How To Start a Successful Affiliate Blog in [2023]

How To Start a Successful Affiliate Blog in [2023]

What is Affiliate Blogging and Why You Should Start One

Affiliate blogging is creating a website focused on a niche topic and monetizing it through affiliate marketing programs. As an affiliate blogger, you earn commissions when someone clicks on the affiliate links on your site and makes a purchase or completes another desired action.

There are several compelling reasons to start an affiliate blog:

• Earn passive income doing something you enjoy. Successful affiliate marketers make an average of $8,193 per month.
• Work anywhere with an internet connection. Affiliate blogging gives you location independence.
• Build a community around your interests and help people. Share your passion with others.

Some examples of profitable affiliate blogs include:

• Mr. Money Mustache - Early retirement and financial independence
• Fit Men Cook - Fitness, health and nutrition
• ShaverCheck - Electric shaver reviews

Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Affiliate Site

Follow this 11-step plan to get your affiliate site up and running:

Choose a Profitable Niche

Your niche is the specific topic your blog will cover. To maximize success, it should:

• Have a history of people searching for information about it (evergreen)
• Offer high-paying affiliate programs to promote
• Align with your interests and experience

Once you've selected a broad niche, narrow your focus further by picking a sub-niche. Ultra-targeted blogs perform better because they can better serve a core audience.

For inspiration, browse successful blogs in your field on sites like AllTop. Check potential sub-niches with Google Trends to compare search volume and interest over time.

✅ Bodybuilding
✅ Fat loss diets
✅ Hot yoga
✅ Home gym setup

Select Your Blogging Platform

We recommend using WordPress to build your affiliate site. Unlike free blogging platforms, WordPress gives you full control over your site's design and monetization options.

Other key benefits include:

• Use SEO and social media to drive organic traffic
• Build an email list to protect against algorithm changes
• Easier to earn money through ads and affiliate links

✅ WordPress.org (self-hosted)
❌ WordPress.com 
❌ Medium
❌ Blogger

Choose a Domain Name

Your domain name is the unique web address that identifies your site. Some tips:

• Keep it short and memorable, ideally under 20 characters
• Match it to your niche so readers know what to expect
• Check it's not trademarked with a free trademark search
• End with .com if available

AI tools like Namelix can help generate niche-related domain name ideas.

Set Up Web Hosting

A hosting provider stores your site on servers and delivers it to visitors. We recommend SiteGround for its reliability, speed, and outstanding support. Their basic shared hosting plan works for most affiliate sites.

Follow their simple step-by-step guide to get your hosting configured. It takes less than 10 minutes.

Install a WordPress Theme

A theme controls the appearance and layout of your site. Match it to your brand identity and niche - for example, many yoga blogs use light, airy themes.

We suggest starting with a free theme like Astra or GeneratePress that has premium upgrade options. This allows room to scale up features as your site grows.

Use the WordPress dashboard to search, install, and activate your chosen theme.

Refine Your Brand Identity

With a theme installed, refine your site's branding:

• Pick a color palette - Use a tool like Coolors to find niche-appropriate colors.
• Create a logo - Design a simple logo related to your niche with Canva.

🎨 Soft colors and ample white space for yoga blogs
⚒ Bold colors and strong fonts for construction blogs

Build Essential Site Pages

Every affiliate site needs these core pages:

• Homepage - Briefly explains what your blog covers. Use clear navigation to help visitors find information.
• About - Share your niche background and reasons for starting the blog. Build credibility.
• Contact - Let readers get in touch via email, contact form, or social media channels.
• Privacy Policy & Terms - Legal pages detailing how you handle visitor data and acceptable site usage.

Add new pages easily from your WordPress dashboard.

Join Reputable Affiliate Programs

Affiliate marketing will likely be the largest income stream for your site. Join programs that:

• Offer products your readers want
• Pay high commission rates
• Have long cookie durations to extend your earning window
• Convert at an above-average rate

Check programs thoroughly - only promote offers that provide real value for your audience. Some places to search for programs:

• ShareASale
• Rakuten
• Amazon Associates

Create Valuable Content

High-quality content that answers search queries will fuel your affiliate site's growth. Use keyword research to identify topics people are searching for related to your niche.

Tools like Ahrefs and SEMRush can uncover profitable keywords to target.

Strive for a mix of commercial and informational content:

• Commercial - Product reviews, comparisons, roundups
• Informational - Tutorials, explainers, how-tos

Remember to:

• Write based on personal experience with products
• Take custom photos and screenshots
• Check your content satisfies search intent
• Engage readers by telling stories

Adhere to FTC guidelines like including affiliate disclosures.

Promote Content to Gain Visitors

To kickstart growth before search traffic picks up:

• Share posts in online communities and on social media
• Encourage signups for your email list
• Reach out to similar bloggers for guest posts or link swaps
• Leverage local outreach like newspapers and clubs

But avoid spammy, disingenuous tactics - focus on delivering genuine value to readers.

Monetize Your Affiliate Site

The primary monetization method is promoting affiliate offers connected to your content, but also:

• Display banner ads through networks like Ezoic and Mediavine
• Create your own informational products like ebooks and online courses
• Sell branded physical products through print-on-demand services

Maximize affiliate earnings by:

• Placing text links and product recommendation boxes throughout posts
• Having a centralized resources page with your favorite affiliate offers
• Creating custom banner ads for relevant affiliate products

As you learn more from running your affiliate site, consider joining our free affiliate marketing training to take your income to the next level with advanced tactics.

Hope this guide gave you the knowledge to get started on launching your successful affiliate site today! Let me know if you have any other questions.