Valued Reader,

We all know that Affiliate Marketing is one of the favourites when it comes to making money online, which also classifies it among the most competitive. Trust me when I say that while your goal is to generate a sale, you will find it exceedingly difficult to actually achieve that. Rather shift your focus to Learning, because Affiliate Marketing is NOT a quick way out of your financial hardship. It’s an illusion too often sugar-coated and sold as a glittering lie.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I’ll be damned if I had to lie in a desperate attempt to earn a few dollars. Affiliate Marketing is an Art not a contest so, slow down to a gallop and focus on tiny objective steps in the right direction.

The Biggest Mistake – Is to NOT have your own blog, yes I have heard the claims “You don’t need a website/blog” but that depends on your goal. And if it is to be recognized as a professional (which it should be) then your blog is how you get recognized.

As an Affiliate Marketer, your Blog is your Viral Salesman and also where you do all the talking. Provide your Salesman with enough content to proof to your visitor you have something to offer, or especially teach. Now here’s the real kicker, because in order to do that you’re going to test more systems, methods and tactics than you will remember. And it’s important that you really start liking research, because there’s also a lot of that.

Like a simple article as a result of your own research where you discovered something, or tested a certain idea you have.

WordPress also comes highly recommended, because it allows you the advantage of using plugins. Without the use of plugins you may find it exceedingly more difficult to index and actually rank your Blog. But it’s also important you know which approach to use when deciding on WordPress because not all hosting providers allow you to install WordPress as your site builder.

Your Blog is where the “Magic” will happen, because not only will it increase your credibility but it’s also the best way to build your email list. There are various methods to list building, but the web form on your blog is one of the most important methods.

The Second Mistake – Many newbies get started by flooding every social platform on the planet with random links. Quick question – How well do you know the product you’re offering your audience? Just randomly picked a product that looks attractive?

Well, there’s one of your biggest mistakes right there. When you offer your audience something, not only must it be relevant but also be a product you are willing to personally purchase and preferably have. That’s the only way to know that your offer is the answer to a common need within your niche, also commonly known as Product Knowledge.

Sharing raw Affiliate Links will sink your social profiles before you even get started properly. In fact, you will find your links and even profiles blocked, flagged and even suspended.

But that doesn’t mean you cannot share affiliate links, it merely means you must cloak your links before sharing them anywhere. Now the most effective way to do that is by installing a plugin like “Pretty Link” on your blog. What happens is that your affiliate link get cloaked within your primary URL with an abbreviation of your choice after the forward slash.

Your affiliate link then looks something like this – http(s): // Your Domain (dot) Com / Affiliate Product Abbreviation. This way your “Affiliate Link” is accepted as a privately owned domain and you no longer have to be concerned with getting suspended. Now Pretty Link not only cloak your link but it also shows you how many visits and unique visits your link is getting.

However, that still does not mean you have to flood every social platform on the planet because it only portrays desperation. Rather share your domain to your blog, where you use your cloaked link to promote within your posts only. Don’t infest your blog with an array of banners on your home page. When your content is useful and interesting, you will never have to sales pitch again…EVER!

Affiliate Links in Comments – Now Forum and Blog Comments are the two preferred methods to build back-Links, not generate sales. If you’re going to leave affiliate links in comments then no professional blogger will ever approve your comment. In fact, this too may get you banned from a Forum or Blog.

If the comment window on a particular site does not allow you the option of sharing your Blog URL, then only comment. But comment something relevant to the discussion, and perhaps add a little something extra. Mindless gibberish and blabbering or promotional kind of comments is the perfect way to NOT get recognised. See why knowledge is so important to getting recognised?

Some sites will use comment options like Disquss and Avatar where you must setup your profile and provide the link to your own Blog. It is also important to ensure all your Profiles, social or otherwise are as complete as possible with a full frontal passport type picture. A faceless profile will get you nowhere at best. The purpose of commenting is to build back-links and get other readers to visit your blog.

Audiences will respect you, follow you and even email you with queries providing you give them sufficient reason to do so. And regardless of the level of success you have achieved, always be humble because too much ego will kill your talent.

Learn More From George Brown And The Google Sniper 

And that rounds up the three most common mistakes made by newbie affiliate marketers. Affiliate Marketing is all about getting the right product, in front of an interested audience at the right time. It’s about constant research, which is why you should choose a niche relevant to something you love doing.

When you truly love what you do, it will be impossible to give up.

Wishing You Prosperity,

Deon Christie