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There is a lot of conflicting information out there about affiliate marketing.
Some people say that it is incredibly difficult to make money in this industry, while others claim that it is the easiest way to generate income online.
So, what is the truth? Is affiliate marketing hard or is it easy?
The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, including your level of experience and the amount of work you are willing to put in.
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the things you need to do to be successful in affiliate marketing- check out some of the best affiliate programs and combine them with these niche business ideas.
Is it right for you?
If you want to be successful in affiliate marketing, you need to generate a lot of traffic. This can be difficult if you are relying on free methods of traffic generation, such as SEO or social media.
Paid advertising is always going to be the quickest and most effective way to get people to your site. Both ways can be difficult- you need to figure out which one you’re good at.
Are you more patient and budget-conscious? Then the long-term SEO waiting game is for you.
Are you impatient and want to see quick results? Then running ads on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, that’s a better bet.
So, is it hard? If you hate SEO or don’t have the patience for it, then yes, affiliate marketing can be hard. Do you hate wasting money on ad campaigns that don’t work- then, yes, it is hard.
If you are just starting out in affiliate marketing, it is going to be difficult. There is a lot to learn and you will make mistakes. However, if you take the time to learn from those mistakes and continue to work hard, you will eventually see success.
So, is affiliate marketing hard? It can be, but it is also very rewarding.
Check out some Pros and Cons- it’ll help you figure out if affiliate marketing is too hard for you:
Why it’s easy
No product required
Another thing that makes affiliate marketing attractive is that you don’t need to create a product to sell. This is great news for people who are not interested in product creation or do not have the time or money to invest in developing a product.
All you need is an audience and an offer from a merchant.
Of course, this means that there is more competition out there because anyone can get started without any barriers to entry. But, if you are willing to put in the work, you can find success.
You can be behind the scenes
One of the best things about affiliate marketing is thatt you can be behind the scenes. You don’t need to be the face of a company or product to make money.
This is great news for introverts or people who are not interested in being in the spotlight.
You can build a successful business without ever having to appear on camera- unless you’re building a brand on social platforms and you’re leveraging yourself as the star.
I love being anonymous and it’s one of the reasons I’m drawn to affiliate marketing.
Passive income is amazing
Another reason affiliate marketing is not hard is because it can be a great source of passive income- whether you’re affiliate marketing credit cards or starting a local news site.
Once you have built up a good-sized audience, you can start to generate revenue even while you sleep. This is one of the best things about affiliate marketing- you can make money while you are doing other things.
Of course, this does not mean that affiliate marketing is easy.
You still need to put in the work to build up your audience and find offers that convert. But, once you have- you can literally walk away from your websites and they’ll keep churning out cash day after day. At least until Google decides to randomly decimate you.
Can be cheap to start (if you’re not running ads)
Affiliate marketing is not expensive to get started. If you are willing to put in the time to drive free traffic to your site, you can start generating income without spending a lot of money.
Of course, if you want to see quicker results, you will need to invest in paid advertising. But, overall, affiliate marketing is a very affordable business model.
You don’t have to deal with customer support or returns
Another advantage of affiliate marketing is that you don’t have to deal with customer support or returns. This is because you are not selling a product, so there is (generally) no need to provide customer service. This can be a huge time-saver, as well as a stress reliever.
Can be done from anywhere in the world
Another great thing about affiliate marketing is that it can be done from anywhere in the world. All you need is an internet connection and you can work from anywhere. This is perfect for people who want to travel or live a nomadic lifestyle.
Why it’s hard
Can require some moderate technical knowhow
Depending on how you want to set up your affiliate marketing business, you may need some moderate technical knowhow. For example, if you want to build a website or blog, you will need to know how to do that.
Or, if you want to run ads on social media platforms, you will need to understand how those platforms work and how to get a positive ROI from paid traffic.
It can get lonely once you’re successful
One of the downsides of affiliate marketing is that it can be quite lonely once you start to become successful. This is because you are usually working by yourself and don’t have a team to support you.
This can be a problem if you thrive on collaboration or need someone to bounce ideas off of. In addition, if you’re working alone all day, and not getting involved with colleagues at work, or generally participating in the outside world, your dating life could suffer.
You can get burned out easily
Another downside of affiliate marketing is that you can get burned out easily. This is because you are usually working long hours by yourself and it can be easy to get overwhelmed.
This is why it’s important to take breaks, set a schedule, and stick to it. Burn out can lead to damaging things like insomnia- something I had awful struggles with and basically stopped my progress dead in its tracks.
No guarantee of success
Affiliate marketing is hard work with no guarantee of success. This is because there are so many variables out of your control, such as the merchant’s offer, the quality of their product, the competition, traffic, etc.
In addition, it can take a long time to see results from your efforts. This is why it’s important to have patience and be prepared for a long journey.
If you want to be successful in affiliate marketing, you also need to be willing to experiment with different strategies and tactics. A lot of people give up too soon because they aren’t seeing results from their efforts.
It is important to remember that not every campaign is going to be a winner. You need to be prepared to lose some money in order to find the winning formula. If you are uncomfortable with risk, then yes, affiliate marketing can be hard. Do you have what it takes?
If you get successful, you may get complacent
Another potential downside of affiliate marketing is that you may start to become complacent once you become successful. This is because it is easy to get into a routine and just keep doing the same things over and over again.
This can lead to stagnation and eventually, decline. Maybe you stop feeling intellectually challenged because you’re doing the same work over and over again, day after day.
No one understands what you do
Another con is that most people don’t understand what affiliate marketing is. This can be frustrating when you’re trying to explain it to friends or family members. They may not be able to wrap their head around the concept and this can lead to frustration on your part.
Going on dates you’re going to get a lot of quizzical looks and people who think you’re a network marketer!
You don’t want to end up promoting products you don’t believe in
The final downside is that you don’t want to end up promoting products you don’t believe in. This is because it can be difficult to find products that you are passionate about. In addition, it is important to make sure that the products you are promoting are high quality and will actually benefit your audience.
Traffic volatility can be brutal
One of the biggest downsides of affiliate marketing is that traffic can be very volatile. This is because you are relying on external sources for traffic, such as search engines or social media platforms.
These sources can change their algorithms or policies at any time, which can lead to a sudden drop in traffic. This can be very frustrating and discouraging- you can lose your income overnight if Google tweaks its algorithm.
Leaving the workforce is risky
Another downside of affiliate marketing is that it can be risky to leave the workforce. This is because you are essentially your own boss and don’t have a safety net if things go wrong.
If you are not successful, you may find yourself out of a job and struggling to make ends meet. And how are you going to explain your resume gap? Granted, you’ve presumably learned a valuable skill, but most employers are looking for logical continuity on resumes.
Summing Up
Overall, is affiliate marketing hard? It can be, but if you love the process and the freedom it can provide, it is worth it. Just be prepared for a long journey and don’t give up when things get tough.
Do your research, plan ahead, and be willing to adapt as the industry changes. And always remember to have fun! because if you’re not enjoying the process, what’s the point?
Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Ryan Nelson
