9 ways to promote affiliate links

Affiliate marketing has become a popular way for individuals and businesses to earn passive income online. As an affiliate marketer, you can promote other companies’ products or services through affiliate links and earn a commission on each sale made through your unique link. 

However, simply joining a great affiliate marketing program is not enough to ensure success. Promoting affiliate links strategically is crucial to make a substantial income from affiliate marketing.

In this article, we will explore how to promote affiliate links. So let’s jump right in!

1. Embed affiliate links into your blog posts

Although you don’t have to have a website to start affiliate marketing, I recommend you should at least have a blog. That’s because one of the most effective ways to promote your affiliate links is to add them to your blog posts. This is especially effective if your blog receives a good amount of organic traffic, as it allows you to promote your affiliate links to a large audience.

However, to increase the likelihood of readers clicking on affiliate links in blog articles, you must first ensure that you publish relevant and fresh content. This allows you to provide value to your readers by providing useful information about a certain topic. It helps you promote your links naturally without being “salesy.”

There are different blog post styles you can use to promote affiliate links. They include:

• product reviews
• recommendations
• product comparison articles
• product roundup posts
• “alternatives to” articles
• “how to” guides

Here’s a great product comparison blog post by The Every Girl. It contains links to various affiliate products.

Notice the disclaimer after the headline to notify readers of the presence of affiliate links in the blog post.

Keep in mind that there are multiple ways you can place affiliate links inside your blog posts. The most common ones are in text, images, and buttons. But you can also embed widgets, like in the example below:

It’s also crucial to keep your blog content honest and objective. Remember, you have worked to build trust with your readers, who trust your recommendations. You don’t want to lose that trust by promoting products you don’t believe in.

If you’re just getting started with blogging, you’ll want to ensure you pick the right topics for your articles. Not only will you want to identify topics that are highly popular but also have a commercial intent. To learn how to find them, read our guide to keyword research.

While writing your content, you’ll also want to ensure that your articles are optimized for the readers and the search engines. Our guide to writing SEO-friendly content covers what this means and how you can ensure your content attracts SEO traffic.

Finally, remember not to add too many affiliate links to your blog content, and don’t forget about providing value to your readers. Publishers who tend to win in SERPs (especially after the latest Google updates) are the ones who prioritize value for their audience instead of onverting them at all costs.

2. Include affiliate links in emails and newsletter

Including affiliate links in your emails and newsletters is another effective way to promote your offers.

The first step here is building an email list for affiliate marketing. To begin, you can capture email addresses from your website visitors by offering a lead magnet such as an ebook or a guide. 

Once you have a list of subscribers, you can create a series of emails promoting relevant products or services, including affiliate links to those products.

You can promote your affiliate links through email marketing by sending emails that focus specifically on advertising the links. For example, the email could be dedicated to promoting a specific product. Here’s an example.

Alternatively, you can place your link organically in the quality content you send to your email list. For example, it could be an educational email about a specific subject. You can then include an affiliate link when you mention a particular product.

You can also do a roundup email covering the best deals. This allows you to add multiple affiliate links in the email. Here’s an example from Wirecutter.

It’s worth pointing out that some affiliate networks (and some email marketing services, too) do not permit the inclusion of affiliate links in emails. If that’s the case, use your email to send traffic to the web pages where users can find the affiliate links. That’s what the Wirecutter did in the above email.

Avoid having too many or any affiliate links in your first email communication with your email contacts. Set up a nice welcome email sequence that helps you build trust with your audience before promoting your affiliate links.

Check out our guide on email marketing tips for affiliates for more insights.

3. Use paid advertising

Using paid ads is another effective way to promote affiliate links. And the best part is that paid ads allow you to target specific audiences. This can help you reach people most likely to purchase your products.

The obvious downside is you’ll be spending money to capture the leads. This can reduce your margins considerably. So you’ll need to do that calculation to confirm whether it makes sense to use paid ads. 

That said, Google Ads presents one of the best opportunities to promote affiliate links. It allows you to create ads that can appear in Google search results or other websites across the internet. 

To successfully promote your affiliate links using Google Ads, ensure you create relevant ads. Here is a great example of an affiliate site paying for Google search ads.

You can also run retargeting ads targeting users who have already shown interest in your content or products by visiting your website. Using tracking pixels, you can retarget your website visitors with ads on social media channels or other websites, encouraging them to click on your affiliate links.

Speaking of social channels, paid social media advertising is another option. And like Google ads, you can refine your settings to target specific audiences. For example, Facebook Ads allows you to target users that meet specific demographic criteria. You can also choose to target audiences with specific interests. 

Unfortunately, not all affiliate programs allow you to run paid campaigns. For example, some would not let you bid for their branded terms. Read the fine print or get in touch with your affiliate manager before running your first paid campaign.

4. Add affiliate links to your video descriptions

Video marketing has become increasingly popular in recent years. Leverage this trend to promote your affiliate links. 

Promoting affiliate links through video marketing is quite similar to how you would do it with a blog or email. 

For example, you can create YouTube videos dedicated to the product you’re promoting. That’s what Santrel Media did here – the very first link in the video description is an affiliate link.

The other option is to create an educational video and then mention a relevant affiliate product within your video. The keyword there is relevant.

For example, in addition to the dedicated Canva review above, one could make a video on how to design a logo or social media post. Then, mention the Canva tool in the video and add your affiliate link in the description.

To get the most out of this technique, mention the affiliate link in your description in the video. The other strategy that works well when promoting affiliate links through video descriptions is to offer exclusive discounts or promotions to your viewers. For example, mention a discount code only available through your affiliate link.

When including affiliate links in your video descriptions, it’s vital to ensure they are clickable and easy to find. Try to have them at the beginning of your video description so they don’t get lost in the other details you include.

Like with every other strategy, it’s also important to be transparent about including affiliate links in your video descriptions. So include a disclaimer informing viewers you’ll receive an affiliate commission for any purchases they make through your link.

5. Promote links on a podcast or webinar

Podcasts and webinars are powerful tools for affiliate marketing because they provide a direct and engaging way to reach your target audience. To promote affiliate links through podcasts and webinars, include links in the chats and show notes. You also want to promote them during the show.

For example, if you have a personal finance podcast, you could promote affiliate links to financial products or services in the podcast notes or even mention them during the show. 

You can do both, like in the Food Blogger Pro example below, since most people listen to podcasts while doing other tasks.

For webinars, you can promote affiliate links in the chat section or during your presentation since the hosting platforms allow you to display buttons, links, and QR codes.

The best part about promoting affiliate links on webinars is that you don’t just get clicks when your webinar is live. You can record, save, and share the recording with more audiences which will boost the clicks further.

6. Share affiliate links on social media

One effective technique for promoting affiliate links on social media is by creating engaging posts and adding affiliate links in the caption or bio.

For example, if you are a health and fitness industry expert, you could create an engaging Facebook or Twitter post showcasing a healthy recipe or workout routine. Then, include affiliate links to relevant products or services in the caption.

Here’s a great example in the finance niche.

For Instagram and TikTok, since the social media posts’ captions don’t accommodate clickable links, you can have the link in your bio. Alternatively, add a personalized discount code or use a platform like Linktree, where you can add all your affiliate links, as shown below.

For Instagram stories, you can use the link sticker, then save the post on highlights for easier accessibility by your social media followers.

On Pinterest, you can create themed boards and add pins containing your affiliate links. To help people find them more easily, you can add relevant keywords, optimize your pins, and even promote them with paid ads.

However, use the right social platform to promote an affiliate link. Different social media platforms have different audiences and content styles. So choose a platform(s) that align with your brand and the products you are promoting. 

For example, if you are part of a lifestyle affiliate program or if you promote fashion products, Instagram may be a better fit than LinkedIn.

Finally, remain authentic. Affiliate marketers often make the mistake of being too salesy. Your audience can tell when you are only trying to sell them something, so share your personal experience with the products you are promoting and explain why you think they are valuable. This boosts your affiliate links’ relevance and value.

7. Promote your affiliate site on forums

Promoting affiliate sites on forums like Quora and Reddit is also a great way to reach your target audience and drive traffic to the products or services you are promoting. 

A platform like Quora is well-indexed by search engines (especially after the latest Google updates), meaning quality content can rank high on the search results. This can help you drive more traffic to your post and, by extension, your affiliate website.

However, it’s important to note that some forums, or specific online communities in the forums, have strict rules against promoting affiliate links and might remove a post that includes affiliate links. So, it’s key to check the forum’s policies before posting.

If affiliate links are not allowed on the forum, your primary objective should be to promote your affiliate site by providing valuable information and building trust with the forum community. Then readers can access the affiliate links from your site. 

For this strategy to work, focus on answering questions about the products or services you are promoting, sharing relevant articles, and offering helpful tips and advice, as shown below.

Where affiliate links are allowed, you can include them in your forum posts or comments as long as they are relevant to the discussion and add value to the conversation. 

For example, if someone asks for recommendations for a specific product, you could share your affiliate link to that product if it’s something you have personally used and would recommend.

8. Include affiliate links in an online course

Promoting affiliate links through an online course is another great way to provide value to your audience while generating revenue from your affiliate partnerships.

If you have an online course, you can include relevant affiliate links throughout the course material. This will increase the likelihood that your audience will click on the links and make a purchase.

For example, if you have a blog on personal finance, you could create a free online course on budgeting. Then, include affiliate links to budgeting software, financial planning tools, or savings accounts. For example, 10-Day Debt Plan is an online course by Listen Money Matters. You can see they promote affiliate links within the course materials.

You should also be transparent about the fact that you’ve included affiliate links.

Finally, you don’t want to overwhelm your audience with affiliate links, as this can come across as spammy, which reduces your clicks and affiliate sales. So use affiliate links sparingly—only when they are relevant to the course material and add value to your audience.

9. Add affiliate links to your lead magnets

Earlier in this article, I mentioned that you can promote affiliate links in your emails. What I didn’t tell you, though, is that you can also place links in your lead magnets – the same ones that’ll help you build the list in the first place!

Using lead magnets is a common practice in digital marketing. The idea is simple: you offer something valuable to your audience in exchange for their email address. This could be an ebook, cheat sheet, webinar, etc.

But while most marketers use their lead magnets mainly for list-building purposes, you, as an affiliate marketer, can also use them for driving conversions.

Here’s an example from a travel blogger, called Nomadicmatt, who shares affiliate links to books, fintech products, and various ecommerce products in his ebooks:

Pro tip: Read our guide if you’re considering selling ebooks in 2024.

Conclusion

Promoting affiliate links is a lucrative way to monetize your online presence. This guide shared nine effective strategies you can use to drive clicks to your affiliate links. From adding affiliate links in blog posts, newsletters, online courses, and social media to social forums, video descriptions, and paid ads. 

To ensure success with any of these strategies, you need to choose relevant products, provide valuable content, and be transparent about affiliate relationships. Above all, remember the primary goal is to provide value to your audience. Doing so will help you gain your audience’s trust, which will then result in high affiliate commissions.

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with different strategies and optimize your approach over time. This will help you identify your most lucrative techniques and improve your overall affiliate revenue.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start promoting your affiliate links like a pro. And if you’re looking for the best email marketing affiliate programs or the best recurring affiliate marketing programs, we’ll be happy to be your guides 😎

Want to take your affiliate business to the next level? Check out this webinar where Benet Marcos shares his best tactics on how to elevate your affiliate sales.