For those of you who don’t know it, “Affiliate Marketing” is a great way for you to make money online if you are already running a website. The term is just a fancy way of saying that you use your website to promote certain products or services and each time a purchase is made through your referral, you get paid. It sounds perfectly easy but it has to be done right.

Here are the top 13 tips to successful affiliate marketing:

1. Build Trust

If your friends tell you about some great product they tried, you will listen because there is trust in your relationships. So before trying to sell something on your site, make sure you have built a good relationship with your users or followers so that they trust you too.

2. Get the Traffic In

Traffic is what will get you paid through affiliate marketing at the end of the day. The more traffic your site has, the more potential people there are to promote services and products to.

3. Choose to promote products that solve a problem

Our readers will be more receptive to spending money on a product because it solves a problem for them like white teeth, or detox drinks.

4. Pick your promotions

Don’t go affiliating with any item out there! Choose what to promote based on real findings that the product is a good one. Doing otherwise will just get your readers to lose trust in you! While you are making an effort to be transparent, be honest as well! If there’s something you don’t like, don’t be afraid to say it. This will make your readers trust you more and it will feel less like a paid promotion than a friendly piece of advice.Trouble finding affiliate programs? Join Quality Unit affiliate program and receive 20% commisions.

5. Promote what you know

If your website is about recipes, promote cookware that you use. If it’s about cyber security, promote products that you use on your site. The point is, you should promote products you are familiar with and that you are using.

6. Know your audience

If your traffic comes from teenage girls, don’t go promoting anti-ageing face cream! Be realistic when choosing affiliations and keep in mind that you will make more money off the program if you are promoting something that your readers will actually buy.

7. Be helpful

Rather than just market a product or a service and hope your readers will click on them, be prepared to help your readers with their choices while they buy. They may ask you questions about what you are promoting and you should be present to answer them. This builds trust as well.

8. Timing is key

Don’t just think of what your readers will buy, also think of when they will buy it! Don’t go approaching them on Christmas Day, for instance, when they are too busy to care. However, you could approach them before that and possibly have them buy some of your products as Christmas gifts. Timing is a point to take note of when promoting.

9. Promote the products inside your post

Don’t just place ads on sidebars, create content to go with the product you are promoting. You could even write a review of your experience with it. Better yet, share some photos of yourself actually using the product or trying it out.

10. Content, content, and content

The content on your website can never be overestimated. It is your content that drives traffic to your site and so you should work very hard on making sure you provide excellent content. Work on your copywriting skills and learn to end your posts with a call to action. Let your content speak from your heart rather than seem like a paid advert from some affiliate program.

11. Diversify your promotion platforms

Not all of your affiliate marketing needs to be done on your website, you can use some of your social media accounts as well. You can use Facebook, Twitter, or even Instagram to promote your chosen products. If you have a good following of members, and you’ve created a mailing database, send out a newsletter as well whenever you feel like it.

12. Get picky

Once you’re into affiliate marketing, you may be tempted to jump at any opportunity that is presented to you. Tap the brakes and think wisely. Rather than accept every opportunity that may or may not make some money for you, pick only a few that you are able to work with and really focus on them.

13. Patience is a virtue

Don’t give up if you haven’t made a fortune overnight. Remember, affiliate programs take time to start showing you the money. Some programs even offer lifetime payments like when you refer someone and keep making money from them.

Wish you the best of luck!