How to earn incremental revenues with affiliate sales
Hundreds of media companies, from CondeNast to Forbes, have started affiliate marketing programs, the “new form of advertising” by PR companies representing brands.
But what about smaller niche verticals and B2B media?
Affiliate expert Adam Riemer, who consults with media on affiliate sales for media like Hearst and Buzzfeed contends that smaller niche media have the advantages of exclusiveness in both content and audiences.
1. Getting started
Riemer recommends using content you already have and looking at content traffic on Google Analytics.
“See the pages with the top organic traffic and monetize those. Some will never have a visitor on them again, so it doesn’t matter if they have a link.” Otherwise, sifting through thousands of pages on a typical media site can be daunting.
At first, your team may not see opportunities or understand where to find online stores with the appropriate affiliate programs. Publishers’ brains are hard-wired to sell audiences to advertisers or content to audiences, but not products to audiences.
Conversely, Riemer typically only needs a few minutes to scan a website to find great ideas. Here are some examples to get the rewiring started:
Florida Travel magazine -> Existing content includes directories of top hotels, airlines, and port fishing tours -> Add links to book these.
National magazine serving contractors -> Existing content includes recommendations for new supplies or “how to” advice on subjects like electrical grounding -> Add links to buy supplies required.
2. Find and join the most relevant affiliate programs and marketplaces
The next step is identifying and joining two or three affiliate programs, either marketplaces or individual online stores.
A typical first step is Amazon Associates; however, there are many other significant affiliate marketplaces with more diverse selections, including ShareaSale and Content Junction, which have many B2B and travel options.
Expedia, OpenTable REI, and other entities have their affiliate programs. You may find a few gems just Google affiliate programs for your niche.
Typically, joining an affiliate network is simple, and approval only takes a few days. Afterward, you can place an affiliate link into any article and earn. Evergreen content can be reposted every year, marked “Update,” or repurposed into other “Top lists” to gain more direct traffic and/or SEO.
3. Take advantage of how Google prioritizes niche brands
As of September 15, 2023, an algorithm for Google reviews prioritizes content with more diverse online stores, unique brands, and content with first-hand experiences. The theory is that customers want options. If the largest media are all promoting the most prominent brands on Amazon, the end user sees fewer options.
“Google wants to see diversity, everything unique. If all [affiliate links] go to Amazon and Best Buy, their SEO value is discounted. You can include Amazon and big brands, but unique brands and products stand out.”
So if it’s Pickleball Magazine, you can add Amazon links and other online retailers with two or three unique items, he said.
A parenting magazine writing about places to throw a birthday party can link to booking affiliates sales and party suppliers like PartyLand and Napkinscom. A magazine aimed at restaurants with an article on staffing can link an online training program on ShareASale.
4. What to do about competing revenue models
First, Riemer said don’t “double-dip” by placing affiliate links on sponsored content. Direct payment for sponsored content will always be higher than affiliate revenues, so leave those programs alone.
Many media companies also have other competing revenue models that create tension, if not a trade-off between priorities.
If your media has directories reliant on “pay by click” and “pay by call” or other pay-per-action models, create a limited s test of an affiliate program to see how they compare. Programs with low commissions and cookie duration may earn less than the PPA model.
Magazines that connect wholesalers with retailers may want to avoid wholesale affiliate links that compete with ads. However, many affiliate categories never buy ads or online ads. A few internal rules can often allow multiple models to work on the same website.
A direct link to buy for products you are already mentioning, is an added convenience, especially with valuable tips on the price category, pros and cons, and related products.
5. With the right niche, smaller online traffic is not a problem
As we mentioned, a common concern is this: “We are not CondeNast. How much traffic do we need to make this revenue model worthwhile?”
While media should find the highest traffic pages, it is more important that the content is engaging. Links take only seconds to place, provide value to the reader, and improve SEO, and all incremental revenue is profit, including long after the article is first posted. Ensure the content matches the niche and the affiliates support the user experience.
“Look at it this way, when people are reading, then shopping,” Riemer says.
“They are buying it anyway, so why not earn the commissions? You are doing them a service by providing the link.”
Even with only 20,000 clicks to the website, you can create a viable affiliate program. Higher priced and B2B items have fewer sales but higher commissions, and Google’s latest algorithm enhancement rewards unique stores and products.
6. What if your media is primarily accessed in print?
For media where a significant share of the audience is picking up the magazine while out and about or which have a primarily print audience for other reasons, Riemer recommends placing QR codes linked to the affiliate store right on the page.
If the content and the link are helping the reader, why not allow them to access it from a print page?
7. Place a disclosure at the top half of every web page with an affiliate link
While some rules can be skirted without consequence, this one cannot. The disclaimer does not need to be a full FAQ page used by national review sites. A simple “We earn commissions if you shop through the links below” is fine. It can link to a post with your process, i.e., independent editorial is easy. to do but unnecessary. Here is an example:
Place the message on each page that uses an affiliate link in a place that is clear and concise, Riemer says.
8. Use subject experts with first-hand experience and focus on content important and useful to readers
To avoid looking gimmicky or losing trust, continue your content strategy with more links.
Reality check – is the information something a reader would share? Here are some examples of great content with immediate relevance where an affiliate link could be helpful to the reader:
“Three new restaurants open in downtown Cincinnati.” Reviews include whether or not the restaurants accept reservations, and if so, Links go to OpenTable.
For a B2B national vertical:
“It’s tornado season. What extra supplies should electricians have on hand.” Links to products mentioned go to a wholesale online electrical supply marketplace, with which the media has joined an affiliate program.
For a local or national sports magazine:
“It’s avalanche season. What’s in your ski jacket?” Links go to Amazon and other online stores carrying unique life-saving equipment mentioned to help skiers caught in an avalanche.
In short, putting in a link to buy merchandise or book a ticket for opportunities you are writing about is helpful to a reader. Why send them to a Google search when you could earn the commission?
Build trust when writing about unique products by giving the whole picture, “Explain why it’s good and bad. Provide a unique perspective that is fact-checked and accurate,” Riemer said.
For national media, valuable product tests, comparisons, and actual formulas are tried.
9. Stick to your niche
Breckinridge Magazine should not get in the business of comparing skies.
Instead, compare ski spots in Breckinridge and give a list of “What to pack” with affiliate links.
On the other hand, a national Skier Magazine can compare and review all kinds of brands, “Best Skis for Cross Country,” “The New Trend Back to Straight Skis,” “Best Trick Skis,” and so on, with affiliate links in the articles.
10. Show multiple prices and/or unique options
When showing multiple options, prices (best of the best, best value, budget pick) are standard practice.
While Amazon’s agreement terms say affiliate partners should not show specific prices, “many, many do,” Riemer said. Another way to indicate price without violating terms is to spotlight the product in a small box – we call them cards – with a link. The box can be tagged “Budget pick” or “Best Value,” or you can include brief, relevant information on the pros and cons. A simple way is to use the $, $$, $$$, $$$$ formulation. One magazine tags the product “Pricier but worth it” with a link to Amazon.
Unique options and stores that Google is looking for may include skis, skis for beginners, skis for advanced racers, skis for off-trail, and so on.
11. Staffing to post links
There are a variety of ways for your team to post affiliate links.
A reporter can be added to any affiliate account and post their links, Riemer said. However, an admin, copy editor, or virtual assistant can add the links and become an expert for those who want to let writers stick to writing.
Another option is using Skimlinks, which provides a short code placed on the website, then automatically finds and posts affiliate links from programs your company belongs to. While Riemer says he is not a fan of this platform, it is used extensively by Hearst Media. With some tech involvement, media can block content types, such as sponsored content, when using SkimLinks.
12. What to know about SEO
Media typically have great SEO from so much depth of content over the years. However, affiliate sales are more directly tied to SEO results than other revenue models. Once a program is underway, the affiliate champion in the company will start to look at SEO optimization more closely. There are various tools to use, but we recommend starting with the one Riemer uses, SEMRush.
