If you mention a product or service in an article and you link it to an affiliate link, you are actively doing affiliate article marketing. And while the point is to inform readers about a possible resource or a professional opinion on whether or not they use a product or service – ultimately it would be nice if we got paid from the referral link we include in the article(s).
The problem is — how many of us are actually checking behind our affiliate partners to see whether or not we are getting paid? You’d be surprised about how many people forget what affiliate programs they promote or have recently checked their paypal accounts for any recent transactions from a particular vendor. A lot of us are guilty of that. Me too.
I think a lot of us simply don’t have the time to keep up with it, or we “trust” our affiliate partners a little too much and believe that the money will be deposited in our Paypal accounts or we’ll get an affiliate check soon — but then soon turns into 6 months.
Luckily now, I work with clients and have relationships with folks on my list, so that they say to me point blank:
“Hey Lisa, I purchased the XXXX that you recommended last week. Make sure you get your commission.”
Honestly, if my members weren’t so diligent about making sure I get my fair cut, I don’t know how many affiliate partners that I have had in the past would still be making money from my affiliate article marketing recommendations but still not paying me.
And these were not fly by night marketers. These were folks who have been making money for years on the web and really should know that once a month they have to pay out their affiliates. But for whatever reason – weren’t. Needless to say, I do not recommend those affiliates anymore. I only recommend products and services that I use or have used AND who I know have an active affiliate and honest program for recruiting, affiliate tools, and payments.
That’s why I prefer to use Clickbank to administer my affiliate program, because the affiliate payment is taken automatically out of the purchase price and affiliates are paid every month (based on their payment threshold). I don’t have to hire an entire affiliate team to handle that part for me, my affiliates are paid on time, and that’s how you begin to build an affiliate relationship that is enjoyable and productive for both parties.
So the next time you write an affiliate article marketing article, remember to recommend products and services that you use, trust, and remember to keep track of sales and payments. If that is too much work for you, then you may want to only recommend products via an affiliate program such as Clickbank.
I know! It really chaps my hide how some people just keep your affiliate earnings. One person, who will remain nameless, has owed me $50 for awhile now. Since he’s rather ostentatious about how well he’s doing, it bothers me that his affiliates have to harangue him for payment. I’ve always paid my affiliates on time … even when that means I had to do without myself. It’s just the right thing to do.
.-= Carma Spence-Pothitt´s last blog ..Post Press Releases for Free =-.
So true Carma. It’s really annoying – in fact I am seriously thinking about creating a list of folks who pay their affiliates on time – all the time, to save us all a headache!
I know! It really chaps my hide how some people just keep your affiliate earnings. One person, who will remain nameless, has owed me $50 for awhile now. Since he’s rather ostentatious about how well he’s doing, it bothers me that his affiliates have to harangue him for payment. I’ve always paid my affiliates on time … even when that means I had to do without myself. It’s just the right thing to do.
.-= Carma Spence-Pothitt´s last blog ..Post Press Releases for Free =-.
So true Carma. It’s really annoying – in fact I am seriously thinking about creating a list of folks who pay their affiliates on time – all the time, to save us all a headache!