I’ve lost count of all of the amazing affiliate programs that I’ve found over the years. I’ve observed affiliate programs concerning everything from gold, guru coaching programs, physical products, marketing software, dating, gourmet chocolates, website marketing services, and SEO.
But, there’s one massive caveat that all of the affiliate gurus (and newbs) neglect to tell you.
The caveat is as follows: If you don’t have website traffic and targeted prospects clicking on your affiliate links – then you’ll never realize your full potential as an affiliate. That’s why we’re about to discuss 10 cool ways to promote affiliate marketing programs – on the cheap!
10 Elite Ways To Promote Affiliate Marketing Programs On The Cheap
- # 1 – Blogging And SEO
- # 2 – Webinar Marketing
- # 3 – Email Newsletter Writing
- # 4 – Podcasting
- # 5 – YouTube Video Creation
- # 6 – Video Course Launching
- # 7 – Social Media Marketing
- # 8 – Digital Book Publishing
- # 9 – Email Course Launching
- # 10 – Paid Advertising
Here’s Why I Love These Ways To Promote Affiliate Marketing Programs On The Cheap
One of the biggest problems that beginner affiliate marketers are likely to experience is a lack of website traffic. Joining an affiliate program is simple – but getting traffic is the uphill struggle that many affiliates encounter.
Maybe you’re experiencing the same thing? Are you trying to find organic and modern ways to promote affiliate programs? Without needing to be a master programmer or celebrity guru? Let’s talk about ten cool ways!
# 1 – Blogging And SEO
I think that blogging and SEO are the smartest ways to promote affiliate programs. Blogging with WordPress is relatively cheap, easy, and also a ton of fun if you like writing.
But, in my opinion, I also want to let you know that blogging is probably 10x harder than most blogging gurus say. Have you ever heard a blogging guru say that launching a blog over the long-haul is easy? Blogging requires an overflowing trove of passion!
But, I think if you love to write, and if you fancy conducting research, then blogging is one of the coolest ways to spread the word about your favorite affiliate programs.
Benefits of Blogging and SEO:
- You can write about topics in whichever niche that you choose
- Blogging with WordPress has a minimal startup cost
- Blogging with WordPress is easy and fun if you like writing
- There are multitudes of plugins, themes, and widgets to help make your blog look awesome
I’ve been blogging on MrComputerScience.com for many years. I’m going to continue blogging for as long as I’m able.
If you love to write, then I challenge you to launch a blog! Blogging might quickly become one of your favorite hobbies.
# 2 – Webinar Marketing
I had to include webinar marketing in this list because I think that webinars are tragically underrated for affiliate marketers.
Not only do some affiliate marketplaces and product launches offer webinars that you can promote as an affiliate – but you could also host webinars of your own if you wish.
Webinars can help generate leads and introduce yourself to your new or existing audience. Automated webinar services can also make it easy to insert a call to action so you can promote your affiliate products, courses, coaching programs, or anything that you have in mind.
I also think that video sales letters rock and present a cool and unique opportunity to promote products and services that you like. Webinars and video sales letters have many similarities, and I could argue that both could contain the same content.
I’ve launched over a dozen courses and every course I created featured a cool video sales letter. I love video sales letters! When you record your script, have fun, and let your personality shine! Don’t be shy.
Creating a rudimentary VSL page or a simple webinar playback page using WordPress is more manageable than you think. Or, if you want to go advanced, there are plenty of fantastic automated webinar platforms that you can use. ClickFunnels is one of the most popular options, however, there are loads of good webinar platforms these days.
Benefits of Webinar Marketing:
- There are fantastic automated webinar platforms that make your webinars look great
- Webinars can be a genius way to build an email list and generate leads
- Webinars can help you tell your stories and build good karma with your audience
- It’s easy to insert a call to action using ClickFunnels and other automated webinar platforms
Webinar marketing and creating VSLs is a ton of work. Whenever I record a VSL, I spend at least a few hours reciting and perfecting the script so that it sounds as good as possible. Practice helps!
# 3 – Email Newsletter Writing
If you’re shy like I am, and don’t like the idea of recording your voice that much (lol), then email newsletter writing might be the perfect place to start your digital publishing endeavors.
The thing I love about email marketing these days is that there are tons of free email marketing software apps you can use. I’ve paid for AWeber for years. But, AWeber also has a 100% free plan that you can use. So, you can launch a beautiful email newsletter without paying a solitary penny.
Another cool thing about email marketing is that it’s perfect for those who like writing. If you find yourself writing at 3:00 in the morning (and around the clock) like me, then I can’t recommend email marketing and email newsletter publishing enough. Email marketing rules!
Benefits of Email Newsletter Writing:
- Email marketing is dirt cheap! You can start email marketing with AWeber (and other services) for free
- Email marketing is excellent if you love to write
- Email marketing can be a genius way to promote your affiliate links, courses, digital products, books, or anything
- Email marketing lets you connect to your audience and share stories, brand content, updates, et cetera
I’ve always loved email marketing because it’s affordable for the small marketers of the world – people like us. Email marketing is more affordable now than ever. Email marketing rocks!
A lot of people say that email marketing is dead – or dying. I disagree and think that email marketing will outlast any of us.
Even though fancy marketing strategies and social media platforms are popping up left and right, I bet that email marketing is here to stay. (For my lifetime at least, lol!)
# 4 – Podcasting
I think that if you go through the trouble of publishing blog content, then it might be a great idea to publish a Podcast too. I think that if you go through the trouble of Podcasting, you may as well turn that content into audio content. Why not? All of your hard work is already finished in writing form. Why not spend 5 or 10 minutes to turn your blog content into audio? Your readers might value that option more than you think!
If you’re strapped for cash, then never worry. You can snag a small Podcast host for about $5 – $10 per month. A decent USB microphone will only run you $50 – $100.
Plus, Podcasting can be a ton of fun if you like to talk and if you have the gift of gab. Bonus points if you want to interview experts! Or, you can do a solo show as I have done in the past. But, I think there are many benefits to interviewing others. Food for thought!
Benefits of Podcasting:
- You might have a ton of fun Podcasting if you love to chat and have the gift of gab
- Podcasting is affordable and only costs $5 – $10 per month for a startup host package
- Podcasting can be a great way to repurpose your blog content or articles
- You can use your Podcast to help promote your blog, website, email funnel, or business
I have some experience Podcasting and while it’s not my favorite method overall, I think it has a lot of potential for those serious about their craft.
Getting people to listen to your Podcast is tough! Make no mistake. But, the low cost of launching a Podcast makes it an overall low-risk method to try – even if you’re on a bottom dollar budget.
# 5 – YouTube Video Creation
Some of the most popular and most successful affiliate marketers that I know of do a ton of promoting on YouTube. Have you noticed the same?
It seems like every marketer on the planet uses YouTube to promote themselves! I have a ton of experience in creating and producing videos. However, most of the videos that I produce are for video sales letters and digital courses. I’m not the best YouTuber marketer around by any stretch.
But, I think if you’re not afraid of being on camera, and if you have good ideas to share with your niche, then you can’t go wrong with YouTube marketing.
The downside is that creating videos requires a ton of effort, especially if you’re shy like I am and don’t like to appear on camera!
Benefits of YouTube Video Creation:
- YouTube can be a smart way to promote your video reviews, tutorials, et cetera
- It’s 100% free to publish videos on YouTube
- YouTube also has a robust advertising platform so you can promote your videos – food for thought
- YouTube is one of the most popular websites on the planet – the traffic is there
I think that some of my favorite videos to watch on YouTube are the reviews of products that I want to buy. I love to watch product reviews!
That’s something to consider if you want to start affiliate marketing on YouTube but you’re not sure where to start. Maybe launching reviews of your favorite affiliate programs and products might be a good start?
# 6 – Video Course Launching
I think that one of the coolest ways to promote an affiliate product is to create a course around the product. If you want to promote email marketing software, then create an email marketing course. If you want to promote a cookie sheet, create a course that teaches how to bake cookies.
While creating video courses requires a bundle of effort, they’re also a lot of fun if you enjoy teaching and helping others.
After teaching many digital courses, I think they’re rewarding if you enjoy interacting with others. If you don’t like to interact with those in your niche, then teaching might not be the best choice.
Benefits of Video Course Launching:
- Video courses can be a great way to brand yourself and your business
- Teaching others is always one of the best ways to earn good karma – especially if you have great insights and experiences to share
- You can create courses for just about any topic that you wish
- I think that the world of digital learning is massive and is going to get more popular still
Being an online teacher is one of the most honorable things that I’ve done. I think that as a teacher, you’re in a great position to share your best content with your students.
Try to help your students succeed, and try your best to offer the best student support possible so students love your course! You also have endless amounts of video course platforms to help sell your online course these days.
# 7 – Social Media Marketing
I have to include social media marketing in this list because that’s where everyone hangs out and spends their time. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the survival niche or the dating niche. You can bet that your ideal audience uses the big social platforms!
I don’t like the idea of plastering social media profiles with affiliate links. Instead, I always try my best to share my blog posts on social media. Then, I let my blog do all the marketing and promotion!
There are so many social media platforms to promote your content. I’m a fan of Twitter and Pinterest! Which ones do you like the best? Focus there!
Benefits of Social Media Marketing:
- Social media is probably the most popular avenue to find almost any audience
- Social media is a great opportunity to promote blog posts, Podcasts, articles, and content
- Many social media platforms also offer advertising platforms so you can promote your pins, posts, et cetera
- Social media marketing is free (or cheap) and usually doesn’t require anything except for your time and commitment
I’m not much of a social butterfly, to be honest. But I’m still on social media! I think that social is one of the most natural ways to promote your small business, and the cost is zero in most cases unless you want to promote with paid ads.
# 8 – Digital Book Publishing
As someone who writes frantically nonstop (lol), I think that book publishing and self-publishing presents a ton of opportunities for affiliate marketers.
If you like writing, and if you have lots of experience to share, then self-publishing a book might be a boon for your business.
The best thing about a book is that you can strategically promote your marketing funnels inside the book if you wish. I also think that writing a book is a great way to brand yourself, your brand, your business, and your stories.
You can also include links to join your email newsletter in the book! I think that focusing on your email list is always a genius strategy for affiliate marketers big and small.
Benefits of Digital Book Publishing:
- If you love to write, then launching a book with the world can feel like a dream come true
- Writing can help to establish authority, build a brand, and also position you as an elite expert
- You can use your book to promote your marketing funnels, lead magnets, websites, et cetera
- There’s nothing quite like that excitement you get when you self-publish your first book
In our day of fancy media integrations, live streaming, video conferences, and virtual reality – it’s all too easy to neglect digital publishing.
Let the inner writer in you flourish by publishing an amazing book that you can use to share your experience with the world!
# 9 – Email Course Launching
Email courses are the coolest way to promote affiliate products! The only thing better than launching an amazing email newsletter is automating the entire process, lol. That’s the beauty of an email course.
Email courses rock because they’re fun to write if you’re a writer by heart. Email courses also allow you to generate leads, build your list, and teach any topic that’s related to your favorite affiliate program.
Email courses are also ultra-cheap to launch and can be a great way to showcase some of your elite expertise and skills. The best part is that you can include a call to action inside every email of the course!
Benefits of Email Course Launching:
- Email automation can save you stress, time, effort, and anxiety
- Some of my favorite email marketing apps are free, or cheap
- You can write and launch an email course in any niche related to your affiliate program
- Email courses might be your secret weapon to help build your email list
Another big benefit of email courses is that you can help your email subscriber a great deal. Spend some time trying to make your email course as helpful as possible. That way, your subscriber hopefully appreciates your work and stays subscribed to your email list over the long-haul.
# 10 – Paid Advertising
Paid advertising is one of the fastest ways to generate website traffic for many small businesses. I think that affiliate marketers can potentially use paid traffic if they learn the art and science of sales funnels and marketing funnels.
I think that paid advertising is expensive and risky, especially if you’re a beginner. But, I also think the upside and potential with paid advertising are tremendous, so I had to include the option in this list.
Benefits of Paid Advertising:
- Paid advertising is arguably the fastest way to get reliable website traffic
- Some paid advertising platforms offer discounts and coupons for new advertisers
- Paid advertising can be a smart way to target your audience and get the right clicks that you want
- Paid advertising can help to promote your funnels, lead capture page, webinar registration page, et cetera
Paid advertising is risky. I want to mention that again because a lot of gurus say that paid advertising is easy to get right. It isn’t!
I think if you want to consider paid advertising, you should study marketing and sales funnels. That way, you can focus on building your email list and so you have less of a chance of losing money on ads.
Another big tip is to contact any paid advertising network before you buy ads. Ask a representative if they have any cool discounts for new advertisers. You might get lucky, and it doesn’t hurt to ask!
Conclusion – Why Affiliate Marketing Promotion Is Tougher Than Most People Think!
Thank you for reading this blog post! I also want to say that affiliate marketing is tougher than most people think.
Affiliate marketing requires luck, work, effort, grit, and consistency! If you’re an affiliate marketing beginner, I hope that these tips serve you wonderfully.
I wish you the best of luck in your affiliate marketing endeavors!
Cordially,
Mike “Affiliate Traffic” DeVincent
MrComputerScience.com