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Tag: How to startup

  • How to Start an Airbnb Business? (Complete Guide)

    There’s something about those beautiful rooms, appealing colour palettes and the homely feeling that comes with an Airbnb — something that sets it apart, and makes it an ideal option as a short term accommodation for travellers across the globe. The popularity of Airbnb stems from the local experiences that they promise to travellers.

    A unique opportunity for the hosts as well as the travel enthusiasts, Airbnb has grown leaps & bounds over the years, and finally turned into a lucrative business with the potential to offer handsome returns in the long run. Airbnb was the brainchild of Brian Chesky & Joe Gebbia, which was later moulded into Airbnb along with Nathan Blecharczyk in 2008.

    With over a billion guest stays, Airbnb is growing incredibly thanks to the experience they’ve been able to provide to their guests and hosts alike. Airbnb can be termed as an online marketplace that allows hosts to list rental spaces that can be anything from standalone private rooms to entire apartments and houses.

    For those of you who have available space for short term rentals, Airbnb can be a boom — an incredible source of passive income, and even a full-time business if done right!

    What Makes Airbnb, Airbnb?
    Airbnb Hosting — The Business Opportunity
    How to Start With Airbnb as a Host?
    Things to Consider Before Hosting Airbnb
    Steps to Start, Run and Grow Your Airbnb Business

    What Makes Airbnb, Airbnb?

    Well, you have to give it to the options, the availability! Airbnb provides a plethora of options at attractive prices that are well complemented by the top-notch user experience provided by the platform — app & web, alike. Add the caps put in by the COVID-19 pandemic that played upon our mental health and we craved local experiences more than ever, and you’ll know what makes Airbnb click in the first place.

    Right from tree houses to houseboats, Airbnb provides a plethora of unique options to experience your surroundings as a local — something that adds that extra bit of exclusivity to Airbnb and distinguishes it from mainstream hotels.

    Airbnb Hosting — The Business Opportunity

    As per Airbnb, hosts have earned an aggregate of more than $150 billion as of February 2022. As of 31st December 21, an average US host made more than $9000 in annual earnings from the platform.

    Hosting with Airbnb can allow you to travel more often, giving you an opportunity to interact with guests and locals, and even providing you the ability to buy/rent more properties along the journey.

    How to Start With Airbnb as a Host?

    Let us help you out with the first and most integral step — creating a listing. You can get a detailed overview on Airbnb’s official site on how to get started, but the crux of it all is to include the basic information in a well-curated manner, have great, visually appealing pictures that showcase your space, upload and then jot down the key factors that make your space unique and stand out in the first place.

    Airbnb lets you control important variables like — dynamic pricing where you decide how much you want to charge for your listing. This can depend on various factors including the day of the week, time of the year or a season.

    Airbnb also provides a smart pricing assistance tool that comes in handy when you want to set the right price for your space so that it gets booked more often without compromising on profitability. The Smart Pricing tools inculcate a variety of factors including demand, seasonality, festival and time of the year to determine the right pricing for a particular space in a given area.

    Airbnb is effectively free — let’s get this straight! Yes, although the platform doesn’t charge you anything for listing your space, every successful reservation attracts a 3-5% service fee, which is manageable as it takes away the pain of desperation in search for guests.

    Apart from the listing assistance, Airbnb also offers ‘Host Guarantee’ — a ‘one of a kind initiative that may provide up to $1 million in property damage protection. The Host Protection Insurance, on the other hand — covers up to $1 million in liability expenses, a commendable program to protect host rights and their properties from damage. Although some countries are excluded from this program, it is always a good idea to have some additional insurance in place as well.

    Things to Consider Before Airbnb Hosting

    Am I 100% Committed To My Business?

    Before getting started with your Airbnb business and signing up as an Airbnb Host — we want you to know that it is a commitment, a dedicated one. Like any other business, Airbnb demands your time to the core, because you’ll be the one vested with the responsibility to provide great experiences to your guests. There can be logistical and operation hurdles at times that you’ll be expected to overcome and grow, as after all — it’s a decision, not just an option.

    It Demands Time

    Adding to what we’ve already mentioned earlier, creating a successful Airbnb business demands your time and efforts, as you’re expected to respond quickly to booking requests and be available to resolve guest queries that may arise every now & then.

    Taking care of the cleaning and maintenance is another thing that may consume your time when you’re starting out. However, you can always delegate it to others once you think you’ll make enough to sustain it in the long run.

    Hosting Hurdles Ft. Limitations & Neighborhood

    Before you get started, it is important to get a comprehensive idea about municipal laws, lease limitations, moral policing and neighbourhood expectations as these factors can be instrumental in making or breaking your Airbnb business. Depending on where you live or where your space is located, there can be local laws, certifications and licenses that you may need to get hold of, before getting started with your Airbnb journey.

    Plan It Out Before Testing the Waters

    Think of it like a business even if you’re trying to add some extra bucks to your income portfolio. Having a business mindset to start with would help you in plugging any holes or financial leakages that may arise later on, due to improper planning. Create a robust business plan to start with, put in numbers & realistic financial projections based on your expectations and you’re all set to get started with your Airbnb business.

    It is important to ensure proper inclusion of expenditures and overheads like business certification and licenses, insurance, amenities like breakfast & snacks, utilities and internet data costs involved while providing that ideal experience to your guests. It is crucial to maintain an expense sheet that includes all your expenses while running your business.

    When you take hold of these factors and tick all the boxes — congratulations! You’re set to kickstart your journey with Airbnb.

    Steps to Start, Run and Grow Your Airbnb Business

    Stick to the Basics — Mantra for Success

    Well, let’s talk about the basics. Having a well-written description, great photography and high ratings based on guest experiences and hospitality trigger high guest retainers as well. A well-written description never goes out of fashion, and thus never out of business in the long run!

    An ideal listing is one that includes crisp descriptions and basic details comprising who’s and what’s related to the space. Right from the number of rooms and bathrooms, to the amenities included to the nearby attractions and landmarks for tourists and guests — all of these qualify as the ingredients for a winning listing on Airbnb.

    It is important, to be honest, and transparent with any quirks or shortcomings that your space may have. Something like the absence of an elevator or lift, or lack of a 4 wheeler parking space — are certain specifics that an ideal host should be clear and honest about, and should communicate to the guest upfront via your listing description.

    Note: Adding the property’s USPs to your listing title can be a deal maker for your guests. Try it out!

    Who doesn’t loves great pictures? Your photographs for your space can make or break your listing and thus, it is important to be serious and professional about the same. Cleaning your space thoroughly before clicking photos is a good practice as you would want guests to have a positive impression of your space. You can use natural lighting or include professional lighting depending on the dynamics of your property. Landscape shots look better in terms of photography as they give an overall view of the subject involved, and thus you must include a lot of them!

    Let the Ratings Speak — The Booking Magnet

    Nothing speaks louder in an online marketplace than reviews & ratings. Positive reviews not only push you to the top of the list but also fetch you more bookings as more customers and guests trust you and your services for the right reasons. Positive reviews at Airbnb improve your host rating and helps you leave a lasting first impression among guests.

    As per Airbnb, cleanliness, efficient & quick communication, a seamless check-in process and essential amenities are integral in getting positive reviews.

    Conclusion

    Lastly, when you’re all prepared to host with Airbnb and you’ve found your mojo already — it is time to let it bloom into a full-time venture. Depending upon your endeavours and plans, you can grow your business further by adding more properties and catering to each listing differently via varied approaches.

    After all, Airbnb is about making some extra income with your spaces and properties, that may otherwise have been left idle. With Airbnb, it is about you and upon you — to decide whether it is just another part-time gig or a full-time hustle to accomplish bigger things.

    FAQs

    Is Airbnb a good way to make money?

    Yes, Airbnb is a great way to earn some extra income, Airbnb owners make $924 a month.

    How much do most Airbnb owners make?

    On average Airbnb business owners make $5000/year.

  • How to Start Amazon FBA Business in 2022? (Beginners Guide)

    They say, there are hundreds of ways to make money on the internet. Rightly so, there are. From freelancing to starting up your own e-commerce business on the internet — there’s so much you can accomplish via the web. If you aren’t living in a cave, you must have heard about Amazon’s Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) business model, something that has quickly turned into a rage among online sellers.

    Step 1: Pick That First Product That You Think Will Be a Winner
    Step 2: Sourcing The New Product
    Step 3: Market Your Product Extensively

    Amazon FBA Business — what it is all about?

    So, let’s assume you’re an online seller. Now, think of a setup where you get to choose the products you want to sell, along with the supplier who can meet the requirements, source, package and ship the same. All of this happens in one of Amazon’s fulfilment centres, where Amazon takes care of shipping from where things are taken care of.

    Amazon FBA Homepage
    Amazon FBA Homepage

    No folks, it ain’t exactly the Amazon Affiliate thing. This is slightly different!

    There are a few important things that one needs to grasp before starting the much enticing Amazon’s FBA business. However, the journey can be highly rewarding and fruitful if you get the basics right. It does come with its own share of pros and cons but that doesn’t take anything away from the fact that FBA provides a huge platform for sellers to make it big on the internet. Take a look at the pricing of the Amazon FBA.

    Now that you’ve finalized the FBA business — knowing how to start FBA is important because it is where the money lie, let’s get that straight!

    Before you ask yourself the much-coveted question — ‘ How can I launch an FBA business and make it successful? ‘, we have the answer! Let’s get a quick hold of the important steps to start one. Here they are:

    Step 1: Pick That First Product That You Think Will Be a Winner

    Well, It is time when you tone down your excitement and start researching for that one starter product — one winner that can be a potential game-changer for you. It must be noted that the first step is perhaps the hardest, as well as the most time-consuming part of the whole process as it demands a whole lot of research and study to get to that one product.

    Nah! We don’t want you to take unnecessary pressure and be intimidated by the ask, but getting the right first product is integral for the growth that you’ve always imagined for yourself and your business.

    The right product can simplify the journey ahead while picking the wrong one can make things tougher in the long run. If there’s little to negligible demand for your product, if the niche is super-competitive and the cost price is on the higher side — then it may have a negative impact on your profitability.

    However, you can avoid all of it by devoting time to product research, rigorous brainstorming and zeroing down upon the right suppliers (more on that in the next step).

    Note: Getting the right product isn’t just enough, as it marks the beginning of a continuous trial and error mechanism that will polish you and your business for what works and what doesn’t.

    So, even if you get that potential winner — always remember there’ll always be better products or better suppliers for the same. But, at the end of the day, you need to remember that everything starts from something and this is your chance!

    Pick a Market That Excites You, and Finalize Upon a Niche

    Think Big, Start Small.

    Start with what excites you, problems or products that you’re passionate about and then let your brain produce a brainchild — something that will lead to that one ‘winning product’.

    It is important not to confine yourself while brainstorming. Think broadly and think differently — write your ideas down. You can always narrow them down later, so do not hesitate.

    It is good to finalize upon a niche, rather than targetting broader categories as the competition is relatively less, and there’s more scope for growth and profitability in the long run. A product line based on ‘Electronics’ can be too broad to create the right kind of positioning but a niche like ‘smart wearables’ can help you position your business better.

    Do a Lot of Market Research — Do it. A lot of it

    Okay, so you’ve picked something that excites you! Great, now it is time you start indulging in some preliminary research for your product or niche. Start asking yourself questions, and keep looking for answers. This is when you can change yourself to find products that are potential problem-solvers for real-world problems related to your niche.

    Let’s assume that you’ve decided upon this electronic neck massager. Your search can start from something as simple as googling about it. You can also search major marketplaces to check the list prices for this particular product.

    Does your product belong to that $8 to $40 bracket? If so, it is a positive sign for your business since products that fall into that bracket make up for great ‘impulsive’ purchases. This shall help you to stock up accordingly.

    You can upscale your research game by using tools that make the job easy for you to finalize that one potential winner. For example, you can use tools like Ahrefs for keyword research, analysing traffic on a particular keyword and coming up with the right kind of products based on traffic and footfalls on a given keyword. This can be instrumental in finalizing that perfect product title.

    Next, you can check Best Seller Ratings (BSRs) on Amazon to understand what sells well on Amazon. Don’t let this metric determine your decisions. Rather, consider it as a validation for your niche. However, if there are too many items dominating a category, it may imply that there’s too much competition in that given category and it may be harder for your first product to breakthrough.

    Using advanced tools like Jungle Scout and Helium10 can simplify this step and ensure effective market research that helps you upscale.

    Avoid Competition — It Is Good but Not for Starters

    Think of it this way. You wouldn’t want a crazy amount of competition rooting behind your first product because — it is your first product! No points for guessing, you would want a pretty smooth and seamless journey to establish yourself in the FBA business, and sadly — a competitive niche or category won’t be aiding you.

    If there are big brands established for a particular product or niche, it is generally a red signal to get into that category as at times — categories are known by the brands leading them which also means that you’ve to accomplish or offer something miraculous with your product or marketing to breakthrough. Although, we would always want you to think big and make it big, breaking into categories with ‘brand whales’ can be tough, to say the least!

    Selling via a private label can go a long way in starting and succeeding in an FBA business as it doesn’t just give you more freedom while running your business but also gives you a better shot at marketing your product to the top of the listings. All of us love brands and their marketing endeavours for a reason. Right?

    Step 2: Sourcing The New Product

    So, now that you’ve addressed the elephant in the room, and figured out what your product would be — another challenge awaits. The key is to figure out the source of your product — the suppliers.

    Find a Reliable Supplier

    Suppliers with a good reputation, great production facilities and on-time delivery commitments are crucial for the growth of your FBA business. As it all depends upon the cost, it is generally a good idea to get products from countries that are known for affordable production pricing like China and India.

    If your supplier manufactures another range of products as well, then it may be a wise idea to be in their good books backed by good behaviour and on-time payments as they can be crucial for the growth of your FBA business.

    Cracking the ‘Shipping’ dilemma

    Sourcing and shipping are largely interrelated as sourcing would be influenced by the shipping terms i.e. by train, by air or by cargo. For domestic shipments, air and trains are generally preferred whereas international terms include water shipment and cargo, as international sellers operate in some of the most competitively priced markets, and hence shipment via water becomes a no-brainer.

    Step 3: Market Your Product Extensively

    Picked a product, and found a supplier too? Damn! Things look great but then you realise that the crucial part would be to market it the right way so that the right kind of audience reaches out to get connected with your brand.

    A listing on Amazon does guarantee some eyeballs here and there, but the real deal lies in the fact that the positioning can mostly make or break the product for you. The right marketing mix can help your product grow leaps and bounds on Amazon and that is what we want. Isn’t it?

    Get a Winning Product Description That Rakes in Traction

    We are sure you’ve figured out the mechanism and your product too looks absolutely incredible. That is for sure! However, as sellers we want our customers to understand our mission, vision, culture and what we tend to market through our products and the product description goes a long long way in establishing all of that and even more.

    The copywriting, SEO, pictures and detailed product page are crucial for the success of an FBA business. Remember, Great product descriptions succeed at establishing a connection with their masses in ways that conversions start following automatically.

    Running Ads and getting PPC campaigns to help in establishing the connection between you and your audience. Right from product reviews to the ads, every aspect of the brand’s decision-making revolves around those who’ve used it — the customers in the first place.

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    Conclusion

    Once you get hold of all of the above, there’s nothing that would stop you from making it big, and that is the beauty of this era.

    FAQs

    Is it still worth starting Amazon FBA?

    If you are just started selling on Amazon and only sell your products on Amazon, Amazon FBA is worth the money. However, It can be quite expensive for sellers who have low-profit margins.

    How much does the average Amazon seller make?

    An average Amazon seller makes $1000 to $5000 a month.

    How much does it cost to start an Amazon business?

    You need to have at least $5000 to $10,000 to start selling on Amazon.

  • How to Start Freelancing in 2022? (Complete Beginners Guide)

    Let’s face it. A job can be highly demanding at times. Considering all the nuances of work and how important work-life balance has become over the years — choosing the right kind of career that allows financial as well as social freedom is crucial. There are many questions that arise when we embark on the journey to build our careers, and ‘Freelancing’ as a career option seems like an answer to most of them, if not all.

    There are perks that come with everything in this universe. Freelancing is no different. The flexibility, the freedom and the adrenaline push that something as spontaneous as freelancing gives to an individual are second to none.

    The freedom to the plugin at your own convenience at any time, anywhere is a major influencer, as it opens up a plethora of possibilities for individuals. There are perks, there are golden nuggets, indeed. But, then just when you were diving into the pros associated with the freelance mode — the question takes over: How to start as a freelancer?

    Well, we’ve got the answers. Get your notebook, grab the pen or simply bookmark this — as this will be the only manual you’ll ever need to start as a freelancer in 2022. Read on!

    How to Start as a Freelancer?
    Things to Keep In Mind While Working as a Freelancer

    How to Start as a Freelancer?

    Identify Your Purpose — Your Calling

    What makes you freelance in the first place? Is it just another gig generating machine for you, something that you want to get into for the sheer experience or considering freelancing as the replacement for your existing job or business?

    No matter what the questions are, the answer lies in the freedom that comes with ‘freelancing’ as a career, overall. The freedom of choice is what makes this appealing, and we are sure you love both — freedom and the choices.

    What Can I Do Better Than Others — My Offering & Services?

    Identify your skills. Discover what you can do better than others. Are you good with writing, or you’ve got a great voice? Figure out what works well for you — something that can be converted into a service.

    Turning your skills into a marketable service is the stepping stone towards a freelancing career that you can be proud of. Understand the pain points of your prospective clients, what daunts them and how you can make a difference?

    It is integral to understand that clients look for solutions to their existing problems, or challenges that they face in their business. A successful freelancer often steps into the shoes of his/her client to identify the hurdles and then comes up with a solution to address the same. How you address the issue, and what you offer — define your journey in this space. A brief description, a CV and a freelancer profile are some prerequisites before you crack onto the pricing.

    Who Needs Me? It Is Time I Find My Target Audience

    “Phew. I’ve got a skill that I can market and sell, but… to whom?”

    You have to ask yourself questions, in order to get the answers right. Now that you’ve got a skill that you can offer, it is important to identify the potential fit for your service. Your target audience will be instrumental in your journey as a freelancer. Your target market may have the same set of problems or identical characteristics confined to a specific industry — things that are important to get hold of, before embarking on the journey.

    I Am Everywhere — Reach Out to Your Prospective Clients

    You’re good at something? Great. But, is that enough? No. When you’re new to the freelancing arena — you’ve to be vocal about your services and the positioning statement to top it all.

    Getting your first few adaptors can be tough, clients who trust you and work with you. However, freelancers can reach out to potential clients through a number of channels, whether it be the generic freelance posting platforms, networks and the ‘word of mouth’ instrument or the traditional, cold outreach.

    Everyone has their own mantras that work for them. As a beginner, the onus rests upon you to find yours.

    It Is Time When I Ace the Price — Getting Your Pricing Right

    Pricing Structure
    Pricing Structure

    Service — sorted. Target Market — done! What’s next? Well, it is time we start talking about the money in the bank, lol!

    There are brackets, categories and market conditions that may influence your pricing structure, but the key is to analyse, adapt and ace — in the end. Analyse what other freelancers are charging for similar kinds of service, be adaptive with your pricing and ace the game with a pricing structure that helps you reap the profits without compromising on the flexibility.

    Your pricing may depend on various factors, including the likes of experience, industry, project timeline, complexity, list of deliverables, urgency as well as the location that you’re operating.

    There are no formulas here. No set of rules or norms that confine you to a specific pricing structure. Thus, it is better to not overthink it and start with a price that you’re comfortable with. There’s no bar for your pricing and growth — as you can always modify it in the future, so getting started is the key.

    Flaunt Your Skills — Assembling a Lucrative Portfolio

    Flaunt Your Skills
    Flaunt Your Skills

    They say you’re as good as your work. Rightly so, a great portfolio works wonders for your profile and career as a whole. An ideal portfolio showcases your work and your achievements and signifies the quality of your work and the things you’re capable of.

    Your portfolio should speak about your expertise, the kind of work you do and what the client can expect if he/she works with you. A strong portfolio is the culmination of case studies, testimonials, mockups and everything that concretes the superior work quality of the freelancer. Now, when you know it all — start flaunting.

    What’s Better Than a Great Proposal?

    When you know about your abilities, skills and what you can do — feel free to chalk things out and come up with an intriguing proposal that they can’t refuse or wouldn’t want to. The right kind of proposal can land you that gig of your dreams, so it is time you be considerate about it.

    An ideal proposal also duplicates as a sales or offers a copy of your services, and hence, a lot of effort should go into it. The key is to establish a friendly tone without losing professionalism and your proposal needs to do just that, again and again.

    The Currency of Relationships Ft. The Clients

    As freelancers, your clients are your livelihood. They are whom you do business with, the ones who’ll endorse you and be with you in the long run. It goes without saying, a positive relationship with your client is what would make or break you in the sector. While a good & healthy relationship would mean recurring business opportunities and great referrals, a negative reputation can quickly make you irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

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    Things to Keep In Mind While Working as a Freelancer

    It is important to keep the following in mind while working as a freelancer:

    Nothing Beats Great Work, Ever

    Good work outlasts everything else. Understanding clients’ problems and solving them with your services goes a long way in establishing a long term relationship between both parties.

    Communicating Is the Key

    Communication is a powerful medium to establish long-lasting business relationships and make clients hold on to you for the future as well.

    Consistency Above Everything Else

    On-time delivery and uniform consistency go a long way in building trust so that clients can count on you for the future as well.

    Under Promise, Over Deliver

    Going out of your way to produce excellent work doesn’t just benefit the client but also affirms your position as a great asset to any team, company or business.

    Conclusion

    With all of the above being mentioned, freelancing continues to be relevant and is expected to grow at an unprecedented pace in 2022 as well. However, considering all of it — as an individual, the ball is in your court. It is up to you to decide how you want your career to shape amidst all the competition and demand. Freelancing is here to stay, and it is not an option. It is a decision. An integral one.

    FAQs

    Which work is best for beginner freelancers?

    Bookkeepers, Social media managers, Graphic designers, Photographers / Videographers, and Video editors are some of the most in-demand work beginner freelancers can get into.

    How can a freelancer start with no experience?

    Create an outstanding portfolio, get the pricing right, reach out to clients, use a freelance platform to find gigs, and build a positive relationship with your clients.

    Is freelancing a good option for beginners?

    Freelancing is a great career option for beginners but finding gigs in the first few months or years can be difficult.

  • A Complete Guide on Affiliate Marketing for Beginners

    It looks like magic. Isn’t it? Set up a website, add a few affiliate links, and boom — you unlock an income stream that promises to stay and grow with you!

    Affiliate marketing has been a promising revenue stream and a lucrative career as many bloggers have been raking in big mullahs with some even making six to seven-figure income every year via affiliate marketing. With that being said, not everyone makes it big with affiliate marketing but the right tips and strategies can push you towards better possibilities.

    Before we dive into the ways to get started as a beginner with affiliate marketing, let’s try and understand what it actually means. Here we go:

    Affiliate Marketing — Understanding the Basics
    How to Get Started in Affiliate Marketing Business?

    Affiliate Marketing — Understanding the Basics

    In simple terms, affiliate marketing refers to the process of earning in the form of commissions, every time you drive a sale by promoting products that may belong to a company, network or channel, overall. With affiliate marketing, the payment only happens when there’s a positive sales conversion which constitutes the core of affiliate marketing.

    While everyone’s been daydreaming about affiliate marketing and how they’ll be getting their dream car and dream house with the affiliate income, things aren’t as simple as they may seem at the first glance. Before getting to know how to embark on your journey in affiliate marketing, it is important to know where to get started.

    There’s a lot of research involved here — right from finding the right kind of merchant partners you can bank upon to getting hold of high commission affiliate programs. To make things easy, here’s a checklist that will help you embark on your journey as an affiliate marketer. Keep reading!

    How to Get Started in Affiliate Marketing Business?

    1. Identify Your Niche

    Have your own space, and ace it. Every affiliate marketer out there operates in their own specific niches, as you influence the right kind of audience along the way. Marketers who target too many niches at once become irrelevant as their positioning statement falls flat.

    So, discovering your target audience is crucial as it lays the foundation for your affiliate marketing journey. Whereas the right niche can make things smooth & easy, targeting the wrong niche can make life tougher for you as an affiliate marketer.

    2. Understand The Market Demand

    Market Demand
    Market Demand

    It’s important to understand the market demand for your niche. When you embark upon the affiliate marketing journey, it is important to ask yourself questions like:

    • Are people really interested in my niche, or will they search for it?
    • Is the demand consistent for my niche?
    • Is there a lot of competition involved in the category?

    Getting answers to these questions will help you figure out what works for consumers and what doesn’t. You can make use of tools like Google Trends that showcase how frequently a user searches about a particular topic on a scale from 0 to 100.

    Validating the market demand is the stepping stone toward a successful affiliate marketing career. If there’s consistent demand for your product or niche, you’re more likely to succeed in the long run.

    3. Competition — Where Things Get Tricky

    Business Competition
    Business Competition

    If there’s a lot of competition in your niche, things can quickly get tricky for you as more competition isn’t always better.

    In order to understand the level of competition in a particular category/niche, one can use keyword research tools like Kwfinder, Ubersuggest and SEMrush to quantify Google searches and understand the level of competition.

    4. Affiliate Programs — Cracking the Right Ones

    Niche? Done. Competition? Analysed. Great!

    When you’ve done your homework right, back it up with the right kind of research for the ideal affiliate programs for your niche. This is where whatever you’ve learnt as an individual comes into play. Picking up the right programs not only increases your chances of being successful but also gives you an opportunity to maximise profits (commissions) alongside.

    ‘Well I understand but what is an Affiliate Marketing Program — in the first place?’

    Ah. Let us explain!

    Affiliate marketing programs are the platforms that act as the bridge between merchants and affiliates. These programs provide a common platform for both the parties to commence their relationship and grow along the journey.

    However, there are a few questions that demand answers here. They are:

    • How much commission am I going to make from this program, highly likely?
    • Can I relate to the programs and the brands that are a part of it?
    • What kind of merchants is on board with the affiliate program?

    It is important to understand that identifying the right kind of program is integral to your success. These affiliate programs provide you with the opportunity to build profitable partnerships — something that we shouldn’t miss out on.

    5. Affiliate Marketing Methods — Choosing the Right Method

    How do I showcase the right content to my audience, so that it converts to sales and thus — commissions!

    Well, there are different ways through which one can accomplish the goal. However, at this outset — let’s talk about the most popular ones.

    • Running blogs, creating websites & promoting across marketplaces.
    • Running paid ads & Social media.

    The mentioned ways may seem limited but they quality as among the most legit ways to do affiliate marketing.

    Although many may argue that a website isn’t needed to start with affiliate marketing, having one is an absolute no-brainer owing to the kind of flexibility it allows. It can not only land you better programs but also help you be successful by creating multiple revenue models backed by profitability. A domain, hosting and an email address is all that you need to get started with your website.

    6. Content Is the Kingdom — Own It

    The phrase ‘Content is the king’ never gets old for obvious reasons — as it addresses the elephant in the room, the fact that there’s no substitute for great content. However, consistency is that key that makes us understand that it ain’t the king, but the whole kingdom. No rules, no algorithm &  nothing — confines great content as the whole of the internet becomes the stage for a great piece of content.

    Being consistent and coming up with great content is what is going to make you stay relevant in the long term. There should be something that keeps people hooked on to your website, product or niche and content seems to be that missing piece of the puzzle for affiliate marketers and blog owners.

    You need not go bonkers with your vocabulary to produce a great piece of content. It can be something as simple as this article that may do the trick for you. This is because, at the end of the day, it is all about delivering value in some way or the other. But what kind of content makes things easy for an affiliate marketer? Now, that you’ve got the right niche and a beautiful website — it is time you crack the content game!

    Here’s how one can zero down upon the right kind of content:

    Product Reviews: Writing product reviews about different products and services from your niche, qualify as one of the most effective strategies to ace the game of affiliate marketing. Brands are constantly looking for product reviews that convert customers, so writing content around the same can be a wise decision for obvious reasons.

    When done well, this can quickly turn your website into a revenue generation machine. So, better be serious about it!

    Blog Posts: Much like product reviews, blog posts are a great way to convert your visitors into potential customers for your affiliate products. By addressing common problems or issues faced by your target market, you can position yourself to make crucial recommendations in the future to your visitors — which can eventually convert into sales.

    List of Affiliate Networks to find best Affiliate Programs
    Affiliate networks help you to find the most suitable affiliate program related to your content. Here are the best affiliate networks you should be using.
    StartupTalkyAlan Joseph

    Conclusion

    Consistency and Quality is the key to both content and affiliate marketing as a whole. Maintaining a constant quality that makes readers trust you plus endorsing the right products and niches, would go a long way in making your affiliate marketing journey — fruitful and rewarding.

    There are other mediums too, through which you can start as an affiliate marketer whether it be google and Facebook ads, emails, social media, groups, professional networks or sites like YouTube and Twitter where you as an affiliate marketer, can build an audience over the time and convert it later on, by influencing them to purchase your products and services, thus — driving sales.

    However, it is important not to expand into many mediums all at once as the consistency is a product of focus, dedication and timing — things that’ll determine your journey as an affiliate marketer in the times to come.

    FAQs

    How do I start affiliate marketing as a beginner?

    Identify your niche, understand market demand, and choose the right affiliate program.

    Is it easy to become an affiliate marketer?

    Getting into affiliate marketing is easy but excelling in it is not easy.

    How much money can you make as an affiliate marketer?

    You can make $150 to $300 per day, some experienced marketers also make $1000 a day.