For affiliate marketers, driving traffic to our offers is critical. However well we present a product or service, the presentation is worthless if we don’t get lots of eyeballs on it. No traffic means no sales and no commissions–it’s as simple as that.
Unlike product creators, who can recruit affiliates to drive traffic on their behalf, we affiliates can count only on ourselves. And our first major traffic choice we must choose is between paid and free (mind you, “free” applies to money only–so called “free” traffic can be quite costly in terms of our most precious asset–time).
For those with a traffic budget, paid traffic provides faster results and feedback. For beginners short on funds, free traffic may be the only option. But it’s helpful in the long run, because a loyal following on social media can be presented with offers many times, whereas a paid traffic campaign is done with as soon as you stop paying the ad bill.
Here are a fundamental considerations for driving “free” traffic:
Find Out Where Your Audience Hangs Out
You’ve got to hang out where your prospects are. Seems like a no-brainer, right? But when you’re bombarded by messages about every new traffic source that comes along, they all seem tempting. But just because a newer platform has millions of visitors every month, that doesn’t mean they’re the visitors you want. If your desired audience is woodworkers, for example, Snapchat or TikTok might not be your best bet. Instead, ferret out woodworking forums, YouTube channels, Facebook groups, and so on–specific gathering places where you know woodworkers are hanging out. Knowing which venue attracts more of them will help you follow along with the next tip.
Limit Your Platform Choices In the Beginning–Branch Out Over Time.
People with thriving social audiences can make it look easy. Make no mistake, though: building a significant following capable of delivering commissions takes time and persistence, and growing expertise.
If you decide to use Youtube, take it seriously, and concentrate your efforts there. Creating a Youtube channel with only a few videos, then drifing into Facebook with a halfhearted effort at building a group, then trying Tik Tok because its the trendy new platform, will leave you with a few half-dug wells that yield no flow of traffic.
Instead, master the first platform you choose, then start another only after you can maintain the first.
Engage With Your Audience
A social space with a ton of content but with no audience engagement will do you little good. Remember to actively engage with your audience. When viewers leave comments on your videos, reply. Don’t just start conversations in your Facebook group–keep involved in the threads. Follow people back when they follow your Pinterest profile. Not only will an engaged audience be more likely to follow your recommendations, but the engagement itself will attract yet more followers.
Remember these tips when you build an audience, regardless of the platform. Start by gaining expertise and a sizeable following on one platform, the one most likely to be where your prospects hang out. Branch out only after you can keep the first one going, and in each venue, engage with your followers. Do these things, and long-term, reliable traffic streams will be yours.
