If you are thinking of starting up an affiliate marketing business then this is the ultimate guide that you have been looking for! There are so many ways to make money online in the modern era and affiliate marketing is just one of them, but it can be a rather lucrative one! But there is no such thing as a free lunch, so making sure that you have the time and dedication to follow through is probably one of the more important factors that you are going to need.

So, what are the positives of setting up an affiliate marketing site?

• No stock or warehouse: with affiliate marketing there is no stock or manufacturing issues that you need to worry about!
• No shipment: There really is no need to worry about any shipping issues with affiliate marketing. It is all done by the retailers!
• No customer interaction: unlike working in retail or when running your own shop, affiliate marketing means that there is no need to worry about customer complaints or shipment issues!  

What kind of affiliate site can you set up?

But it isn't just the decision to go down the affiliate publishing route that needs to be made, you will also have to decide on which type of affiliate site that you would like as well. Here is a list of the kinds of affiliate sites that you can craft (and make money out of!)

• Voucher codes websites: There are plenty of sites out there that provide discount codes and deals for a range of retailers. The hope is that consumers will make use of the codes and a small percentage of that sale will go to the affiliate publisher. My Favourite Voucher Codes is a good example of a site that is benefitting from this method. Take a little look at what they are doing to get a few ideas.
• Blogging: Many bloggers incorporate affiliate marketing into their sites! Blogs can end up with large followings and fans and this means that their primarily informational platforms can be used as an affiliate publishing site! The hard part is getting your blogs ratings up!
• Review sites: Setting up a site that reviews other people’s products is another way that you can get into the affiliate game. You can review other people's products, site or services either for a commission on sales made through your site or in return for their product or service!

Make sure that you have done some research around what goes into these sites as well. Having a solid understanding of the difference between a website and a blog, for example, will help you to better create your affiliate business!

Finding the right niche for you

It has been said time and time again that finding a great niche is what will make your site stand out among others. Online shopping is a crowded marketplace, and I mean really crowded. There are so many people out there trying to set up their own online store or affiliate site everyday so make sure that you do your research before deciding on your finalised product. This might be gifts, eco products or high mark up goods like drones or furniture. Either way, finding a niche is imperative.

Top Tip: If you are struggling to find a niche that works for you then try Googling niche ideas.

Choosing a platform to launch on…

Now for another more technical decision. Once you have decided on the ins and outs of site that you would like to set up and you are happy with the niche that you have chosen, you can begin choosing (and then creating on) your website platform! There are a few different options to consider and these are outlined below…

• Wordpress: This is by far one of the most popular platforms to build your site with. Whatever it is that you would like to create, you can most probably do it on Wordpress. They have a range of tools and widgets that can help you to better look after and develop your blog.  
• WooCommerce: This is a great wordpress plugin to use if you are setting up an ecommerce site. From dropshipping to affiliate marketing, WooCommerce is a definite platform to look in to.
• Shopify: This is another platform used to create and make money from affiliate marketing, selling products, dropshipping and more!
• Drupal: Just like Wordpress, Drupal is a customisable website that allows people to create a website about pretty much anything. Yes, this includes affiliate publishing!

Creating your website

There is so much information on the web for how to set up your site that you really won't have to worry about being under informed. Plus, the platform that you choose will have contact details or help lines and advice pages on their site that you can make use of. Remember, once your site is live it will start to make an impact, so take your time to get it in tip top condition before you click publish! This may mean some of the following:

• Picking a great theme: There are a range of beautiful themes available on these platforms, so take the time to choose the right one for you. You can even incorporate customisable themes into your site to make it stand out a bit more!
• Getting a logo: This is a really important way to get your site noticed! Start crafting a logo either yourself or by hiring a graphic designer online. Remember, this is one of the first ports of call for customers, so make sure it is well created and memorable.
• Content: Make sure that there is a good amount of content on your website before you go live. From product descriptions and company information through to your first blog posts, having content on your site will help it to look and feel like an established and reputable site.

Onboarding retailers

Now for the difficult part: finding retailers that want to be advertised on your site! This will just be a case of reaching out to retailers and affiliate companies in order to see who would like to be promoted. You will need to have a decent amount of traffic on your site for people to pay for advertising space there, so make sure that you get the site up and running first!

You now own an affiliate website, so start making money!

There are a few other bits involved in this process. As with any other business, you will need to think about registering your business, getting insurance and organising your accounts. But this is the general process involved in starting your own affiliate site. It can be a really easy and fun process! It is certainly a low investment and low risk way of starting your own business, but it does take a lot of work and effort so make sure that you are passionate enough for the extra work not to matter!

May your affiliate site be successful!