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Affiliate Marketing- What Not to Do

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Affiliate Marketing- What Not to Do

Written by Charles Mburugu for Gaebler Ventures

Affiliate marketing can be a very profitable online business for anyone who wants to create a continuous profit. As an affiliate, you promote a product, direct customers to the affiliate program's website and you are paid a commission from the sale. Many people claim to have earned millions through affiliate programs but there are many more that do not succeed at affiliate marketing. What are the common causes of affiliate marketing failure?

If you want to succeed as an affiliate marketer, there are several things you should never do.

Don't promote scam or low quality products

The quality of products you are promoting could lower your website's credibility if you are already offering high-end products. Your customers will lose trust in you when they see you promoting products that are not quality. It is advisable to purchase the product yourself to confirm if it's something you want to be associated with.

Don't design a website that sells without providing helpful information

When designing websites to sell products, make sure the sites don't just promote sale after sale. If you have a website or blog, it is advisable to have information that your visitors can use. Don't just fill your website with products from different niches. If you decide to promote a product, have helpful information for your visitors on why they need to purchase the product. It is a good idea to actually buy the product yourself so you can personally experience the benefits and openly and honestly tell visitors to your site the truth about the product.

Don't mislead your site visitors

Don't promote products you know nothing about. There are many online businesses selling products they have no idea about. It is an effective strategy for you to start with products with which you are familiar because you can easily write information about them. This is sure to earn the trust of your customers.

Don't promote multiple affiliate products

If you want to succeed in affiliate marketing, focus only on a few niche products for your site. There are very many affiliate programs out there that it's tempting to join them all. But you will get overwhelmed with too much work and lose your customer's attention if you venture out of your niche business. Stick to a small number of products at the start and once you begin making a good income, you can start expanding into other niches.

Don't use fake reviews or testimonials

There are many site owners who post fake reviews and testimonials that you can easily detect. Don't sell lies to your customers. If you are already in online business, you could destroy your credibility. If you are starting an online business, it's advisable to build good credibility because it will make it easier to sell the products you are promoting.

Don't quit!

Don't quit on the affiliate business because you failed at your first attempt. Many new affiliates expect results within a matter of days. Affiliate marketing grows slowly and results are not instant as some would want you to believe.

Charles Mburugu writes for us from his home in Nairobi. He has a graduate degree in Business Management from Kenya Institute of Management. He is interested in writing about branding, CSR and intellectual property.