Fat Stacks Blog - a Podcast About Blogging and Email Newsletters

How to Be Creative with Affiliate Links so that You Get the Click

Jon D. Episode 60

Sponsored by Ezoic

Show Notes:

1. Link Images to Merchants with an Affiliate Link

  • One of my favorite methods because visitors click images.
  • Add a caption with text to the effect “Click image to learn more” or Click image for pricing”
  • I use AMZImage plugin (there’s a free version in WordPress plugins)
  • Amazon: must embed images via API. Most Amazon affiliate plugins will do this.

2. Poll Links

  • Can work well when used in “buyer intent content”
  • Example: Do you prefer white or red sneakers?
  • Each response when clicked sends visitor the either white or red sneakers at merchant.
  • Kind of sneaky - some visitors won’t like it.
  • Best reserved for content that is preselling very close to a purchase.
  • I’m currently not doing this, but have.

3. Quiz Link

  • These can work amazingly well.
  • Create a quiz that helps people narrow down their choice for a particular product within a product line.
  • Example: Smartwatch purchase
  • Q1: Phone type: Apple, Samsung or Pixel
  • Q2: Your budget: $100 to $200 / $200 to $300 / $300 to $500 / etc.
  • Drill down until you can make a reasonably good recommendation.


3. Quiz Links (con’t)

  • The quiz result makes one recommendation with an affiliate link.
  • Best used in “buyer intent” content and for more complex purchases.
  • IMO you should have used several products in the product line to create such a quiz. 
  • I currently run several quizzes doing this.

4. Text Links

  • Standard stuff - Still works
  • => Arrows can help CTR.
  • Be sure to underline it and use a different text color
  • Call to action: 
  • Click here 
  • Visit 
  • Learn More 
  • Check Pricing

5. Buttons

  • Buttons CAN work better than text.
  • Image file or use a shortcode.
  • If you use a page builder, use the button options.
  • Deploy a hover effect
  • Text matters - test different button text.

6. Native ads with affiliate links

  • Amazon’s native ads is the best example
  • Can earn reasonably well due to Amazon’s ability to display relevant products (some of the time - depending on the content)
  • You can certainly create your own image product grid with your own affiliate links.
  • I use Amazon’s native ads.

7. Skimlinks

  • Carpet bomb your site with affiliate links
  • Automatically turn every merchant link into an affiliate link
  • Convenient and fast.

OR

  • Create individual product links with Skimlinks’ link building tool.
  • I currently use the Skimlinks link creation tool.

8. Email Sign-Up Redirect

  • Works best with software.
  • Need free version with premium upgrade options.
  • Offer free software for visitors’ email and redirect them to the free software.
  • I’ve done this on and off. Currently, I’m not doing this.

9. Menu Link(s)

  • Create affiliate links in your navigation menus.
  • Menus are prominent, site-wide links.
  • Should be very relevant to your entire site.
  • I used to do this with one sit

10. Social media links

  • I haven’t done much of this.
  • Why not? 
  • It’s best for influencer/personality social media channels.
  • My sites aren’t influencer/personality sites. They are corporate brands.

A Few More Tips

  • Don’t mislead
  • Deploy tests on high traffic / high affiliate earning pages
  • Affiliate links work best in “buyer intent” content



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