Virtual publisher – how to earn more with affiliate marketing?

Earning money online around the world has been possible for over 30 years. The first virtual publishers appeared in the United States in the 1990s. Today, in the US, more than 80% of brands earn with virtual publishers through affiliate marketing. This sales channel is growing dynamically worldwide. Thanks to the widespread availability of the internet, practically any online user can become a virtual publisher.

It’s important to note that virtual publishers contribute not only to the growth of affiliate marketing, but also to the development of all kinds of online businesses. If you’re currently at the stage of growing your online project and want to turn it into a profitable source of income, be sure to read Earning money online – turning dreams into monetisation.

Virtual publisher – who is that?

A virtual publisher is any online entity (a person or a company) that earns money by recommending products or services offered by advertisers as part of their partner programs (affiliate programs).

Anyone who operates online in any capacity and wants to earn from it can become a publisher. To become a virtual publisher, you don’t need to run a company – it’s enough that you:

• run a niche website,

• write a blog,

• manage a social media profile,

• have a YouTube channel,

• run a coupon or cashback site,

• own a product search engine or price comparison site,

• have a legal mailing list,

• or communicate with your audience or friends via email and online messengers.

Virtual publisher – free registration and unlimited access to all affiliate tools

You don’t need to incur any costs to become a virtual publisher. Registration as a publisher in an affiliate network is free (always has been and always will be), and so is access to all promotional tools and the full functionality of the affiliate platform.

Why doesn’t a publisher have to incur any costs to start earning immediately? Because what matters most for advertisers and affiliate networks is long-term cooperation with publishers. This allows the partnership to develop steadily, even if at the beginning it doesn’t bring measurable benefits to either side. If publishers had to pay to use affiliate tools, most of them would never start working with networks at all, or they’d quit before their income exceeded their costs.

Thanks to free access to the full possibilities offered by cooperation with advertisers on an affiliate platform, affiliate publishers can freely test which affiliate tools are optimal for them, which ones they like best, which spaces or online media convert the best, and most importantly – which advertiser brings them the highest earnings through online cooperation.

What tools can a virtual publisher use in their work?

There are a few basic tools available to publishers: affiliate links, product widgets, banners and XML feeds. What’s very important is that these four tools create a huge number of ways to use them. Crucially, promoting products with these tools can be subtle and non-intrusive, and therefore much more effective.

To succeed and steadily increase your earnings as a virtual publisher, you need to be creative in how you promote the products you choose. Today, promotion is no longer limited to simply placing a banner on a website, although banners are still an effective way to support promotional campaigns. Users today are far more demanding – the number of stimuli they face every day means they stop reacting to typical sales tactics.

That’s why you need to weave promotional content into your communication channels in such a way that users don’t perceive it as aggressive advertising, but as good advice from an expert in a given field.

If you want to explore ideas for non-invasive forms of advertising, be sure to read: Earning from ads in an affiliate network – a way to create passive income.

Affiliate link – the basic tool of a virtual publisher

An affiliate link is the simplest affiliate tool. It’s a unique URL leading to any page on the advertiser’s website which, once processed in the affiliate system, becomes an affiliate link with the publisher’s unique ID encrypted inside it.

Thanks to affiliate links, the publisher’s account records:

• every click on this link and visit to the advertiser’s site

• actions/sales that result from clicking this link

• commissions from those actions/sales

Affiliate links can be freely used on blogs, niche websites and portals, on YouTube and in other social media, coupon and cashback sites, or product search engines. You can learn more about the possibilities of using affiliate links, along with examples, in the articles Affiliate link generator – the simplest tool for earning online and What is an affiliate link and how do you make money with it?

Virtual publisher – the art of choosing affiliate programs

Very often a virtual publisher wants to “do it all” and promote as many products as possible across their channels. But that’s not the right approach! The key to success is choosing the right affiliate programs – those that match the topic of your site or profile.

If, as a virtual publisher, you write about health, choose programs related to supplements, healthy eating or physical activity. Readers often ask where they can buy the products mentioned on your site or blog. Instead of replying to everyone individually in the comments, add affiliate links to the products you mention – this way you’ll earn a commission for your recommendation and your readers will immediately know where they can buy what they’re interested in.

It’s important not to turn your blog or site into one big ad space. That’s the fastest way to push users away – they won’t trust you enough to buy the products you promote. Before you add links pointing to products, think about whether they fit the context of your content; don’t add them if there’s no real reason. Make sure you recommend reliable products from reputable stores. As a virtual publisher, you must remember how easy it is to lose credibility in your readers’ eyes if you suggest something only to make money.

Virtual publisher – keep growing and stay up to date

If you want to earn as a virtual publisher, build your knowledge of performance marketing, sales and SEO. Get to know the offers of the stores you intend to promote – the more you know about the products, the more of them you’ll sell. Remember that affiliate marketing gives you a lot of possibilities! You can place affiliate links not only on your blog or website, but also in your social media – on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. If you want to learn more about what affiliate marketing can do for you and expand your knowledge with lots of practical insights, be sure to check out our #affiltips blog series!

A virtual publisher should remember that growing the site, attracting new visitors and bringing readers back regularly is the foundation for catching the interest of potential advertisers and negotiating better collaboration terms (higher sales commissions). The website should be visually appealing and must provide the kind of content the audience for that topic expects. The expertise you can showcase while recommending selected products is definitely an added value that will make internet users visit your site frequently.

It’s definitely worth using content marketing here. The more interesting, inspiring content, attractive graphics and attention-grabbing information you provide, the better for your site’s growth. A common beginner’s mistake is not updating or developing the site while still expecting good sales results.

Here are a few practical tips every virtual publisher should take to heart:

• Publish regularly – this is absolutely essential. If you consistently deliver valuable content to your users at a steady pace, you will definitely earn their trust.

• Follow trends – the internet is constantly changing, so it’s worth keeping an eye on news, trends and the most popular topics to always stay up to date. Outdated information is of no use to users.

• Always put users first – you create content for someone, so you must place that person at the centre. Your own ambitions or desire to earn should come second.

• Recommend, don’t advertise – a virtual publisher must understand that in affiliate marketing, you should recommend products you have personally checked and tested. Affiliate marketing is not direct advertising that pushes people to buy!

Optimise – keep improving your virtual activities

If something doesn’t work – change it or drop it. Check which campaigns bring you the highest profits and get more involved in promoting them. Regularly verify that your affiliate links work correctly, keep your ads up to date, and go beyond your own website with your promotions to maximise earnings. Use search engine marketing, be active in social networks, on forums and in mailing lists. If you want to earn as a virtual publisher, you need to stay active and keep developing your site.

It’s also extremely important to refresh your site’s design and functionality from time to time. Let’s be honest – even the best content won’t be appreciated if it’s presented in an unattractive layout. If you don’t feel confident enough to change the look of your site yourself, use online tutorials or contact a specialist. It will almost certainly be an investment that pays off quickly. As a virtual publisher, you need to take care of every detail so that users are even more eager to visit your blog, website or social profile.

You’re not alone – you can count on an Affiliate Manager

If you’re just starting your cooperation with affiliate networks or want to grow your potential as a publisher, get in touch with the Affiliate Manager of a given network. These are specialised staff who are happy to share the essential knowledge about affiliate marketing, clear up any doubts and help you solve technical issues. An Affiliate Manager will select the right affiliate programs for you, advise how to best use your site’s potential and help you earn more from affiliate marketing. That’s why it’s very important to stay in regular contact with them. Good relations with your Affiliate Manager will definitely have a positive impact on your performance in the affiliate network.

Take action and wait for the results – they will come!

Every virtual publisher must remember that affiliate cooperation will not bring huge profits overnight. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see big earnings from your activities right away. Performance marketing is based on long-term campaigns. That’s why results appear over time and depend on the involvement of all parties: publishers, advertisers and affiliate network staff.

If you want to earn more from affiliate marketing, look for the causes of low income – test different tools, update your site, and use the substantive support of the network’s team. Good luck!