Digital affiliate: what it is and how to generate income selling online

The digital affiliate is someone who promotes third-party products and services over the internet, and generates income through commissions on sales made. Simply put, we can consider an affiliate partner to act as an online reseller. Today, there are at least two types of affiliates that differ according to the way of doing business on the internet. Are they:

Affiliate Authority

As a rule, the Authority Affiliate is a person who produces content for the internet and promotes products or services through exclusive links to their audience — offering discounts, free shipping, among others, depending on the terms of the partnership with the brands. Each sale made through this link generates a commission.

Also called creators and digital influencers , these content creators usually have a good and loyal audience and can monetize it while promoting information products, cosmetics or clothing stores , electronics, software, beauty clinics, etc.

For this type of partnership to be fruitful for both parties — affiliate and brand — it is essential that the person producing content chooses carefully which product or service they want to promote.

This is because the Authority Affiliate’s strategy goes far beyond the dissemination of links for purchase: it is necessary to dominate and be an authority on the subject, retain the public’s loyalty and know how to sell a certain product, which, in turn, must have affinity with the audience.

Referee Affiliate

The Referee Affiliate is the one who focuses entirely on selling the product, applying conversion strategies and creating ads for social networks and Google. Unlike the authority affiliate, the referee’s job does not require being an influencer or content creator for a specific audience.

However, it is essential that this type of affiliate fully understands the product that will be advertised and has a good understanding of paid media, traffic generation and copy. After all, the objective is to capture people’s interest and direct them to the page where they will make a purchase or hire.

Furthermore, the Referee Affiliate has the freedom to promote different products and services, from the most varied segments, which would not be possible for an authority affiliate.

How to become an affiliate?

Becoming an affiliate is usually quite simple. In general, companies have their own affiliate programs as a strategy to increase their digital reach and, of course, their sales.

The first step is to define what to work with, that is, understand which market niche you would most like to work in, which one you would be most successful in, what skills and knowledge you have in a given area, and so on.

In the case of Affiliate Authority, the product to be worked on needs to have affinity with its audience on social networks. The Referee Affiliate, as we saw earlier, has more freedom in this choice, as long as he knows the product of his dissemination strategies well.

It is also important to know the market in which a certain brand operates before opting for an affiliate program. In addition, it is recommended to have some knowledge about sales and persuasion.

There are several courses on the internet, especially on YouTube, that can help develop these skills. In fact, know that studies are part of the routine of many successful affiliates today!

Sure of their choice, the interested person should look for an affiliate program for the brand or market niche they chose and register. The following steps depend on the rules and how the chosen program works.

Is a website required to be an affiliate?

It is not necessary to have a website or a blog to become an affiliate, but having this type of channel or a sales page can increase your visibility on the internet and, consequently, the sales made through your exclusive link .

The strategy is interesting both for those who will invest in ads and landing pages and for those who want to increase sales organically. In addition, it is another way to have a more accurate follow-up on sales performance.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an affiliate?

Working with affiliate marketing, like every type of business, has its positive and negative points that can be crucial when making the choice for this field of sales activity. Let’s meet some of them?

Advantages of being an affiliate

Autonomy and flexibility

With access to the internet, a digital affiliate can work from anywhere and at any time, meaning they will have the freedom to create their own work routine. However, it is essential that the professional creates a productive and focused routine to do well in sales.

Selling without having a product

Affiliate marketing allows a person to sell online without having to develop their own product, which reduces operating costs. More than that: it makes it possible to learn about different types of products and, over time, specialize in a market niche.

Product diversity

Another advantage of becoming an affiliate is the possibility of working with different products. In the case of professionals who will work exclusively with conversion and sales funnel, this diversity also expands to various markets and target audiences.

Low initial cost

To get started in affiliate marketing on the internet, it is not necessary to make a large investment right away, especially if it is your first experience in sales. It is no exaggeration to say that everything can start with a computer and a cell phone. Over time, it is possible to increase investment in content production and advertising promotion according to need.

earning potential

Perhaps the main advantage of affiliate marketing is the opportunity to earn attractive commissions. Of course, the revenue generated will depend on the effort and strategies applied, but it is worth remembering that this is a scalable business and that the more effort there is on sales, the greater the chances of increasing your earnings.

Disadvantages of being an affiliate

Demand for prior knowledge

It is not a disadvantage, but starting as an affiliate requires some notions in digital marketing and sales , such as paid ads, social media, copy, SEO, among others. In fact, everything you learn from, either before or during the process, will be useful for your strategy. So it’s important to take it easy and prepare to start the right way!

Fierce competition

Affiliate marketing is a very competitive field. Therefore, you need to be creative and find ways to stand out among other affiliates who promote the same products or services.

company policies

Despite the autonomy that affiliate marketing provides, you will be subject to the changes and decisions of the companies or platforms with which you affiliate. Commission changes, termination of affiliate programs or restrictive policies may impact your earnings.

Variable salary

Finally, it is worth remembering that affiliate marketing, like any independent profession, can have ups and downs in relation to income at the end of the month. So keep in mind that commission income may fluctuate from time to time, and be prepared financially for that.