistakes you’ll definitely want to avoid.
1. Choosing the wrong products
Any product you choose should offer a solution to a problem your audience is having. First choose who your audience is, then find solutions for them. Doing it the other way around can include the risk that there won’t be an audience for that product in the first place.
2. Joining too many networks
You can’t make good income from affiliate products if you spread yourself too thin. Pick just a couple of networks and work directly with a few good products and their managers to ensure the best mix of products for your audience’s needs.
3. Not investing in useful resources
Today there are many useful products, services and solutions that can help make your life as an affiliate marketer easier. Set a budget and invest in your business. You can’t make money without spending, but you want to spend it wisely.
4. Not using technology to the fullest
Email lists, autoresponders, social media, blogs, etc. all involve the use of technology. Try to fully learn each new piece of technology you add to your business before adding the next.
5. Not looking at your competitors
Many times your competitors are doing many things well that you can learn from. If they’re successful, you’ll want to watch them. Buy one of their products and sign up for the lists. Take note of what they are doing right and wrong, and make a plan to do even better.
6. Thinking you don’t need SEO
Search engine optimization is important no matter what you are doing. You can use it when you’re completing a social media profile, guest blog bio, and more. It simply means that you are considering the search engines (and your audience) in anything you do, both on and off your website.
7. Not finding multiple streams of income
You don’t want too many products, but on the other hand you don’t want to deal with just one. You need to diversify your income stream by adding more than one product. The trick is to make sure that all products fit your ideal audience.
8. Spending too much time creating marketing material
With most products, choose programs that create all the marketing material for you. The reason is that you shouldn’t be driving the marketing strategy, the company should be. If they can’t take the time to create marketing materials for you, it’s probably not the product you want to promote.