Everybody’s talking about affiliate marketing nowadays, and it must seem like a pretty easy way to earn money online. But there’s a catch, there’s always a catch. Affiliate marketing requires time, effort, knowledge, and, most importantly, passion.
See, we didn’t mention money anywhere; that’s because starting affiliate marketing is possible without money (or at least with a couple of bucks).
So, get comfy, grab a snack, and let’s learn how to start affiliate marketing with no money. It’s easier than you think, and we’ll show you how.
Table of contents
Understanding affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is your ticket to earning cash by promoting other people’s products or services. But how?
Really, it’s simple.
You share your unique affiliate link to a product or service, and when someone clicks and makes a purchase, cha-ching! You earn a commission.
The beauty of affiliate marketing lies in its simplicity. No need for manufacturing, shipping, or customer service. It’s just you, your audience, and the products you believe in. Think of it as turning your recommendations into revenue.
But, always remember that to be a successful affiliate marketer, you constantly need to have one word in your mind: Value.
As Pat Flynn (leader in the areas of online entrepreneurship and digital marketing) says: The more value you provide to your audience, the more successful you’ll be as an affiliate marketer.
How to start affiliate marketing with no money step-by-step guide
Starting out with affiliate marketing requires you to put a bit of time into researching, choosing your platform, and getting people to click on those links. In theory, this is easy. But, when it comes to actually doing it, it’s a totally different story.
Let’s break it down, shall we?
Step 1 – Identifying your niche and target audience
Choosing your niche is like picking your favorite flavor of ice cream – it’s all about what you love. Your niche can be anything from your hobbies to your interests.
Love dogs? That’s your niche. Into cryptocurrency? That works too. Pick something you enjoy talking about because you’ll be doing it for a while.
You can choose a niche you’re already passionate about or find high-paying affiliate programs. Look for good products with good commissions, as they’re rare but worth it.
Many affiliate marketers make the mistake of getting only into Amazon affiliate programs. Even though it’s a big one, don’t rely solely on it. Reach out to brands you like and see if they have affiliate programs.
Step 2 – Choose a platform
When starting in affiliate marketing, don’t spread yourself too thin across different platforms. Pick one or two main ones to focus on. Most people love YouTube and Google because they bring in steady traffic without constant content creation.
Why? Because they’re pretty good for passive income. With a little SEO magic, you can score big. But, it takes a lot of work to maintain these channels, and honestly, that’s what keeps people engaged.
Another great way to reach a huge number of people is through TikTok and Instagram. These platforms are perfect for recommending products online, especially using reels and stories.
Remember, it’s better to master one or two platforms and watch your affiliate earnings soar from zero to hero.
Step 3 – Creating valuable content
No matter where you share your affiliate activities, one thing’s for sure: awesome content is your best friend.
Your content should be so good that people can’t resist clicking, reading, or watching. Whether it’s videos, photos, or words, the goal is to grab attention and keep it.
But what makes content great? It’s simple: either it’s entertaining or it’s informative. If you can nail both, you’re set. Take Nathan Gotch, serious SEO expert, for example. This guy has a strong YT channel with over 90k subscribers, while also offering informative content on his website.
Now, when it comes to where you share your content, keep it simple as well. Google loves learning, so your content needs to be packed with info and well-researched. But, most of all, Google prefers real and original content.
By that, we mean the content that’s providing value and bringing something new to the table. So make it awesome, make it original, and watch those clicks roll in.
Step 4 – Building an Online Presence
So, you’ve chosen your main traffic channel – now it’s time to shine. But wait, that doesn’t mean you should ignore other platforms altogether.
Let’s say you’re focusing on SEO or YouTube, that’s great! But don’t forget about Facebook and Pinterest. Even if your following there is small, share your content anyway. Think of it as planting seeds and watching them grow.
Now, how do you promote your content without breaking the bank? Easy. Engage with others on forums, build relationships in your niche, or leave comments on other people’s stuff.
In a nutshell, it’s all about:
- Getting your content out there and getting people talking about it.
- Engaging with others on forums.
- Building relationships in your niche.
- Leaving comments on other people’s content.
Remember when we said that this stuff requires a lot of time? Well, now you get it.
Step 5 – Driving traffic without money and scale
Once you’ve found a traffic channel that clicks, it’s time to level up your game. Focus on what’s working and drop what’s not.
So, be ready to increase your efforts.
Here’s a couple of thoughts:
- Consider hiring a writer, video editor, or social media master to help you out. It’s better if you already have someone to help you for free, like a friend. You can also target students or beginners who are looking to gain hands-on knowledge.
- Make sure you’re visible everywhere. Even if you’re not focusing on a certain type of platform, make sure you’re still there.
- Do your research over and over again. Things change from time to time, take Google updates for example.
Conclusion
So there you have it! This is the guide on how to start affiliate marketing for free. Sure, it comes with a learning curve and requires a healthy dose of creativity, but the potential rewards are worth it.
And, remember, it takes a bit of time to set everything up and get your gears grinding. But in the end, it all comes down to maintaining an already oiled-up machine.
