by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Affiliate marketing is a marketing strategy with partners promoting and selling other companies’ products for commissions. When customers click on an affiliate link they are taken directly to a brand’s product or service website. Ideally, this leads to a sale, signup, or just clicks. The partner earns a commission according to how many users are redirected to the brand via that affiliate link.


But, affiliate marketing is more than just posting links and it involves much more than just joining an affiliate marketing program, promoting a link, and hoping people buy what you’re advertising….



Read



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by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Blogging is NOT dead, although it has changed from what it used to be and is still changing. Some previously used blogging tactics no longer work. In order to remain relevant, bloggers must also continue to evolve.

Today there are over 600 million blogs on the internet. (source: blogging.org). To be successful now and in the future, the best thing you can do is position yourself as an authority figure in your niche.

Note: For more interesting blog data see.


Here are five blogging tactics – in no particular order – that no longer work:

1. Clickbait headlines

Clickbait headlines are the outrageous ones to get your attention and have no user-satisfactory content. They are misleading, sensational, or spammy. This also applies to YouTube videos. It makes your channel less and less effective for driving traffic.

You should focus on writing headlines that are based on the real value that you are delivering in your content.


2. Blogging about everything

If you blog about everything, you’ll confuse people. They won’t know what your area of expertise is. Stick to one or two topics.

People don’t want generic information but specific information from people they can trust and believe in and with whom they can actually have a personal connection.


3. Blogging about your personal life

People used to blog about their children, what they ate that day, or just share bizarre personal details that people connected with. That is simply entertainment content that belongs on social media (in particular Instagram) where that kind of content is more accessible and easier to consume.

Although you can still blog about your personal life, you’ll need a fantastic Instagram and/or YouTube channel to go with it.

When people want entertainment they look to social media. However, when they want answers to their problems, they choose Google, namely websites.

But, there are always exceptions. Just remember to entertain on social and use your website for education.


4. Posting all the time

Now that content is more prolific on the internet, the tactic of posting more content to try to get more traffic is also outdated. Your focus should be on the quality of content, not quantity. Create content that stands out.

Generally, it’s better to create one (1) high-quality blog post per month than publish 5-6 average or mediocre posts that are short-lived.

To help establish yourself as an authority figure, use longer, more detailed posts.

If you really know your material, you’ll be able to talk about it for a long time (or hundreds of pages…).

The exception to this rule is if you’re a brand-new blogger, starting a blog from scratch, you’re probably better off publishing more posts because publishing more content can help you get some initial traction on social platforms like Pinterest and YouTube. Writing different kinds of content more frequently can help you learn more about what your audience is most interested in.


5. Blogging with no supplemental video or audio content

If you wish it to survive in the future, your blog needs to evolve into a multi-media site.

The more options people have to consume your content, the better. Using the following mediums will help:

Your blog
YouTube
Pinterest
Google
Email List

Your blog is now a multi-media website. It’s no longer just a blog.

For long-term blogging success, you need to dedicate your time and energy to becoming an expert in your niche.


What are some other things you should know before you start blogging?

1. Building habits is essential especially when your time is limited. You need consistent blocks of time you can spend on your blog. That may be:

a) Early morning – get everything ready the night before

b) During lunch break at your day job – get away from your desk and grab a bite to eat while working on your blog

c) In the evenings – you can just outline your post if you find it hard to focus after a long day

d)  On the weekends – block out half a day on Saturday or Sunday


Finding a time that you can consistently use for blogging, week after week, will make it easier to form the habit.

2. WordPress

WordPress is usually the best option. Within WordPress are two more options so be careful. Also, there are plugins for anything you want to do in WordPress. Read

3.  It’s easier to write quality blog posts by using a great template.

4.  End all blog posts with a call to action.

5.  The most important part of your blog is the headline. Read.

6.  Keyword research is vital for SEO which brings in traffic.

7.  You should build an email list as soon as possible (from day one).

8.  When used correctly, social media is an effective traffic source.

9.  Making money from a new blog will take UP to 12 months minimum.

10.  Digital courses and eBooks are a great way to monetize your blog.

11. Use affiliate marketing to grow your blog income.

12. Link building from other websites is crucial.


This is by no means a complete list. More things can be added but this will get you off to a great start.


What are the best blogging platforms?

When choosing a blogging platform you must take into consideration what is best for your needs.

If you’re just starting, use a platform that’s easy to set up and use. If you have no coding experience choose a platform that needs no code. Developing a blog isn’t simple and you don’t want to add new skills to your to-do list.

You’ll need to think about the layout and features you want and the blog tools you may need as your blog grows.

Some things to think about are:

Monetizing your blog with a newsletter now or in the future

A multi-media experience with lots of images and videos

Using it to build SEO for your small business site

Using it to build your reputation as a thought leader

Skills you need to learn to build your blog

Can a blogging platform help with these skills


When you have a clear plan for your blog, you’re ready to choose a platform.

Many who choose a platform start with cost. Some of the best blog software is free. Check each provider’s plan and how many tiers there are. Then check their primary and unique features. Pay special attention to the out-of-the-box features compared to add-ons.

Here’s a list:

WordPress: Best for customization

Wix: Best for drag and drop

Weebly: Best for e-commerce blogging

Drupal: Best for developers

Squarespace: Best all-in-one platform

CMS Hub: Best for marketers

Medium: Best for its built-in audience


Blogging is not dead. But you have to keep your strategies alive to be successful on the internet. These are just some things you need to know before you start blogging that will be helpful.


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by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Affiliate marketing could be your opportunity to make money online. You don’t need any special skills and you can sign up for free. You can connect with brands and promote their products to earn commissions.

Over the past few years affiliate marketing has been steadily growing. With the rapid changes in digital marketing and e-commerce, there are certain trends that you should be aware of.

Affiliate marketing is a low-cost business growth plan strategy that is ideal for small businesses as it increases income with less expense and work.

Giant corporations and single-item shops have an affiliate program or are part of an affiliate network. The world of affiliate marketing can be fierce and it’s growing daily so, to be successful in it, you have to keep up with market trends.


What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a way of getting customers and an alternative to advertising. It allows you to work with partners known as affiliates or publishers to reach a wider audience and generate more profits. Affiliates are paid when they have accomplished what they set out to do which may be increasing leads, driving sales, or getting new clients. In affiliate marketing commissions are paid for actual results.

In affiliate marketing, there are networks that allow websites and bloggers to share links to a specific page or product for ad revenue. Affiliate marketing depends on a huge network where the marketing can take place. When visitors click on an ad or a link they will be taken directly to that site or e-commerce site.

If a customer purchases a product through that e-commerce link you must pay your partner the agreed-upon fee, typically 5% to 10% of the contract value. Through this system, you (as the retailer) and your affiliate (as your partner) gain from increased sales.

If you run a product-focused website or blog, you can do affiliate marketing. But do keep in mind that affiliate marketing is not ideal for direct sales.


What are the benefits of an affiliate marketing program?

If you’re in retail, an affiliate marketing program can be added to your overall marketing plan. Whether your product is already well-liked or you’re just starting to build your brand, the product can help you reach your goals.

An affiliate program for your business can provide you with the following benefits:

Wide-Reaching Impact

Your affiliate partners have websites, email lists, social media accounts, and a sizeable number of followers so, potentially, they can reach a larger audience than you can on your own. They can help you promote your product through one or all of their networks. Since there’s a reward coming, they’ll work hard to grow sales or drive traffic for your brand.

Result-Based Commission

Since you only pay for completed actions, setting up an affiliate program is a cost-effective marketing strategy. You can work with as many affiliates as you choose. Their commission will rise as your sales rise. This is advantageous for both parties.

Increased SERP Ranking

As the links from your affiliates are widely shared, the SERPs (search engine rank pages) rank of your website will substantially improve and you’ll get more organic traffic which will save money on marketing.

Unique Content

You may not need to run countless ads on Google or social media platforms, because your affiliate marketers can write articles about your brand, produce reviews for your product, and create video ads about your business. Each affiliate presents a unique perspective.


Marketers are feeling more and more confident about investing in social media so affiliate networking is becoming very competitive. Here are some trends you should be watching to help you see the direction the industry is taking. Understanding them can increase affiliate traffic for your brand.


1) Influencer marketing continues to grow.

2) More websites are embracing alternative ad technologies such as contextual targeting to reach a broader audience in more meaningful and relevant ways.

3) As more people are using their phones to shop online, cross-device tracking will be prioritized.

4) Consumers worldwide are increasing their usage of mobile applications so affiliate marketers will need to use In-App monitoring for improved consumer insights.

5) Voice search SEO will continue to rise. As voice search SEO isn’t standard SEO, affiliates will have to refine websites for voice requests.

6) Blog link building will be diversified, so blogging still works although there will be new challenges.


Keeping this information in mind will help you with your affiliate marketing moving forward.


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By Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Affiliate marketing is more than just joining an affiliate marketing program, promoting a link, and hoping people buy what you’re advertising. Here’s a little background.

Affiliate marketing involves the following steps:

** The merchant has come up with a unique/revolutionary product.


** The merchant has validated and tested the product to see if there’s real demand for it.


** The merchant has created and launched the product simultaneously with an affiliate program.


** The merchant has found relevant affiliates and invited them to join the affiliate program or affiliates have approached merchants for a partnership.


** The merchant has assigned a unique ID and affiliate link to each affiliate.


** The affiliate promotes the brand/product and includes that link in relevant advertising such as blog posts, newsletters, social media posts, etc.


** When a visitor clicks on the affiliate link and visits the merchant’s website, a cookie is generated and stored in their browsing device. This cookie contains the affiliate ID and helps identify the affiliate as the source of the traffic to the merchant’s site. It also helps attribute the sale to the affiliate even if it occurs days or weeks after the visitor clicks on the link.


** When a visitor purchases the product, the merchant checks the sales record and finds the associated cookie, which identifies the affiliate who originally drove the visitor to the merchant’s website.


** When the merchant finds a cookie containing an affiliate ID, the corresponding affiliate is credited with a sale.


** The merchant pays a commission to the affiliate at the end of each payment cycle.



You can be a merchant or an affiliate. When you become an affiliate, the initial hard work is already done by the merchant, as laid out above. 


What are some common mistakes new affiliate marketers make?


New affiliate marketers tend to make the following common mistakes.


1. Over relying on organic traffic

Organic search engine traffic is great because it is some of the most targeted traffic you can get and it’s free although you’re trading time to create content. If you’re ranking high for keywords you can make lots of sales.

On the other hand, it may take 3 to 6 months or more to get ranked for the keywords you want. So, while you’re churning out content on your site, build a brand or authority on social media channels or in forums where people in your niche are like to be.

Don’t rely on any one single traffic source, even Google which changes its algorithm quite often and can cause a loss in ranking.

2. Putting out content without a known purpose

There needs to be a reason for producing content. It should be targeted to people who are looking for what you offer.

3. Not building a list and monetizing it

An email or Facebook messenger list offers a way for getting prospect to get to know, like, and trust you. Once they know you they’re more likely to buy.

4. Constant emphasis on selling

Do not sell, sell, sell. Show how the product you’re offering will solve a problem they have or give them more time freedom, etc.

5. Sending traffic directly to your affiliate link

Send traffic to a landing page introducing the product you’re about to promote. The affiliate product sales page gives the details.

6. Not being consistent

Pace yourself and work on your business every day. Be consistent in your efforts.

7. Blogging for the sake of blogging

Have an end goal and a path for your readers to follow. Use a call to action and get readers’ contact information so you can follow up with them later.

8. Promoting too many affiliate products

Prospects will be able to tell how well you know your product from reading your content. the more products you promote, the less you know about each. If prospects begin to doubt your authority, this could impact potential click-throughs and sales.


In the beginning, choose one product to promote. Spend your time learning about the product and testing it out yourself. Create great content promoting its use. When you begin to see the benefits you can add another program or two to your plate.


How do you get started in affiliate marketing?


Step 1: Find a niche

The first thing you need to do to get started in affiliate marketing is choose a niche. This could be hobbies like travel, sports betting, photography, or anything you’re truly passionate about.

That could be financial products, health and wellness, lifestyle products like fashion, technology, or whatever.

Step 2: Choose a channel

After choosing your niche, you’ll want at least one platform or channel to use for your affiliate marketing. Blogging is probably the easiest and least expensive way to get started and can be used for product reviews and comparisons to promote affiliate products.

YouTube is another good platform and it’s free to start a YouTube channel and upload videos. The downside is there are so many other videos and creators on YouTube that it can be hard to get attention for your products, plus, creating and uploading videos will take a lot more time than blogging.

Instagram is a platform to consider. You can create images and videos to promote your affiliate products and you can pay for ads if you want, as with other platforms.

Whatever platform you choose, you’ll want to add a disclaimer to make it clear you’re sharing a promotion and may receive compensation. On your blog, link the affiliate product and in parentheses add “affiliate link.” On YouTube, include your affiliate link disclaimer in the video description. For Instagram, you can use #ad or #sponsored.

Step 3: Choose the products you want to promote

With your target audience in mind, choose high-quality products that will actually benefit them. Ask yourself if this product will improve their lives or if it’s something you would buy or tell a family member to buy. You’ll need to check out conversions and payouts for the product.

Step 4: Join an affiliate program

You can join an affiliate network or affiliate program. If you have a website and are creating content, you can use your site analytics to home in on your audience’s makeup and find products specifically for them that also give you the commission you want.


When you join an affiliate network or affiliate program, you have access to brands looking for affiliates and you also get tools to use for finding the right options. Some of the top affiliate networks include:

ShareASale
Amazon Associates
CJ Affiliate
Rakuten Marketing


When choosing an affiliate marketing program you must consider:

Commission type and amount
Cookie lifetime
Relevancy
Payment logistics
Creative assets and conversion rates
Competition

You must do your research before deciding on affiliate marketing programs.


Step 5: Create great content

The type of content you create depends on the platform or platforms you’ve chosen to use to promote your affiliate products, but there are some types of content you can depend on that include product reviews, case studies, tutorials, product comparisons, and a resource page that contains all your recommended products and links for them.

Step 6: Generate traffic

Now you need to generate traffic and build your audience. Although social networks work for the promotion of products to followers, building an email list is best in case social networks stop letting people use them.

The fastest way to grow your email list is by using a lead magnet (offering something free to visitors in exchange for their email addresses). This could be a free course, checklist or something else of value. Once you have email addresses you can follow up with subscribers offering valuable content along with promotional emails (affiliate link). You can research email marketing platforms to make the process easy.

You can use search engine optimization (SEO) which uses specific keywords that your target audience is interested in and create content around those topics and make sure your site is indexed by Google, Bing, and other search engines. Once you generate some money you can also use paid traffic.


Affiliate marketing is not just a walk in the park. It requires taking several steps and following through from sign up to generating income. This information will help you to avoid these 8 common mistakes new affiliate marketers make.



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by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

If you’re looking for an alternate stream of income, affiliate marketing may be your opportunity.


Affiliate marketing is a growing industry and is set to grow even more by 2024. More than 80% of advertisers use affiliate marketing.


The most popular niches are Fashion, Sports & Outdoors, Health/Wellness & Beauty, Travel, and Home & Garden, in that order. Due to covid, Travel may have dropped down the list a bit.


Amazon Associates is still the largest affiliate network.


In the past, affiliates were traditional bloggers or media publishers who had websites they could use to promote and review affiliate products. They tried to earn an income by promoting multiple brands from a range of popular affiliate programs, and even competing products.


Now, influencers are the stars of the internet. Data suggests consumers trust an influencer over an advertisement or traditional celebrity endorsement. Genuine influencers only promote products they like and trust.




What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is an advertising model for publishers to earn a commission by promoting a product or service made by someone else.


You don’t have to worry about high startup costs, as affiliate programs are normally free to join.


In affiliate marketing, you refer a product or service by sharing it on a blog, social media platform, podcast, or on a website. You (the affiliate) then earn a commission every time someone purchases through the unique link given to you to use for advertising that product or service.


Commission rates vary according to the company and the offer. There are some programs that offer a flat rate per sale as opposed to a percentage.


There are several types of affiliate marketing in existence, and some are used strictly for generating income.


The best type of affiliate marketing is one that is honest and genuine and in which you become a trusted source on the topic.




If you’re thinking about working from home, here are some business ideas to consider.


What are the pros and cons of affiliate marketing?


Pros


Affiliate marketing is a no- to low-cost business venture you can profit from.


It’s easy to execute, as you have no developing, supporting, or fulfilling of offers to do.


It’s low risk since there are no costs to join programs and you can generate passive income.


With successful affiliate marketing, it’s easy to scale your earnings without hiring additional help, and you can introduce new products and services to your current audience and build campaigns for additional products while your existing work continues to generate revenue.


Know that great affiliate marketing is built on trust. It’s best to only highlight things that you personally use or would recommend. Becoming a great marketer for a certain product requires a lot of work, even when the product interests you or fits within an existing hobby.



Cons

Affiliate marketing requires time and patience. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. You’ll need to research the most relevant and credible products to promote. You have to spend time blogging, hosting virtual events, publishing free content on social media, and doing other lead-generating activities.


Since it’s commissioned-based, you have no boss.


Temporary browser cookies are used to track people’s actions from your content. You’re paid when the desired action is taken by someone.


Affiliates have no control over the program. You must obey the rules and guidelines set by the company as to how to present their product or service.



How do affiliates get paid?


There are five common ways affiliates get paid:


Pay per sale – earn a commission for each sale you make.


Pay per action – earn a commission for a specific action.


Pay per install – you’re paid for every installation you generate from your website traffic
promoting mobile apps and software so that people download or install them.


Pay per lead – pays every time someone signs up for something. This method is common for beginners, as it’s easier to generate leads than to sell products to an audience.


Pay per click – earn a commission on every click on your affiliate link. This method is used by big merchants desiring to build brand awareness. Customers don’t need to sign up for or buy anything, just to visit the merchant’s website.


What are the top affiliate networks?


The top affiliate networks are:


Affiliate Future
AvantLink
CJ Affiliate
ClickBank
FlexOffers
LinkConnector
ShareASale


To work from home with affiliate marketing starting today, decide on a niche, choose a platform, find relevant marketing programs, create valuable content, and follow FTC guidelines.



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Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Affiliate Marketing is a branch of Internet marketing where the advertisement publisher gets paid for every customer or sale provided by him.

Affiliate marketing is the basis for all other Internet marketing strategies.

Affiliate marketing is still alive and increasing in popularity. Even if you’re just finding out about this business model, there’s still a lot of money to be made.


What is the goal of affiliate marketing?

For a business affiliate marketing is a means of acquiring customers and an alternative to advertising.

Affiliates are salespeople working for commissions.

In affiliate marketing, affiliate management companies, in-house affiliate managers, and third-party vendors are effectively utilized for email marketing and search engine marketing for the success of products.

Web traffic can be traced with the help of a third party or owners of the affiliate programs.

Originally, affiliate marketing involved lots of spamming, false advertising, trademark infringement, etc.

Since the invention of complex algorithms and advanced security, it’s safer to do business and shop online. This even led to better scrutiny of terms and conditions by the merchants.

As affiliate marketing opened up more opportunities, it also increased marketing competition.

Due to this pressure, in-house affiliate programs for merchants were replaced by outsourced programs. The companies that offer this service have expert affiliate marketing and network program managers who have various affiliate program management techniques.

These affiliate networks have publishers associated with them who help with the advertising.


What is the origin of affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing was started by cdnow.com which had music-oriented websites. They placed a list of music albums on their site and paid others to put those links on their websites when a visitor bought an album through their site. The first company to link with cdnow.com was Geffen Records.

Two months later, a woman proposed an offer to Amazon to sell their books on her website for a certain percentage. They liked the idea and started the Amazon Associates Program. It was more of a commission program where they received a commission if a visitor clicked their links and banners on other’s sites and bought something.

Since its inception, the affiliate network has been adopted by various businesses like travel, telecom, gaming, personal finance, education, mobile, subscription sites, and retail.

The compensation methods used are Cost per sale (CPS), Cost per action (CPA), Cost per mile (CPM), and Cost per click (CPC).

The first two are the main methods used today. This is because in CPM and CPC, the visitor that turns up on a particular website might not be the targeted audience and a click would be enough to generate a commission.

CPS and CPA require that the visitor not only click on the link but also buy something or sign up for some service, which proves that the visitor is in a targeted audience. Only then does the affiliate get paid.

So the affiliate should try to send as much targeted traffic as possible to the advertiser to increase his/her returns. For this reason, affiliate marketing is also known as performance marketing. It totally depends upon the performance of the affiliate.

The affiliate team can be differentiated from a sales team by the nature of their jobs. The job of the affiliate team is to get targeted traffic to a certain point, then the sales team must influence the visitor to buy the product or service.

This is a very effective method because the money is being paid only when results have been achieved. The publisher incurs all the costs except that of initial setup and development of the program, which is incurred by the merchant.

Many businesses credit affiliate marketing for their success.

You can still make money with affiliate marketing in 2022.


Affiliate marketing may be your opportunity to make money online. You can earn money by connecting with brands and promoting their products. It’s free to join, and you don’t need special skills.

You must choose products that you use and can genuinely back, keep your product list short, and use various sources of traffic to generate sales for the product like your FB page, website, blog posts, emails, and other free tools. Be sure your website is correctly linked and positioned in search engines.

Spend time on research so you can choose a good program to earn good, fair pay. Your early commission rate may be low. A 10% commission rate is considered high.

If a product has just launched, and you know what you’re doing, you can write a review of it. If the review is ranked on the first page of Google as soon as possible, then you may have struck gold.

Before you decide to promote a product, know if it’s new and selling well.

Amazon will let you know by ratings and reviews.


If you’re a beginner and want to monetize your website, one of these three programs is a good starting place.

Amazon

Amazon is a global brand that is trusted and recognized by everyone. You make money on anything you sell, although they don’t have a Paypal option to pay you.

ShareASale

Share-a-sale is a network with many companies that use it to sell products. There is a search feature for finding things related to your niche. When you find what you’re looking for, you can join as an affiliate for that one specific product/item/service. They also do not have a Paypal option to get paid.

ClickBank

ClickBank is one of the more popular networks and has been around for quite some time. It has cleaned up and stopped accepting junk products.


The programs mentioned above are 100% Free to join, easy to use and when done correctly, have great commission payouts.

If you’re just starting, be patient, and you can earn with affiliate marketing in 2022.


Get Your System With Autoresponder

by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

While you’re using great copywriting skills to convince your readers to take a particular action, make sure your content is grammatically correct.

Be careful when using autocorrect while typing. It won’t catch grammar mistakes, because a word may be spelled right and be grammatically incorrect. For example:

Your my favorite dancer.
You’re my favorite dancer.

Both words are correctly spelled.


Here are some common writing mistakes that can weaken the sparkle and credibility of your message.


1. Incorrect subject verb-agreement

If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular.

Example: There is so many great ones.
Correct: There are so many great ones.

Example: Everyone was willing to participate. (This is correct.)



2. Missing commas

How you use commas in a list depends on the specific writing style you follow.

An Oxford, or serial, comma is the last comma in a list. It goes before the word “and.”

Example 1: When you go shopping, be sure to get eggs, milk, bread and peanut butter.
When you go shopping, be sure to get eggs, milk, bread, and peanut butter.

Although there are different schools of thought regarding the use of the Oxford comma, when you want to write a good sentence, it’s proper punctuation to always use commas to separate the multiple items you reference in a list.

Technically, it’s grammatically optional in American English.

Example 2: If the shop is closed when we get there we’ll have to wait until next week.
If the shop is closed when we get there, we’ll have to wait until next week.



3. Apostrophes

Apostrophes are generally used in two instances:

For contractions (I’m planning to go tomorrow, if it’s not raining)

To show possession (Susan’s computer means the computer belongs to Susan)

They’re also used to indicate missing numbers in a year, ’89 for 1989 and ’07 for 2007.



4. Hyphens

Example:

Wrong: my 90 year old grandmother
Right: my 90-year-old grandmother



5. Loose or lose

Loose means not firmly or tightly in place.

Example:

Your shoelace is loose.
He might lose the money.



6. Could of, would of, should of

These are incorrect uses of contractions for I could have, I would have, or I should have.

Correct Example:

I should have gone to the reception, and could have, if Tom had been on time.

Slurring in speech results in the common grammar mistake of substituting of for have.



7. Affect and effect

Affect and effect are often confused, although one is a verb and the other a noun.

Affect is a verb that describes something that causes or influences change. Effect is what happens as a result of the change.

“Here’s a mnemonic: A is for action. Verbs are about action. Affect starts with an A, so it’s a verb.”

Correct Examples:

Not getting enough sleep will adversely affect your health.
The effect of not getting enough sleep is bad health.



8. There, their, they’re

There is a location, their shows possession by more than one person, and they’re is a contraction for they are.

Examples:

We live here not there.
They work there but it’s not their shop.
They’re happy to be home.



9. Your and you’re

Wrong: Your my inspiration.
Correct: You’re my inspiration.

Your is the possessive of you.
You’re is the contraction for you are.



10. Then and than

Use then when referring to time.
Than is used when comparing things.

Example:

I’m going to the library then to the store.
That is better than this one.

You can use Grammarly.com (no compensation received here) to check your writing.

Of course, there are some exceptions, to these rules, that are not discussed here.

Always check and recheck your writing for mistakes.

This article only covers 10 common grammar mistakes to avoid in your writing.

Remember that autocorrected writing must be checked for correct grammar usage.

Your Autoresponder and More

by Rahimah Sultan

When you start an online business you’re probably selling one of three things:

Your time (coaching or consulting)
Your products (ecommerce)
Someone else’s products (affiliate marketing)

In this article, written several years ago, I discussed several things to consider before starting a home business that are still applicable.

With a blog you can sell all these. Blogging is the ultimate low-risk, high-reward business idea. You can set your plan in motion by starting a blog. You can test the waters by using it as a hobby or you can set yourself up as a scalable full time business with a business structure such as an LLC, which requires filing certain paper work for a fee.

You can use your blog to advertise whichever of these Seven Business Ideas for Working from Home that you choose or others.

Now, what are these seven business ideas for working from home?


1. Start a Profitable Blog

You need to be clear on your reason for starting a blog. For example:

To increase retirement nest egg
For the ability to quit your 9-5 job
To be able to spend more time with your family
To take more vacations

When you’re clear about your goals move forward with setting up your blog.

Install WordPress as your blogging platform if your eventual goal is to make money. A WordPress blog can be monetized.


2. Web Development

Front-end web development is a valued skill to cater to the rising demand for starting new websites.

Although there are a lot of tools to help small businesses create their own websites, developers are needed for more custom jobs. New businesses are always looking for efficient coders at cost-effective prices.

You can start by building websites for relatives and friends to improve your skills and then slowly transform your career into a more lucrative business plan.

Developers must have basic coding skills in computer languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. There are several cheap or free online courses that can help you learn and get started with web development.


3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing is a branch of Internet marketing where the advertisement publisher gets paid for every customer or sale provided by him, i.e. publishers and bloggers.

This is not a new concept. It’s essentially, getting a commission on a sale. Affiliate marketing is a quick way to offer products and services without having to create your own.

For more information read my in-depth article on affiliate marketing.


4. WordPress Web Consultant

Small businesses and bloggers use WordPress to start their own website.

If you are experienced at setting up WordPress websites, use your skill to build a business.

Along with your consulting, you can offer digital marketing services to your clients as an additional income stream.

Once you build a successful business as a WordPress website consultant, you can change your business into a digital marketing agency.


5. Freelance Content Writing

There is a huge demand for content writers. If you can create engaging stories and write articles, you can turn those skills into a profitable freelance writing business.

You can write content for a variety of purposes from website copy and sales pages to blog posts and email newsletters. You can also edit and proofread work.

Grammarly is the most popular grammar checker. It enables you to develop your writing by using proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, and better word choices.

As a freelance copywriter you have the opportunity to work from any location. You need to build your portfolio, and then you can launch your own inbound lead-generating website. You can connect with potential clients on social media platforms like LinkedIn and offer everything from content writing to SEO writing.


6. Computer Repair

Due to the high cost of computer repair at authorized service locations, you have an excellent opportunity to earn money by offering cost-effective repair services. You can approach small businesses and neighborhood homes to get repair projects. Then you and your team can steadily expand and take bigger orders from medium to larger organizations.

The opportunities in this field are immense and include learning to fix networking issues and replacing crashed hard drives.


7. Pet Grooming

Pet grooming is a booming business idea where wealthy pet owners live. People are spoiling their pets with spa and foot massages, haircuts, and massage therapists.

It takes about $2,000 to set up a pet grooming business. You can find clients in your neighborhood or check on Facebook and WhatsApp groups.

For a better understanding of the job, you can take a dog grooming course. If grooming is not for you, you can set up a pet sitting business which requires small startup fee.

Of course there are many more options including but not limited to:

Baking
Child Care
Computer Repair
Crafts
Dog Walking
Home Services
Self-Publishing

You can access many courses here(skillshare.com) to get started with your business idea. This is just a suggestion. I receive no compensation for this recommendation.

Working at home in your own business requires the same discipline as working in an office for someone else. If you treat your business like a hobby it will be difficult to make progress. You must have a plan, a proper set up and keep good records.

Use these Seven Business Ideas for Working from Home to help you start brainstorming your next entrepreneurial venture.



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What is affiliate marketing?


Affiliate marketing is the process of promoting products or services of another person or company in exchange for a commission on the resulting sale. Affiliate marketers join the affiliate programs, find trustworthy affiliate products or services to promote, and share them with their audiences.


This is not a new concept. It’s essentially, getting a commission on a sale. Affiliate marketing is a quick way to offer products and services without having to create your own.


An affiliate, also known as the publisher, can be a single individual or a company.

So, what are the 4 Steps to get Started in Affiliate Marketing?


First, let’s cover a few of the technical aspects that run in the background with the merchant’s affiliate program software.


When an affiliate joins the merchant’s program, s/he is given a unique ID and a specific URL to use to promote the product. The affiliate then includes this link in blog posts or other marketing efforts and invites readers to click it for more information.


When someone clicks the link to visit the affiliate partner’s site, a cookie identifying the affiliate is placed on their computer. This cookie confirms the publisher is credited with the referral sale even if it happens days or weeks later.


Whenever a buyer completes the sale process, the merchant checks the sales record for a cookie identifying the source of the referral. If the merchant finds a cookie with an affiliate ID, the affiliate is credited with the sale.


The merchant makes reports available so that the affiliates can see their referrals (clicks) and sales. Then, at the end of each payment period the merchant pays the affiliate commission (i.e. revenue sharing).


This flow works the same for any kind of product you’re promoting and for any affiliate marketer.


Now, the 4 Steps to get Started in Affiliate Marketing.

The number one thing to remember is that you’re getting paid a commission in exchange for offering readers information on products / services they’re already thinking about buying.


By using your blog and the Internet in a systematic process, you are providing valuable advice to thousands of people to help them make a smarter decision.


Following are four steps to help you get started:


Step 1. Choose a Product to Promote as an Affiliate

As a principled blogger you will always face two constraints
when choosing products you want to promote:


a) You’re either limited to products you’ve used and like that have an affiliate program and are a good fit for your audience, or


b) You’re limited to products you can get access to for evaluation by buying them or getting a free sample or free trial.


Of these two options the first one is the most common way to get started with affiliate offers.


Option #1: Promote Products You already Use and Love


You become an affiliate for a product or service you’ve used and tested and feel good about recommending. It could be a course or an ebook or something else.


Make a list of courses, products, and services you have experience with and choose the one you would be excited to promote. Cross off any that are not a good fit.


Then, check to see if the merchant has an affiliate program. Some will not, although many do.


You can do an online search using a search engine such as Google for:


“affiliate program” + [product name], (i.e. “affiliate program” + Pinterest Marketing Course, or other product)


or email the merchant and ask.


Use a check list for your other products that includes the following:


>> You’ve previewed the product so you know its quality.
>> They have a solid refund policy that you trust they’ll honor.
>> They provide good customer support (and you’ve tested it).
>> You have a good story to share about your experience with the product.
>> The offer fits your audience’s needs and won’t abuse the trust you’ve built with them.


The affiliate products that meet all these requirements are your best income opportunities. You can add as many of these products as you like in the future.


Now, you’ve found your first product! Apply using the merchant’s process and start promoting.


This option may be enough to get you started if you’re new to affiliate marketing channels.


However, as a blogger you’ll also want to try option #2.


If you don’t already have a product that you love and is a good fit for your audience and that offers an affiliate program, you’ll have to explore this second option.


Option #2: Find Products through an Affiliate Network


This option requires investing time into research and money into buying products to try, even more than the first option. So, be very careful.


That’s because you have no prior knowledge so there’s less trust. Do your due diligence, to protect your reputation and the trust you’ve built with your readers.


When you work through a network, your business relationship is with that network, and you normally won’t know the merchant ahead of time and won’t build a relationship with them.


Popular and reliable networks include Clickbank, CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction), the eBay Partner Network (EPN), ShareASale, and the Amazon Associates program.


Some networks will assign you an affiliate manager to show you the ropes.


Many new marketers begin by becoming an Amazon affiliate and then scaling to other types of more profitable affiliate offers.


Step 2. Get Set Up as an Affiliate


Whether you work through a network or directly with a merchant you have to apply, be approved, and provide specific information in order to be paid.


At the very least, you’ll need to furnish your personal/business contact information for tax and reporting purposes as well as your bank account where commissions will be deposited.


The merchant will provide you with a trackable affiliate link that you’ll use whenever you post about the product. It will have a long tag at the end with your affiliate ID.


Here’s what some typical affiliate text links look like:


LINK THAT DIRECT’S TO THE MERCHANT’S HOME PAGE


https://merchantsite.com/dap/a/?a=1199



LINK TO ANOTHER PAGE ON THE MERCHANT’S SITE


https://merchantsite.com/dap/a/?a=1199&p=merchantsite.com/page.html


You’ll usually get some tips and useful marketing resources that could include:


a) An affiliate guide as well as instructions on how to use the platform and summary of policies such as payouts.

b) Online marketing tools like banners and sidebar graphics.

c) Sample email/webpage swipe copy.

d) Ongoing communications from the merchant about promotions, new products, etc.


You’ll get a link for each product you promote, if you use a network like Amazon.


Do check your specific network’s help and support pages for more information.


For your global audience you can check out geniuslink for tracking overseas sales through Amazon, iTunes, and Microsoft Store.


No matter which method you use, expect to invest money and time into researching the best products for your audience.


Step 3. Start Promoting Your Affiliate Offers


In the end, your hard work of finding and evaluating products only pays off when someone takes your advice and makes a purchase.


So, you need to place your recommendation in front of your audience in a trustworthy manner.


Don’t make the affiliate-marketer mistake of haphazardly slapping some banners on your blog that link to affiliate products and think that’s all you have to do.


Your recommendations should line up with your blog categories and topics, not some random products that are probably of no use to your readers.


Example:


If your blog’s focus is travel related, don’t use affiliate links advertising educational products or some other unrelated merchandise.


Here are a couple of options:


Option #1: Create a Resource Page on Your Blog


You can create your own resource page on which you can promote lots of different products, and they’ll all be organized in one place for easy reference for different readers according to their needs. It can also contain explanations regarding the usefulness of the products.


The page is not just a sales pitch but educational, with quality content. It should be well optimized for SEO so it will also rank well in Google search results and get organic traffic that also leads to good conversion rates.


Option #2: Create and Promote Custom Content


The following strategies are for those who are already sending traffic to your latest content by emailing your list regularly (at least two to four times per month) about what’s new.


A) Write Reviews


You can write in depth reviews of products, books, courses, or software products you promote as an affiliate.


Your reviews can focus on one product or comparisons between two products side by side.


Comparing two products in this way builds more trust, but is distracting due to multiple recommendations.


For multiple product reviews you can set up a “one-stop shop” for your niche by creating a site containing only reviews and affiliate offers.


B) Write Authoritative Content on a Related Topic


Write an authoritative comprehensive post that educates your audience and do a “soft sell” for your products.


For example, set up a guide for writing blog posts and include your affiliate links to your hosting providers.


Make sure your topic, whatever it is, is evergreen content – information that will be useful for years.


Create blog posts, infographics, videos, and more. Just do not create a sales page. You want to focus on building trust and authority.


Pay particular attention to SEO. Be sure to optimize for the right keywords and build links to your content to get a constant flow of traffic from Google.


C) Create Valuable Bonus Content


Check your affiliate agreement to see if you’re allowed to create bonus content. If so, create content, especially for your readers, to help them get even more value from the affiliate product.


People love bonuses! Creating them is fairly quick and easy, and they will help you stand out from other bloggers promoting the same product.


Some example bonuses are:


Step-by-step checklists.
Quick-start guides.
Video overviews or demos.
Complementary or discounted services (e.g., coaching calls).


Step 4. Follow Legal Requirements and Best Practice


In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that you let people know you’ll earn a commission.


But even if it isn’t required by law where you’re located, it is recommended. It’s just good business.


People will appreciate your transparency and honesty and want to support you and help you for improving their lives.


So, wherever you share a link – in blog posts, on web pages or in emails – let readers know you may make a small commission if they make a purchase through you.


Also, create a disclaimer page on your website.


There, you have it, the bottom line on affiliate marketing.


Your dream of making passive income is a completely achievable reality, although it’s not as simple as pushing a magic button. With a little knowledge and persistence you can do it and eventually turn it into an online business.


Affiliate marketing is one of the best business models for making an income from home, once you’ve gained a respectable following.


It’s very easy to get started. Just follow the steps covered in this post.


Find the one big thing everyone in your audience needs to reach their goals and start there.


Choose a great product you believe in. Share your success with it.


Deliver plenty of valuable content to educate your audience, without being too salesy.


Nurture the trust your audience places in you.


Be upfront, honest, transparent, and most of all, patient.



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by Rahimah Sultan

For a webmaster a traffic source is a platform (place) through which people find your website.

A media buyer’s platform is a place where you can purchase traffic.

There are certain aspects you should consider before selecting a traffic source.

You must first become familiar with each traffic source and look at the pros and cons. It is essential to understand the features and statistics of the source and which ones you’ll need to scrutinize the most.

The most important aspects to consider in a traffic source are:

The Niche or Target Audience
The Overall Quality Offered by the Traffic Source
Rules, Regulations, and Restrictions
The Cost of the Traffic Source
The Amount of Traffic Available from the Traffic Source
The Targeting Options that are Available


Read the article here



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Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website.