First: Get a Linkshare Account - It's Free!
Rakuten Linkshare has to be my favorite affiliate network along with Amazon. You can promote popular brands such as Starbucks, iTunes, and Walmart, as well as products by smaller companies. Click here to get your free Linkshare account!
So obviously, you won't make a single penny by simply signing up and doing nothing. You have to promote the products. And while it will take a bit of time and effort to get it up and running at first, if done correctly, this will be one of your favorite hands-free recurring income like it is for me!
Here are 20 marketing methods that you can try RIGHT NOW to gain exposure and build your Linkshare (as well as your own favorite) affiliate income...
Time to Promote! Let's Start with My Favorites...
1. Blogging
Blogs are great for promoting affiliate programs because they're quickly picked up by search pages and your readers can easily share what they like with everyone they know across the net! Sharing your personal thoughts and experiences about what you're promoting is one of the most effective ways to market affiliate products! Here's a simple step-by-step guide to starting your own blog.
2. Landing/Opt-In Pages
The single purpose of these simple pages is to collect email addresses. Tell your visitor the information they'll be getting, and once they subscribes to your list, they'll receive details about your products almost instantly!
3. Autoresponders
This is the software you will use to generate your subscriber list. When your visitor enters their information into your landing/opt-in page, it's added to a database and the system automatically forwards them the information they requested! You can create a series of 5-10 promotional followup messages (day 1: thank you and a quick intro of the product, day 2: more details of the product, day 3: ask if they have questions, etc...) and they will all be sent without additional work by you. I use AWeber to get this done without any problems.
4. Reports, Eooks, and Guides
You'll increase your subscription rate by offering a free, high quality, digital product with each signup. Many marketers use rehashed information for this, but I highly recommend you create your own. You can then include links to the products you're promoting within the report, and your extra effort will give your subscribers a positive impression of you!
5. Social Media
If you're a social media junkie like I am, this marketing method will be almost effortless. Simply add your link to your bios on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, and wherever else you frequent and post your affiliate links on each site at least once a day! There are services such as Hootsuite that will automate this task!
6. Email Signature
I've actually receive a good number of inquiries every week from links I add to my email signatures. I've seen some ridiculously huge signatures spanning almost 20 lines, and let me tell you, I don't click on any because it just looks so tacky... lol. Keep yours short and to the point and only include a maximum of 3 links.
Here's one of mine:
Carmen Sakurai, Life Strategist
Feeling stuck? Lacking focus? Chronically stressed? Let's Talk!
http://CarmenSakurai.com
7. Guest Posting on Blogs
Even if your blog is new and receives little or no traffic, you can leverage the popularity of other blogs in your niche by approaching them and asking if you could contribute an article their readers and fans would find interesting. Majority of blog owners will allow you to include a signature or byline that includes a link or two of your choice. Here's a list of over 100 blogs that accept guest posts!
8. Newsletter/Ezine Articles
On top of writing guest posts for popular blogs, it's a good idea to write articles that can be picked up by newsletter publishers for inclusion in their publications. Article directories such as EzineArticles accepts content that includes a few links of your choice.
9. LinkedIn Articles
I've only started to seriously explore LinkedIn recently, and I must say, it's a terrific way to network with leaders and action-takers in your field! You can post articles and be seen by everyone in your network. And when a connection likes or comments on your post, it appears on the news feeds of their connections even if they're not directly connected to you. This is another opportunity to promote your links and get exposure! Click here to link with me!
10. Pay Per Click
You can buy a quick surge of traffic (the amount depends on your budget, of course) by using Google Adwords and Facebook ads. These services allow you to target your audience by interests, location, relationship status, age group, etc.
11. Banner Advertising
These are image ads that you see on just about every blog online. If you're new to this, give Google Ads Display Network a shot. Bloggers (myself included) place several of these banners on our niche blogs because we earn cash for clicks those ads receive. These ads are also targeted and you only pay for the clicks you receive!
12. JV Giveaways
JV is short for "Joint Venture." This has to be one of the quickest ways to get your free report (with links to your affiliate products in them!) to as many people as possible. How it works is, you join forces with a group of internet marketers for a large giveaway event.
The only downside to this is, many people use "throwaway" email addresses that they abandon soon after redeeming their free gift, so it's not always the best method to actually build a quality subscriber list. But it's another opportunity to get your links out there!
13. Solo Ads
I've been in the Internet Marketing business since 1996, and solo ads advertising is still on of the quickest and most effective ways to reach a huge, responsive audience. You simply connect with the newsletter/ezine publisher in your niche and purchase a mailing that contains ONLY your message! No other ads or articles to distract the reader... YOU get the spotlight all for yourself!
A word of caution: Just because a list owner says they have a million subscribers, it doesn't mean they're active email accounts. Make certain to carefully check each publisher's reputation and track each mailing campaign. Here's a list of 50 best solo ads vendors to get you started.
14. Newspaper Ads
Not many internet marketers take advantage of this form of advertising, but I think it's pretty cool. You see, as many hours as most of us spend online, there are still people who prefer to spend the majority of their day offline. Imagine my surprise when I learned that a few of my friends don't have Facebook accounts! Anyway, when you place an ad in a newspaper, most of the time, your ad is also included on the digital version posted on their website! Services such as Nationwide Newspapers Advertising makes this easier and cost effective to reach your best audience.
15. Help A Reporter Out
HARO makes it simple to submit your news for possible free publicity by sources such as ABC News and the New York Times!
16. Press Release
Using press releases can result in some serious exposure across the web. Your news remain on the web forever, generating new business over and over again! Services like PRWeb is a cost effective solution and makes this easy to do.
17. Classified Ads
Posting free classified ads on Craigslist is another quick way to drive traffic to your link! One effective strategy is to post a link to your landing/opt-in page to build your subscriber list.
18. Video Ads
Video sites like YouTube and Vimeo offer a number of free features to promote your link. You can include your link in your video description, add it in the video itself, and even include it as a clickable annotation!
19. Free Giveaways
Giveaways are extremely popular among mommy bloggers, but anyone wanting to increase their online exposure can benefit from it. You can quickly grow your social media following, blog engagement, and email list all at once by hosting a raffle! Services such as Giveaway Tools and Rafflecopter makes it simple to organize and execute.
20. Web Forums
This is a little more time consuming, but the business relationships you establish can be well worth it! This is how I connected with other internet marketers when I was just starting out back in 1996... and I still brainstorm and do business with many of those people! You must take time to participate in discussions... asking questions and offering help. Your posts will include a signature where you may add links to your site or offer.