Can I Do Affiliate Marketing On Shopify?
Last modified: December 2, 2021
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Affiliate marketing is one of the main revenue streams for numerous businesses. Lots of CMS systems across the internet offer the function but does this include Shopify, a CMS system that is usually associated with dropshipping and eCommerce?
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is where a site advertises a product that is sold on another site, like a bike on Amazon. The visitor to the site then clicks on a link that directs them to the product on the other store where they can buy it. When the customer completes the transaction, the referring website gets a commission.
The product is sent out in the name of the seller, not the affiliate marketer.
The amount of the commission depends on the product. Some affiliate marketing programs offer 50% of the sale and others 1-2%.
Here is an affiliate marketing app that can help you out with that.
What Is The Difference Between Affiliate Marketing And Dropshipping?
There are only slight differences between affiliate marketing and dropshipping. The main differences are in how the customer buys the products and how they are shipped. While in both cases a third party ships the products, in dropshipping, the product is often shipped with the branding of the seller. In affiliate marketing, the product is distributed under the third party’s branding.
Likewise, the transaction happens on different platforms. In dropshipping, the transaction happens on the website marketing the product, in affiliate marketing, it happens on the site which is distributing the product.
Can You Participate In Affiliate Marketing Programs On Shopify?
There are two sides to affiliate marketing: the product seller and the affiliate marketer. And you can be on both sides of the affiliate marketing program on Shopify. You can use Shopify apps like Refersion to manage your own list of affiliate marketers who can bring customers to your store and you can use Shopify to create referral links to other sites.
You don’t need any special app for being the affiliate marketer (but they are useful). You just need to add the affiliate marketing links in the right place. You can also sell your own products on your store. Some influencers (affiliate marketers) use both streams by selling merchandise to their visitors as well as recommending products.
They might even use Print-on-Demand services or dropshipping as well.
Here are some tips if you would like to participate in affiliate marketing programs.
Choose Your Partners Carefully
Whichever side of affiliate marketing you’re on, choose your partners carefully. You don’t want to be associated with the wrong brands that use blackhat marketing techniques to sell. You have to have partners who represent the same values as you.
Choose The Best Reward Level
Ensure that you’re working for the right reward level. Don’t accept commissions that don’t give you a great payout (i.e. less than a dollar per sale) and don’t give too much away when you’re running an affiliate marketing program.
Find A Payment Solution That Works For You
There are different ways to get paid. Amazon sends cheques, but others will send money directly into PayPal or your bank account. Be sure you have the right payments system for you.
Publish Lots Of Content
The best affiliate marketers, on both sides of the process, publish lots of content via blogs, videos and podcasts. And you want to do the same. More content is equal to an improved ranking on search engines.
Final Word: Can I Do Affiliate Marketing On Shopify?
Whether you want to run an affiliate marketing program or sell someone else’s products, you can participate in affiliate marketing on Shopify. It isn’t easy, but the rewards can be great.