Starting on an affiliate marketing journey might seem like an uphill battle if you’re starting without an audience. But don’t let the initial silence discourage you. It’s absolutely possible to dive into affiliate marketing and gradually build your affiliate income from scratch. In this blog post, I’m sharing a step-by-step guide on how to start affiliate marketing with no audience, proving that you don’t necessarily need a huge following or to rely solely on social media to actually make affiliate income.
Want proof? I make thousands in affiliate commissions every single month (last November, it was over $20k) and my audience isn’t massive by any means.
Easy Steps to Make Money with Affiliate Marketing With No Audience
1. Understand Your Niche and Products
Before you start worrying about your audience size, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your niche. Choose products or services that you are genuinely interested in and confident about. This passion and knowledge about the product will be hugely helpful in helping others understand the product’s value and why they might need it.
2. Be Keyword Strategic with SEO
With no audience to start with, let your content do the heavy lifting. Invest time in learning SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to make your content easily discoverable, meaning it shows up in Google or Bing searches, or on searches on other platforms like Pinterest, YouTube and more. Blog posts, reviews, and guides centered around your affiliate products with the right keywords can attract organic traffic to your site.
“How to build an audience for affiliate marketing” isn’t just something folks have searched for; it’s a whole strategy, using content to draw in interested individuals.
3. Capitalize on Content Platforms
While having your own platform is ideal, it’s not the only way to kickstart your affiliate marketing journey. Platforms like Medium or LinkedIn allow you to publish content without having your audience initially, and your articles posted there can show up on searches even if your site doesn’t yet.
Write insightful and valuable content related to your affiliate products and use these platforms to gain visibility.
4. Networking and Collaborations
Building relationships is key in affiliate marketing. Connect with other marketers, join niche forums, and participate in community discussions. Not sure where to get started? Invite an industry friend to do a livestream with you.
These connections can lead to collaborations, guest posting opportunities, and even shoutouts that introduce your affiliate products to a wider audience.
5. Email Marketing
Affiliate marketing without social media is not only possible, it’s effective, especially when you harness the power of email marketing.
Start building your email list from day one. Even if it’s just a handful of people at first, offer them immense value through newsletters, exclusive insights, or early access to deals. This personal touch can make your affiliate recommendations much more effective.
Just a note: make sure your email service provider allows you to share affiliate links in your emails. Currently, Mailerlite’s terms, for example, frown on affiliate marketing.
Not sure which email service provider is right for you? Check out Email Service Matchmaker!
6. Track, Analyze, and Optimize
Use analytics tools to track the performance of your affiliate links.
Understanding what content drives the most clicks and conversions will help you refine your strategy and focus on what works best.
7. Provide Real Value
No amount of marketing can replace the value of genuine, helpful content. Answer the question, “Do you need an audience for affiliate marketing?” by focusing on creating content that assists, educates, and entertains your potential audience. Build trust by being honest and transparent in your reviews and recommendations.
9. Give Untapped Platforms a Try
Explore platforms where your potential audience might be present but are not overly saturated by marketers. These could be specific forums, online communities, or even apps, like Quora, Reddit, or Geneva. Being an early presence on these platforms can give you a significant advantage.
10. Educate Yourself Continuously
The digital marketing world is ever-evolving. Stay ahead of the curve by continuously educating yourself about the latest trends, strategies, and tools in affiliate marketing.
Starting is Just the Beginning
Remember, starting your affiliate marketing journey with no audience is just the beginning. Every successful marketer started somewhere (including me!), and with persistence and the right strategies, you can grow your audience and your affiliate marketing success.
Take Your Affiliate Marketing to the Next Level
Ready to dive deeper and streamline your affiliate marketing efforts? Learn my simple but effective email strategy that gets me more affiliate commission from every single email I send my list! Get the details inside Four by For Footers. One student made an affiliate sale the very first time she implemented the Four by For strategy, and then she went on to make 5 more sales the next week, earning her $161.70 with a strategy she was able to set up in a single afternoon.
Want to create your own digital products and set up an affiliate program? Check out Pay Your Pals. This comprehensive training will guide you through building your own affiliate program using Thrivecart, helping you harness the power of affiliates to grow your business, even if you’re starting with no audience.
Don’t let the lack of an audience hold you back.
With the right strategies and tools, the world of affiliate marketing is your oyster. Get started with Pay Your Pals today, and turn your affiliate marketing journey into a story of success.
