{"id":9749,"date":"2018-11-22T14:42:24","date_gmt":"2018-11-22T14:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordlift.io\/blog\/en\/?p=9749"},"modified":"2020-10-06T07:54:01","modified_gmt":"2020-10-06T05:54:01","slug":"affiliate-content-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordlift.io\/blog\/en\/affiliate-content-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Affiliate Marketing Needs Content More Than Ever"},"content":{"rendered":"

Affiliate marketing continues to boom as an industry. Made possible by the rapid advance of digital technology<\/a><\/strong>, the simple practice of distributing customized links has become a reliable source of income for those capable of reaching relevant audiences<\/strong> \u2014 people deemed \u2018influencers\u2019 with opinions on products and services likely to be mirrored by their followers.<\/p>\n

But ever since Twitter first got mainstream attention, we\u2019ve seen a move away from in-depth reviews and roundups and towards brief and formulaic social media posts. Aspiring celebrities litter their accounts with #ad posts<\/a> offering nothing more than generic endorsements with mandated hold-the-product-and-smile photos.<\/p>\n

With all the clutter, an impartial observer might well conclude that there\u2019s way too much affiliate marketing<\/a> \u2018content\u2019 already. They\u2019d be wrong, though. In fact, the affiliate marketing industry needs content<\/a> more than ever.<\/strong> Why? Let\u2019s get into it.<\/p>\n

The demand for content isn\u2019t going down<\/h2>\n

The digital content landscape is much like an insatiable deep-sea behemoth \u2014 no matter how much it consumes on any given day, it\u2019s always in need of fresh, varied material shortly after<\/strong>. And though bland influencer posts get a lot of attention (and presumably do get results), they\u2019re like bite-sized snacks, light and inconsequential. No one browses the glossy photos of a celebrity Instagram account and burns out on high-quality content.<\/p>\n

\"discerning<\/p>\n

Indeed, the average internet user is going to consume a broad range of content types. They might browse social media channels on their phone while commuting, read long-form articles<\/a> throughout their working days, then watch YouTube videos after getting home (with newer generations favoring video<\/a>). Each type of content they consume provides a fresh affiliate marketing<\/a> opportunity<\/strong>, and consuming too much of one type isn\u2019t going to sour them on others.<\/p>\n

And new technology is going to keep bringing new content types. We\u2019ve already seen the world of podcasting become absolutely enormous (largely supported by affiliate marketing, notably), and it\u2019s possible that VR content will be next. Since any kind of content can be supported through affiliate links, there\u2019s a lot of space waiting to be filled.<\/strong><\/p>\n

People respect transparent sponsorships<\/h2>\n

Consider the ongoing struggles of digital advertising models. Tired of ads that affect their online experience and emboldened by access to ad-blocking tools, internet users have quickly lost their willingness to put up with invasive advertising methods<\/strong>. Even as programmatic technology squeezes ever-higher levels of efficiency from PPC, the industry suffers at the hands of user reluctance and marketing saturation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Affiliate marketing, though, can be done seamlessly without detracting from the content or engaging in any rhetorical shenanigans. And it doesn\u2019t even require any pretense. It\u2019s entirely possible to have a strong and productive seller\/marketer arrangement without hiding anything from the prospective buyers<\/strong> \u2014 in fact, being entirely brazen can be very effective because people like being approached with honesty<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"seller\/marketer<\/p>\n

When an influencer<\/a> produces a high-quality video series openly sponsored by a particular brand, it makes both parties look good<\/strong>. The brand earns plaudits for financing good content and the influencer gets to show off improved production values. Provided the content is good enough, followers won\u2019t care about the promotional nature \u2014 and they\u2019ll be more likely to want to pointedly click on an affiliate link to support the brand<\/strong> (as opposed to doing so unknowingly).<\/p>\n

Social proof is enormously powerful<\/h2>\n

With every day that passes, the internet gives us more e-commerce opportunities and more product information<\/strong>. No matter what you\u2019re looking to buy, you\u2019ll be able to find countless models, versions, configurations, and prices, with every business you encounter eager to claim that only their product is worth your time \u2014 ignore all other contenders.<\/p>\n

Since we can\u2019t reach out to touch items through the digital realm, we are required to judge for ourselves whether any given proposition is really worth our time, and it\u2019s hard to do that when we face so many similar options<\/strong>. That\u2019s why we rely so heavily on social proof<\/a>. We need people whose opinions we trust to give us some guidance and help us figure out which products are worth our money and which brands are worth our time<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

While social proof has always been important (we are social animals, of course), it was less so when the internet was newer and people were inclined to give sites the benefit of the doubt.<\/p>\n

Following numerous high-profile cases of user data being leaked, and a general push towards higher security standards through things like HTTPS, users are on high alert, and not inclined to take unnecessary chances. If you can establish yourself as an expert in your field, people will absolutely listen to what you have to say.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Discerning buyers are increasingly thorough<\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve established that internet users are a lot more cautious than ever before when it comes to the companies they trust with their data or their money<\/strong>, but this isn\u2019t purely a result of the aforementioned data leaks \u2014 it\u2019s also a generational thing. Younger generations have reached maturity with the internet available to them, and feel perfectly comfortable engaging in large amounts of online research before making big decisions.<\/p>\n

\"affiliate<\/p>\n

Someone from an older generation might go into a large store, ask the assistant which camera they should buy, and then go with that option \u2014 someone younger would be far more likely to take an in-depth look at the features<\/strong> and search for a comprehensive breakdown to read. And since tastes vary, they might look at various different pieces of content before finding one coming from their kind of perspective.<\/p>\n

Combine the average buyer\u2019s desire for thorough analysis with their eagerness to find an influencer operating on their wavelength and you get an affiliate marketing world that always has room for good content from fresh faces.<\/p>\n\n

The viable marketing pool keeps growing<\/h2>\n

Affiliate programs are far more common and well-rounded than ever before. The cost-effective nature of the model has been consistently demonstrated, and since detailed analytics make it easy to tell where a page visitor came from, the range of companies supporting affiliate marketing out of the gate continues to expand<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Note that the end result of an affiliate marketing arrangement needn\u2019t be someone buying a product \u2014 it could be someone using a service<\/strong>, or downloading a file<\/strong>, or visiting a page<\/strong>. Through call-tracking software<\/a> and the establishment of sophisticated analytics goals, you can place a monetary value on almost any action, online or offline<\/strong>. And where there\u2019s value, there\u2019s an opportunity for affiliate marketing.<\/p>\n

To get the ball rolling, try throwing together some niches on a whim. Here are some quick tips:<\/p>\n