written by Khatabook | January 27, 2022

Guide to Starting An Affiliate Marketing Business in India

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Table of Content


Want to earn a passive income that is assured and easy to start up with? Indian affiliate marketers can show you the way to earn through becoming an affiliate of a company looking to boost its sales through advertising. How to start affiliate marketing in India? A company deals directly with the party while paying the affiliate a finder-fee or commission, which boosts the affiliate to earn more, advertise more among their circle, and bring in new customers. Read on to understand the fundamentals and more of affiliate marketing.

Did you know?

The average conversion rate for affiliate marketing is about 1% of the total sales. This figure is not proven because most affiliates keep their conversion rates undisclosed and avoid competition in an already competitive field.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Earning money is legal and simple through affiliate marketing channels in India. Affiliate marketing caters to selling services or products and is a performance-oriented advertising technique used in internet and social media marketing. It depends on the merchant, network, affiliate or publisher, and the final customer. In this easy earning way, the affiliate searches for a good product and promotes it among their network, relatives, friends, and each sale earns a commission. The popular methods used are blogging, social networking, SMS marketing, email campaigns, and more.

Since the companies earn well from the increased sales, they pay the affiliates well. Today the Indian marketing scenario is full of affiliate marketers, partly because it is a huge market with potential for various goods. Also, digital marketing and social media usage have increased its penetration, making this a well-paid opportunity.

Requisites of Affiliate marketing

How to start an affiliate marketing business? To start, you need the following.

  • A “.com” or relevant level domain on any well-recognised platform based on your budget, interest, and target audience.
  • A minimum audience of 300-400 visitors to your website or blog.
  • A suitable integrated affiliate program for your website or blog.

Apart from this, affiliate marketing needs a long term plan to earn a passive income. These commissions only trickle in through successful clicks by the customer on your catchy advertisements of the product. Thus, as an entrepreneur, you must stay focussed, work on it daily and be creative to multiply the earnings.

Also Read: How to Make Money using Bitcoin in India?

Why do you need an Affiliate Marketer?

So what’s the difference between an affiliate marketing merchant and an affiliate marketer? The Affiliate Marketing Merchant is the product creator and seller wanting to sell products to a mass audience. The affiliate marketer is the person who sells the affiliate marketing merchant’s products on several digital platforms on behalf of the merchant. Due to this, an e-commerce affiliate merchant needs an affiliate marketer to sell the products over a variety of internet platforms to reach the customer base. 

But, how to do affiliate marketing in India? Often the affiliate has multiple email lists and websites for marketing the products on the e-commerce platform. Advertising and promotions are run by the affiliates using the websites, text, email lists, banners and website links placed in the ads on a popular video, article, blog or image. 

The affiliate merchant pays the affiliate a fixed percentage of the sale price as a commission whenever the sale or a click occurs. The affiliate is hired to boost sales, and the payment is generally on the number of clicks it produces. Modern times have many fraudsters manipulating the number of impressions or clicks using technological evolution. Thus, to drive the sales figures, it is necessary to use a genuine affiliate marketer who can produce genuine results and not just clicks.

How can I start affiliate marketing?

  • Select your product for promotion:

You need to choose a specific product from the e-commerce store that makes it easy to match your audience’s tastes and likes. After all, you or a store sells a specific product and not the entire range of products available in it. So, you must select the product you want to promote wisely.

  • Create your website: 

Your website is the most effective way to promote diverse products. Though you can use an affiliate link program, there’s nothing more genuine and direct than your website for affiliate marketing in India. Making your website can channelise the affiliate marketing program by increasing the traffic and promoting products on your website. Remember that your customers need to build a long-lasting relationship based on trust when buying products from you and your recommendations. 

  • Use an Affiliate Program: 

Sign up for a reliable affiliate program in India with the best commissions for your category of products. Inform them and get the approval of your promotional plans and website address though you may not have added any content to your website as yet.

  • Choose and market your product: 

Check the best selling products and choose wisely from those in demand, as they are easier to promote. Next, define your product in detail. There are several ways to define products and ensure your affiliate links always offer your customers the best deals. Try the following:

  • Use the ‘How to’ with content.

  • Use article reviews that help people decide why they should buy a particular product.

  • Use comparisons of similar products to show why your product is superior.

  • Use your content summary to make a wish list of products helpful to other customers.

  • Use discounts and offers with your product codes sharing the best deals with customers.

Advantages of affiliate marketing

Why are affiliate marketing India online programs beneficial? In today's marketing scenario, online advertising is flexible, provides an excellent audience, and earns you a fantastic sum through affiliate marketing. Some of the positive factors of this marketing process are: 

It is cost-effective: One of the biggest advantages is that affiliate marketing is affordable and doesn’t break the bank to set up. The merchant need not spend on salespeople, and the total reach of the product and its sales shoot up through affiliate marketing. 

Successful ads pay well: The affiliates get their ongoing commission based on the per-click basis turning their ads into sales. However, the unsuccessful ads that do not promote the product well do not get paid for. Hence, it is important that you market the product with the flair of a seasoned salesperson.

Better search engine ranking: The ranking on a search engine is linked to the popularity of your content and the adverts placed on your site. The more your content gets views, your search rank also goes up. Rely on adverts of the same or relevant product category and watch your clicks increase your page ranking.

You have independent control: Creating your affiliate marketing program on your website provides you control over your earnings. You can be the owner, entrepreneur and boss of this business. 

You get a passive income: How much do affiliate marketers make in India? You earn money even when you sleep! Even if you are working, or are a student or a homemaker, you can earn a passive income through affiliate marketing. The best part is that your earnings never decline as long as your efforts draw in the customers.

No marketing kit needed: Being an affiliate, your merchant provides you with promotional material, banners and ads, saving you from expensive marketing kits and budgets. 

Flexible and convenient: You can create multiple websites, ads, affiliate programs, campaigns etc., for each category of products, websites, landing pages and blogs for better results. Thus, your earnings from a well-diversified affiliate program remain convenient, flexible and dependent on your efforts.

Large earnings: Looking to make millions? It’s possible in affiliate marketing with appropriate tactics, strategy and authentic marketing measures. Many people who started early are already earning millions, not in Indian Rupees but US Dollars!

Don’t worry about customer interest: Customer retention and management is a big hassle. As an affiliate, your job is to increase the clicks and earn your commissions through effective banners, ads, content etc.  Once you earn the click, the post-sale team of the merchant services it; just answer all queries promptly and ensure better page rankings and SEO rankings. There is no need to worry about the customer's interest once the service team takes over post the customer's clicking on the advertisement.

Disadvantages of affiliate marketing

The affiliate marketing programs India also have some disadvantages, as described below:

It’s a long-term business strategy: Affiliate marketing India is no short term strategy but is a long-term process to earn money. It may take many months to get on the business track and earn your first commissions. 

Lose focus: There is no routine, pre-decided targets or agenda as a freelancer in affiliate marketing. Plus, being your boss may mean complacency and losing focus. This is one of the biggest disadvantages, especially since the income may start only after a long time.

Long-term fixed commissions: The commissions remain fixed as per the agreement and earn a passive income in the long term. It can get frustrating to wait for a long time without a proper strategy in the long run. For example, the Amazon affiliate program commissions remain fixed over several years. Always read your agreement carefully to understand the impact of such long-term clauses. 

High competition: With affiliate marketing showing high demand, some websites go the affiliate marketing way one day or another. The field is truly competitive, and only determination to win and earn big counts.

Customer base establishment: Establishing a loyal customer base that trusts your recommendation can take years in affiliate marketing. But once established, the affiliate marketing websites India returns always exceed expectations. 

Quantity-based approach: As with all businesses, there are spammers in affiliate marketing campaigns who mislead clients with their content with a short-term goal of achieving volume-based sales. Trust and consistency count in the long run, so stay focused and avoid such affiliate programs.

Also Read: Highest Paying PTC Sites in India

Conclusion

There are various sources for becoming affiliates of good affiliate marketing companies in India like Flipkart, Amazon, Share a Sale, Commission Junction and more. There are also several ways to win customers over and earn money with affiliate marketing in India. For example, try email marketing, paid and free advertising, etc. Overall the Indian market is great for earning through affiliate marketing in the long run. 

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FAQs

Q: What is the Link Cloaking technique?

Ans:

The Link cloaking technique is used to shorten long affiliate or company URLs. The customer finds the link easy to understand, read and remember.

Q: What is a Landing Page?

Ans:

A landing page is also called the unique product sales page or demo page, as its main function is to boost sales. Clicking on the affiliate link takes you directly to the company website’s landing page.

Q: What payment modes are used in affiliate marketing?

Ans:

There are several online payment modes used by affiliate marketing businesses to make and accept payments. You can use Internet Banking, PayPal, Google Pay, Credit/Debit cards, PayTM, cheques, wire transfers, drafts, BHIM or UPI transfers, and such.

Q: What is the Affiliate ID?

Ans:

When a company creates an affiliate link, it provides the affiliates with a unique Affiliate ID. All documentation of the affiliates and company carry this affiliate ID making it easy to track the performance, sales and addition of the ID to any web page of the affiliate’s website.

Q: What kind of software is Affiliate Software?

Ans:

Affiliate Software provides various tools and comprehensive software packages to create affiliate programs. For example, the iDevaffiliate affiliate software.

Q: What is an Affiliate Link?

Ans:

The Affiliate link tracks the sales and progress of the digital advertisements of the affiliate program. It is thus easy to calculate the affiliate's performance and is reflected in the sale.

Q: Is affiliate marketing legal in India?

Ans:

Yes, affiliate marketing is legal in India.

Q: What is an Affiliate Marketplace?

Ans:

Certain marketplaces used by affiliates act as a central repository database. For Ex: CJ, Clickbank, Shareasale, and more. The database thus is a niche for affiliate programs depending on how it is used.

Disclaimer :
The information, product and services provided on this website are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without any warranty or representation, express or implied. Khatabook Blogs are meant purely for educational discussion of financial products and services. Khatabook does not make a guarantee that the service will meet your requirements, or that it will be uninterrupted, timely and secure, and that errors, if any, will be corrected. The material and information contained herein is for general information purposes only. Consult a professional before relying on the information to make any legal, financial or business decisions. Use this information strictly at your own risk. Khatabook will not be liable for any false, inaccurate or incomplete information present on the website. Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this website is updated, relevant and accurate, Khatabook makes no guarantees about the completeness, reliability, accuracy, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, product, services or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Khatabook will not be liable for the website being temporarily unavailable, due to any technical issues or otherwise, beyond its control and for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the use of or access to, or inability to use or access to this website whatsoever.
Disclaimer :
The information, product and services provided on this website are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without any warranty or representation, express or implied. Khatabook Blogs are meant purely for educational discussion of financial products and services. Khatabook does not make a guarantee that the service will meet your requirements, or that it will be uninterrupted, timely and secure, and that errors, if any, will be corrected. The material and information contained herein is for general information purposes only. Consult a professional before relying on the information to make any legal, financial or business decisions. Use this information strictly at your own risk. Khatabook will not be liable for any false, inaccurate or incomplete information present on the website. Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this website is updated, relevant and accurate, Khatabook makes no guarantees about the completeness, reliability, accuracy, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, product, services or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Khatabook will not be liable for the website being temporarily unavailable, due to any technical issues or otherwise, beyond its control and for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the use of or access to, or inability to use or access to this website whatsoever.