Affiliate marketing is one of the number one ways to earn large amounts of passive income online. Sadly, most first-time affiliate marketers ignore the simplest and most effective strategy for promoting an affiliate product. With just one post, they could be making thousands of dollars a month.
Imagine this...
Bob is buying a new laptop, and he's looking up information on Acer netbooks. When he puts in “Acer netbook review” on Google, he see's an article titled “Power on the Go: A Review Acer Netbooks.” Bob reads the review and is so convinced by its content that he clicks the amazon affiliate link at the bottom and orders a laptop. The author of the article just gained $75 in sales commissions.
That author could be you.
When people are shopping for products or services, the number one thing they type into Google is “[product name] review.” Because of this, product and service reviews are extremely profitable posts for affiliate marketers. The great thing is that every successful product review has the same key elements. Before I tell you about them, let me ask you a question...
When you're thinking about going to a new dentist, who do you ask? Google or your friends?
The best kind of review is one that feels personal. Most people buy products and services based on their social circle. By telling a story about your experience with the product, you'll be connecting with readers on a personal level. The more connections you make, the more likely you are to make an affiliate sale. Keep this in mind as we talk about structuring a great review.
Start with a Problem
People buy products to solve problems. When writing a review for an affiliate product, be sure to capture what problem the product is going to solve.
For example, the headway premium Wordpress theme offers website customization with drag n' drop features, so the user never has to learn how to code. The problem that fits this solution is someone who is inexperienced and wants a branded site, but doesn't have time to learn about websites or the money to hire a professional.
Introducing the problem at hand is critical to writing affiliate marketing reviews. Presenting a problem that the reader relates to hooks them in and gets them reading to discover the solution.
Introduce the Product
Don't overestimate the knowledge level that your reader has when it comes to writing product reviews. After describing the problem, introduce the affiliate product with a general overview. A good introduction of an affiliate product will look like this:
“Suite101 is an online publication that employs freelance writers and pays based on revenue sharing. This internet magazine has been around since 1996 and is based in Vancouver, Canada. Suite101 has a great reputation among writers and readers alike.”
The ideal overview is one paragraph that summarizes what the product or service is and what it does. Remember this: never make a product introduction more than one paragraph. You want to outline the product, then move right into the main review body.
Describe a Personal Experience
After you've introduced the affiliate product, tell the readers how you're using the product in an everyday setting. Here's an example of a personal experience found in an affiliate review:
“I got accepted and started writing for Suite101 in October of this year. I earned about $19 my first month, $55 the next, and I’m on the way to reaching $200 this month. So far, it's been a great experience.”
Include Social Proof
Social proof is when you show that real customers have used an affiliate product successfully. This proof can come in the form of testimonials, reviews, interviews, videos, etc. Including links to other personal experiences and direct quotes can greatly boost the effectiveness of an affiliate review.
List Positives and Negatives
Many affiliate reviews will write stunning reviews that show no negative sides to the product. This is a mistake. Listing the negative points of a product builds trust and authenticity, and adds to the honesty of the review. It's critical that you list aspects of the product that may not appeal to the prospective buyer. However, always make the positives outweigh the negatives in a positive review.
List Positives as Benefits
Affiliate reviews often make the mistake of listing the features of a product. Whereas a feature is something that comes as a part of the affiliate product, a benefit is an advantage that the affiliate product gives the customer. Here's an example of a feature versus a benefit:
Feature - Suite101 pays its writers 10% more after they reach 50 articles.
Benefit – Suite101 lets writers make significantly more money with every article they contribute.
Render a Distinct Verdict
At the end of the review, conclude with a clear-cut verdict on whether or not the affiliate product should be bought. Now this next part is important...you can still make money with reviews of bad products. Here's how...
(Optional) Offer a Substitute Affiliate Product
People love options. If you have two products that are similar solutions to a specific problem, then you can promote them off one another in reviews. This is done most effectively by either suggesting that users buy one product over the other.
End with a Call-to-Action
Always end your review with a call-to-action. This gives the reader a clear action to take after reading the review. An example of an effective call-to-action looks like this:
You can begin earning passive freelance writing money this month through article writing. Register for Suite101 today by visiting this link.
Making money with affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to build passive income. When you start writing effective affiliate product reviews, you start seeing incredible profits. So what are you waiting for? Get started with your first review now!
Corey Freeman - Corey Freeman is a professional blogger and college student at NCSU, where she minors in English. Corey also runs the blog Writing ...
