Now it’s time to set up your online presence where you’ll be creating content and inserting those affiliate links. You have a few routes here: - Blog or Website: This is a classic approach. You create a website (usually WordPress-based, as it’s flexible and great for content/SEO). You write articles (like product reviews, how-to guides, list of top X products, etc.). Search engine traffic can be a big source of visitors if you do SEO well. - YouTube Channel: Many affiliates succeed by making video content – product unboxings, tutorials, “best of” videos, etc., and putting affiliate links in the description or comments. With YouTube, you also could earn from ads eventually, but affiliate can be primary. - Social Media / Influencer: If you have or plan to grow following on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, etc., you can share affiliate links (note: some platforms like Instagram don’t allow clickable links in posts, so you use bio or stories). TikTok has been a rising star for affiliate product recommendations, like those “Amazon favorites” videos – then link in bio to a landing page of affiliate links (often Amazon). - Email Marketing: Some do affiliate marketing primarily via email lists – by collecting subscribers and then sending product recommendations. But you usually need a site or social presence to gather those emails in the first place. - Podcasting: You could also promote in a podcast (with trackable links or codes). It’s less direct-click, but possible (like “use code MYSHOW at checkout”).
For beginners, a blog + YouTube combo can be powerful. You can repurpose content: write a blog post review and do a video review, capturing both Google and YouTube search audiences. But doing both can be a lot of work, so you might start with one content format and expand later.
Setting up a blog/website: - Choose a domain name (ideally something brandable related to your niche, but don’t overthink, e.g., “FitMomsGuide.com” if niche is fitness for moms). - Get web hosting (SiteGround, Bluehost, etc. – many have easy WordPress one-click installs and even affiliate linking tools). - Install WordPress and a simple theme (generatepress, astra, etc., which are lightweight). - Create essential pages (About, Contact, maybe a Resources or Recommended Products page to list affiliate products). - Install some plugins like Yoast SEO (to help with search optimization), a link cloaking plugin (some use PrettyLinks to turn raw affiliate links into nicer ones like yoursite.com/productname), and maybe a disclaimer plugin.
Legal: Very important, include an affiliate disclosure (it’s legally required in many places like the US to disclose you may earn commissions). You can put a generic note in your footer or sidebar (“Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”) and/or within content when applicable (“affiliate link” in parentheses or a sentence at top). Also have a privacy policy if using any cookies/analytics (there are templates for that).
Design/Branding: It doesn’t have to be fancy – focus on content quality. But make sure it’s mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. Use images (like product images) appropriately (some affiliate programs have rules about using images; Amazon allows it only via their API, for example, not copying from site manually).
Setting up a YouTube or Social: - Choose a channel name (maybe same as your site or niche descriptive). - Invest in decent audio if doing video (audio quality is more important than video resolution often). - Learn basic video editing. - For social like Instagram/TikTok, you can just start posting, but consistency and niches apply there too (like a TikTok account all about cleaning hacks using affiliate cleaning products, for instance).
The platform you choose will influence your content strategy. Blogs are great for “evergreen” content that can rank in search over time. YouTube similarly has a search algorithm. Social like TikTok/Instagram are more flash-in-pan trending content, which can get big reach quickly but maybe not long-tail traffic; however, some posts can go viral and drive a ton of affiliate sales in short time (like one viral TikTok about a gadget).
As a beginner, focus on one primary platform where you think your target audience is most reachable and where you can best showcase the products.