How to Get Started as an Affiliate
- Identify your niche and audience - Start by searching for a product you love, and you know your followers would love to. If you’re not sure what your followers like, try doing follower research through Stories or posts asking questions about what type of content or products they use! Picking a product you believe in will make your job easier because you will be passionate about what you are selling and, in the end, develop stronger relationships with the brands you work with.
- Choosing platforms and programs to join - Many companies are starting to put affiliate programs in place, so you can start by researching which companies have them and which companies don’t. If the company you’re looking for doesn’t, then send them a DM or email about potentially collaborating. This also works the other way around. Companies can reach out to you because they think your brand would compliment theirs, but only work with them if it’s best for you!
- Linking products in your post - Always tag or link each product back to its website for purchase. Our free feature linkit is great for all types of affiliates. PLANOLY’s link-building feature allows users to link the posts featured on their Instagram feed back to any URL. You can curate a custom gallery of your Instagram posts and attach links to a brand’s website, blog article, or referral links. linkit benefits: directing your followers to the right place so they know where to look, no longer limited to sharing just one link, strengthen relationships with partners & attract brands, and it’s a free feature available to all PLANOLY users.
And we can’t forget to mention PLANOLY’s new affiliate program! All approved affiliates earn a 10% commission for every user who signs up for a paid PLANOLY plan. This is perfect for someone with a following. All you have to do is apply on our website and once approved you will receive a referral link to start earning. Check out how to become an affiliate here.
Posting Consistently and with Value
The work doesn’t stop after one post. Most affiliate programs have guidelines or rules you must follow to market for them. And before you’re turned away by rules, the rules are mostly about how often you post not how to create your content! You’re the content creator they wanted to work with, so you can promote however you see fit. Just make sure you’re doing it consistently and don’t forget to link back to the right places, so your followers know where to get it.
Creating Great Content For Each Affiliate Post
Now, your followers might think your posts are getting repetitive because now you’re posting about a product so much, but it’s up to you to make each post just as valuable as the next! Try mixing it up between educational, lifestyle, and interesting product placement posts. This makes posts about the same product not feel like an ad or like a “buy because I will make money” type of thing. Allowing your followers to see the product you’re promoting in different ways is generally more genuine and engaging.
To make sure you’re creating content that’s driving traffic to boost sales, start measuring your success with key performance metrics.
PRO TIP: PLANOLY’s Analyze Dashboard allows you to track performance all within the PLANOLY app.
It’s clear that affiliate marketing is here to stay, and understanding its key benefits and upcoming trends is the best way to stay on top of marketing strategies in the months to come.
