Today I want to answer the top 12 Affiliate Marketing questions.
- What is affiliate marketing?
- Can you really make money as an affiliate marketer?
- How much can affiliate marketers make?
- How long does it take to make money?
- Is affiliate marketing still profitable?
- How do I start an affiliate marketing business?
- How much does it cost to start affiliate marketing?
- Is affiliate marketing a pyramid scheme?
- Is wealthy affiliate legit?
- Can you make money with wealthy affiliate?
- Is Wealthy Affiliate free?
- How much does it cost to join Wealthy Affiliate?
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
I have heard affiliate marketing explained many different ways. I like to break it down in the simplest terms because I want you as a beginner to understand from the start.
Affiliate Marketing is three groups who form a circle.
1. A company who is selling a product such as Lowes, Nike, Adidas, or Amazon. There are millions of companies who sell products you can choose.
2. An affiliate such as you who sets up a website and promotes products with blog posts and written content.
3. A consumer such as a person who goes online in search of products to buy.
I purchase almost everything I own online. ‘Let’s say I am the consumer, and I want to buy a hand mixer. I will go to Google, Bing, or Yahoo and search for best hand mixers. I like to look at the first 5-8 reviews, and out of them, I choose a hand mixer that rates high and fits my needs.
I click on the mixer from the site that talks about it. It redirects me to a place I can purchase my new hand mixer.
And you as the affiliate get paid by the company selling the product, and everyone is happy.
The process starts over.
Can You Really Make Money As An Affiliate Marketer?
Yes, you can make money as an Affiliate Marketer. But there are important things to remember. As an Affiliate Marketer, you are an entrepreneur, which means you are starting an online business. The sole owner is you, and it is crucial for you to know how to set up a website, write blogs, find affiliates, monetize your site, and SEO optimize. With these essential steps, you most definitely can make money.
How Much Can Affiliate Marketers Make?
The second most asked question by beginners in Affiliate Marketing is How much will I make? Questions like this are hard to define.
There are different levels of Affiliate Marketers according to their mindset. The lowest level is the one who begins Affiliate Marketing to get rich quick. They set up their website and expect to put a few products on it and make money. When they ‘don’t make any within a month or two, they quit.
The highest level of Affiliate Marketer is the one who sets up a website, searches, and researches all there is to learn. Tests the outcome of what they have done and reevaluates to increase their income.
So for me to tell you that you can make $20,000 or $1,000,000,000 is impossible because it is all dependent on you and what your mindset is.
How Long Does It Take To Make Money As An Affiliate Marketer?
How long does it take is the number one question most often asked by new affiliate marketers.
If you begin an affiliate marketing business because you are desperate for money and need a way out of your financial difficulties, then you will be disappointed because it takes time to build a business to make money.
If you set up a storefront business selling books would you expect to make money the first day? No, you would not break even until 1-3 years.
Affiliate Marketing is a business also. You will need to build your business, but the cool thing is you can start making money within the first 3-6 months. I ‘don’t guarantee this time frame because all affiliate marketers work at a different pace.
If you have a full-time job and you are building your business on the side, then it may take you longer. If you are a stay at home business person and can work on your site daily, then you may make money faster.
The vital part to take away here is Affiliate Marketing is not a get rich quick business. It takes time, effort, and consistency to create an online business.
Is Affiliate Marketing Still Profitable?
By the year 2020, what the US spends on Affiliate Marketing is predicted to rise to $6.8 billion. Brick and Mortar stores are closing daily. Malls will no longer be in existence in the future.
The consumer is looking for a more affordable experience and will turn to online shopping. The affiliate Marketer will be the one to benefit from the changing trends.
I wrote this article that may help.
Affiliate Marketing-Now To The Future
An affiliate company, Awin stated the “access to cutting-edge affiliate marketing skills and expertise is becoming increasingly important.” Awin is saying that the need to learn affiliate marketing is more critical today than ever before. The consumer has moved their shopping experience to online shopping for more convenience.
Is Affiliate Marketing A Pyramid Scheme?
The answer is NO. Let me help you better understand what a pyramid scheme is. There are two different definitions to a pyramid and a pyramid scheme.
Wikipedia says: A pyramid scheme is a business model that recruits members via a promise of payments or services for enrolling others into the scheme, rather than supplying investments or sale of products.
So you see a scheme is no products or goods for sale.
A pyramid plan is when you recruit members via a promise of payments or services for enrolling others into the program. You are promoting products or goods for sale.
Affiliate Marketing is not a pyramid scheme or a pyramid plan.
You set up an online business that you own, and you promote products. You make money from a commission paid to you by the affiliate company. You do not enroll others under you, and you do not have a downline.
How Do I Start An Affiliate Marketing Business?
Now, this is a loaded question. I would have to say the first thing it takes to start an affiliate marketing business is knowledge.
You need a website and a domain. You will need to learn to write valuable content rich posts. I know you can write content because anyone can do this part. The more significant portion of the picture comes in with SEO optimization and Google rankings.
I also wrote this article to help you.
How Can I Do Affiliate Marketing?
If you are an experienced affiliate marketer, then you understand all of these terms. But if you are a beginner like I was, then you will need the training to gain knowledge.
Remember, I said this is a business you create from the ground up and not a quick and easy way to make fast money?
How Much Does It Cost To Start Affiliate Marketing?
The cost will depend on where you choose to get your training. Some companies claim you can get rich quick with their program. They may charge you a dollar to join, but the upsells are up to $1000 or as high as $23,000.
You can set up a website with a template at any of the hosting companies like HostGator or Wix. If you know a bit about affiliate marketing, then this may be the choice for you.
HostGator will cost $2.00 to @4.00 for the beginning and baby plans. They include SSL, but this is not a site to teach you how to do affiliate marketing. Wix is the same deal but a bit higher price. They charge $16 – $39 a month.
If you are looking for a platform that will teach you everything step-by-step for beginners, then I recommend Wealthy Affiliate. I will talk more about WA as we move forward.
Is Wealthy Affiliate Legit?
Before we discuss if Wealthy Affiliate is legit, I would like to tell you who Wealthy Affiliate is.
Wealthy Affiliate (WA) whom I will refer to as WA for the remainder of this post is a company started 14 years ago by two college students. Kyle Loudon and Carson Lim.
Fresh out of school, they wanted to develop a company that would properly teach beginners how to start an Affiliate Marketing business.
What they accomplished is nothing short of a miracle for those of us who know nothing about Affiliate Marketing. A year ago, I was one of the beginners.
I had a website I set up while watching Youtube. That was the easy part of my business. I posted my poetry and wrote blogs, but no one saw my work. All I wanted to do was help people, and I couldn’t because I knew nothing about SEO.
I did pay for help from companies who said they would optimize my site but none of them followed through and I wasted my money. Then one day I accidentally stumbled across WA. It was a Godsend for me.
I have 129 posts on my Inspiration site, and 85% of those posts are #1 on page 1 of Google search engine because of what I have learned at WA
Now I can help others just as I dreamed of doing. And I have started a second site which is the one you see here.
There is so much I would love to tell you about WA, but instead of going on and on I have put together a page that will tell you everything you need to know.
There are a couple of things that I can’t pass on telling you. I get so excited when I talk about these two most essential parts of WA.
The training is like none I have ever come across. It is extensive step-by-step teaching in the form of video and written instructions. And at the end of every one of the 10 initial lessons, you have tasks to complete and a discussion to ask questions and relay your progress.
The community offers support 24/7/365. No matter what time of day or night you are awake, there is someone awake with you to answer your questions. You are never alone on your journey.
My Wealthy Affiliate-It Might Be For You
WA has a live chat portion on their platform, community blogs, and question area where you can get help and post your success when you feel the need. Kind, like-minded people just like yourself are here to assist you in your needs.
And as for site support, Oh my, I had the opportunity to need their assistance recently. They are a knowledgable group of people behind the scenes who are intelligent, kind, and ready to assist you within minutes of your request.
I have hosted my site on other platforms prior to WA that have taken up to 24 hours to help. When your website is having issues, 24 hours feels like a lifetime and forever.
Please take a look at how I make money online for details on what WA can offer you. It is 100% legit and honest. It is a world-class time-tested and the most trusted platform in the world.
Can You Make Money With Wealthy Affiliate?
Absolutely YES! One of my favorite things that WA says is, “We guarantee you won’t fail unless you quit.” “If you don’t quit” has always resonated with me. We all get excited when we start something new, but when it gets a bit more challenging, we want to stop.
I am here to tell you that if you persevere, put forth the effort, and are consistent, there is no way to fail. You can rely on the support of an incredible community and tap into the vast knowledge provided by so many who have done what you are going to do.
That is the bottom line, keep going no matter what your mind is telling you. If a tactic is not working, then go to the community and find out why. Then change it. You got this! I know you can do it.
There are so many ways to make money when you choose your niche (as explained when you click on the red tab.) You can also promote WA and receive a 50% commission, which is one of the highest affiliate commissions on the market.
No Risk-No Obligation-No Credit Card Required
Is Wealthy Affiliate Free?
I’m so happy you asked. Yes, it is. But it is more like a free 7-day trial. But not really because if you want to continue in the FREE capacity for 6 months, you are welcome to do so.
It is like this, in the first 7 days you get access to 80% of the platform, which is what successful affiliate marketers have access to with premium.
Plus you will take the first 10 lessons FREE. In these ten lessons, you learn the most important parts of setting up a website and learning to write content and rank on page one of Google.
You have access to set up 2 websites in any niche you choose. And you can keep these sites until your six months are complete. You can go premium and transfer all of your site information to a domain of your choice if you like.
You can make money with the Free version of WA. I would not have been successful at this because I didn’t ”t feel like I knew enough and was hungry for more knowledge.
But you may be different than I, and you can be successful. It is a decision that is up to you to make. I am here to help if you have questions and I will see you on the inside and assist you as a Free or a premium member.
Don’t be shy step inside and take a look.
How Much Does It Cost To Join Wealthy Affiliate?
How much does it cost is the most natural question in all of these top 12 questions. I will put a comparison chart here for you to click on the red tab and take a look.
There is one more thing I would like to add. When you decide to join the incredible platform of WA within the first 7-days of stepping inside, I will give you a bonus discount off of your first month. A 59% discount. WOW! Instead of the $49 monthly you will receive your first month for $19, an incredible deal almost too good to pass up.
So What do you think?
Is Affiliate Marketing for you?
Do you need extra training and instructions as I did?
Do you want to step inside and take a look around for Free?
I am here to assist you. When you step inside, I will be your mentor and your guide on your journey to success.
Please leave all comments and questions in the comment section below, and I will be back with you shortly.
Thank you
Hi
Your “Top 12 Questions Asked Regarding Affiliate Marketing” answers a lot of questions. Affiliate Marketing almost sounds like some medical word that is put together with several smaller words that mean specifics.
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A lot of people simply overlook affiliate marketing because they do believe it is not real. Or is too small for them. Or what ever. Yet you have laid out the facts for anyone “to know” what it is & how it can be used so to increase the lifestyle of anyone. Ha, even a 12 year old is capable of creating such a business. So what does this say to us grown-ups?
Hey Jim, Great point on the medical term. I can see that now that you mention it.
As for what does it say for grown-ups, well, it means many are looking for a quick fix to the financial problems they created. Affiliate Marketing is a great business, but it is not a quick fix.
I have written many posts on different scams. People will find my posts read how it is bogus and sign up for the scam anyway.
They could start a business in affiliate marketing and make a legitimate income with a real business. But instead, people want fast money from empty promises. If it is too good to be true, then it is.
Thanks for stopping by.
I can’t believe I found your post! It answered so many questions in one article that have been giving me some concern since I started my research. I appreciate the honesty in response to how long before I can start making money. Many sites promise instant results. It is refreshing to learn the truth of taking three to six months but also to know that my own efforts are the primary factor in my success. Thanks for the great article.
Mike, you are so welcome. Yes so many people think making money with affiliate marketing is a quick deal. It does take time to create a business.
I am so happy I can help to answer many of your questions.
Great questions Laura,
I was asking all of these when I first started, especially the one where that can when we really make money as an affiliate marketer. I remember I was so curious but there were no sources online explaining that so I took a leap of faith and dived into affiliate marketing myself and it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done for my life. Highly recommended, my only regret is that I didn’t start earlier 😀
Hi Riaz, yes so many have a miss conception about affiliate marketing. That is why I wanted to answer so many of the frequently asked questions. Thank you for stopping by and I am happy I could help out.