Affiliate marketing on YouTube is a fantastic way to earn money by recommending products to viewers. As a marketer, you encourage people to buy products through your links, and in return, you get a commission.
YouTube, being the world’s second-largest social media site, offers a vast audience for this. It’s expected to reach nearly a billion users by 2025. This platform is not just for fun; people use it to learn new skills, find information, and decide what to buy.
This guide will show you how to make the most of YouTube for affiliate marketing, including great ideas for your videos. Let’s dive in and explore how you can start earning through engaging video content!
What is YouTube affiliate marketing?
YouTube affiliate marketing is a simple yet effective way to make money online using YouTube videos. Here’s how it works:
- Create Videos on YouTube: First, you start a YouTube channel and make videos. These videos can be about anything, but they usually focus on products or services.
- Add Affiliate Links: In your videos, you’ll talk about certain products. Then, in the video description, you add special links to these products. These are called affiliate links.
- Earn Commission: When someone watches your video, clicks on one of these links, and buys the product, you get a commission. This means you earn a small part of the sale.
- YouTube’s Own Program: Besides this, YouTube has its own affiliate program, but it’s only for some YouTubers. You need to be in the U.S., have more than 20,000 subscribers, and be part of the YouTube Partner Program.
- Why It’s Great: Videos are a powerful way to connect with people. By using YouTube for affiliate marketing, you can make money passively, which means earning even when you’re not actively working. It’s also a smart way to reach people who are looking to buy products. About 68% of people watch YouTube to help decide what to buy, and your videos could be what helps them choose.
- Boosting Your Success: If you make your videos SEO-friendly (which means they’re set up to be easily found on search engines like Google), more people can find and watch your videos. This could lead to more sales through your affiliate links.
In short, YouTube affiliate marketing is about making engaging videos, linking to products in them, and earning money when people buy those products through your links. It’s a creative and potentially profitable way to use your YouTube channel.
Why Use YouTube Affiliate Marketing?
Why should you consider YouTube for your affiliate marketing efforts? It’s a seamless progression from what you’re already doing. If you’re accustomed to creating blog content, transforming those ideas into YouTube videos is a natural next step. But there’s more to YouTube than just a platform for sharing videos. It’s an incredibly user-friendly environment for content creators.
What do you need to start? The essentials are pretty straightforward: a microphone, a webcam, or screen recording software. YouTube Studio simplifies the rest, handling the technical aspects of video production and distribution.
One of the most attractive features of YouTube affiliate marketing is the potential for free traffic. Imagine reaching millions of viewers without spending anything on ads or link-building. This platform offers a unique opportunity to grow a substantial audience at no extra cost.
Once you have a following, monetizing it becomes straightforward. You can promote products or services to your audience as often as you like. And the best part? YouTube largely lets you operate without interference, giving you the freedom to focus on creating content and growing your channel.
7 YouTube Affiliate Marketing Tips To Earn Extra Income in 2024
YouTube affiliate marketing is an efficient, cost-effective way to extend your reach. It allows you to repurpose existing content, tap into a vast audience for free, and monetize your following with relative ease.
1. Create eye-catching thumbnails
To succeed on YouTube, captivating thumbnails are essential. These are the images viewers see before clicking on your video. Think of thumbnails as a book’s cover. A dull cover means nobody will read the great story inside. But an eye-catching cover draws attention, increasing your chances of success.
For example, TL Yarn Crafts’ YouTube channel uses consistent, appealing colors and imagery to attract its audience. To stand out, study the thumbnails of other videos in your niche. For instance, if you’re showcasing coffee art, your thumbnail needs to be more engaging than others in the same category.
Different fields require unique approaches. In tech product roundups, for example, colorful, product-teasing thumbnails are effective.
Tools like Canva and Fotor offer quality templates for creating thumbnails. Some YouTubers benefit from hiring graphic designers. Digital marketer Alex Tucker saw his click-through rates soar from under 2% to over 5% after switching from self-made to professionally designed thumbnails.
Remember, updating your thumbnails regularly, especially for evergreen content, can keep them relevant and enticing. Including the current year in your thumbnail can signal to viewers that your content is up-to-date, making it more likely they’ll click and watch.
2. Optimizing for YouTube Search
YouTube, one of the biggest search engines, is a go-to place for learning, entertainment, and product research. This is an excellent opportunity for affiliate marketers. Start by understanding what your audience searches for. Create YouTube videos that cater to their needs.
First, identify competing channels promoting similar products. Use SEO tools like Keywords Everywhere to discover related search terms, keeping an eye on search volume and trends.
After identifying key search terms your target customers use, optimize your video. Include these terms in your video’s description and select relevant hashtags. This increases your video’s visibility in search results.
Here are some additional tips:
- Title: Place the keyword in your video title. Make it engaging to improve click-through rates, which helps in ranking.
- Description: Embed keywords naturally. If reviewing a Canon camera, use phrases like “Canon camera review” within your description.
- Watch Time: Aim to increase watch time. Videos that keep viewers engaged are favored by YouTube’s algorithm, helping your content rank better.
In simple terms, find what your audience is looking for and create content that matches their searches. Use the right keywords and phrases to make your videos easy to find. Keep viewers engaged to rank higher on YouTube.
3. Add chapter markers
Adding chapter markers to your YouTube videos is a smart way to enhance viewer experience. Imagine you’re watching a video to learn something specific, but you have to skip through a long introduction or unrelated topics. This can be frustrating. Chapter markers solve this problem. They are timestamps in your video that divide it into sections, making it easy for viewers to jump directly to the part they’re interested in.
For instance, take the YouTube channel “Wandering Aimfully.” They posted a video about what they packed for a year-long journey. Thanks to chapter markers, viewers can easily find the segment discussing roller suitcases and travel backpacks, without having to watch the entire 49-minute video. This not only saves time but also makes your content more user-friendly, as viewers can quickly find exactly what they’re looking for.
4. Make Playlists for More Views
Want more people watching your videos and earning you affiliate commissions? Use YouTube playlists! Here’s how you can create a playlist that keeps viewers glued:
- Find Similar Videos: Start by picking videos that are connected in some way.
- Open Videos: Open each video you want to include in your web browser.
- Save Each Video: Under every video, there’s a “Save” button. Click it.
- Playlist Time: Now, you can either start a brand new playlist or add the videos to an existing one.
- Go Public: Change the playlist settings to public. This way, more people can find and watch your videos.
Take Mr. Kate’s approach as an example. They organize their content into playlists like “Room Makeovers”. This not only helps viewers find more of what they like but also keeps them watching as one video automatically leads to the next. More views, more watch time, better chances of earning!
5. Embed YouTube Videos on Your Blog Post
Using YouTube videos in your blog content is a smart marketing strategy, especially when combined with a YouTube channel. This approach has several advantages:
- Reaches Various Audiences: People have different preferences for consuming content. Some like reading blog posts, while others prefer watching videos. By integrating both, you cater to a wider audience, including those who might be interested in the products you recommend.
- Boosts Video Views: By featuring your affiliate videos on your blog, you expose them to a broader audience, beyond just YouTube. For certain keywords, Google even displays YouTube videos in its search results, increasing your video’s visibility.
- Enhances SEO: Search engines look at metrics like dwell time and bounce rates to rank pages. Embedding relevant videos in your blog can improve these metrics, leading to better search engine rankings.
Marketer Ryan Robinson successfully uses this method. He embeds instructional YouTube videos in his blog articles, like his guide on starting a blog. This not only drives more views to his videos (a positive signal to YouTube) but also offers an alternative way for readers to engage with his content. Many of Ryan’s readers have mentioned that his video tutorials were crucial in setting up their blogs effectively. This synergy between his blog and YouTube channel has led to over 6,700 views and 70 comments on his videos, demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy.
6. Create YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts are short, engaging videos on YouTube, resembling TikTok’s style. To make one, record a video vertically on a mobile phone, keeping it under 60 seconds. This feature is increasingly popular and isn’t likely to fade away soon. Digital marketing expert James Crabtree suggests using Shorts for affiliate marketing.
Show off a product’s key features or software benefits briefly. Then, link to a more detailed review video. These Shorts are perfect for fast consumption, allowing viewers to swipe through them rapidly. They’re a fantastic tool for increasing organic traffic to your channel, offering a snapshot of your content or products.
7. Don’t forget to add Affiliate Disclaimer
When sharing affiliate links in any content, it’s essential to be open and honest. This means clearly indicating that you might earn a commission from the products you promote. Imagine you’re looking for a new service online and find a recommendation on YouTube. If the influencer doesn’t reveal they might get paid for promoting the product, you might doubt their sincerity.
Being upfront about affiliate relationships is not just about gaining your audience’s trust; it’s also a legal requirement. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the U.S. mandates that content creators must clearly state if they earn from recommending a product. Failure to do so can lead to significant fines. For example, YouTuber Abbey Yung includes a specific disclaimer under her videos to inform viewers about her affiliate links. This approach helps viewers make informed decisions and maintains transparency, which is crucial for building long-lasting trust and loyalty with your audience.
YouTube Affiliate Marketing Pros and Cons: A Simplified Overview
YouTube affiliate marketing also offers an excellent opportunity for creative storytelling and personal branding. By leveraging your unique voice and style, you can differentiate yourself in a crowded market. This personal touch not only attracts viewers but also builds trust, making your affiliate recommendations more effective and potentially more profitable.
Pros:
- Vast Audience: YouTube attracts a massive global audience, with millions of videos on countless topics. This wide reach is ideal for affiliate marketers.
- Growing Platform: From $1 billion in revenue in 2012 to $15 billion in 2020, YouTube’s growth is impressive. Many channels now outperform traditional TV in daily views.
- Less Competition: Although some areas like gaming and beauty are crowded, many niches still offer room for new creators to build a substantial following.
- Freedom in Promotions: You have the liberty to choose almost any product for affiliate marketing, with few exceptions like gambling and adult content.
- Organic Traffic: Unlike platforms that require payment for visibility, YouTube still offers substantial organic reach.
- Loyal Audience Base: Through subscriptions, viewers can easily follow your content, receiving updates without extra promotional efforts.
- SEO Advantages: YouTube videos often rank highly in Google searches, increasing visibility.
- Low Start-Up Costs: Basic equipment like a microphone and a webcam or screen recording software are often enough to begin.
Cons:
- Video Production Challenges: Creating engaging content requires more than writing skills; it often demands on-camera presence and video editing expertise.
- Platform Dependency: YouTube controls your channel. A ban can mean losing all your content and followers, a risk not present with independent websites.
- Varied Niche Difficulties: Some niches, like tech tutorials, are easier to produce content for than others, such as DIY projects, which can require more effort and resources.
- Linking Limitations: YouTube’s policies restrict content that primarily drives traffic away from the platform, limiting some affiliate marketing strategies.
- Overcrowded Niches: Popular topics may be saturated with repetitive content, making it hard to stand out without unique and creative approaches.
FAQs- YouTube Affiliate Marketing Tips
What is YouTube’s Affiliate Program?
YouTube doesn’t have its own affiliate program. However, you can still earn money on YouTube by promoting products and getting a commission. Just join any affiliate program and share the affiliate link in your YouTube videos.
Can I Earn Money Through YouTube Affiliate Marketing?
Absolutely! Many YouTubers use affiliate links to make money. When viewers buy products using these links, usually found in video descriptions, the YouTuber earns a commission.
Do Affiliate Links Bring Income to YouTubers?
Yes, YouTubers make money when viewers purchase products through their affiliate links. The income depends on the specific brand or affiliate network’s terms.
Are Amazon Affiliate Links Allowed on YouTube?
Yes, YouTube permits the use of affiliate links, including those from Amazon’s affiliate program, Amazon Associates. Content creators can share these links in their videos.
Conclusion: Should You Start Doing Affiliate Marketing On YouTube?
In conclusion, diving into affiliate marketing on YouTube is a smart move for those looking to capitalize on the growing trend of video content. With the undeniable popularity of video-based platforms, like TikTok, it’s clear that video is not just a current fad but a lasting element in the digital marketing landscape. However, it’s important to recognize that YouTube is increasingly competitive, so making strategic decisions about your niche is essential.
Pairing a YouTube channel with an affiliate website is an excellent strategy. This approach not only diversifies your income streams but also gives you greater control over your earnings. Relying solely on affiliate links in your video descriptions isn’t enough.
For those new to setting up websites, there’s no need to worry. Our free training offers all the guidance you need to launch your first affiliate site, completely free of charge. Simply provide us with your best email address to receive an invitation.
And if you’ve found this information helpful, don’t hesitate to share it on social media. Thank you for considering the exciting world of YouTube affiliate marketing!