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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
Some statistics claim that YouTube is the #2 search engine right behind Google. But wait, YouTube isn’t even a search engine, is it? Some estimate that more searches are done on YouTube than other prominent search engines, aka Yahoo and Bing. Others argue that case because YouTube receives the most traffic right after Google.
Allegations aside, we all know people love to watch videos. So, how as an affiliate marketer, can you make money with these videos? Here are some simple suggestions:
In This Post:
Have Your Own YouTube Channel
Nowadays one doesn’t even need a webcam as many people use their smartphones to capture great video content. Need content suggestions? Do a product review and add a link to buy that particular product in the video itself as well as in the description area. I suggest using a URL shortener for your affiliate link and keep your description short so the link appears without a visitor having to click “Show more”. Be sure to add your keywords as tags as well as in the title of the video while still being creative and informational about what your video is about.
Think creating a quality video is too hard? I’ve personally ordered dozens of videos from Fiverr. You can get website reviews, comedies acts, anything really for only $5. You can provide the script or just give the “actor” bullet points. Then upload to YouTube using the same tactics from above.
Here’s one of the first review videos I ever bought from Fiverr.
Embed Videos Within Your Own Content
Adding videos to your existing website or blog is a great way to engage and interact with your visitors. And inviting visitors to click through with a call-to-action within the video is even more intriguing.
ShareASale is currently the only network I know of that actually offers video creative. Many merchants offer videos to embed, and I have to admit I was quite surprised at how high some of their EPCs were! What I really like is that those videos also have a “Share” functionality within them to interact with Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Stumbleupon besides the ability to click anywhere and be taken instantly to the specific merchant page. ShareASale also offers a Make-A-Video feature to add “Cue Points” to your own videos to display product information with affiliate links on the sidebar of the video during playback.
Let’s say you like the videos that a particular merchant (that isn’t in ShareASale) already offers? You can search YouTube for your favorite merchant and find a video with a high amount of views. You can then embed any YouTube video on your website or blog and add affiliate links to those videos. Two services that I’ve used to do such are LinkedTube, which is free and easy to use, and ViewBix which offers a free version as well as a more powerful paid version with more features.
This is a video from AMI Clubwear’s youtube channel embedded with an affiliate link using LinkedTube with my own verbiage.
How Do You Monetize Videos With Affiliate Links?
- Sign up for an affiliate program: Identify an affiliate program that aligns with your niche and audience. Some popular affiliate programs include Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and ClickBank.
- Create an affiliate link: Once you are signed up for an affiliate program, create a unique affiliate link for the product or service you want to promote. This link will be used to track any sales made through your YouTube video.
- Add the affiliate link to your video description: Include the affiliate link in your video description so viewers can easily click through to the product or service you are promoting. Be sure to disclose that the link is an affiliate link and that you will earn a commission if they make a purchase through your link.
- Promote your video: Promote your video through social media, email, and other channels to reach a wider audience and increase the chances of earning affiliate commissions.
- Analyze your performance: Track the performance of your videos and affiliate links to see which videos are generating the most clicks and sales. Use this information to improve your future videos and optimize your affiliate marketing strategy.
