22 Affiliate Marketing Strategies and Tips to Make More Money in 2024

If you Google affiliate marketing tips, you'll find the same old tips regurgitated in most results. This is because most websites writing about affiliate marketing don't actually practice what they preach. 

This article is different. We've spent over a decade building authority sites and next-level affiliate marketing tactics.

Now, we're sharing some of our most useful affiliate marketing tips and strategies, including:

• How to Properly (and Legally) Take Advantage of Scarcity
• Advanced writing frameworks
• How to exploit trending topics
• And much more !

Contents :

22 Affiliate Marketing Strategies and Tips

1. Don't dwell on an affiliate program

“Never put all your eggs in one basket” is sage advice for Easter egg hunts, financial portfolios...and, believe it or not, affiliate marketers. 

Relying on a single affiliate program for most of your income is risky because you are at the mercy of the company's decisions and financial stability. 

Here are some of the biggest risks:

The company can suddenly change its conditions. Your affiliate partner usually has complete authority to lower commission rates, shorten cookie durations, or stop the program. 

The business can go down. If a company is in financial difficulty, it can refuse to send payments. If you owe commissions, you're out of luck, because suing the business usually costs more than the commissions. 

The owner can sell the business. I had a site making between $500 and $800 a month, which came from a single product. The owner sold the business and the new owner left the affiliate program. I lost 66% of my income overnight. 

💡 Pro Tip: If you're focusing on just one affiliate program, have backup affiliate partners waiting in the wings in case something goes wrong with your primary source of income.

2. Focus on conversion rates, not commission amount

A high commission is meaningless if no one buys the affiliate product.

The conversion rate is often more important than the potential commission for affiliate sales.

Here is an example that shows why the conversion rate is important:

• Company A offers a $200 commission with a conversion rate of 1%
• Company B offers a $20 commission with a conversion rate of 12. 

If you refer 1 customers to each company, you will earn $000 from Company A and $2 from Company B. 

Even though Company B's commission rate is lower, the higher conversion rate makes it the more profitable option.

Plus, when you generate a high volume of sales, you can negotiate your affiliate rates up. This pushes the advantage of focusing on sales volume even further.

Amazon: The Affiliate Conversion Machine

Even though Amazon commission rates are quite low – varying between 3% and 4,5% for most products – their high conversion rate has helped them stay the most popular affiliate program in the world. 

In some context, consider that Amazon Sponsored Products – products that appear as ads in Amazon search results – have a 12% conversion rate U.S.. 

Although we don't have reliable statistics on the Amazon affiliate conversion rate, we can assume that the rate is in the same ballpark, as clicks on sponsored products and affiliate links come from people who are actively searching this type of product. 

3. Focus on recurring commissions

One of the smartest ways to make more money with an affiliate business is to promote products that offer recurring commissions. 

Think about it – if you convince someone to buy a subscription, you get paid for each month they remain subscribed. 

If the commissions are high, you could earn a full-time income by referring a few dozen people. 

I have first-hand experience of the power of recurring commissions. Here is an example from one of my affiliate programs:

At a 40% commission rate and a 7 month subscription, I earned $350 from this referral. Not bad for one click!

Why 'Sticky' Products Are Your Golden Ticket

A “Sticky” product is essential for a certain activity. 

It's hard to let go once you start using it – hence the stickiness.

If recurring commissions are the golden goose of affiliate marketing, Sticky products with recurring commissions are a diamond-studded goose with hundred dollar bills taped all over it. 

These products can make a ton of money over time because people who subscribe can't unsubscribe without significantly disrupting their work or lifestyle. 

Here are some examples of Sticky products that can generate great recurring affiliate income:

• Email Marketing Software
• Project management software
• CRM software
• Web hosting
• bookkeeping software
• VPN
• Cell Phone Plans

4. Negotiate and promote exclusive discounts

If someone wants something, the best way to get them to buy now is to offer an exclusive, time-sensitive discount. 

Ask your affiliate partners if they can offer a discount for people who use your affiliate link. 

If they agree, you can promote these affiliate promo codes and increase conversions through the use of pop-ups and true scarcity. 

Most people discount all over their page, but I like to take a different approach.

I advertise the full price of the product on the page to anchor the value of the product, then use a pop up to push the discount 'in the face' of the reader who now appreciates it more because they thought it should pay full price for the product.

Create the Perfect Exit Pop-Up

A popup appears when the user is about to leave the page. 

• On the desktop, this happens when their mouse moves to close or return to another page. 
• On mobile, it appears when the user scrolls down the page. 

Here's how you can create the perfect display:

1. Sign up for a conversion optimization plugin that offers popups. I recommend Optinmonster ou Convertbox. 
2. Anchor the total price of the product on your sales page. You want readers to compare the total price with the discount that will appear. 
3. Set up a popup with a discount and a timer indicating when the discount expires. 

Here's what it might look like:

When implementing this strategy, you should use a real timer and turn off the discount after the time has elapsed. 

Using an artificial timer that always shows a few minutes remaining can lead to legal issues. 

For example, the Emma Sleep brand was under investigation by the British government for using fake scarcity timers on his affiliate marketing site.

Fortunately, there is an easy fix. 

deadlinefunel creates a true timer unique to each visitor, allowing you to introduce urgency without resorting to unethical tactics. 

Remember that you ne must offer the discount only via the exit pop-up window; if someone is willing to buy at full price and give you a bigger commission, let them!

5. Emphasize the consequences of not acting

Fear is a tremendous motivator. This is a primal instinct, and harnessing the power of this emotion can dramatically increase conversion rates. 

I know this paragraph makes me sound like a heartless affiliate marketing bot who wants to scare people into buying stuff. But this is not the case. 

Explaining the consequences of not buying a product can help your audience understand the risk they're taking if they don't take action. 

Swim University does a great job in their article on swimming pool alarms. The first sentence mentions that buying a pool alarm can protect your children or pets from drowning.

If I were a parent or pet owner, I would want to know up front that this product could prevent a horrible tragedy. 

The key is to do it in a simple way. Present the potential consequences clearly and concisely. Going overboard with scare tactics can make your content look aggressive and misleading, especially if the consequences aren't serious. 

6. Use proven writing techniques

Proven methods for writing impactful sales copy have been developed, optimized and perfected over the past century. 

Here are some of my favorite copywriting strategies for affiliate marketing:

Focus on benefits and visualizations

Most people base their purchasing decisions on their emotions rather than logic. 

To incorporate this into your affiliate content, you need to list the features, explain the benefits of those features, and create a vivid picture of what life would be like with that benefit.  

Example

The Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum features an odor neutralizer (FUNCTIONALITY) , which makes it easy to remove bad odors from your rugs, carpets and parquet floors (ADVANTAGE) .

Imagine yourself breathing deeply and not feeling the buildup of grime, dirt and whatever else has built up under your feet all these years. (VISUALIZATION) . 

The emotions that this type of text arouses in the reader will make them more likely to buy. 

Implement the Problem-Hassle-Solution (PAS) framework

The setting Administrative staff  (Problem Restlessness Solution) is typically used in long-form sales copy, but you can also use it in your affiliate content. 

Here's how it works:

• Problem: Identify the problem your audience is facing and empathize with their pain points.
• Bustle: Amplify the issue and make it more urgent, using emotional language and vivid examples.
• Solution: Present your product or service as the best solution to the problem and show how it can eliminate pain and provide benefits. 

You don't want to go overboard with pushy sales tactics in affiliate content – ​​that's best left to the sales pages – so I recommend devoting a sentence or two to each step. 

7. Offer alternative products

Here's one of my top affiliate marketing tips: Not everyone will buy the product you consider the "best." 

Offering alternatives that are cheaper, more portable, or have other significant differences can increase conversions by shifting the reader's decision from " Am I buying? à “Which one should I buy? » . 

For example, RTING's article on best laptops for college presents different models with varying features and prices. 

Use the SERP to find differentiators

A great way to find relevant differentiators is to analyze the “Related searches” and “People are also searching” sections on Google when you search for your target keyword. 

For example, additional alternatives for the keyword “best laptops for college” include 2-in-1 laptops and Apple laptops.

How to present the alternatives

Once you've identified the alternative products, it's time to display them aesthetically. 

An affiliate marketing plugin like Lasso can help you achieve this goal by allowing you to create visually appealing comparison tables in your blog post. 

Here's an example of the Lasso Comparison Chart in action:

8. Use the products you recommend

By actually using the products you recommend — and documenting your usage with photos and videos — you'll build trust with your readers, drive more organic traffic, and increase conversions. 

People from Modern Castle are doing a great job in this area. They provide in-depth reviews of home-related products and add original photos and YouTube videos of the products in action. 

Here is a great original photo showing the results of one of their product testing experiments. 

And here is a YouTube video which they created specifically for this product review.

Highlight Your Experience To Boost EEAT

EEAT — short for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativity, and Trust — is a crucial ranking factor on Google. 

With product reviews, Google wants to verify that you have hands-on experience with the products you're talking about. 

To prove it, you must share original photos and videos proving that you have used the products and use first-person language emphasizing your experience. 

For example: “When I vacuumed the carpet, I discovered that…”

To learn more about the construction of the EEAT, see our article What is EEAT in SEO? How to optimize it on a website?

9. Create Visually Compelling Content Widgets

Embedding visually appealing widgets is another way to make your affiliate marketing content more appealing.

Some good examples can be found on high quality sites like The Wirecutter, Sleep Foundation and The Points Guy. An excellent comparison table of The Wirecutter :

A section of modern and aesthetic products from SleepFoundation.org

A terrific array of product features from The points guy : 

Don't be afraid to experiment with your own creations, drawing inspiration from both inside and outside your niche.

If you don't know how to build them, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with Generate Blocks . 

It’s a WordPress Plugin free and lightweight that will allow you to copy most of these designs. I also recommend the Youtube channel The Admin Bar , as they have great tutorials on how to use it.

10. Imitate Top Affiliate Marketers

When crafting the perfect affiliate marketing strategy, it's wise to take inspiration from some of the biggest players in the game. 

By analyzing what they do best, you can create more engaging, informative, and visually appealing content for your target audience.

Sites like NerdWallet, Modern Castle, and Swim University have unique strengths that you can learn from and incorporate into your content. 

NerdWallet : Useful and well-designed calculators

VPNMentor : sidebar optimized for CTR

Swim University : High quality graphics showing how the products work

11. Use scarcity to get people to act

Scarcity is one of the most effective drive-to-action tactics in affiliate marketing. 

Here are some ways to use scarcity to increase affiliate sales:

• Use countdowns. A well-placed countdown can easily outperform even the best copywriter. 
• Offer a limited enrollment window for courses. If you're promoting online courses that only open periodically, the short registration period becomes a key selling point. 
• Offer urgent bonuses. Offer a downloadable guide, exclusive access to a webinar, or a free consultation for those who act quickly.  
• Emphasize limited availability. If the reader doesn't buy now, someone else might take their place. 

An effective example of using limited availability is airlines indicating the number of seats remaining. If there are not many seats left, you will feel compelled to purchase the ticket now to guarantee your seat.

12. Offer bonuses for purchasing with your affiliate link

Offering free bonuses for using your affiliate link can dramatically increase conversions and help you achieve affiliate marketing success. 

A study published in the Journal of Advertising demonstrates this.

One group was offered two cookies and two cupcakes for $0,75. 40% made a purchase. 

However, when another group was offered two cupcakes for $0,75 et two cookies for free, the purchase rate skyrocketed to 73%.

Takeaway meals? 

Free bonuses such as consultations, reports or courses increase the perceived value of an offer and entice people to buy. 

For example, look how WP Crafter promotes accommodation options on its website. 

Anyone who signs up with one of their favorite hosts gets a free $499 training bonus package. 

Pro tip: When you offer bonuses, highlight the monetary value of what you are providing. This helps your audience better conceptualize the added value they will receive.

13. Create a Product Review Policy Page

Adding a carefully designed product review policy page to your affiliate marketing website provides many benefits:

• It builds trust with your readers by showing your commitment to transparency.
• This boosts EEAT and can help you improve your rankings. 
• It shows you have a strong editorial "backbone" and won't recommend junk products to make a quick buck.  

For a great example of a product review policy, see the Sleep Foundation research methodology page . 

14. Disclose affiliate links

Disclosure of affiliate links in your content isn't just an ethical issue — it's also required by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). 

The best way to add an affiliate disclaimer is to edit your WordPress post template. This allows you to automatically add a disclosure to every post while avoiding the site speed issues that come with disclosure plugins. 

Here's how to edit your post template:

Step 1. Go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Appearance > Theme File Editor.

Stage 2. Select the Theme Functions file (functions.php).

Step 3. Add the following code at the bottom of the file:

/* Ajouter une divulgation d'affiliation à toutes les publications */
function divulgation_the_content( $content ) {
if (is_singular('post')) {
$custom_content = '
Cette publication contient des liens d'affiliation, et nous serons rémunérés si vous achetez à partir de nos liens. ';
$custom_content .= $content;
renvoie $custom_content ;
} else {
return $content;
}
}
add_filter( 'the_content', 'disclosure_the_content' );

You can change the disclaimer to say whatever you want. 

15. Create a tracking system for each affiliate program

If you don't know which pages are generating the most revenue, you can't make informed decisions about which keywords to target or which affiliate products to recommend. 

I recommend to use Lasso to create an affiliate marketing tracking system that provides you with this necessary data.  

Here is a step by step procedure:

Step 1. Install and activate the Lasso plugin on your WordPress site.

Step 2. Enter your license key.

Step 3. Log in to Lasso and click “Add New Site” under “Installation Performance. ”

Step 4. Decide whether to install Performance yourself or get free help from Lasso. 

If you install it yourself, you can use the Plugin code snippets to add the code to your header file. 

Step 5. Once Performance is set up, integrate each affiliate network you use.

Step 6. Add your affiliate links. 

Step 7. Go to Settings, sync your Lasso account with Google Analytics, and enable advanced click tracking. 

Step 8. View your clicks and revenue data in the Google Analytics Event Report and Lasso Performance Dashboard. 

Note: Lasso is a sophisticated tool, and explaining all of its capabilities is beyond the scope of this post. I recommend reading the Lasso Knowledge Bases for more detailed advice. 

16. Create a Segmented Mailing List 

This affiliate marketing trick can multiply your income by 10 times:

Don't send the same emails to everyone on your list.

Why this?

Well, unless your niche is ultra-specific, people will have different reasons for visiting your site. 

For example, if you have a personal finance website, some readers might be interested in credit cards, while others might be interested in mortgages or money saving tips.

By dividing your email list into smaller, more targeted groups, you can send personalized messages that resonate with each subscriber. This can improve your email metrics and conversion rates. 

How to Segment Your Mailing List

If you already have a list, you can easily segment your list with ConvertKit using tags. Let me show you how. 

Step 1. Configure ConvertKit. A full tutorial is beyond the scope of this article, but you can check out the ConvertKit knowledge base if you need help. 

Step 2. Create at least two lead magnets to segment your audience. 

Step 3. Set up an automation in ConvertKit to add a tag when someone uploads a lead magnet. For example, if you're targeting customer service professionals, you'll apply a "Customer Service" tag to anyone who downloads the customer service lead magnet.

Step 4. Send segmented emails. Whenever you want to send an email, you can choose to send it only to people with a given tag. 

Additionally, you can tag people when they open emails or click links in your emails. 

By sending useful content to your list, you can quickly build smaller but highly targeted mailing lists for any affiliate offer and focus your promotion on people who might be interested.

For example, a golf site might send an email explaining how to protect your luxury watch while playing golf. You then identify the people who opened that email and promote a luxury watch sale to them.

17. Create Segmented Lead Magnets

Let's say you're promoting two different affiliate products: one targeting customer service professionals and the other aimed at sales professionals. 

Instead of using a generic lead magnet, you can create two separate lead magnets that appeal to each audience.

Hubspot is a great example of a business that effectively uses segmented lead magnets to cater to its multiple target audiences. 

In their customer service articles, they offer a customer service-based lead magnet:

But in their sales articles, they offer a different lead magnet aimed at sales professionals:

They even take segmentation a step further by tailoring their lead magnets to specific items within each category. 

For example, this customer service message has a different lead magnet than the first customer service message mentioned earlier:

18. Promote offers on your thank you page

When someone downloads a lead magnet or signs up for your mailing list, you should show them a thank you page to express your gratitude. 

This allows you to build brand loyalty with new subscribers and promote additional products. 

There are two main strategies for promoting offers on your thank you page: using an offer wall and recommending a single product. 

Offer Wall

An offer wall displays multiple offers, allowing your audience to choose their own adventure. 
A great example of an offer wall can be found at The Points Guy thank you page .

Unique Product Recommendation

A single product recommendation can be more effective if you want to focus on promoting a specific product or have a more targeted audience.

A well-executed example can be seen at the HubSpot thank you page

19. Use Google Trends to Find Trending Topics

Using Google Trends to find increasingly popular topics can help you be the first to create content on those topics. 

Let's say you are an affiliate marketer in the golf niche and you know that new golf clubs are often launched in January.

You can check out Google Trends in early January, see which clubs are trending, create content about them, and beat your competition. You can even consider using Google Trends API to automate the process.

Step 1. Go to Google Trends and search for your topic. 

Step 2. Navigate to the corresponding query box, sort by “Increase by” and view the results. 

Here you can see that individual golf drivers – like the Centurion Golf Club – are trending. 

Even though no keyword tool is bringing in volume yet, this is a great keyword to write about to get commissions before other affiliate marketers.

20. Don't Just Target the “Best” SEO Keywords

Targeting the "best" keywords is an essential search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, but it's not the only type of keyword with high buyer intent. 

Experienced affiliate marketers know that focusing on other types of keywords can also lead to great conversions. 

These often have less competition but still offer great conversions. 

Here are some examples: 

Keywords “vs” 

When users are looking for a comparison between two products, they often use “vs” in their search query. 

Look at this excellent example of Modern Castle, which compare the Dyson V7 and V8 .

Keywords “Alternatives”

When users search for alternative products, they are often looking for something similar to a popular product but with different features or at a lower price. 

Check out this example of Modern Castle which features the best Roomba alternatives. 

Keywords “Review” or “review”

Users looking for product reviews are often in the latter stages of their buying journey and are looking for validation or additional information before purchasing. 

Here is a solid example of Modern Castle that reviews the Dyson V15 vacuum cleaner .

21. Update your content regularly

If posts on your affiliate site lose rankings, you need to update your affiliate content. 

This builds trust with your visitors, and search engines like Google love to give new pages a huge boost.

22. If one of your sites is doing well, create a second site targeting the same keywords

If one of your affiliate sites is doing exceptionally well, you may want to create a second site targeting the same keywords. 

Here are some of the benefits of building a second site:

• Dominating search results. By creating a second site targeting the same keywords, you can dominate search results for those terms.
• Diversify sources of income. Having two sites reduces the risk of losing revenue if one is penalized or hacked. 
• Testing strategies and layouts. Running two sites allows you to experiment with different marketing strategies and layouts to see what works best for your audience and niche.
• Leverage existing resources. By creating a second site, you can reuse your existing content and assets, saving time and money creating new ones.

Tip: To give your new site a first kick, link to it from your established site. 

Building multiple sites in the same niche is common among large companies. A striking example is Dotdash Meredith , which has seven huge food websites. 

These sites often rank side-by-side for many food-related keywords, indicating the effectiveness of this approach.

So ! You have just discovered the best affiliate marketing tips and strategies to earn more money. If you liked this article, then do not hesitate to share it on your various social networks.