How to Start Working with Affiliate Programs on a Shoestring Budget

There are all kinds of ideas about working with affiliate programs. Some people think that you have to be good at coding to start. Others believe that you must have a large chunk of capital to invest upfront. While there are those who imagine that if they just add some links to their website, the cash will simply come rolling in with no extra work from themselves. The thing is, all of these thoughts can be both right and wrong. Coding can be beneficial – but it’s not essential. Links can bring you cash – but they’ll bring you more if you put in a bit of effort. And any business is easier if you have some funds to get started – BUT it is possible to successfully work with an online affiliate program when money is tight.

Working with Affiliate Programs on a Shoestring

Choose your platform

It doesn’t matter what niche you choose – promoting dating offers or antiques – your main task is getting the links of your affiliate programs seen. And responded to. Once you’ve done this and have started to earn a small revenue, then you can worry about expansive, paid-for marketing campaigns. But to begin with, you just need to find a platform that works for you. Thanks to the likes of WordPress, anyone can start a blog or website for free. Or, if you’re not ready to create a fixed web presence you can work directly with social media without spending a penny.

Work directly with an affiliate partnership program

When you’re looking around online, you’ll see a lot of information about working with affiliate merchant account vendors. When you’ve got a lot of cash to invest and you’re wanting to build your portfolio of affiliate programs, these can be great. They can save you time and send some really interesting offers your way. But they do cost money. When you’re first starting out, working directly with one or two vendors, such as affiliate2day, means that you can begin earning cash without any investment. It can take time to find the right vendor for your niche, but at least you won’t have wasted a heap of money doing so.

Create the right kind of content

The best way to get people to see your links is to create great content. You need to write about things that your target audience will be interested in. And you need to use SEO to ensure people can find you. Content creation is something that need only cost you time. If you can write engagingly, you shouldn’t have any problems. If you can’t, then affordable freelancers are available through online marketplaces such as PeoplePerHour and Freelancer.

At its heart, affiliate marketing is all about content creation. It’s about finding ways – through words, pictures or videos – to make your chosen affiliate network’s offers come to life in the minds of your audience. If you can do that, then you’ll reach your target. People will read, or watch, or look at what you’ve made. And if you’re convincing enough, they’ll follow your recommendations – and your affiliate program’s links. And you can do all of that for nothing. There are hacks you can use to achieve better results . But really all it takes is time and a little patience. Then once you’ve started earning, you can move on to the next stage.