AFFILIATE MARKETING STARTUP WITH GOOGLE BLOGGER - HOW AND WHERE TO START

Introduction

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the concept of money has undergone a significant transformation. The allure of affiliate marketing as a lucrative venture has captivated many, including individuals like me, David Au, hailing from Toronto, Canada, a proud grandpa with kids and grandkids. During the ongoing pandemic, I delved into the depths of affiliate marketing with a burning curiosity. I aimed to uncover the secrets of this potentially profitable market and see if I, as a grandpa, could generate some additional pocket money through affiliate programs. 

Who is my audience? 

Before we dive into the intricacies of affiliate marketing, let's define our audience. This article caters to

• People seeking information about digital marketing.
• Individuals who have recently started blogging out of interest.
• Aspiring online store owners looking to sell their products digitally.
• Those eager to learn the ropes of online business.

Stay tuned as I embark on my affiliate marketing journey, sharing insights and experiences along the way. I'm excited to introduce you to the world of affiliate marketing, particularly through Google Blogger.

Table of Content

• What is Affiliate Marketing?
• What's the difference between an Advertiser and a Publisher? 
• Advertiser (merchant)
• What and where is a Niche Market?
• What and where are the Platforms?
• Who are the Merchants?
• How does affiliate marketing work?
• Which Products to Promote?
• How to Start a Promotion?
• What are Keywords? 
• The Pros and Cons of Affiliate Marketing
• Why use Google Blogger for affiliate marketing?
• Conclusion

What is Affiliate Marketing?

At its core, affiliate marketing involves selling goods and services from other individuals or companies known as merchants. These merchants provide products and offer commissions to affiliates like you and me upon successful transactions. It's akin to operating a store that profits from selling products sourced from these merchants.

What's the difference between an Advertiser and a Publisher? 

When you sign up for a free affiliate account, such as CJ (Commission Junction), you become the affiliate, earning commissions. In CJ's terminology, you are referred to as a publisher. Publishers enjoy a range of benefits within the framework of the Publisher Service Agreement (PSA), but they must adhere to the terms and conditions set by the advertisers or merchants they promote.

Advertiser (merchant)

Advertisers, often referred to as merchants in certain affiliate programs, are integral to the paid affiliate ecosystem. Advertisers pay fees to platforms like Amazon, CJ, or Clickbank, and in turn, pay commissions to publishers (affiliates) for successful transactions resulting from their marketing efforts. Affiliates act as intermediaries, focusing on promoting products and connecting with customers. Commission rates vary according to product and merchant, so it's crucial to research individual merchant terms.

What is a Niche Market?

A niche market is a unique subset of the larger marketplace, often overlooked by larger competitors who focus on broader markets. Niche markets can encompass various interests, such as organic food, underwater cameras, vegan products, and more. Choosing a niche that aligns with your interests and target audience is crucial for affiliate success.

For example, an avid cyclist could delve into affiliate marketing by selling race bikes online and sourcing products from platforms like Amazon or Aliexpress. Similarly, a middle-aged vegan individual could promote vegan food or digital products through platforms like Clickbank, earning commissions with successful deals.

What are the Platforms?

Amazon

Amazon is a massive platform with 200 million visitors per month. She has 2.5 million sellers. The product ranges cover lots of well-known commercial brands and digital brands. 

Commission Junction

Commission Junction is also known as CJ. She has 70,000 publishers selling big-name commercial brands as well as digital brands. She carries thousands of brands.

Shareasale

Shareasale is fast-growing, with 16,500+ merchants, 225,000 publishers, and 182 million sales in 2020. Join and sign up with Shareasale.

Clickbank

Clickbank sells primarily digital products such as training e-books and manuals.

Who are the Merchants?

Which and how to choose your merchants? There are plenty of merchants from the platforms I have mentioned above. They are reputable multinational platforms. Therefore sourcing suitable merchants is not a problem at all. Choose the names we know and are a family with. Make use of  Google search, YouTube search, and Amazon search. They help as they give more insight for us, making our decisions more accessible and better.

Which Products to Promote?

With a multitude of products available, selecting the right ones to promote is essential. Conduct thorough research and utilize free search tools, such as Google Search, YouTube Search, Amazon Associate Search, Commission Junction Search, and Shareasale Search, to identify the top-ranking products in your niche.

How to Start a Promotion?

To start promoting yuor business, a webiste is needed and web hosting is a service that makes your site or web application accessible on the internet. It's also one of the most essential elements to consider when building a website. Web hosting is typically provided by web hosts, (.g., Bluehost) which are businesses that maintain, configure, and run physical servers that house websites.

Related articles:

• Questions and Answers Regarding Web Hosting

Merchants often provide affiliates with valuable tools for promotion within their affiliate dashboards. Additionally, harnessing the power of social media can significantly boost your product-related website's traffic. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Digg, and Vimeo can serve as valuable promotional channels.

• Youtube
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Tumblr
• Digg
• Vimeo

What are Keywords? How do they work?

In affiliate marketing, using keywords effectively is paramount. Incorporate relevant keywords into your product titles and descriptions to make your website discoverable by search engines. Ensure that these keywords are targeted and directly related to your chosen niche.

Consider leveraging popular sites to identify top-ranking keywords, allowing you to refine your content strategy. Tools like swipe files can also assist in crafting compelling advertisements and call-to-action messages.

Youtube

Go to Youtube.com and sign up for an account. It is easy to join, and it is free. You can upload your own videos and other people's videos with this account. Give a name under the title for each video and brief information under the description. You can include a link to promote your website/product in this area. 

Youtube #Shorts 

Shorts are now in the beta version. It offers a $100 million fund from 2021 -to 2022. It is time to join as it is free. Here people do not have any requirements to join. People do not need 1000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time per the YouTube (regular) requirement. It is easy to join, and everyone can share the YouTube #Shorts fund.                                        

Facebook

Discover, buy, and sell goods with Facebook Marketplace. FB Marketplace is an e-commerce platform that connects sellers and buyers through meaningful interactions and unique interests. People can post their affiliate links to Facebook, the enormous social media where friends connect. Come here to visit me via Facebook.

Instagram

People can automatically upload videos from their cellphones to Instagram and post them to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. It is cool. It helps boost traffic to your vlogs, blogs, and websites. 

Blogger

With Blogger, I have created several blogs. Some for Fun, some for Google Adsense, and some to promote my affiliate programs. It is straightforward to use, and it is free. Come and visit me at

•  My Youtube Channel
• My Quora Space

The Pros and Cons of Affiliate Marketing

Pros

1. massive market with billion-dollar business worldwide

2. startup cost is meager 

3. no need for academic qualification.

4. maintenance cost is meager

5. an excellent passive income 

6. work on the go as your like and free from 9 to 5 routine 

7. no need for after-sale account service and stock inventory

8. you are your own boss with complete independence

9. marketing support from merchants is free and readily online

10. earn income 24/7 throughout the year

Cons

1. no control of Affiliate Marketing Programs

2. no control of Competition

3. no established income 

4. business is not secured 

5. It needs people with a lot of self-discipline

6. needs a lot of perseverance and survive endless failures

7. business crash due to internet Hijack

8. too much spam and scam 

9. The failure rate is very high

10. it is not your cup of tea

Why use Google Blogger for affiliate marketing?

Google Blogger, a free platform owned and hosted by Google, serves as an ideal choice for affiliate marketing. It allows users to create, write, and publish blogs encompassing various content types, from articles to images and videos. Blogger, one of the pioneering free publishing platforms, was acquired by Google in 2003 and has since become a popular choice for bloggers. It's empowered millions of individuals to start blogs, earn money, and kickstart their online careers.

Conclusion

In today's tech-driven world, the internet offers a wealth of opportunities for earning money online. While it's possible to make money from the comfort of your home or even while vacationing, affiliate marketing is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It demands dedication, hard work, research, learning, and persistent action.

To succeed in affiliate marketing, invest time and effort in selecting the right niche, formulate a well-thought-out action plan, and stay committed to your goals. As you navigate the affiliate marketing landscape, remember that success is achievable with the right approach and mindset.