Many people who want to do affiliate marketing find that they’re stuck before they begin because they can’t think of a good subject for their site. They often feel they need to be a world-class expert on something before they are comfortable talking about it, and that severely limits their choices, because most of us probably fit the description we’ve all heard: jack of all trades, master of none.
To this I say: Fear not! You don’t have to be an expert. With that worry out of the way, it instantly opens up a whole bunch of new possibilities. The key is how much you like the topic, because then you can learn what you don't know as you go. At that point the options become almost limitless.
What if you just can’t think of that many things that you enjoy? I have had people tell me that they can't think of anything. I’m sorry, but I don't believe it. I can understand that a person suffering from extremely poor health or other difficult circumstances, such as depression or serious family issues, might not find much joy in life. But under normal circumstances, most people would have to admit that there are many things they like to do or would like to do, think about, read about, watch videos about, or dream about. It just may take some thought to unearth them.
Life is full of so many opportunities and activities that I can’t believe most people would be too hard-pressed to come up with a list of at least a dozen things they have at least a measure of interest in. If they can count them on one hand, then they probably should take their pulse while they’re at it to make sure they still have one.
Here’s a little exercise for you: List 50 things you love or like, not counting family and friends, since you can't sell them online. (Or can you?) I did this recently (made a list, not sold relatives), and I was amazed at how fast they added up.
Items in yours might be as simple as a good cup of coffee, as all-encompassing as cars, as quirky as old Howdy Doody dolls (or creepy, depending on how you look at it), or as universally well loved as kittens. Even some of the intangible things on your list could be a jumping-off point for a subject that does involve physical products to sell.
Most likely, there will be some things on your list that are tangible, but still can't be sold—children, for instance. (No, you may not. And don't ask again.) But why not create a site around children's toys, games, baby care products, kids' party supplies, etc.? There are thousands of products for children out there. Pick something that interests you.
The point I’m trying to make is that there’s a market out there for just about anything that can be bought or sold. You may think no one is interested in your unusual hobby, but believe me, someone is, and they’re searching online for information or products related to that hobby. And there are merchants selling those products who would love another affiliate to promote them.
Getting back to the “do I have to be an expert” question: As long as you have an interest in your subject and the willingness to do some research to fill in the gaps in your knowledge, you’re good to go. It won’t be drudgery if you like the topic. Of course, you don't want to plagiarize, but after looking up information from various sources, you can sort of boil it down and write about it from your viewpoint, in your own words.
As far as finding products related to the subject, the affiliate networks (such as Commission Junction, ShareASale, Clickbank, etc.) do a good job of making it easy to search for merchants who sell those items. You won’t always have personal experience with the items you promote, since it would be unrealistic to buy a copy of everything you offer on your site. You’d end up losing way more money than you make!
But you can find out what other people have said about a product and use that information to write a review of your own, condensing what others have said about it into your own sales copy. Keep in mind, though, that you cannot and should not claim the experience as your own, especially in view of the new FTC regulations going into effect soon. Transparency and honest disclosure are important.
Hackneyed phrase alert: Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. A unique product and a unique approach can make for a very interesting and profitable affiliate site.
I LOVE my “job.” Affiliate marketing takes work, but it doesn’t feel like work.
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