Welcome to the complete guide to affiliate marketing and making money online with MyLead - a comprehensive compendium of knowledge for all those who dream of additional sources of income on the web. This article is for those who want to explore the ins and outs of affiliate marketing, discover effective promotional strategies, and acquire knowledge that will open the doors to the world of online financial possibilities.

Don't worry if the term "affiliate marketing" doesn't ring the bell at the moment. Our goal is to provide you with a complete picture of what affiliate marketing has to offer, regardless of your experience. Ready to discover a new path to earning money online or deepen your knowledge? Let's get started!

What is affiliate marketing?

Before we delve deeper, let's take a closer look at what affiliate marketing is. It's not just a term from the field of e-marketing; it's a way in which modern businesses establish beneficial online partnerships. In short, affiliate marketing is a mechanism that enables individuals seeking to earn money online (commonly referred to as publishers or affiliates) to receive commissions for promoting selected products or services of other companies, known as advertisers. 

According to a study conducted by Rakuten/Forrester Research, 80% of brands utilize affiliate marketing programs. Moreover, over 80% of advertisers allocate approximately 10% of their marketing budget to affiliate marketing initiatives. This approach enables businesses to expand their reach, generate leads, and increase sales without the hefty costs associated with hiring a marketing agency. At the same time it gives you a great possibility to earn money. But how exactly does it work? Let's expand on that.

The publisher promotes through various channels such as websites, blogs, social media, or emails. The key is that the publisher earns a commission for each specific action they generate – this could be a click, registration, sale, or other defined action. This makes affiliate marketing a form of performance-based compensation, meaning the publisher earns as a result of the effectiveness of their promotional efforts.

One of the key elements of affiliate marketing is a unique affiliate identifier (often called an affiliate link),which allows tracking which affiliate contributed to a particular transaction or action. It's a fair model where all participants benefit – the seller expands the reach of their offering, and the publisher earns based on the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.

To complete this puzzle, there's the affiliate network, acting as an intermediary between publishers and advertisers. The network provides affiliate programs from various companies for publishers to join and keeps track of promotion statistics in one place. MyLead is an example of such a network.

What is MyLead and why should you start making money with us?

MyLead is the space where making money online becomes simpler and more accessible than ever. The platform enables earning in diverse affiliate programs, making the entire process intuitive and available to everyone, regardless of experience.

To start earning on MyLead, simply create an account – it's quick, free, and opens the doors to potentially significant profits. It's not just a place for experienced marketers; it's a platform where everyone will find something for themselves.

We stand out not only with a rich offering of affiliate programs but also with a dedicated approach to each user. MyLead provides:

By joining MyLead, you become part of a community that not only offers earning opportunities but also support, knowledge, and tools to help you achieve your goals. Let's embark on this exciting affiliate journey together!

Who can earn with affiliate marketing?

Earning online with affiliate marketing is not solely reserved for influencers, as is often a recurring myth. At MyLead, we understand that everyone, regardless of popularity, can find their path to online success.

In reality, the key to success lies in your determination, creativity, and the ability to effectively promote products or services. Affiliate marketing is for those who have initiative and want to understand how to leverage available tools and affiliate programs. Whether you are a blogger, content creator, or simply someone looking to earn additional income online, the world of affiliate marketing is open to you. It's time to explore new opportunities!

Publisher's glossary - the most important terms in affiliate marketing

In order to make it easier for you to enter the world of affiliate marketing, we have prepared a short collection of definitions, which we have neatly called the "publisher's glossary". It will help you master the basics of affiliate marketing in a matter of moments and help you comprehend the article you’re currently reading.

Commission Models – what will you get paid for?

Before delving into the practical aspects of affiliate marketing, let's take a look at a key element of this journey – commission models. Commission models (or revenue models, payment models) serve as a compass, pointing the way to your earnings. But don't worry; we won't bore you with statistics or mathematical equations. We'll break it down for you so you can easily step into the world of online earning.

MyLead offers 5 commission models:

It's worth noting that besides these models, there is a variety of others, such as CPC (Cost per Click). Explore, experiment, and find the model that best suits your style!

Choosing and promoting offers

Selecting the right offers and effectively promoting them is key to success in affiliate marketing. In this section, we'll focus on the step that can have the most significant impact on your earnings – finding the perfect offer and mastering effective promotion.

Analyzing available offers – how to choose the most profitable affiliate programs?

Before diving into promotion, take the time to carefully analyze available offers. Choosing offers that best fit your target audience and have a straightforward commission model is crucial for achieving success in affiliate marketing. Here's how to conduct a proper analysis and select offers that will bring the highest profits:

What but about the lucrativeness of particular affiliate programs categories? Well, almost 20% of all affiliate programs are attributed to the fashion industry, encompassing sub-niches such as clothing, footwear, accessories, and beyond.

Nevertheless, the study shows that the health and wellness niche reigns as the most lucrative, boasting a value exceeding $5.5 trillion. This category spans across fitness, dietary supplements, healthcare, organic food, and related sectors.

How to promote affiliate programs?

Embarking on the affiliate marketing journey involves understanding and implementing effective promotional strategies. These strategies act as the roadmap to successfully promote affiliate products or services, and each has its unique advantages for reaching and engaging the target audience.

Promotional strategies are crucial because they guide publishers in connecting with potential customers, driving traffic, and ultimately boosting conversions. While there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, a well-thought-out strategy tailored to the affiliate's strengths and audience can significantly impact success.

Remember, the only limit in affiliate marketing is your imagination. Experiment with different strategies, analyze their performance, and tailor your approach based on what resonates most with your audience.

Social Media Marketing - the power of connectivity

Study shows that social media is a traffic source chosen by over 67% of affiliates using it to connect with possible customers. Social Media Marketing leverages platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, etc, to promote products. Affiliates create engaging content, share promotions, and interact with their audience directly. For beginners, focusing on one or two platforms initially can help build a loyal following.

When it comes to leveraging social media for affiliate marketing, beginners should consider several factors:

Content Marketing - crafting value in every word

Content Marketing revolves around creating valuable and informative content to attract and engage an audience. Publishers can utilize blogs, articles, or videos to share insights, reviews, and useful information related to the promoted products.

Content marketing and blogging secures the third spot when it comes to top traffic sources, with 65% of affiliates doing it.

SEO - climbing the search engine ranks

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves optimizing content to rank higher in search engine results and often engages with content marketing. Affiliates focus on using relevant keywords, creating quality content, and ensuring their websites are search engine-friendly. 

Statistics show that about 70% of affiliate publishers rely on SEO to get the most visitors to their websites as it gives  them free traffic from search engines. However, we won't sugarcoat it - for SEO efforts to yield traffic, it takes some time. So patience is truly invaluable, but it's really worth it.

Key aspects of SEO include:

Case Study: Let's say you're promoting a tech gadget. By conducting keyword research and incorporating terms like "best tech gadgets" or "innovative electronics" into your blog posts, you increase the likelihood of your content appearing in search results, attracting users actively seeking such products.

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertising - maximizing visibility with targeted ads

PPC Advertising involves placing paid advertisements on search engines and social media platforms. Affiliates bid on specific keywords and pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. This strategy allows publishers to target their audience precisely and maximize visibility for promoted products or services. PPC Advertising is the chosen traffic source by almost 35% of affiliates. 

Key aspects of PPC Advertising include:

Case Study: Imagine you're promoting a software tool for small businesses. With PPC advertising, you can create targeted ads that appear when users search for terms like "small business software" or "productivity tools." By carefully selecting keywords and crafting compelling ad copy, you can attract qualified leads and drive conversions.

Email Marketing - building relationships through the inbox

Email Marketing centers on building a subscriber base and creating targeted email campaigns. Affiliates nurture relationships by sending personalized content, promotions, and updates directly to their subscribers' inboxes. And what about the numbers? About 23% of affiliate marketers use email marketing as a primary traffic source.

In addition to its effectiveness in building relationships and driving conversions, it's important to note that Email Marketing must comply with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. Affiliates must ensure that their email marketing practices adhere to GDPR guidelines, including obtaining explicit consent from subscribers, providing options for unsubscribing, and safeguarding subscriber data.

Other things to consider are:

Case Study: Suppose you're focusing on promoting beauty affiliate programs. Building a subscriber list through a makeup tips newsletter, and sending exclusive promotions and product recommendations, can foster a sense of exclusivity and trust among your audience, leading to increased conversions.

Other profitable promotion methods

In addition to the conventional promotion strategies, there are other lucrative avenues worth exploring in affiliate marketing. Here are a few:

Dating profiles

Creating dating profiles offers a unique opportunity for affiliates to attract users to promoted dating apps or websites. By creating a profile of an attractive individual and engaging with potential users on platforms like Snapchat or X, affiliates can drive traffic to dating platforms. This method can be highly effective when combined with social media marketing strategies, allowing affiliates to reach a broader audience and attract new users to the dating platform.

Communicators and chatbots

Another emerging trend in affiliate marketing is leveraging communicators and chatbots to promote affiliate offers. Affiliates can utilize chatbots on messaging platforms like Messenger, Telegram or WhatsApp to engage with users and recommend relevant products or services. For instance, an affiliate promoting a fitness app could create a chatbot that provides personalized workout recommendations based on users' fitness goals and preferences. By integrating affiliate links into the chatbot's responses, affiliates can drive conversions and earn commissions seamlessly.

Niche forums and communities

Engaging with niche forums and online communities related to the promoted products or services can be an effective way to reach a highly targeted audience. Publishers can participate in discussions, answer questions, and provide valuable insights within these communities while subtly promoting affiliate offers. For example, a tech affiliate could join forums dedicated to smartphone enthusiasts and share informative posts about the latest smartphone models, including affiliate links to purchase the recommended devices. By establishing credibility and trust within niche communities, affiliates can attract qualified leads and drive conversions effectively.

Affiliate tools available at MyLead

MyLead provides its publishers with free affiliate tools to help optimize operations and increase efficiency. Here are some of them:

Offerwall Rewards - maximizing user engagement

Offerwall is a tool that allows publishers to present various offers and tasks to users in exchange for a currency established by the publisher within the application or website. It works by providing users with a wall containing different offers to complete.

Approximately 79% of users complete tasks from offer walls every week, and 41% use these ads daily. This form of promotion allows for revenue generation from your application or website even for users who are not inclined to make purchases but are willing to spend their time interacting with offers.

The goal of the Offerwall is to strengthen publishers' positions in the market and maximize user engagement on websites or mobile applications. The average increase in earnings for publishers using the Offerwall is around 20-30%.

Wondering how to start using Offerwall Rewards? Here’s our step-by-step guide.

HideLink - link masking system

HideLink is a proprietary link masking system (cloaker) from MyLead. But what does it actually mean? Firstly, link masking is the process of hiding the real destination address from users. Why is this important? Primarily in social media promotion, where long and unattractive links can discourage clicks. HideLink makes links shorter, neater, and more user-friendly, increasing the chances of clicks. However, HideLink has another crucial function. It introduces the concept of a "safe page" – a secure starting page that every user initially lands on after clicking your promoted link. If a bot uses the link, it remains on the safe page. A real user, on the other hand, is immediately redirected to the page of your promoted offer. This ensures that the links you promote have a much longer lifespan.

Smartlink - automatic offer matching

Smartlink is a tool for automatic offer matching, eliminating the need for manual selection of offers for different audience groups. It works by analyzing user data, such as location or device, to provide the most personalized offer. This is an effective way to maximize conversions by adapting to each user's individual preferences.

Content Locker - blocking content with additional options

Content Locker is a tool that restricts access to content until a specific action is performed by the user. In MyLead, we have four types of Content Lockers:

Conversion rate tracking

Conversion rate (CR) is one of the main indicators determining the quality of traffic. Every affiliate network displays conversion to allow users to analyze their actions. Often, you can come across statements saying that "site X has better conversion than site Y" or "I switched links and immediately conversion increased/decreased." Unfortunately, these statements are not true - because most likely both sites do not measure conversion in the same way. There is no such thing as a standard conversion measurement, making it difficult to compare results obtained by different methods.

where:

Conversion is measured as a percentage ratio of the number of generated CPA actions (leads) to the number of site visits. For example, if you generated 100 visits and obtained 10 leads as a result - you have a conversion rate of 10% (10/100*100%). The number of leads is clear - specific. The problem lies in what we understand by "visit", and here differences arise through which exactly the same result can be different depending on the affiliate network.

To conduct a reliable comparative analysis, conversion should be measured independently using external statistics. In the same way for each affiliate network, rejecting "spam visits" that are not the result of your promotional activities.

The most common mistakes made by novice publishers, or what not to do to succeed?

As aspiring publishers venture into the world of affiliate marketing, they often encounter numerous challenges and pitfalls along the way. While the journey is undoubtedly exciting and full of potential, it's essential to navigate wisely to avoid common mistakes that can hinder success.

Promoting multiple affiliate programs simultaneously

As a novice publisher, avoid promoting multiple programs at once. It'll only waste your time. Instead, focus on selecting one or two affiliate programs that genuinely appeal to you. It's much easier to start your affiliate journey with a product you're familiar with.

Focusing on sales

From our experience, many budding publishers only find satisfaction in their efforts when they successfully sell a product or service. While earning from sales is undeniable, remember that sales are just the final step in the sales funnel. Before making a purchase, customers need to familiarize themselves with the product. Your original product descriptions can help with that. Ensure your descriptions are credible. If possible, highlight key phrases. Remember, users don't read the entire text! They just scan through it. Oh, and one more crucial thing. People buy with their eyes.

Not identifying your target audience's needs

Let's hypothetically say you run a blog for health-conscious individuals. Suddenly, you serve your readers a post about calorie-packed snacks full of sugars. Do you think such a post will interest this audience? Probably not. The lesson here is, before promoting any product, carefully consider who will genuinely be interested in it. Think about the problems potential customers may face, and then show them in a relatable way how your product solves those problems.

Limiting yourself to one traffic source

Are you planning on relying solely on one traffic source? The highest-earning publishers experiment with various traffic sources. They're not afraid to test and try new things. Try everything available: paid ads, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, engage in blog forums. Then analyze the results and draw conclusions. Regularly updated statistics will help you answer which traffic source brings you the most valuable users, i.e., those who make purchases.

Your content doesn't stand out

"Our priority is customer satisfaction and happiness." How many times have you read this phrase on various websites? Exactly. Standard phrases don't work well in affiliate marketing or any other field. It's worth noting that such clichés not only negatively impact potential customers but also don't bode well for SEO. One of the primary rules of SEO is creating unique content. Only such texts have a chance to rank high in Google search results.

Not using AI tools

Statistics show that 79.3% of affiliate marketers are embracing AI-driven content creation to enhance their marketing efforts and stay ahead of the competition. Here are some AI tools that can help novice publishers:

Getting started with MyLead 

How to get started with affiliate marketing and become MyLead's publisher? The first step is to register for an account. Registration is quick and straightforward, requiring basic personal data. Simply click on the "Let's start" button below to create your account and gain access to a wide range of affiliate programs.

Once registered, you'll gain access to MyLead's user-friendly dashboard, where you can explore the diverse range of affiliate offers available. With thousands of offers spanning various categories and niches, you're sure to find opportunities that align with your interests and target audience.

Before joining any program, it's essential to add your traffic source. Learn how to do this by watching our YouTube video.

Browse through the available offers, taking note of key details we've mentioned in the "Analyzing available offers" section. Select offers that resonate with your potential audience and align with your promotional strategies to maximize your earning potential.

Can you do it all by yourself?

Of course you can. Affiliate marketing is not black magic and anyone can do it. But at MyLead, we understand that starting may come with questions and challenges along the way. That's why we offer experienced mentors and our support team to guide you through every step of the process.

Our team of dedicated affiliate managers is known for their expertise and commitment to helping affiliates succeed. Whether you need assistance with campaign optimization, troubleshooting technical issues, or brainstorming new promotional strategies, our support team is always ready to lend a helping hand.

Additionally, our vibrant MyLead community provides a platform for affiliates to connect, share insights, and learn from each other's experiences. Joining our community allows you to tap into a wealth of knowledge and expertise, ensuring that you're never alone on your affiliate marketing journey.

With MyLead's technical support and supportive community by your side, you can navigate the world of affiliate marketing with confidence and achieve your goals more effectively. Don't hesitate to reach out whenever you need assistance – we're here to help you succeed!

Key takeaways

In summary, embarking on the journey of affiliate marketing as a novice publisher can be both exciting and challenging. Here are some key takeaways to remember:

As you navigate the world of affiliate marketing, here are some final pieces of advice to keep in mind:

In addition to the aforementioned tips, it's crucial to remember that you're not alone on this journey. MyLead's dedicated support team is here to assist you every step of the way, offering guidance and expert advice to ensure your success in affiliate marketing. Remember, help is just a message away, so don't hesitate to leverage this valuable resource whenever needed. Best of luck!