monetizing your blog using affiliate marketing
DESCRIPTION
In this session you will get an overview of how affiliate marketing works; learn how to find complimentary products and services to promote and walk out with seven successful affiliate marketing strategies to monetize your blog immediately.”TRANSCRIPT
@MissyWard
Successful Strategies for
Monetizing Blogs Using Affiliate
MarketingMissy Ward
Co-Founder, Affiliate Summit, Inc.
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
Agenda for Today’s WorkshopThis 4-hour event is geared to folks that are new to affiliate
marketing
1:00-1:45 - Monetizing Your Blog Using Affiliate Marketing (An Overview) – Presenter: Missy Ward
2:00-3:00 - Step by Step Monetization Tactics Using Affiliate Marketing – Presenter: Debbie Bookstaber
3:15-3:45 - Professional Video Production for Bloggers – Presenter: Joey Fortman
4:00 -4:30 - Incorporating Podcasting Into Your Blog Monetization Strategy – Presenter: Daniel M. Clark
4:30-5:00 - Affiliate Marketing Q&A
@MissyWard
Monetizing Your Blog Using Affiliate Marketing (An Overview)Key Points:
“In this session you will get an overview of how affiliate marketing
works; learn how to find complimentary products and services to promote and walk out with seven
successful affiliate marketing strategies to monetize your blog
immediately.”
@MissyWard
Who Here Has Tried Affiliate Marketing?
@MissyWard
Reasons Why Bloggers Won’t Monetize
"Making money from
a hobby turns it
into a business."
"Displaying ads willhurt my blog traffic.""It's too hard to make money from a blog."
"Blogging is just fun
for me, there's no
value in my content."
"People won't take what I say
seriously if they know I'm
making money off my site."
@MissyWard
Subsidize operational costs to keep blogging hobby afloat.
Create an additional part-time income stream. Career shift from employee to self-employment.
Why Monetize?
@MissyWard
The Million Dollar Question
When Should You Being To Monetize?
@MissyWard
Build Now, Monetize Later
Reader’s focus drawn to content rather than ads *may* build a stronger audience faster.
Not knowing when the “right time” is.
Underestimating value of traffic *may* leave money on table.
Redesigning site to include ads and time investment to discover that readers may not be buyers.
@MissyWard
Some money is better than no money. No need to redesign when ready for ads. Consistent experience for users from day
one. Learning what works early on *can*
increase potential income down the road. (products, placements, ad-serving).
Build Now, Monetize From the Start
• New blogs *unlikely* to make significant money without having traffic.
• Finding advertisers *can* be more difficult.
@MissyWard
Direct Advertising Sales / Sponsorships Paid postings Contextual Advertising (Google Adsense,
Chitika) Selling Your Own Product Membership Component (Forum, Premium
Content) Text Link Advertising (TextLinkAds,
InfoLinks) Donations Affiliate Marketing
Popular Ways to Monetize a Blog
@MissyWard
What is Affiliate Marketing
@MissyWard
“Affiliate marketing is sellingsomething you don’t own, topeople you don’t know and earning a commission each
time you do.”
-Author Unknown
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
What Affiliate Marketing is NOT
A way to get rich overnight
Multi-level marketing
A scam
For the easily discouraged
@MissyWard
Where To Find Merchants and
Advertisers with Affiliate Programs
@MissyWard
AffiliateNetworks
@MissyWard
Digital Products & Software Networks
@MissyWard
CPA Networks
@MissyWard
IndependentPrograms
@MissyWard
AffiliateProgram
Directories
@MissyWard
Check out what Your Competition is Promoting
@MissyWard
Promote products and services you use and believe in.
Don’t stick to marketing what everyone else is marketing.
Find the “next big thing” in your niche.(Google Alerts, Twitter, Facebook, Ebay Pulse, Google Insight, TV advertising.
How do I know what products or services to promote/not promote?
@MissyWard
2009 FTC Ruling on Disclosure of Endorsements for bloggers ($11k+ per post fines)
Clears up an ethical concerns allowing freedom to make money while being responsible for own reputation
.
Disclosure Policy
@MissyWard
Successful Affiliate Marketing Strategies
@MissyWard
Video
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
Oneload.com (Part of TubeMogul.com) for uploading & tracking on top video sharing /social networking sites
Include shortened link in Description on Youtube, etc. and as overlay within video itself.
Transcription on you blog w/links Embed clickable video on your blog using Viewbix (2
free/then 19.99 month and visit missyward.com/viewbix for tutorial) or LinkedTube (Free)
Merchant Video Creatives Keep video to no more than 1-1/2 to 2 minutes & include a
call to action (almost 60% will abandon at 2minute mark) YouTube Partner Program (Rev share ads on your videos)
Video Tips
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
Google’s Feedburner: Free (Can run Adsense automatically in email
Aweber: $19/month up to 500 subsribers $29/2,500, $49/5,000, etc.
Automated Weekly newsletters via template with Aweber)
RSS To Email Tips
@MissyWard
Photos
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
Huge SEO opportunity for optimized images (Think Google Images)
Flickr – Embed on blog with Affiliate Links links
Luminate and Stipple great tools to easily share and monetize embeded images with overlay ads, products in the picture (based on tags). [Think Adsense for Images]
Photo Tips
@MissyWard
Social Sharing
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
Remember relevancy and personalization is key Genuine Recommendations, Build relationships Avoid dropping direct Affiliate Links but rather bring
them back to your site to provide additional content Automation Plugins (Networked blogs, Twitterfeed, etc.) Sharing Plugins (Social Sharing Toolkit, ShareThis, etc.) Pretty Link Pro (Shrink, Cloak, Track, Stats, Keyword
Replacement w/ blog name in URL)
Social Sharing Tips
@MissyWard
Podcasting
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
PodPress, PowerPress Plugin Look for Podcast Networks
(GeekCast.fm) Syndicate to iTunes Affiliate links in show notes Transcription: Great for SEO (CastingWords.com $.75 /min & Up,
Fiverr 12 minutes) Audible Podcast Affiliate Program
(Audible Pre-roll ad pays $15/ free trial)
Podcast Tips
@MissyWard
AutomatedCommissionabl
e Links
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
SkimLinks, VigLink – Don’t need to sign up to Affiliate Networks
BounceLinks – Keep direct relationship with retailers
They don’t overwrite existing affiliate links Simple install (plugin or code) Once installed can monetize even your old blog
posts
Automated Affiliate Links Tips
@MissyWard
Offline Marketing
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
@MissyWard
missyward.com/BWE12