One of the questions I come across in Facebook groups is whether you need specific affiliate marketing tools to begin affiliate marketing.
Generally, you need what bloggers need, and include blogging tools, skills, and marketing funnels.
You may have to add other automation tools as your affiliate business begins to take off, but that’s just about it. Tools don’t make you money, a solid content strategy does.
That said, let me now discuss with you a few affiliate marketing tools and resources that will help you grow and scale your affiliate business
1) Reliable Web Hosting Platform
Your website will be the heart and soul of your business, and so your affiliate site should have a good web host service backing it up. If you are starting off, I recommend hosting your affiliate website with Bluehost as this is one service that has been recommended by WordPress themselves for over ten years now.
With Bluehost, you get:
- Free Website migration if you are moving from another host
- One-click WordPress install
- Easy-to-use interface
- Quality technical support
- Free domain name
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2) Content Management System
I recommend WordPress for running your website. There are other systems such as Wix but WordPress is the most popular and robust of them all.
After you’ve purchased your hosting, simply install WordPress from your Bluehost site with one click. WordPress is absolutely free. Other CMS include Wix and Squarespace which are paid platforms.
3) A Cloaking link / Affiliate Links Management Tool
Most of your affiliate links will be long and messy. Using a link cloaking plugin like Thirsty affiliates or Prettylinks (both being WordPress plugins) will help turn your links into easily memorable URLs branded with your own domain.
For instance, my affiliate link for Appsumo is simply /appsumo
4) SEO Strategy
You need to think about search engine optimization from the word go. Install the SEO plugin by Rankmath and make sure you’ve set it up accordingly.
If you haven’t already, sign up for Google Analytics and Google search console and link them to your site. Analytics will help you in refocusing your marketing strategies based on what’s working and what isn’t.
You can now connect your Rankmath account with Google Analytics for more relevant insights right from your WordPress dashboard
5) Email Service Provider
Effective affiliate marketing strategies require that you build your own loyal audience. To do that you need a list. To grow your email list you need email service providers.
You can use ConvertKit, our best option. With Convertkit, you can now have up to 1000 subscribers for free without having to upgrade to a paid account. Another alternative is Mailerlite that not only allows up to 1000 subscribers, but you can set up automated sequences as well.
6) Graphic Design and Document Design Tools
Managing your affiliate site requires lots of visuals. Sign up for Canva and easily design graphics or even complete freebie eBooks, checklists, etc. for free.
If you want an easier tool for creating and managing eBooks then try Beacon which makes it easy to create and deliver your freebies to your visitors after they have opted into your email list
7) Learning Resources
To get good at what you do, you need to take online courses. I started off internet marketing by taking a class a day on Skillshare. Gain instant access to 18000 plus online courses for 60 days. Find courses on content creation,
Get 60 Days Free of Skillshare Membership ($30 value) when you sign up using my affiliate link
Other Learning Resources:
Apart from Skillshare Classes, you can also take affordable affiliate marketing courses on the following sites
Another good way to start learning affiliate marketing for cheap is to read books. Simply go to Amazon Kindle to find lots of bestsellers. Most of these books will not cost you more than $4.99 each yet are jam-packed full of information by people who actually do affiliate marketing as a business
8) Affiliate Marketing Programs Masterlists
Instead of spending weeks to find the best affiliate programs to promote, you can purchase a database of highly profitable programs which are tested and proven by bloggers. One such list is Ana’s Affiliate Programs Masterlist consisting of 600+ programs categorized under 17+ niches.
You can also grab her Affiliate Bundle which consists of an Affiliate marketing eBook, video tutorials, and the master list for just $57
9) Landing Page Tools
To make more sales as an affiliate, you will need to create squeeze pages for your top-performing affiliate networks and programs. This is where the conversion-focused approach comes into play. I’m sure you’ve come across those beautifully designed Resource pages that consist of tools, logos, brief descriptions, and a purchase button.
These pages are usually designed with Landing page tools. Some of the best options here are:
Conclusion
When it comes to any online business, digital tools can really save the day, free us some time, and make the running of our ventures seamless. What other affiliate marketing tools and resources do you use for your business? Let me know below
