Is Affiliate Marketing Legit?
By: Brandi Harms, March 13, 2024
Harmsway Marketing
Affiliate marketing gets a bad rap sometimes. Maybe you've heard stories of overnight success or get-rich-quick schemes. But the truth is,
affiliate marketing is a legitimate and powerful way to earn online, and with the right approach, it can be incredibly rewarding.
This post will debunk the myths and show you exactly why affiliate marketing is worth your time, and to equip you with the knowledge and strategies to build a sustainable income stream.
So what is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based advertising method where you (the affiliate) earn a commission for promoting another company's products or services.
Here's the breakdown:
The Company: This could be any business that wants to sell more products. They create an affiliate program that allows others to promote their offerings.
The Affiliate (You): This is you! You'll join the company's affiliate program and receive a unique tracking link.
The Customer: This is the person who ends up buying the product or service.
Here's how it works:
You Join an Affiliate Program: Companies often advertise their affiliate programs or you can find them on affiliate networks that connect businesses with potential affiliates.
You Promote the Product: You'll use your website, social media, blog, or any other platform to recommend the product to your audience. You'll include your unique affiliate link in your promotion.
The Customer Clicks Your Link: When someone clicks your affiliate link, they're directed to the company's website.
The Customer Makes a Purchase: If the customer makes a purchase, the sale is tracked back to you through your unique affiliate link.
You Earn a Commission: The company pays you a commission on the sale, typically a percentage of the total sales price.
There are different ways commissions are earned, but some common ones include:
Pay-per-sale (PPS): You earn a commission only when someone makes a purchase.
Pay-per-click (PPC): You earn a commission every time someone clicks your affiliate link, regardless of whether they buy.
Pay-per-lead (PPL): You earn a commission when someone signs up for a free trial or completes a specific action on the company's website.
Why Affiliate Marketing is Legit:
The following reasons are why Affiliate Marketing is Legit and how you can use Affiliate Marketing to build a sustainable online Business. These strategies are effective whether or not you are looking to quit your job or just looking for a side hustle.
It is a proven Business Model:
Businesses rely on affiliates to drive sales and brand awareness. In fact,
81% of brands leverage affiliate marketing, making it a well-established and recognized industry [source: Authority Hacker].
Affiliates earn Performance-Based Earnings:
You only get paid when someone makes a purchase through your unique affiliate link. This means there's no upfront cost, and your income directly reflects the effort you put in. For those that say Affiliate Marketing is not legit, have not put in the effort required or their efforts were focused in the wrong areas.
Huge opportunity for Scalability and Flexibility:
Affiliate marketing allows you to work from anywhere, and on your own schedule. You can promote multiple products and build an audience across various platforms. Whether you promote via organic SEO, organic Social (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest), Paid Ads, and/or Email Marketing this business model is very user specific and there is no "one size fits all" solution.
There are so many courses and so many different ways of doing affiliate marketing, that it is easy to fall into methods that are not working which gives the perception that Affiliate Marketing is not a legit way to make money online.
Some great examples of effective affiliate marketing programs and strategies are the TikTok Influencer Program, Amazon Associates and their Influencer Program, Companies that partner with people who have a huge Social Media following, blogging, and Upsells that Affiliates offer when you purchase one or more of their products.
5 Common Myths of Affiliate Marketing:
1. Myth - It's a Get-Rich-Quick Scheme:
This is a pervasive misconception. People see flashy ads or hear anecdotal stories and believe affiliate marketing offers instant wealth. The reality is, building a successful affiliate business takes time, dedication, consistent effort, and continuous learning.
2. Myth - No Skills Required:
Anyone can technically sign up for an affiliate program, but success hinges on specific skill sets. Effective affiliate marketing involves understanding niche selection, content creation, marketing tactics, and audience building.
3. Myth - Traffic Equals Money:
Having a large website with tons of visitors doesn't automatically translate to affiliate income. The key is targeted traffic. Your audience needs to be genuinely interested in the products or services you promote.
4. Myth - Passive Income Source:
While the workload might become more manageable over time, affiliate marketing isn't entirely passive. Maintaining your website, creating fresh content, and promoting offers requires ongoing dedication. There are ways to automate many of these tasks which can make it "more" passive, but it is by no means a set-and-forget model.
5. Myth - All Affiliate Programs Are the Same:
Not all programs are created equal. Some offer low commissions, unreliable tracking, or promote products with poor quality or low demand. Savvy affiliates understand the importance of identifying reputable programs with transparent commission structures and high-quality offerings.
5 Common Myths of Affiliate Marketing:
We all know that there are many courses out there but how do you know which ones will actually teach you to be successful?
All that I can do is show you how I learned and tell you about the course that I took that helped excel in Affiliate Marketing.
The course that I took was the Fullstaq Marketer Course.
Here's what sets this course apart:
Actionable strategies: This course isn't just theory. You'll get practical steps you can implement right away.
Real-world case studies: Learn from the successes (and failures) of experienced affiliate marketers.
Ongoing support: Receive ongoing guidance and answer your questions as you progress.
Community: You will get access to a Private online Facebook Group packed full of like-minded individuals that are already on the path to find success in Affiliate Marketing or they already have. In this group, you can ask questions, get feedback, and share ideas.
Click here if you want to learn more about Affiliate Marketing!
