Facebook has become a significant player in the world of affiliate marketing. It is a great way to learn about your customers, find new audiences, and promote your products all in one place. Why is that? Facebook has over 2.95 billion active users making it the most-used social media platform worldwide. This gives you the potential to reach a wide range of targeted audiences.
Affiliate marketing on Facebook is a great strategy to increase your sales and profits. Affiliate marketers may leverage the platform’s popularity to generate more visitors to a Facebook page, group, or an external website or landing page.
As stated earlier, Facebook is the most extensive and most widely utilized social media network globally, with thousands of groups and pages devoted to just about every topic you can think of on the platform.
Essentially, what you are doing is identifying the right audience for the product you are attempting to market. And you do this by assembling a group of individuals interested in the particular niche you choose.
To generate clicks to your affiliate site through Facebook, you need to understand the proper steps and strategies, which is why we will be discussing some tips on how to boost your affiliate earnings on Facebook.
- How do I Promote Affiliates on Facebook?
- Is Facebook Good for Affiliate Marketing?
- Can I Promote Affiliate Links on Facebook Group?
- Which Social Media App is Best for Affiliate Marketing?
- How to Pick the Best Social Media Platform for Affiliate Marketing
How do I Promote Affiliates on Facebook?
There are a couple of ways in which you can approach affiliate marketing on Facebook, and they all have one thing in common. You need to build an audience; you need to establish some trust.
If you don’t want to risk losing money on paid ads and therefore want to promote affiliate links on Facebook using one of the free methods, then you need to establish a fan base first. Focus on adding value to people’s lives on Facebook before you start doing any promotion.
Read Also: How to Boost your Affiliate Earnings Using High Traffic Niche Blog
If you build an audience of people interested in traveling, you will get far more clicks to your posts and your conversation rate will also be higher because people who follow your page or are part of your group, will trust you more.
With trust, you can then even pull off direct promotion. If people trust you, they believe your recommendation.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are great as they allow you to find a very targeted audience. Let’s say you are promoting a ClickBank product that teaches people how to find very cheap flight tickets.
There are literally hundreds of groups on Facebook devoted to traveling. In these groups, you can find people who are interested in traveling and thus are potential buyers of this product.
Of course, you should not join all the groups and spam your link everywhere. That would not yield you any results and also you would soon get banned as it would violate the group’s rules. Directly promoting links on a Facebook group is simply not the way to go.
You will have more chance of success in promoting affiliate links on Facebook if you promote them indirectly. So, in our example, when you promote a product that teaches people how to find cheap tickets, you would write an article related to air travel. You could write an article about the best travel fare aggregator websites.
A lot of Facebook groups allow the posting of links to blog articles (read the rules of each Facebook group first before posting). If people click on your article about air travel, then you have a much better chance that they will buy from your affiliate link in the article.
Furthermore, if people from Facebook land on your website and you have an email opt-in on your page with some freebie, then you have a chance of getting their email and promoting the ClickBank product through email marketing as well.
Your freebie should be related to the product you are promoting. In our example, you could have a freebie like ‘7-day course – how to get the cheapest flight ticket’. You would create an email opt-in and place it at the end of your article. All superior email marketing software will allow you to create nice-looking opt-in forms. I use and recommend ConvertKit.
I know it’s a cliché, but it’s true that doing affiliate marketing without collecting emails means leaving a lot of money on the table.
You may be saying to yourself right now: ‘’Hmm, I wanted to promote on Facebook because I don’t have a website, but I cannot do the above-mentioned without a website.‘’
I will be completely honest with you, if you want to use Facebook for affiliate marketing and you don’t want to pay for ads, then you will need a website. If you don’t have a website, you cannot expect to earn a lot of money doing affiliate marketing on Facebook.
If you don’t want to have a website, you can create your own Facebook group. As an admin of a group, you can pin a post with a direct link to the product you are promoting. The post stays at the top and you don’t have to worry that anyone will ban you.
This sounds great, but, of course, it takes time and effort to build a Facebook group with a decent number of members. You cannot just post affiliate links in your group, you need to provide value and build engagement.
Facebook Page
Creating a Facebook page makes sense if you have a website. It allows you to keep your audience updated with your latest content. You can send your followers to your content that includes affiliate links or, if you have established trust, you can try to directly send them to the product page.
If you don’t have a website, I don’t recommend creating a Facebook page just for the sake of using it for affiliate marketing.
People in general interact with pages less than they do with groups so if you don’t have a website, create a group.
However, it is worth noting that, for some, niche pages work better than groups. For instance, if you were promoting dog or cat-related products, a Facebook page would be a great asset. People follow dog/cat pages simply because they like seeing pictures of their favorite pets and not because they want to lead a conversation about them.
If you are not sure if a Facebook page would work in your niche, just search on Facebook for similar existing pages. If you can find at least one generic page (not a brand) with a bigger following, then creating a page makes sense.
Facebook Ads
Running Facebook ads is another way in which you can approach affiliate marketing on Facebook. The benefit of running Facebook ads is obvious: you don’t need to have a fan base on Facebook. Facebook provides you with many targeting options like demographics, interests or behaviors, etc.
If you promote beauty products, you can show your ad solely to women who have expressed an interest in beauty products or who are, for instance, frequent buyers. You don’t need to take time to build a group or page around your targeted audience, you can target potential buyers right away.
As mentioned previously, Facebook allows the use of affiliate links in ads, but you have to be careful about the quality of the product landing page. Furthermore, you should always check that your affiliate program allows promotion via Facebook Ads. Many people make the mistake that they promote Amazon affiliate links on Facebook in spite of the fact that the Amazon Associates Program forbids it.
If you don’t have a website, page or group in which you could promote your links, Facebook ads are an option to get started fast.
However, I would again still recommend creating a website or at least a simple landing page with an opt-in form. If you pay for traffic, it should be even more in your interest to follow up with people who clicked on your ad but didn’t buy. You should always have some kind of opt-in form that allows you to do that.
Of course, this recommendation doesn’t apply to all products. If you promote very low-ticket products, then you can often send people directly to the sales page as the buying decision process is much faster.
Is Facebook Good for Affiliate Marketing?
Facebook is now the largest social media network in the world. In 2012, Facebook had surpassed the 1 billion mark. As of the second quarter of 2018, Facebook had a whopping 2.23 billion monthly active users. That’s almost a third of humanity!
As an affiliate marketer on Facebook, you simply cannot afford to ignore the world’s largest social media channel. Whether you are promoting web hosting or running shoes, there’s an audience for almost all kinds of products and services on Facebook.
Just getting likes is not enough, you also need to engage with your fans on a regular basis. Post too much and your audience will be annoyed by you. Post too little and there’s a high chance you will be forgotten on busy Facebook. You need to find just the right balance.
Typically, one to four posts a week works fine, depending on how content-heavy they are. For instance, if you are publishing entertainment-related posts, you will need to keep the frequency high. On the other hand, share heavy content like videos or articles once a week.
User attention spans are at an all-time low. This means that you should focus on visuals. According to an infographic by Neil Patel, photos get 53 percent more likes, 104 percent more comments and 84 percent more click-throughs.
A ratio of 80-20 works best when employing Facebook for affiliate marketing. This means that 80 percent of your posts should be entertaining or educational, whereas, 20 percent of them can be targeted promotions.
You can also create games, quizzes and word unscrambling challenges. People love them! The idea is to build rapport with your audience and then provide value through your products or services.
Can I Promote Affiliate Links on Facebook Group?
As an affiliate marketer, it makes great sense for you to have a Facebook group. It can prove to be a great marketing strategy. Not only will it help you promote your product or service, it will also help you build a community around it.
Facebook groups help you create a brand name – offering something valuable to your members. You can answer any questions they might have and portray your expertise. By being there for your audience on the Facebook group, you will have many opportunities for networking and forging personal connections.
You surely do not just want to sell once. You want to have loyal customers who keep coming back to you. This is what Facebook group marketing is all about!
Recently, Facebook has rolled out some new features to help make it easier for moderators to monitor and manage groups. Here is a brief summary of the relevant ones:
Membership Request Filtering
The membership request filtering feature allows you to weed out bots or people completely irrelevant to the group. You can require members to answer certain questions, such as ‘Why do you want to join the group?’, ‘How long have you been in the field?’, or ‘What is your email address?’.
As an affiliate marketer, answers to these questions will help you create a focused targeting strategy.
Facebook Group Insights
With the new Facebook Group Insights feature, you can get incredible insights on membership, growth and engagement data. It will help you make data-driven decisions.
Scheduled Post
You should not look to automate the happenings in your groups, as a personal touch is critically important for forming a community. However, scheduling your posts will make life a whole lot easier. It will keep your group busy, but make sure you use it wisely and sparingly.
Member Cleanup
Facebook has made removing members simpler. It does not take multiple steps to eliminate groups members and their content – it’s a one-step process now. This helps you keep your group clean and free from irrelevant stuff.
Which Social Media App is Best for Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing on social media is simple and easy. You need to know your target audience and what intrigues it to thrive in it. Create enticing content to encourage clicks on your posts and affiliate links, generating sales and commissions.
Let’s break down six of the most popular social media platforms and see how you can use them to benefit your affiliate promotions.
YouTube
YouTube is still one of the leading social media platforms, with 2.5 billion active monthly users of all age groups. YouTube is a social media platform and search engine – combined into one. Even without many subscribers, you can easily reach people looking for content relevant to them.
YouTube is the perfect channel for posting:
- Product reviews
- Guides
- How-to videos
- Unboxing videos
- Beauty and fashion videos and more
It all depends on the content type and goals of your YouTube affiliate marketing. Mention the affiliate link in the video or put it in the description below to send viewers directly to your affiliate products. Video marketing is highly beneficial – you don’t even have to be in front of the camera to utilize every bit of it.
If you have links and discount codes in such affiliate niches as food, gym, beauty, travel, or fashion, Instagram affiliate marketing is definitely for you. Promote your affiliate links through videos or regular posts in the most creative way.
- Reels, Stories, IGTV. Grab attention with enticing captions and video content using Instagram Reels and Stories. Present the affiliate product with filters, tags, and other features to highlight the best properties and deals.
- Highlights. Since stories disappear after 24 hours, Instagram has introduced the Highlights feature. Now you can save the Stories for the audience to see in case they missed the premiere.
- Instagram Shop. Switch to a business account on Instagram and list your products on the Catalog to tag them on the shop page for people to click.
- Link in Bio. Bio is the only place you can put a clickable affiliate link on Instagram. It will send customers to your landing page and encourage them to make a purchase.
- Swipe Up. If you have over 10,000 followers on Instagram or want to indulge in paid ads, use the swipe-up feature. It will redirect buyers from your Stories directly to a promoted website just by swiping up.
Facebook is one of the oldest but still highly used social media platforms for promoting affiliate links and products. With many ways of utilizing the platform, you can reach free traffic and convert clicks into sales with creativity and enticing content.
- Facebook Profile. Promote affiliate products and links directly on your account page to generate clicks and shares. If your Facebook presence is strong enough, you can easily use it for advertising affiliate offers and promotions.
- Facebook Page. Create a page for your affiliate links and posts to keep your personal life and Facebook profile separate from the affiliate one. Post product reviews, features, and engaging content – boosted with paid ads.
- Facebook Groups. Joining your niche-related Facebook groups will greatly benefit your business and affiliate marketing strategy. Build a community around your products and establish yourself as a reliable source within the group.
Be sure to read their Advertising Policy before engaging in Facebook affiliate marketing.
Pinterest is most known for providing ideas and inspiration for DIY projects, home decor, and products people want to buy. But this social media platform has great potential because it serves as a search engine as well.
When it comes to Google Search, Pinterest will top all other platforms with its positioning.
When your audience searches for something on Google, Pinterest will most likely be at the top of the results with its image-based content. If you invest your time in utilizing Pinterest right, the results will be worth the effort.
How to implement affiliate marketing links on Pinterest:
- Create product collections
- Post product reviews and descriptions
- Post infographics
- Create checklists
- Post promotional materials
Twitter is mainly for those who can grab attention with a few catchy phrases or words. By limiting users to 280 characters, Twitter requires wit and click-worthy promotions that are straight to the point. While the limitations aren’t for everybody, Twitter is a generous platform with free traffic for your affiliate needs.
- Rely on Humor. While a heartfelt message will do just fine, it’s easier to seduce an audience with humorous content and headlines. They add a human touch to affiliate promotions and put you in a friendlier light.
- Post a Lot. To establish yourself as a reliable, trustworthy source of information, you need to tell potential customers not just about the product but about yourself as well. Give insight into who you are as a person and what makes you an expert in the products and services you promote.
- Use Hashtags. The best way to be found on Twitter is by using hashtags. They help you reach new customers, followers, and leads. Explore trending hashtags and join the party by using them to the fullest.
TikTok
TikTok is your chance to shine through short videos and creativity. Promote affiliate products, links, and unique offers, properly monetize your content, and go viral quickly, even without showing your face on camera.
Research the best times to post on TikTok, follow current trends, add filters and effects to make the most of your posts, and engage an all-ages audience.
Read Also: How to Boost Your CPA Earnings With Email Marketing
While Gen Z mostly dominates this platform, it’s worth trying out, especially if that’s your targeted audience.
How to Pick the Best Social Media Platform for Affiliate Marketing
Go Where Your Customers Are
To become a successful affiliate, you must go to the people instead of waiting for them to find you. Showcase your affiliate products and engage with the right audience by promoting your content where the people already are.
Statistics show that Facebook is the leading social media platform in 2022. So keep that in mind when forming a strategy for your affiliate marketing posts.
Research the Competition
You need to research if your competitors are already promoting the same or similar affiliate products and services. Where are they promoting them? What is the feedback and engagement on different platforms? What can you do differently?
Analyze your competition to make informed decisions and better your affiliate marketing strategy when choosing the right social media platform.
Get to Know Each Platform
There are plenty of social media platforms to try your hand in. But, to truly succeed in affiliate marketing, don’t waste your time and efforts in each of them. Narrow down the list by looking at each platform’s features, pluses, minuses, and limitations.
Research the platforms and decide based on your affiliate products and capabilities. For example, Twitter will limit your posts to 280 characters. If you like to express yourself in detail, that might not be your main platform to promote on.
Come Up With a Content Strategy
To further narrow down your list of social media platforms, come up with a content plan. What kind of content do you want to post, and how often? For example, new TikTok videos should be put up 1-4 times a day, while YouTube suggests posting over three videos per week.
What are you good at? Videos, reels, blog posts, images? Plan your content strategy and use the tools each relevant platform provides to create click-worthy content and drive traffic.
