Are you tired of being broke but eager to make money online through affiliate marketing? Do you find affiliate marketing overwhelming or difficult to understand? If so, there’s no need to worry; you’ve come to the right place.
In this post, I will show you how easy the concept of affiliate marketing is and also show you that you do not need a lot of money to venture into this online business. You don’t even need experience to learn affiliate marketing.
So let’s run along.
Your Starter Glossary: Affiliate Marketing Terms Explained
Before we dive into how you can make money with affiliate marketing, let’s look at some common affiliate marketing terms you’ll hear. Think of this as your affiliate marketing dictionary that will help you understand the business.
- Affiliate: This is you. An affiliate is the person, business, or entity that promotes products/services and connects buyers to sellers.
- Merchant/Vendor/Advertiser: Refers to the company, business, or individual that has the product you are promoting. That is the “big boss” you’re working for.
- Nigerian example: Jumia, Konga, Opay, and Travelstart Nigeria.
- Affiliate Program: A structure, system, or agreement that allows you to sign up as an affiliate for a specific advertiser. In simple terms, the official registration portal where you get access to your “agent badge” and also the tools you need to start earning, i.e., affiliate links tied to products/services.
- Affiliate Link: A unique URL—web address—given to you by the advertiser. This is how they track any sales made through your affiliate link. If someone buys through your link, the sale will be recorded. For example, if a product costs N1,000 and the commission is 50%, you will make N500 anytime someone purchases through your affiliate link.
- Commission: This is the money you earn after someone purchases through your unique affiliate link. That means if someone buys through you, the advertiser knows that the sale came through your link, and you get paid a commission. It is your cut. Let’s say a product costs N100,000 and the commission is 20%. You will receive N20,000 as your commission.
- Niche: This is a specific area or target market that you choose to focus on. It is an area or topic of specialization. Examples of some niches include health, beauty and fitness, gadgets, Nigerian home cooking recipes, affiliate marketing, etc.
- Conversion: This refers to any specific action taken by a customer, visitor, or prospect that results in a commission for you. This could include making a purchase, filling out a form, or signing up for a service. In simple terms, it represents a completed goal or a successful transaction.
- Prospect: members of your audience who have shown interest in your product or service. They’re also called leads, and they might become customers. For example, it could be a person who commented “I’m interested” on the product or service you are promoting.
- Audience: people who follow you on social media, and also the people who are exposed to your content or brand. They may or may not be interested in buying from you.
- Disclosure or Affiliate Disclosure: This is a legal requirement that informs your audience that you are using affiliate link/links. It is being honest with your followers by saying something like, Hey, this post or article contains an affiliate link, meaning that I will earn a small commission if you purchase through my link.
- This is not only important but also ethical—to be transparent in your dealings with your audience by openly letting them know that you are promoting a product or service.
What Exactly Is Affiliate Marketing?
In affiliate marketing, you help a business, brand, or an individual to sell or promote their product or services, and you get paid any time a customer buys the product through your affiliate link. The money you are paid is called a commission.
Think of it like being a middleman or a connector for popular goods (e.g., food, electronics, fashion, etc.), but without the stress of having your goods or having a physical storefront where customers can come to you.
Your job is to connect the buyer to the seller (merchant) and get paid.
In summary:
- You don’t have a store.
- No handling of stocks.
- Zero customer service.
- No shipping cost.
- No delivering anything yourself.
The merchant is responsible for all of that.
Common Myths About Affiliate Marketing That Hold People Back
- I need lots of money: You don’t need money; what you need is a smartphone or laptop.
- I must be a tech expert: lots of successful affiliate marketers aren’t tech experts. You don’t have to become one.
- Nobody will buy from me: It’s not about you, but more about the value that you provide. For example, if you promote a product that is value-packed, coupled with the quality information that you provide, you will always win the hearts of people and make them buy.
Breaking the Broke Barrier: Free and Low-Cost Strategies
- Smartphone/Laptop: You can start with your smartphone if you do not own a laptop. A laptop is not a must. I even prefer working with my smartphone because it is convenient and flexible.
- Internet Access: They say data is king, but you can manage 1 GB in a day.
- Social Media Accounts: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter). They are free to set up.
- Free Email Account: Gmail, Yahoo Mail.
- Free Design Tool: Canva (for eye-catching graphics). Even with your smartphone, you can design like a professional. Canva is easy to use.
From Clueless to Confident—Your Step-by-Step Roadmap
Find Your Niche
Before you begin, take the time to research a profitable niche that you are comfortable with. And make sure it’s something that you love to talk about, even when the money hasn’t started coming.
This is necessary because in affiliate marketing, you will have to invest time building trust, and the last thing you would want to do is to pick a niche you find boring.
What I mean is this: if fashion is what I am interested in, I wouldn’t get burned out easily or struggle with content ideas even if the social media account I am using isn’t getting the kind of engagement I want at the moment.
In summary, choose a niche that you love, but let it be a profitable one. Find a balance because passion alone won’t earn you money, so look for something that is in demand that you can create valuable content around.
What Problem Can You Solve for Nigerians?
Consider what Nigerians are buying and decide to become the middleman who educates and informs them about what they’re purchasing. Bridge the gap.
Think about this: someone who wants to buy a smartphone on a limited budget will source information on the best offer, and if you choose that niche, you’re in a better position to guide such a person on that.
If you can become the go-to person, the one others can run to before they buy a product, whether it’s in the finance or health niche, you will make money with affiliate marketing.
Join the Right Affiliate Program
Since you now know what an affiliate program is, you must choose a program that you are comfortable with and one that supports your preferred payment method.
For example, some foreign affiliate networks accept Nigerians, but the issue may be that their payment method may not be compatible with Nigerians, since some financial regulations in the diaspora do not permit Nigerians to open certain accounts.
So you should choose affiliate programs that wouldn’t stress you when it’s time to receive your payout, because you don’t want to work in vain.
Some affiliate programs in Nigeria include Selar, Jumia, Expertnaire, and Learnoflix, while some international affiliate networks include Amazon Associates, PartnerStack, Impact, etc.
How to Move From Clueless to Helpful in Affiliate Marketing
Listen, my friend, this is where you flip the script and go from clueless to starting to make money with affiliate marketing. Stop doubting yourself and start behaving like a trusted brand.
Now refine your strategy with the following ideas:
- Reviews: Research about a product you want to promote and give your honest opinion, so your audience can be guided and eventually make a purchase because of your influence. If it is something you can afford, get the product and use it so you can have a firsthand experience. This will give you an edge and make your audience rely on your judgment.
- How-to Guides: You can publish how-to guides showing Nigerians how to do something or how to perform a task. Content like this is educational and informative, and people will benefit from it. For example, how to invest with Bamboo and get returns in dollars.
- Compare: Compare similar products or services, then give a well-thought-out opinion. Example: “Jumia vs. Konga: which is better?”
- Problem/Solution: Identify a common problem that Nigerians face and recommend a product or service that solves that problem.
Avoid These Common Affiliate Marketing Mistakes as a Beginner
Giving up too early
Affiliate marketing requires time and effort. At the beginning, you will learn the skills that will help you become successful, but most people give up before the journey starts.
This business model is not a get-rich-quick scheme where you do little or nothing and expect the money to keep rolling in. So, beginners fail to understand that it takes time and patience to build the kind of trust that will make people to buy from them.
Not Creating Content
This is one thing that is common among beginners, as they fail to create content but expect to start selling, not knowing that the only way to attract buyers is through the content that they’re creating and distributing on social media.
But the content you create will keep you visible and also expose you to the right audience that will buy through your affiliate link. Think of your content as your real estate and the pillar that will make you successful.
Choosing Products Solely for High Commission
This is also common among beginners, as they think affiliate marketing is all about getting paid a high commission, so they do not take the time to research or understand the type of product they are promoting.
And the quickest way to lose trust or credibility is when prospects ask a question about the product they’re promoting, and the answer they get does not come from a place of experience. Issues like this often lead to burnout, and they start thinking of giving up.
Ignoring the Importance of Trust
There is something common in affiliate marketing, and that is that affiliate marketers use shady tactics, like clickbait or fake testimonials, just to sell a product. While this may seem like the right strategy, it kills trust, and people do not buy from those they do not trust.
Be honest. Always be transparent with your dealings with people, even when it seems like it’s taking time, but in the long run, you will gain the trust of your followers and convert them into buying leads.
Not Using Call to Action (CTA)
A call to action is a prompt that tells your audience what to do. It could be asking them to sign up for a program or to click the “Learn More” button on your ad, which will either take them to your WhatsApp, landing page, or product page so that they can buy.
Skills You Need in Affiliate Marketing
Marketing and Promotion
Marketing is simply the act of promoting products or services. The aim of your marketing as an affiliate marketer should be to create awareness, advertise your brand, and get to the right audience.
You also have to learn how to run paid ads on social platforms like Facebook, Google, or TikTok. Almost all social media platforms can be used for paid advertising. You just have to figure out which one aligns with your goal.
Content Creation Skills
Content is any valuable and engaging information that you create for people to consume on the internet. Content could be any kind of material, be it educational or informational content, or content for entertainment purposes.
You can create written or video content for your audience. You can also create eye-catching graphics to steal your audience’s attention and sell to them. Visually appealing designs should feature the product or service you’re promoting.
Funnel Building
Funnel building is the process of taking your prospects or customers on a journey before they make a final purchase. Funnel building also involves the creation of a landing page, the first post that you make to grab the attention of people or raise awareness.
It also involves nurturing prospects so that they will eventually buy from you. And understanding that the marketing process requires a layer of stages. Knowing the fundamentals of sales and marketing will help you succeed in affiliate marketing.
Zero-Cost Promotion Channels
The promotion channels simply mean the various social media platforms that you will use for your marketing. These free platforms are essential for your marketing, so we shall be looking at some of them to help you understand marketing on social media.
WhatsApp Marketing
WhatsApp marketing is when you use WhatsApp to promote products/services or even brands. The goal is to sell to your target audience, so you will use WhatsApp marketing to establish a relationship between you and your audience, allowing them to trust you.
Key Features of WhatsApp Marketing
- Direct Messaging: You can send direct/personalized messages, updates, or even present offers to your contacts.
- Broadcast Lists: Instead of sending direct messages to each of your contacts, a broadcast list enables you to send messages to many contacts without the need to create a group.
- Groups and Communities: WhatsApp group is like a big room where you communicate with people. Imagine you are in a sitting room with people in it. In that room, everything you say will be heard by everyone present. That is how a WhatsApp Group is designed. You can send messages, documents, photos, videos, and voice notes. You can script your message to suit your marketing goals as long as you are providing value to your contacts.
How to Use WhatsApp for Marketing
As a beginner, I want to make sure that you’re using WhatsApp the right way without getting your account banned. WhatsApp does not like it when you spam people with messages, so this guide will help you stay safe.
First, you need a WhatsApp link that people can click, and it will take them to your WhatsApp account, where they can message you. You can also have a custom message so that they don’t spend too much time introducing themselves to you.
For example, you can have a custom message like, Hi Samuel, I am interested in your YouTube Content Creation course. My name is…”
That way, your prospect or audience will go straight to the point.
This link is what you will add to your Instagram or Facebook bio (if you prefer using any of these platforms for your marketing). I am assuming you do not own a website yet, which is also fine. Feel free to check this post later on, on how you can do affiliate marketing without a website.
To get this link, head over to your Google Chrome browser or whatever browser you’re using, and type “wa.link”, and it will take you to the WhatsApp page where you will insert your phone number and the custom message you want your audience to message you with.
This is what the page looks like:
After that, click the “Create a free wa.link” button. This will lead you to the next step, where you will enter the phone number you plan to use for your marketing. Additionally, you will need to include a custom message that your visitors will send to you when they click your link.
Once your link is ready, you can visit Bitly or TinyURL to shorten or customize it, though this step is optional if you prefer a cleaner appearance. Remember, this link will be added to the bio section of your social media profile.
Facebook Marketing
Marketing on Facebook involves using the platform to advertise or promote products or services. The platform is a great place to reach a large number of people. You can opt for paid advertising on the platform, where you can have your content or ad shown to people who are interested in the product/service you are promoting.
So anytime someone clicks your ad, you will pay some money. To advertise on Facebook doesn’t cost much. With less than N2,000, which is not up to $2, you can reach up to 3.5k people using the platform.
Other social media accounts you can use for promotion include TikTok, YouTube, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, etc., and that will depend on your marketing goals.
Final Thought
Affiliate marketing doesn’t have to be a headache, even if you don’t have experience. You can learn and start implementing what you have learned. Do not wait until you are perfect before you start creating content.
Waiting for the right time can get you trapped, as it is one of the reasons people never start anything. Also, realize that it will take time. Nothing good comes easy, but affiliate marketing is worth giving a try, so learn as you grow; don’t wait to grow before you learn.