Social Media & Affiliate Marketing: Adding up the Numbers

The popularity of affiliate marketing is growing by the day. In fact, according to a recent Rakuten Affiliate Network study, the affiliate market in the United States is developing at an astonishing rate. With an annual growth of 10.1%, the industry is expected to grow to 6.8 billion dollars by the end of this decade. And while these statistics are indicating that affiliate marketers can make a decent living in this profession, sustaining a profitable affiliate marketing project isn’t that simple.

If you are an affiliate marketer, you need to give online users a reason to visit your blog and click on your link. This process sounds so simple, doesn’t it? In reality, getting high numbers in this business is an art form in its own. These days, consumers are less likely to click on plain links. The average click through rate on banner ads is 0.06%, and with 41% of internet users using AdBlock software and extensions, you are more likely to sell a product if you decide to sell it door to door.

This is why your content needs regular tweaking, and your distribution channels need to be on point at all time to reach and engage your target audience. This is where social platforms come into play. Social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are becoming more popular each day!

According to Smart Insights by 2016 almost 80% of the American public was on social media. So in that vast pool of people looking for some time to kill, your content will definitely pick up some visitors and potential profit. Right? True, if you know what you are doing.

So here are a few tips to help you use social media as a powerful tool in your affiliate marketing campaign.

Choose the Right Platform

Every social media platform has its own unique purpose, function and audience. For instance, if you are targeting a younger demographic, you should definitely use Twitter. Because more than 30% of online users ages 18-29 use Twitter, according to the Pew Research Center, and because they prefer micro-content to longer Facebook posts. But if you are looking for a somewhat older crowd, you will be pleased to know that average Facebook user is in the 25 to 34 age range, and that a total of five profiles is created every second.

However, no matter what network you choose, make sure to check out the company’s policy on affiliate marketing. For example, last year Pinterest started automatically removing affiliate trackers, redirects, and links on Pins.

Take Advantage of Mixed Media

If you are a blogger, writing is naturally your strong suit. However, you should also keep in mind that more than 40% of people respond better to visual material than plain text. According to the Fast Company, Facebook posts with images get approximately 40% more interaction from followers than simple text shares. Furthermore, while using emoticons may seem unprofessional, according to this AmExOPENForum infographic, posts with emoticons get 33% more shares and comments and 57% more likes.

Diversity makes content more attractive, it is as simple as that. So if you are looking for a way to grab someone’s attention, try thinking beyond that post title and excerpt. Videos and eye candy images will definitely draw more visitors to your website.

Time Matters

Before you start sharing your posts on Facebook, Twitter, etc. you should inquire about the most appropriate timing and establish when is it that your posts get the most engagement on your posts. For example, compared to the other days in the week, Facebook posts on Thursdays and Fridays get 18% higher engagement rates, according to a recent Buddymedia study. On the other hand, while noon is the most popular time to tweet it is not necessarily the most effective time if you are hunting for clicks. Ideally, you need to start tweeting between 2 AM and 3 AM, because these tweets get the most clicks according to Buffer.

However, if some of the technical aspects are interfering with your current content strategy, look for alternative solutions. If your niche is particularly concentrated on kids or families, naturally you won’t post content during the night. Find the most appropriate timing and invest more in your content.

Autoresponder Emails and Lead Magnets

Once you get a subscriber on your list, you should have a greeting message automatically sent to their inbox. This touch will reassure your subscriber that the process is finalized, and will give you a professional look. This way you will gain returning readers since you will drive more traffic through email marketing, and even more than that – you will have the opportunity to test and optimize your lead magnets.

Autoresponder is a necessary part of every website and blog, but when it comes to lead magnets – know your demographics. The product that you are pushing will get clicks only if you are pushing it to the right audience, so when you are thinking about those lead magnets – make them trustworthy and attractive and distribute them to the right audience.

The Conclusion

In this day and age, social media shares equal credibility!

More than 40% of internet users evaluate the social influence of a blog by the number of shares and re-tweets. Only 0.25 of page views lead to a share button click, so if you want more people to click on your affiliate links – find a way to engage your audience. Never miss an opportunity to engage in a conversation, always respond to questions as soon as possible, and keep a positive attitude.