If you are just about to start your affiliate marketing business, you might be thinking that you are entering the industry far too late, and you can’t beat the system. There must be thousands of people who had years to build their reputation on the internet as affiliates, making money off all the promotions. Some people will tell you that affiliate marketing is actually dead. If you want to know the truth, read on.
Increased Competition
Image via Flickr
It is true that it is harder to make money using affiliate marketing than before, as there is an increased competition. However, this is good news. If there were no people already making money using the same methods, you should simply avoid affiliate marketing. In fact, competition can motivate you to be more innovative and diversify yourself as a blogger or reviewer.
Increased Regulation
There are also much more rules than before when it comes to promoting products. You cannot create the impression that you are simply helping your readers out with recommendations; you must disclose the fact that you are getting paid for the review or the sales. This, however, encourages transparency, and helps you maintain your legitimate status with different affiliate networks. Further, you will have to make sure that you are backing up every claim you are making, and – in some cases – you are prohibited to bid on the brand name in paid ad networks.
More Platforms
Image via blogspot – Blogger
The good news is that there are now more platforms available than ever before. You can use social media, forums, and blogs to drive traffic to your site and you can use videos, animated content, and image sharing sites, as well. You can be as innovative as you like to create a strong personal brand and gain the trust of your audience. Reputation building has become easier, and you can establish personal relationships with your target market through various platforms.
More Training Available
One of the benefits of the presence of more seasoned affiliate marketers out there is that you can find great up-to-date, relevant affiliate marketing training that will help you get started or take your business to the next level. There are hundreds of affiliate marketing training programs on Clickbank alone, not to mention the rest of the sites. You simply have to find the one that works for you.
The Power of Automation
Affiliate marketers no longer have to track their ads and conversions manually. They can even get affiliate marketing software that will determine the best headlines and advertising platforms for each campaign. You can save time and take the guesswork out of your business by investing in SEO and traffic generation software.
Power Shift in Affiliate Marketing
Image via Flickr
If there is one thing that has changed in the world of affiliate marketing, it is that influencers hold most of the power. Those with an established online image and reputation will be able to attract targeted and pre-screened customers. Therefore, instead of spending money on paid ads, you might want to establish relationships with vloggers and brand influencers.
Affiliate marketing is not dead, but it is rapidly changing. If you would like to keep up with the regulations and market shifts, you will have to constantly update your knowledge. We, at Toucan-Marketing are trying our best to give you all the information you need for success. Follow this blog and get the latest trends and predictions of affiliate marketing.