How Is Affiliate Marketing Worth It?

Is affiliate marketing worth the time? The answer depends on how you value your life. I'm not patronising you, it's just the truth. An affiliate marketing as you may know by now, is about promoting someone else's products for commission. Affiliates are essentially similar to shop assistants. Some choose the job because they love the brand, and they genuinely love to promote the products, while others purely work for money and hard-sell for more money. So how is affiliate marketing worth it?

Is Affiliate Marketing Worth It?

As an affiliate marketer, you need to be able to invest the time and effort into building relationships with potential customers and promoting products that you believe in. If you are able to do this effectively, then there is potential to earn a good income from affiliate marketing. However, if you're not willing to put in the work, then it's unlikely that you'll see any success. Ultimately, whether affiliate marketing is worth it for you will come down to your own individual circumstances.

If you were to compare these two jobs against each other, the advantages in affiliate marketing would be;

Of course there are some disadvantages of being an affiliate marketer. No basic salary. Working from home in pyjamas will turn you into a lazy ass... And possibly a creepy dumbo from social isolation... Go get a job and these problems will be solved easily though! Especially if you miss face to face interactions. And you can work online as an affiliate using your spare time.

But how is affiliate marketing worth it? Is it fulfilling as a career?

The Pros and Cons of Affiliate Marketing

On the plus side, affiliate marketing can be a great way to earn money online for both "advertisers" (i.e. brands, merchants, retailers) and "publishers" (i.e. affiliates)

For advertisers, it provides a cost-effective way to reach new customers and market products or services to a wide audience. For publishers, it offers an opportunity to earn income from promoting products or services they believe in.

As an affiliate marketer, you can be your own boss, set your own hours, and work from anywhere as long as you're connected to the internet.

On the downside, you are never guaranteed to make money, no matter how hard you work. The most common complaint is that it can be difficult to track results and measure ROI (return on investment). And if you don't have a solid plan or focus, it's easy to get scattered and lost in the vast world of online marketing.

Additionally, affiliates may only be paid if they generate results within a certain time frame, which can limit their earnings potential. 

Build Your Own Brand - While You're Young!

So there are millions of affiliates in this world who promote someone else's products day-in, day-out. It's easy to become one (like me) but it's just one of great ways to live an easy life. Is this a career? I personally wouldn't say it is, but perhaps it is. Am I proud to be an affiliate marketer? Not particularly! So why am I doing this? Because I'm retired.

I'm 54 and my brain's rotting. My professional development days are over, and I'm happy this way. I value my family life, my love life, my pet dog, friends and vacations much more than anything else. I would recommend affiliate marketing to anyone who wants a freedom, no doubt. But I also admire those who have a big life ambition like I used to have. Affiliate marketing is worth it as a step to the freedom. But if you're young - when you get the freedom, it's great but don't just stay there. Try using your time to find bigger possibilities. Think of starting something of your own and build your brand, rather than being just an affiliate. Life's so very short, you'll soon die! 

You know, people say "You're never too old to" learn, fulfil your ambitions, etc? I absolutely agree, but your physical capability will be so limited when you pass a certain age. You'll need to sleep. It will take you longer to digest information. So if you love the world of internet marketing, think about creating something that no one else's offering to stand out from the crowd! That'll be your brand, and your career. You'll regret that you didn't even try otherwise. 

Famous Affiliate Marketers

Having said all that, there are already many affiliate marketers who make millions of dollars and websites with thousands of daily visitors. Each of them carries an affiliate as a brand in well-established way.

For example Jeremy Schoemaker. His website ShoeMoney.com is full of useful SEO tips and marketing advice, as well as motivational posts and case studies.

Pat Flynn who owns SmartPassiveIncome.com teaches not only affiliate marketing but email marketing and other online business strategies. His "The Smart Passive Income Podcast" covers all sorts of internet businesses.

John Chow is a real award winning affiliate marketer who's also published books and teaches the way to success at live events. He also has a huge number of followers.

These three marketers have all been successful in the business for 10+ years, and their main focus is no longer about promoting products but to share his knowledge in affiliate marketing itself and make a living from it.

Millions of bloggers are following this path (including myself!) - by writing about 'make money online' and promoting promoting related products at the same time as an affiliate.

What Are The Best Affiliate Programs?

There are a few affiliate programs that stand out above the rest. Here are a few of the best affiliate programs:

• Amazon Associates - This is one of the most popular affiliate programs and for good reason. You can earn up to 10% in commissions on sales made through your affiliate link.
• Clickbank - Another very popular affiliate program that offers high commissions on digital products.
• CJ.com (Commission Junction) - A large network of affiliate programs with a variety of merchants to choose from.
• ShareASale - A great platform for finding affiliate programs in a wide range of niches.
• Rakuten Marketing - One of the largest affiliate networks with a diverse range of merchants.

How To Get Started with Affiliate Marketing

One of the easiest ways to get started with affiliate marketing is to sign up for an affiliate program with a company that you already use and love. For example, if you're a big fan of Amazon, you could sign up for their Amazon Associates program. Once you've signed up, you'll be given a unique affiliate link that you can share on your blog, website, or social media accounts.

When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase from the company, you'll earn a commission on that sale. The amount of commission will vary depending on the company and the product being sold, but it's typically a percentage of the sale price.

Another way to get started with affiliate marketing is to find products that you're already using and promoting them as an affiliate. For example, if you have a blog about fashion, you could promote clothing items from your favourite fashion brands as an affiliate. When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you'll earn a commission on that sale.

There are also many companies that offer affiliate programs specifically for bloggers and influencers. These programs usually involve partnering with brands in order to promote their products or services on your blog or social media channels. As an influencer, you can usually earn a commission on any sales that are generated from your promotion.

So the things that you should keep in mind are;

• Find products that you're passionate about and that you think your audience will love as well.
• Make sure that you're promoting products that are high quality and that offer value.
• Build up a strong relationship with your audience so that they trust your recommendations.

If you can do these things, you'll be well on your way to success with affiliate marketing

How Is Affiliate Marketing Worth It?

It's worth it, not because it's a extraordinary way to make a living in my personal opinion, but because it gives you a freedom - time and financial, so you can focus on what you really want to achieve in life.