If you have ever been curious about different ways to earn money online, especially with the progression of technology over recent years, then you may have heard of a popular approach called affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is great option for people who are comfortable in an online environment and understand how to connect with others. It’s a versatile advertising strategy that is used across many industries like retail, health/fitness, online gaming and more, and it’s relatively straightforward to get started.
Below we discuss tips on how to get started as an affiliate marketer and the next steps to growing your personal brand, as well as the iGaming space for affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Marketing: The Basics
What is affiliate marketing? Like with all types of marketing, it involves connecting a consumer or customer to a merchant brand, one that they will hopefully make a purchase with. Unlike classic marketing which suggests images of board room meetings, statistics and customer testing, the strategy is completely in your hands as an affiliate.
Did you know? The total market size for affiliate marketing globally is over $17 billion USD.
How Exactly Does it Work (and How Do You Earn?):
- First you must find a brand that offers affiliate programs… a quick search on Google is a great way to start
- Next you must complete the sign-up process and any requirements before joining
- After being accepted, you will be able to promote the brand’s products/services on your channel of choice (offers through websites, online blogs, YouTube videos and social media are all popular options)
- The brand will provide you with tracking links or codes which you then embed into your choice of content
- After a customer sees your promotion and visits the brand’s site and/or makes a purchase, the brand is notified through your tracking link
- If the customer makes a payment, you will receive earnings from the brand based on your agreement (common payment forms are commissions and set cost per acquisition)
Affiliate marketing is extremely popular because of its flexibility and low risk, as the merchants only pay you if a successful sale occurs. However, there are some nuances to keep in mind to take the next step as an affiliate marketer.
Affiliate Marketing Steps for Success
The key to being a great affiliate is to really understand your audience. In all aspects, from how you deliver your message to the design of your promotions, aim to provide exactly what they are looking for.
For example, if you choose to make a website to promote a brand, its content and design should fit the product or service you are selling. Let’s say you sell running shoes on your site and want to motivate customers to buy them; instead of talking about the parts used to make the shoe or technical specs which would be more appropriate for selling a car, try using energetic descriptions. Terms like “lightweight” and “comfortable” will resonate with shoe shoppers more as that’s the need they are looking to fill.
Similarly, explore ways to engage with your audience and learn about them. Whether you choose to promote on social media, a website or something else, conduct surveys and collect emails to send updates to. Tactics like these can help you better understand what your audience wants, which you can then apply to your marketing strategies.
Tips for iGaming Affiliates
Out of the many industries for affiliate marketing, iGaming is one of the strongest for new affiliates to join. Though considered a niche, iGaming covers many areas like casinos and gambling, sports betting and eSports, crypto, trading and much more.There are a few proven techniques to be a popular iGaming affiliate. Firstly, websites and online blogs tend to see the most traffic, as the customer base (called players or punters) is mostly betting online or finding odds online. As discussed, staying relevant to your audience will help with visibility and the website format is a simple way to show how you understand them.
It’s also important to make sure that your website or blog has a clear structure and easy navigation. Players are often looking at many different betting options before making a decision and want a streamlined experience, so making sure your site’s UX/UI is optimized can maintain their engagement. Within your website, it is also beneficial to highlight different payment options. Certain bettors may prefer using their cards, digital wallets or even cryptocurrencies, so advertising these options encourages conversions (if available).
Finally, affiliates should also look to join brand/merchant networks which enable them to promote multiple brands at the same time. Affiliates can grow their audiences and increase their earnings by working with new brands, as it gives you the opportunity to continue learning and improve your marketing strategies.
Check out the Income Access Network to learn how to join an affiliate network.
Key Takeaways
Why is affiliate marketing such a popular way to earn money online? It’s a low-risk method for brands to increase their revenue and a flexible way for affiliates to connect with new audiences and earn money through their content. Affiliates get to connect with many people around the world and help them find the products they want, all while getting paid to do so.
For iGaming affiliates, there are a few things to keep in mind like which platforms to use and how to deliver your message, but the main principles remain the same.
We’re excited to see your affiliate journey unfold!