Starting an Affiliate Marketing Career: Why Choosing the Right Affiliate Program is Also Important
Many looking to join the affiliate marketing industry think having a passion for blogging is enough to make money that will allow them to sit back and relax. Well that would be true if one chooses the right niche market and affiliate program to join. Actually, a niche doesn’t have to be unique because it could mean there aren’t as many people needing or willing to spend on its products. As opposed to a proven market like the automotive industry, where there’s a wide array of merchandise and services consumers look for and spend on repeatedly.
Why Choosing the Right Affiliate Marketing Program is Just as Important
Still, while you may consider the automotive market as the right niche for you, it’s also a matter of choosing the right affiliate marketing program. You can choose from businesses with established brands that automotive consumers readily recognize. Yet keep in mind that you will be competing with affiliate marketers who have already established their websites as go-to sources of helpful information.
Goodyear Tires for one is a trusted brand in the automotive industry, while its affiliate marketing program is highly ranked at Commission Junction for having a high score in terms of network earnings. This denotes that there is stiff competition involved when looking to promote Goodyear Tires.
This stands in contrast to Tire Rack that has been selling different brands of tires since the company opened shop in 1979. Tire Tack has grown into becoming a family business that gained reputation for selling only tire brands they’ve tested as trustworthy. This tire retailer actually built its own test track just to make sure they’re carrying the best brands.
Besides, you don’t have to know a whole lot about tires when promoting the tire brands that this company sells. You can give your readers advice that the Tire Rack website has a “Tire Decision Guide,” which can help them decide on the kind of tires they need for their vehicle.
The point we are driving at is that as a newbie affiliate marketer, your first goal is to establish your and your website’s reputation along with the reputation of the products you are promoting. While many affiliate marketers contend that if a product fails to prove its worth, it’s the seller’s problem, not theirs. However, not a few disagree with this view because your reputation is also at stake if in case you were the one who recommended that product brand to your visitor.
It is common for affiliate marketers to chase affiliate marketing programs with big payouts. The comparison above shows that choosing the right program can also make a big difference. Both Goodyear and Tire Rack pay 6% commission on every sale linked to your referral code. Yet based on the comparison between the two brands, which affiliate program do you think you’ll have better chances of making a successful career as an affiliate marketer?
Most affiliate marketing gurus give advice that in order to build trust between you and your readers, you should always put consumers’ interest first. This reminds of an article published by The Signal, a Santa Clarita Valley local news publication in Southern California titled as “Jeff Lerner reviews.,” The article discusses how one of California’s top Internet marketer, Jeff Lerner, was able to make a profitable business out of affiliate marketing.
