How To Start Affiliate Marketing With No Audience: Building From Scratch

Affiliate marketing can be a profitable means of income passive income online, and you don’t necessarily need a large audience to get started. Many successful affiliate marketers began with little to no audience and gradually built their online presence. This comprehensive guide will take you through the step-by-step process of starting affiliate marketing from scratch and help you turn this venture into a profitable online business.

Before diving into the practical steps of how to start affiliate marketing with no audience, it’s crucial to understand the fundamentals of affiliate marketing.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a results-driven marketing approach promoting other companies’ products or services. (merchants) and earn a commission for each sale or action generated through your referral.

Why Affiliate Marketing?

1. Low Barrier to Entry: You can start with minimal upfront costs.
2. No Need for Products: You don’t need to create your products or services.
3. Passive Income: Earn money while you sleep.
4. Flexibility: Work from anywhere with an internet connection.

How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy connecting three key parties: the advertiser (or merchant), the affiliate (or publisher), and the consumer. It operates on a commission model, where affiliates promote products or services on the advertiser’s behalf and earn a commission for each desired action or sale generated through their promotional efforts. Here’s how affiliate marketing works in more detail:

Advertiser (Merchant)

• This is the company or business that offers a product or service they want to promote.
• They create an affiliate program, which includes defining the commission structure, setting terms and conditions, and providing marketing materials like banners, text links, and tracking tools.
• Advertisers use affiliate programs to expand their reach and increase sales by leveraging the efforts of affiliates.

Affiliate (Publisher)

• The affiliate is an individual or entity that partners with the advertiser to promote their products or services.
• Affiliates can join various affiliate programs, choosing products or services that align with their niche, interests, or target audience.
• Affiliates receive unique affiliate links or tracking codes that identify their marketing efforts and tie them to specific sales or actions.

Consumer (Customer)

• The consumer is the end-user or potential customer interacting with the affiliate’s promotional content.
• When the consumer clicks on the affiliate’s unique affiliate link and takes the desired action (e.g., makes a purchase, signs up for a newsletter, fills out a form), it is tracked by the affiliate program.

How To Start Affiliate Marketing With No Audience?

Starting affiliate marketing with no audience can be challenging, but it’s possible with the right strategies and dedication. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Step 1: Finding Profitable Affiliate Programs

You need to find the right affiliate programs to join to get started.

Research Affiliate Niches:

Remember that niche selection is a critical decision, and it’s okay to research and evaluate different options. It’s often better to invest the time upfront to find a niche that genuinely interests you and has the potential for profitability in the long run. Here are some steps to help you conduct research and identify potential affiliate niches:

1. Personal Interests: Start with your interests and expertise.
2. Keyword Research: Utilize tools such as Google Keyword Planner to find niche-related keywords with decent search volume.
3. Check Affiliate Networks: Explore affiliate networks for programs that match your niche interests.
4. Analyze Trends: Ensure the niche has stable or growing interest over time.
5. Competitor Analysis: Research successful affiliate marketers in your chosen niche.
6. Evaluate Monetization: Assess the potential for earning through affiliate programs in the niche.
7. Consider Audience Alignment: Ensure the niche resonates with your target audience.
8. Test and Experiment: Don’t hesitate to try a few niches to see which one works best for you.

Affiliate Program Selection:

Selecting the right affiliate programs is crucial for your success in affiliate marketing. Here’s a concise guide on how to choose the best affiliate programs:

1. Niche Relevance: Ensure the program fits your chosen niche.
2. Product Quality: Promote reputable, high-quality products or services.
3. Commission Rates: Compare and choose programs with competitive commission rates.
4. Cookie Duration: Opt for longer cookie durations to extend the deferral period.
5. Earnings Threshold: Check if the payout threshold is reasonable for you.
6. Payment Methods: Confirm convenient payment options like PayPal or direct bank transfers.
7. Conversion Rates: Research historical conversion rates to estimate earnings potential.
8. Support/Resources: Look for programs offering marketing materials and support.
9. Reputation: Partner with reputable companies known for timely commission payments.
10. Diversify: Avoid reliance on a single program; diversify your partnerships.
11. Long-Term Potential: Consider programs with recurring commissions or long-term opportunities.
12. Ethical Alignment: Ensure the promoted products align with your moral values.
13. Compliance: Be aware of legal requirements for the products or services you enable.
14. Testing: Start with a small-scale test before total commitment to gauge performance.

Evaluating Affiliate Programs:

When evaluating affiliate programs, consider these key factors:

1. Commission Structure: Seek competitive commission rates that align with your income goals.
2. Product Quality: Promote products or services you genuinely believe in that provide value to your audience.
3. Cookie Duration: Longer cookie durations offer more time to earn referral commissions.
4. Tracking and Analytics: Choose programs with reliable tracking and reporting systems for accurate performance measurement.

Step 2: Building Your Affiliate Marketing Website

A website is your online hub for affiliate marketing activities. Building a website is crucial for affiliate marketing success.

Here is a concise summary of the initial actions taken involving domains and hosting:

1. Domain Name Selection:
   • Choose a memorable, relevant, and brandable domain name for your website. It should reflect your niche or the products or services you promote.
   • Use domain registrar websites (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap) to check domain name availability.
2. Domain Registration:
   • Once you’ve found an available domain name, register it through a domain registrar. Be sure to keep track of the registration expiration date.
3. Select a Hosting Provider:
   • Select a trustworthy web hosting provider that offers resources and features your website needs. Popular options include Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator.
   • Consider factors like server reliability, support, performance, and scalability.
4. Purchase Hosting:
   • Sign up for a hosting plan that suits your needs and budget. Several providers provide diverse plans with different resource levels (e.g., shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting).
   • Keep your hosting account credentials secure.
5. Connect Domain and Hosting:
   • Establish a connection between your domain name and hosting account by updating the domain’s DNS (Domain Name System) settings. You can do this through your domain registrar’s dashboard.
6. Install a Content Management System (CMS):
   • Choose a CMS like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal to build and manage your website’s content.
   • Most hosting providers offer one-click installations for popular CMS platforms.
7. Website Setup:
   • Adjust the design and layout of your website to enhance its visual appeal and user-friendly aesthetics.
   • Install essential plugins or extensions for functionality (e.g., SEO plugins, security plugins).
8. Regular Updates:
   • Consistently update your website with fresh content, reviews, and affiliate promotions.
   • Monitor and analyze your website’s performance using tools like Google Analytics.
9. Security Measures:
   • Integrate security measures to safeguard your website and ensure its protection of visitors. This includes using strong passwords, installing security plugins, and updating your CMS and plugins.
10. Backup Routine:
    • Set up regular backups of your website’s backup data to mitigate the risk of data loss in the event of technical issues or other unforeseen circumstances such as cyberattacks.

Step 3: Content Marketing Strategies

With your website ready, it’s time to focus on content marketing to drive traffic and engage your audience.

Content Types: Here are various forms of content that can be generated to market your affiliate products and services:

1. Blog Posts: Share informative articles with embedded affiliate links.
2. Product Reviews: In-depth assessments of affiliate products
3. Tutorials: Step-by-step guides or video tutorials
4. Listicles: Curated lists of top products or services
5. Comparison Articles: Side-by-side product comparisons
6. Video Content: Reviews, tutorials, and demonstrations
7. Social Media Posts: Share affiliate links on your social profiles.
8. Email Newsletters: Promote products to your email subscribers.
9. Guest Posts: Contribute articles to other relevant sites.
10. Ebooks and Guides: Comprehensive resources with embedded links

SEO Strategy: Creating an effective SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy is crucial for increasing your website’s visibility in search engine results. Here’s a concise overview of key steps to formulate an SEO strategy:

1. On-Page SEO:

• Optimize individual web pages to improve their search engine visibility.
• Focus on:
  • Keyword optimization: Include target keywords naturally in titles, headers, and content.
  • High-quality content: Provide valuable, relevant information to users.
  • Meta tags: Create compelling title tags and meta descriptions for your meta tags
  • URL structure: Create clean, descriptive URLs.
  • Internal linking: Implement internal linking by connecting to relevant pages within your website
  • Image optimization: Optimize images for fast loading and include alt text.
  • Mobile-friendliness: Ensure your site is mobile-responsive.
  • Page speed: Improve loading times for a better user experience.

2. Off-Page SEO:

• Enhance your website’s authority and reputation through external factors.
• Key aspects include:
  • Backlink building: Earn high-quality, relevant backlinks from reputable websites.
  • Content promotion: Promote your content by sharing it on social media platforms., forums, and industry-specific platforms.
  • Influencer outreach: Engage in partnerships with influencers within your specific industry
  • Guest posting: Contribute valuable content to other websites with backlinks to your own.
  • Online reputation management: Supervise and control your online presence and brand image.

Email marketing: Email marketing is a powerful instrument for achieving affiliate marketers to engage their audience and promote affiliate products. Here’s a concise guide to building and executing an effective email marketing strategy:

Build an Email List:

• Create sign-up forms on your website to encourage visitors to subscribe to your email list.
• Offer incentives like free ebooks, discounts, or exclusive content to entice visitors to join.
• Ensure your sign-up forms are prominent, clear, and easy to use.
• Comply with email marketing regulations, such as GDPR or CAN-SPAM, by providing clear opt-in and opt-out options and respecting subscribers’ privacy.

Email Campaigns:

1. Divide your email list according to the interests of subscribers. Behaviors or demographics.
2. Send regular newsletters with valuable content, including blog posts, industry news, and tips related to your niche.
3. Incorporate affiliate promotions strategically into your email campaigns:
   • Market products or services that align with your audience’s interests and needs.
   • Craft compelling and informative emails that explain the benefits of the affiliate products.
   • Use attention-grabbing subject lines and personalized greetings.
   • Include clear call-to-action buttons or links.
4. Test different email formats and layouts and send times to optimize open and click-through rates.
5. Monitor email campaign performance using analytics tools to track engagement and conversions.
6. Maintain consistency in your email schedule while avoiding excessive promotional emails, which can lead to unsubscribes.

Step 4: Promoting Affiliate Products

Promoting affiliate products effectively is vital to earning money in affiliate marketing. Here are some strategies to help you maximize your affiliate promotions:

Content Promotion: Content promotion is vital for increasing the visibility and reach of your affiliate marketing efforts. Here are concise strategies for promoting your content effectively:

1. Social Media:
   • Distribute your content on social media channels that pertain to your specific niche. Use engaging visuals and captions.
   • Participate in niche-specific groups and communities to share your content and engage with potential customers.
   • Utilize pertinent hashtags to enhance the visibility of your posts.
2. Guest Posting:
   • Contribute valuable guest articles to authoritative websites within your niche. Include relevant backlinks to your content.
   • Guest posting drives traffic and helps build your authority and credibility in the industry.
3. Email Campaigns:
   • Promote your affiliate products to your subscriber list through email marketing campaigns.
   • Craft compelling emails with clear calls to action and use segmented lists to target specific audience interests.
   • Avoid excessive promotional emails; provide value in your emails to maintain engagement.

Affiliate Links: Affiliate links are crucial for affiliate marketing success. Here are essential strategies for handling affiliate links:

1. Transparent Disclosure:
   • Clearly and conspicuously disclose your affiliate relationships in your content. This builds trust with your audience and ensures compliance with legal regulations.
2. Strategic Placement:
   • Insert affiliate links naturally within your content, making them relevant to the topic at hand.
   • Avoid overwhelming your content with too many affiliate links, which can be spammy and may reduce user trust.
3. CTAs (Calls-to-Action):
   • Use compelling and action-oriented calls-to-action (CTAs) to encourage clicks on your affiliate links.
   • Phrases like “Learn More,” “Get Started,” or “Check It Out” can be effective in guiding users to click on affiliate links.

Step 5: Tracking And Optimization

Continuous monitoring and optimization are essential for success.

Analytics Tools: Tracking and optimization are crucial for affiliate marketing success. Here are two essential tools to help you monitor and improve your performance:

1. Google Analytics:
   • Google Analytics is a robust tool that monitors your website’s performance.
   • Monitor website traffic, user behavior, referral sources, and conversion rates.
   • Set up goals and e-commerce tracking to measure affiliate conversions and revenue.
   • Use the data to identify high-performing content, traffic sources, and areas for improvement.
2. Affiliate Dashboard:
   • Most affiliate programs provide an affiliate dashboard or panel where you can track your affiliate performance.
   • Monitor clicks, conversions, commissions earned, and other relevant metrics.
   • Use the data to assess the effectiveness of your affiliate promotions and identify which products or strategies generate the most revenue.

Split Testing, or A/B testing, is a valuable technique in affiliate marketing to improve conversion rates and content performance. Here’s how you can use it effectively:

1. A/B Testing (Split Testing):
   • A/B testing entails generating two (or more) versions of a web page, email, or element with slight variations.
   • You can test elements like headlines, call-to-action buttons, or product descriptions for affiliate marketing to see which version performs better.
   • Split your audience into groups and show each group a different version. Analyze which version generates higher conversions (e.g., more clicks, sign-ups, or sales).
   • Use A/B testing tools to track and compare the performance of different elements.
2. Optimize Content:
   • Regularly review your affiliate content to identify underperforming pages or posts.
   • Analyze metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and affiliate earnings for each piece of content.
   • Make improvements based on your analysis, such as updating outdated information, improving the user experience, or adding compelling calls to action.
   • Consistently evaluate the effectiveness of your content, make necessary adjustments, and implement adjustments as needed iterative improvements over time.

Scaling Your Efforts: As your income grows, scaling your affiliate marketing efforts is a logical step. Here are two effective strategies for scaling your affiliate marketing business:

1. Outsourcing:
   • As your affiliate income increases, consider hiring writers, virtual assistants, or other professionals to help with various tasks.
   • Writers can produce high-quality content, while virtual assistants can handle administrative tasks, email marketing, or social media management.
   • Outsourcing allows you to focus on strategy, growth, and higher-value activities while producing steady content and promotions.
2. Diversification:
   • Expanding into other niches or affiliate programs can spread your risk and increase your income potential.
   • Research and identify complementary niches or affiliate programs that align with your expertise or interests.
   • Diversification can help you tap into different audiences and revenue streams, making your business more resilient and profitable.

Step 6: Staying Compliant

Staying compliant in affiliate marketing involves adhering to FTC guidelines and affiliate program policies. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to do:

FTC Guidelines:

1. Disclosure: Disclose your affiliate relationships transparently and prominently. Use phrases like “This post contains affiliate links” to inform your audience.
2. Truthfulness: Always provide accurate and honest information in your promotions. Avoid making misleading claims or false representations about products or services.

Affiliate Program Policies:

1. Compliance: Read and understand the terms and conditions of each affiliate program you join. Follow their specific rules and guidelines, including how and where to promote their products.
2. Ethical Promotion: Avoid unethical practices such as spamming, false advertising, or any activities that could harm the reputation of the affiliate program or its products.

The Importance Of Having An Audience

An audience is crucial in affiliate marketing because it generates traffic, builds trust, increases conversion potential, ensures long-term revenue, enables diversification, provides valuable feedback, and opens up additional monetization opportunities.

The Challenge Of Starting With No Audience

Starting affiliate marketing with no audience presents several challenges:

1. Limited Reach: With an existing audience, you have a smaller reach, making it easier to drive traffic and generate affiliate commissions.
2. Building Trust: Building trust with a new audience takes time. Trust is crucial for them to act on your affiliate recommendations.
3. Content Creation: Creating high-quality content that attracts and engages an audience requires effort and consistency.
4. Initial Investment: While starting with minimal costs is possible, some strategies may require initial investments, like website hosting or advertising.
5. Slow Growth: Gaining followers, subscribers, or website visitors can take much work, delaying potential income.
6. Competition: In competitive niches, it’s challenging to stand out and gain attention when starting from scratch.

FAQs

Q1. Can I Start Affiliate Marketing Without Followers?

Yes, you can start affiliate marketing without followers, but building an audience and seeing significant results may take time.

Q2. Can You Make Money With Affiliate Marketing Without An Audience?

It’s easier to make substantial money with affiliate marketing with an audience. An audience, whether a website’s visitors, social media followers, or email subscribers, is typically essential for generating affiliate commissions. Building and engaging with an audience is crucial to successful affiliate marketing.

Q3. Do I Need To Invest Money To Start Affiliate Marketing?

While some affiliate marketing methods may require initial investments (like setting up a website), starting with minimal costs using free platforms and resources is possible.

Conclusion

How do you start affiliate marketing with no audience? It’s not only possible, but it can also be a rewarding journey. Following the strategies mentioned in this guide can gradually build your presence and income in the affiliate marketing world.

Remember, it’s essential to choose a niche you’re passionate about or know about, conduct thorough research, generate valuable content, and actively interact with your audience. Over time, your efforts will pay off as you grow your audience and affiliate income.

If you have questions or insights on affiliate marketing with no money or building an audience, please share them in the comments section below. Your feedback and experiences can be valuable to others starting their affiliate marketing journey.