How Can Good Bloggers Avoid Choosing “Loser” Affiliate Products?
I have many friends who are bloggers, who also cringe at the word “affiliate”. They actually want to have nothing to do with affiliate marketing. I usually laugh at this because what so many people forget is that 99% of those selling online are selling other people’s products more than their own. And if you’re doing that, you’re an affiliate!
I think one reason is that many bloggers don’t delve deeply into affiliate marketing is because they haven’t mastered how to choose affiliate products that will actually pay them well. Another reason is that they’ve actually tried affiliate marketing and failed miserably.
No one wants to keep chopping at the bit only to end up losing more time and money than it’s worth. Bloggers who market affiliate products are no different. But there’s a way that this can all be avoided.
So… what should bloggers look for in affiliate products?
1. For starters, ask yourself what type of products will the people within your niche relate to?
The effort that bloggers put into affiliate marketing should definitely revolve around the type of content that they post on their blogs. That’s the very first thing that readers who come to your blog sill see. The type of impression that your personal content leaves on your visitors will often determine how successful you’ll be when you start to offer affiliate products.
Here’s the formula that I personally like to use, and I recommend to almost all bloggers that I personally coach.
a. Find a product that appeals to you first.
b. Put that product to the test by personally using it before you promote it.
c. Measure your passion about that product.
b. Measure a content that you can effectively build around it.
Being able to write about a product from your personal experience is one of the most powerful steps bloggers can take toward being a successful affiliate.
Your own words and your personal experience gives you the most ammunition when it comes to writing good content about a product. If you’re like most readers, you can recognize a ‘fake’ right from the start… and no one wants to business with a person who comes across as being dishonest.
Here’s an example. Someone could tell you how a ripe, juicy kiwi tastes and have you write about. Or… you can taste the kiwi yourself for the first time and explain the taste from your own words. Which writing do you think would be most effective? Which do you think would be more convincing?
I tell bloggers all the time. You need to ‘know’ your topic well enough to be able to write not just intelligently about it, but emotionally, as well.
2. Effective bloggers need to know the needs of their market.
We already know that bloggers need to select products that will pay a nice commission and that they’re passionate about. But the most important element of choosing a good affiliate marketing product is the market. Is this a product that your visitors can actually benefit from?
Hopefully, you’re not JUST looking for a product that has little to no competition.
If you find a product that appears to be a standalone with very little competition, there’s probably a reason for it. If others are having a hard time making those sells, it might be the same situation for you. If the market isn’t solid for that product, it will go nowhere. So be sure to do your research first.
3. Know how to handle a product with too much competition!
Some bloggers think that it’s a really bad thing when products have a lot of competition. But that’s not necessarily the case. Just the opposite of products with no competition, many bloggers actually look for these products because they already know the people are biting.
Good bloggers will figure out how to stand out from the crowd when there is a lot of competition. So what can you do to stand out from the crowd?
Using pre-sells and bonuses works well. You’re doing more than just offering the product, but there are some added benefits. It would be worth your time to make sure that you have something to offer with the product that’s over and above what your competitors are doing.
4. Avoid marketing products from merchants who have crappy stuff.
Again… I had to laugh a little when I heard other bloggers refer to them as “Loser Merchants”. They constantly get complaints from affiliates, their products are no good, and for the most part… they can’t be trusted.
Here’s where the problem comes in. Everything you do from your blog is a reflection on you. If bloggers promote products that are bad, it affects their reputation, and nobody wants to have to fight a battle to gain it back. If you do your homework, you should be able to avoid this happening to you.
Really good bloggers, want to make sure that they’re only representing products that they’re not ashamed to stand behind. That means you’re willing (and able) to answer questions or point your customers to a place where they can get their questions about the product answered.
Some merchants only go as far as their sales page and that’s it. If that’s what you find, you may want to question or do further research before you decide to promote it.
Are you a blogger who is successfully marketing affiliate products?
 Rosalind is the author of this blog and the founder of the 10K Inner Circle. She's an expert trainer on blogging and internet marketing, and a sought after speaker among her business peers. She also builds a successful network marketing business. If you enjoyed reading this post, be sure to get more tips here. |
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