I’m not gonna lie:
There’s definitely times when affiliate marketing feels like a total waste of time.
Especially when you’re hustling day in and day out and it takes 3 months to make your first sale…
Then 6 months to start earning consistently from it…
And a full 12 months before you can quit your job and go full-time.
That’s A LOT of time to put in upfront without any payback.
But hold your horses because, despite the uphill battle, affiliate marketing is the real deal. It’s a great way to launch an online business with low starting costs and high-income potential.
But – and it’s a big ol’ but – it’s all about doing it the right way.
(The way we teach for free at Commission Academy.)
So – once and for all – let’s quickly go over the basics of how affiliate marketing works, why it is anything but a waste of time and how you can make sure every second you put in pays off BIG time.
Making Money With Affiliate Marketing: Demystified
This commission-based model allows you to play matchmaker between products and potential buyers and get paid for every successful connection made.
By joining free affiliate programs, you gain access to product links you can promote to interested audiences.
Simply put these links in front of eager buyers and when they click and buy, you make sweet commissions.
No dealing with products, shipping or customer care required!
It’s a triple win! Your audience receives awesome recommendations, online businesses generate sales and you pocket cash for facilitating the match.
Learn more about how affiliate marketing works ➜
Who Says Affiliate Marketing Is A Waste Of Time?
Naysayers who label affiliate marketing as a waste of time fall into 2 camps:
Those who unfortunately fell for an affiliate marketing scam promising easy riches overnight with a click of the mouse.
And those who started off on the right track, but then abandoned ship before reaching the finish line. They proclaim to the world that affiliate marketing doesn’t work because it didn’t deliver immediate results for them.
And I totally get it.
It’s infuriating as hell when you try something, give it your all and it doesn’t work out as expected…
But that’s no reason to give up on the whole thing altogether and just because it didn’t work the first time (due to bad training or impatience) doesn’t mean it won’t work for you the second time.
After all, if it works for me, Dale and 10,000s of other super affiliates, it can and WILL absolutely work for you too.
And trust me, you’ll NEVER hear affiliates who earn 6 figures a year complaining it’s not worth it!
Why Affiliate Marketing Is 100% Worth It In 2024
Before we get into the reasons to start affiliate marketing, let me tell you a personal story.
I’m Simon and I got into affiliate marketing 9 years ago when I found myself stuck in a call centre job in the UK, yearning for a way to make money online and pursue my dream of serving as a missionary in Thailand.
So I did what most of us do and started searching Google for answers. Inevitably, I fell for a couple of scams but pushed on regardless; I knew there was a way to make this happen and I was going to find it!
That’s when someone recommended an affiliate marketing course called Wealthy Affiliate and I hungrily worked my way through the training.
Then, after just 2 weeks I made my first sale through the Amazon affiliate program and that was it!
In that moment I went from doubt to dollars and I knew my life would be forever changed – and it was.
Since then I’ve earned built several profitable affiliate marketing businesses, earned $1,000,000s in commissions and yes, quit that mind-numbing call centre job and bought a one-way ticket to Thailand where I sit typing this today.
Listen to the full story here:
There have been times when I second-guessed myself, when I doubted if this whole affiliate marketing journey thing would work out but let me tell you first-hand:
Becoming an affiliate marketer has turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.
I won’t sugarcoat it – affiliate marketing is hard work (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!) but trust me, stick at it and it’ll all be worth it.
Here’s why:
You Can Earn More Than Ever Before
Affiliate marketing is booming in the 2020s because:
- We’re spending more online than ever before
- We’re using Google to help us buy more than ever before
- More online stores have affiliates programs than ever before
Seriously, the earning potential is nothing short of remarkable because, unlike a traditional 9-to-5 job with a fixed salary, affiliate marketing allows you to break free from the shackles of limited income.
3% of affiliates earn $150k+ a year.
And you can get started for as little as $50 a month.
See the full cost breakdown ➜.
And as an affiliate marketer, you’re not confined to a single income stream.
In fact, you can tap into any of the 600 million+ affiliate products online and create multiple income streams for yourself.
But what really sets affiliate marketing apart is its potential for passive income.
Picture this:
You put in the hard work upfront, creating valuable content and building an engaged audience and over time, your efforts start to pay off exponentially.
You can wake up to a pleasant surprise—a flurry of commissions rolling in while you slept or went on holiday.
Affiliate marketing gives you the freedom and flexibility most people only dream about.
It’s Easier Than Ever Before
Thanks to revolutionary, game-changing tools like WordPress and AI, gone are the days of wrestling with complex coding or hiring expensive web developers.
Just a few clicks, and voila! You’ve got yourself a professional-looking money-ready website.
And no more crying over content creation because you can use ChatGPT in your affiliate marketing business to help you create rank-worthy post outlines and catapult your productivity.
This AI sidekick can even help you find low-competition keywords, profitable niches and the hottest-selling products to boost your income.
The future is here and it’s time for you to take advantage of the digital revolution where building your dream business is not just possible, but easier than ever before.
How You Make Affiliate Marketing Worth Your While
While there are no shortcuts in life, here are 3 things you can do to achieve affiliate marketing success faster.
1. Follow A Real Cutting-Edge Strategy
Whether it’s building a business or building muscle, when I set my mind to do something I want to know I’m going about it in the most optimised way possible, otherwise what’s the point?
That’s why you want to forget about jumping from one outdated and ineffective strategy to another and instead, stick to following the ONE affiliate marketing strategy that works.
2. Use State-Of-The-Art Tools
Imagine you’re a skilled carpenter with a brilliant blueprint for a masterpiece. You won’t be able to bring your vision to life without a precision saw, a sturdy hammer and accurate measuring equipment.
It’s the same with affiliate marketing.
Whether it’s easy-to-use website builders, keyword research tools, landing page software or email marketing platforms, arming yourself with the right tools will catapult your affiliate earnings to new heights.
3. Join A Supportive Community
Going it alone can be a lonely and daunting journey, filled with uncertainties and obstacles, but joining a vibrant and supportive community is an absolute game-changer.
Asking questions to and sharing your struggles, progress reports and latest wins with fellow go-getters will keep you on track and motivated to smash your income goals.
Join Commission Academy here and you’ll get instant access to proven step-by-step training, the tools you need to make it happen and a community of 2.6 million+ affiliate marketers.
You’ll literally have everything you need to succeed at your fingertips.
Bottom Line: Affiliate Marketing Is Worth Every Second
Let me leave you with this undeniable truth:
Affiliate marketing is a thrilling journey that’s worth every second of your time and effort.
But more than that:
Affiliate marketing is how you unleash your inner boss and build an online empire.
It’s how you wake up to “You’ve got commissions!” every morning.
It’s your ticket to an extraordinary time-free, location-free life.
The question isn’t “Is affiliate marketing a waste of time?” but why are you wasting time?
Still Got Questions?
Check out our mammoth post:
105 Biggest Affiliate Marketing Questions Answered
Or ask us in the comments and Dale and I will do everything humanly possible to help you on your journey.
