Making money is not a problem if you know all the tricks and trades. Some people make money through investments, their jobs and side hustles. One of the best side hustles to do is affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is easy to do, you can even do it in your sleep. All you need to know is how to start affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is a type of marketing where affiliates earn commission from promoting a product or service for a retailer or brand. Usually, the affiliate will post a link to their social media pages to a certain product. With every purchase made through the link, the affiliate receives a commission. (Think of YouTubers directing watchers to a special link to receive discounts from brands).
If you are looking to make money easily and have a large social media following, you need to consider this. It might seem like a ‘game of chance’ because people need to use your link to buy but it is possible!
In this article, we will explore everything you need to know to help you get started.
Why Start Affiliate Marketing in South Africa?
As we all know, South Africans struggle to get through the month financially. Basically, there is just too much month at the end of the money. To help you get through these financially constraining months, you can start affiliate marketing.
It is the best way to make extra cash. You don’t need to work with a big brand or special brand, you just need a brand that people love. Additionally, you won’t need to sign up for different platforms, only your social media pages.
A lot of brands and companies offer these programmes which are free to join. So you can sign up for the programmes without being a popular influencer.
Another thing about this business idea is that there is no limit to the amount of money you can make. Because you get paid based on how many people use your link, the more people use it, the better your commission will be.
Starting this type of side hustle is a great and easy way to use your online presence and access a new revenue stream.
Types of Affiliate Marketing
Before you start joining the free programmes, you need to know what type of affiliate marketing there is. The different types of affiliate marketing are unattached, related and involved.
Unattached Affiliate Marketing
This type of affiliate marketing means you have no connection to the product or service you are promoting. You have no expertise or authority in the product and cannot make claims to have used it.
With unattached affiliate marketing, you will run a PPC (pay-per-click) marketing campaign using an affiliate link. It is great for you if you want to make money without being super committed.
Related Affiliate Marketing
This is for you if you don’t necessarily use the product or service, but you are related to the niche audience. It also means that you have some influence in the niche audience and can offer some authority.
An example of this would be promoting a clothing brand you have never worn but you have an audience through your fashion blog or social media pages.
A great thing about related affiliate marketing is that if you have the right expertise, you will be able to generate traffic. However, you run the risk of ruining your reputation if you recommend a bad product or service to your audience.
Involved Affiliate Marketing
This name means that you are closely tied to the product or service that you are promoting. As one of these marketers, you would have tried the product or service that you are advertising and have the authority to make claims about its use.
With involved affiliate marketing you do not rely on clicks only but also on personal experiences with the product or services. This will increase customer trust and ultimately your commission.
Once you have chosen the type of affiliate marketer you want to be, you can then start signing up.
Platforms to Use
There are a lot of local and international affiliate marketing platforms that you can join. Some of the most popular programmes are:
- Mr Price (6-10% commission)
- Netflorist (10% commission)
- Travelstart (R90-R175 commission)
- Stallion Hosting (25% commission)
- Puma South Africa (5% commission)
- Safari Now (15% commission)
- Linuxweb (10% commission)
You can go onto the websites of these platforms and find their programmes. Simply sign up and start making money.
Remember, with affiliate marketing you don’t need to do much. Just get your link on your social pages, and engage with your audience so they use the link and start making money.
For comprehensive business mentorship, visit SME Advice and speak to one of our experts.
