How to Write Content for Affiliate Marketing: The Complete Guide

Companies and brands today depend on content marketing strategies to reach their audience. But it’s not always their own content.

One of the ways brands expand their reach is by recruiting affiliates to help sell their products. If you’re interested in being an affiliate for a brand or product, you can reach the right audience for them and enjoy commissions and other perks offered by these brands.

Of course, applying to be an affiliate is only half the battle. First, you need to learn how to become an affiliate marketer. Then, it’s time to learn how to write content for affiliate marketing!

What is Affiliate Content?

Affiliate content refers to any type of written or media content that promotes another brand or product – sometimes subtly, sometimes blatantly.

Many successful affiliate bloggers, once they have established their blog, choose to monetize their sites by promoting or selling affiliate products through their articles and videos.

By choosing a particular industry and niche to cover, bloggers can start reviewing products or talking about them within their content. By offering additional information that readers are interested in hearing, you can become a trusted expert – which means your product recommendations will actually matter to your audience.

But to be successful as an affiliate marketer, you need to understand how to write content that is both appealing to readers and to Google!

Affiliate marketing isn’t hard to learn and carry out, but if you’re stuck, there are plenty of free or paid resources online. You can learn about content marketing by checking out blog posts like this one, reading the best affiliate marketing books, or taking quality affiliate marketing courses offered online.

Once you know all the basics, it’s time to find out how to write affiliate marketing content!

NOTE: You can also get affiliate marketing content advice and content creation services straight from the experts here at BrandBuilders. Click here to learn more!

What Kind of Affiliate Posts Can You Write?

Sticking to a single format for affiliate content writing will bore your readers and be a red flag to Google. In fact, choosing a niche from the plethora of popular niche ideas out there is often easier than coming up with captivating content for your chosen niche, day after day, and week after week.

So, make sure you produce content in a number of different writing formats to keep the content fresh. For any given product or brand, think about the kind of post you wish to create that will allow you to provide the most value to your readers.

Here are some of the top posts we recommend here at BrandBuilders.

Informational Posts

Most blogs today are impersonal and informational without being too engaging. You certainly do not want that for your blog.

Any reader coming across a blog post that is a narration of the author’s experiences is bound to stay on for longer. Use your blog as a way to get your story across to the readers. Jot down the experiences you have with a product or service and make the content more personal. Using the first-person point of view is a great way to go about this.

For a better understanding of how to approach an informational post, here’s what you need to remember:

  • Keep the titles informative. An example of this might be, “All You Need to Know About Deep Cleaning Shampoos.”
  • Keep the word count anywhere between 2000 to 2500 words, as a rule of thumb.
  • Narrate facts and relevant information.
  • Add outbound links to authoritative sources.
  • Start a conversation with the audience for a more enriched debate.

Once you have your readers hooked through your captivating narrative, you can subtly talk about the product or brand you are marketing through useful and high-value informative content.

Product Reviews

Review posts are by far the most accessible blog format, simply because you get to do just what an affiliate marketer should. You have the liberty to point out the pros and cons of the affiliate product and create honest reviews about why you like or dislike certain products.

Here’s how you approach writing a product review:

  • Make the title specific. Some examples of the title could be: “How the TRESemmé Deep Cleansing Shampoo Works on Curls”
  • Keep the word count anywhere between 1500 to 2000 words, as a rule of thumb.
  • Talk about both the positives and the negatives of a product.
  • Share the end results from product use, along with pictures supporting your review.

Giving readers a detailed review will allow them to trust your judgment and opinion about the products you cover, allowing them to make an informed decision based on an insider’s perspective.

Listicles

Listicles or list posts are one of the most widely used formats online, thanks to how easily they provide information and how sharable they are.

List posts are simple and provide the necessary information in a structured way. Some examples of a list post would be:

  • 10 reasons to opt for a deep cleaning shampoo
  • 5 ways to get a hair spa feel at home
  • 7 things your hair needs for its nourishment

These are just a few examples of listicles to give you the gist of how you can go about creating one.

Aside from being a favorite format for blog readers, the best part about a list post is that you can easily add many affiliate links to a single blog post!

Buying Guides

Another type of blog format you can choose is the buying guide, offering recommendations for a specific type of product category or solution to a problem. A buying guide allows you to give your opinions about each product and recommend them to your readers.

Here are some tips for writing content for buying guides:

  • Make the titles catchy and to-the-point. An example of this could be: “5 Top Shampoos for Dry Scalp to Try”
  • Ensure a word count between 2000 to 2500 words, depending on the number of products in the article.
  • Be fair in your recommendations. Mention products in the same league. Don’t try to make one product look better than the other by talking about low-quality products and brands on the list.
  • Offer valid reasoning for your statements. You’re not just trying to get clicks – you want to provide value by explaining why some products are better than others in different situations.

You can write these in a number of ways to make it more compelling for your audience. Always think about what the reader would find most valuable and do your best to meet their needs.

Tutorials

Every blogger who has ever conducted keyword research knows the popularity of the ‘how to’ searches. Everyone out there wants to learn how to do something or the other, making bloggers more focused on answering these questions. If you are a new blogger who is unsure of what to write about, putting up ‘how to’ blogs and tutorials is certainly the right way to go!

To add more information, you can also post videos to help back the posts you create as part of your tutorials.

Brand Interviews

While less common, interviews are perfect for readers that are looking for more than just a review or recommendation. Nothing is as informative as an interview with someone behind a certain product or brand. In such blog posts, readers have a high level of trust in the specifications of the product mentioned, the unique selling points, the pros, and the cons.

In addition to talking about the product creator’s story, you can easily include information about the products and ensure that your readers are compelled to engage one way or another.

How to Write an Affiliate Marketing Blog Post

Writing affiliate marketing articles can be simple once you understand the basic do’s and don’ts of creating content for your site. While these aren’t hardcore rules, following them can help you establish aspiring marketers as content affiliates more quickly.

Convey Your Experiences

three crumpled yellow papers on green surface surrounded by yellow lined papers

It’s no secret that we all love to read up on people’s experiences with a product before purchasing it ourselves. Testimonials are the greatest motivators for us to give in and get something we’ve been eyeing for a while.

This approach also applies to affiliate content. Readers are bound to be interested when they read about an author’s experience, rather than a simple write-up on why a product or brand is worth their money. Knowing that you speak from experience can encourage readers to try out the products that you review in your affiliate blog posts.

Of course, you should pair your personal experience with cold hard facts as well. You can use a number of writing tactics to convey your thoughts to your readers, which we will discuss later in this post.

Make the Content Comprehensive

I know what I just said about your experiences, but don’t make the content all about you. Remember that the blog needs to be focused on your readers and providing value to them. It’s tempting to write whatever you feel like, but this won’t lead to success.

Instead, write what readers would like to know. Keep in mind the time they will be investing in reading your blog for information. It’s important to make your content worth their time and attention.

Make it both interesting and informative. You’ll catch their attention and hopefully have them come back to you for your opinion on other topics within your niche in the future!

Post Frequently

plan posts for affiliate marketing content

Your posting frequency is a key factor to keep in mind. Regular and consistent posts will keep your readers coming back to your blog on their own to read the updates, product reviews, buying guides, and more that you publish.

Even better, encourage readers to subscribe to your email list so that your frequent blog updates are sent out every time you post new content. This will keep readers engaged on what you have to say and keep your blog top of mind.

Be Subtle with Affiliate Integrations

The biggest note for affiliate marketers creating content is to make the blog seem natural and not promotional! The moment your reader gets an inkling that your blog is biased in trying to promote a product, they will skip reading ahead and jump to another informative blog.

The goal is to integrate affiliate offers into your content as naturally as you can, while still making sure to include affiliate disclaimers on all of your pages. You should suggest affiliate products as though you’re talking to a friend and honestly explain the pros and cons, as well as when you would and wouldn’t use it.

There’s nothing wrong with marketing an affiliate product to your audience, but as much as you may want lots of clicks on those affiliate links, your success depends on putting the reader first!

Crucial Pointers for Writing Affiliate Marketing Content

Crucial Pointers for Writing Affiliate Marketing Content

Now that we have some good rules of thumb to remember for affiliate content writing, let’s look at some crucial pointers on how to actually write your blog posts.

Create a Structure

How you structure your articles makes a great difference to your readers. No one likes to read content that is too verbose, and they’ll bounce before reading paragraphs that go on for ages.

Try to structure your content in a way that involves the use of lists and bullet points where necessary. But above all, remember that a blog needs these four things to give readers the gist of what you’re trying to convey:

1) An Eye-Catching Title

Your blog title is the first thing a reader sees before clicking on your blog post. No matter how informative your content is, readers won’t bother with a boring title that offers no connection to the keyword or the topic of discussion.

We suggest creating a blog title that incorporates the keyword, adds a little intrigue, and clearly explains the value readers can expect if they read the post.

2) A Captivating Introduction

Before the reader dives deep with your content, they’re going to test the waters. That’s why your introduction is so important – it will either hold the reader’s interest or bore them to tears. While they’re still testing the waters, they will either decide to stay on the page or go back to the search results.

A captivating introduction works like a charm to get them hooked and ready to read further. However, remember to keep your introduction short so that they don’t lose interest mid-way. The only purpose of each sentence in the introduction is to get them to keep reading!

3) Concise Content

Keep the body of the content as concise as you can while diving into comprehensive segments for an easy read. Use the headers for every segment to point out straight facts and delve deeper into the reasoning behind these facts while keeping the content short, informative, and to the point.

It is best to keep the paragraphs limited to five lines or less and keep it interactive at all times.

4) Conclusion Summarizing the Blog

Your conclusion is just that – a summary that concludes your entire blog in two statements. Keep the conclusion as precise and thorough as you can. Reiterate the major points to remind your readers what they need to take away from your article.

Evoke Curiosity

evoke curiosity through affiliate marketing

Whether it’s your headline or the body of your content, every statement should be written to evoke curiosity so you readers choose to read on. Most readers are likely to stop after a few sentences and skim through to pointers that are more relevant for them at the moment.

A fascinating read with interesting subheads, images, and lists to break up the text will help draw in both skimmers and readers so that they go on until the very end.

Make the Content SEO-Friendly

SEO text wallpaper

The main objective of SEO-friendly content is to rank higher on the search engine results pages. Stuffing your blog with keywords, however, is the wrong way to go about it. To make it simpler for you, here’s a list of all the things you need to keep in mind in order to make your content more SEO-centric.

Use Headers and Subheads

Most people have a short attention span. This means most readers tend to prefer skimming through a blog to get to the points that interest them. Now, imagine a blog content with no heads or sub-headers. No matter how appealing the content, you have lost the reader from the very beginning!

Now that you know the why, let’s move on to the how.

Keep it clear

Make the header or subheads crystal clear. You want the reader to take away something vital through your content. But they will hardly know what they’re reading if you make the headings too cryptic or fancy.

Writing online is different from writing a book or magazine article – clarity is key.

Incorporate exact-match keywords

This particular trick can work wonders for your blog. Search engine algorithms allow snippets of your blogs to pop up if the keywords put in by users match those of your blog post. Using an exact-match keyword has a higher chance of bringing that particular section of blog to the searcher’s attention the moment they search for the keyword.

For example, an exact match keyword like Instagram affiliate marketing tips can be used as a header that says “The Best Instagram Affiliate Marketing Tips for Beginners” and go on to give the basic tips that every social media affiliate marketer needs to know!

Answer Frequently Asked Questions

faqs on how to write content for affiliate marketing

We’ve already established how incorporating keywords in your blogs can help improve your rankings. Yet another tactic is to find out your audience’s frequently asked questions and use them within your blog as headers, with the following content answering these questions.

Not only will you give your readers exactly what they’re interested in learning, but you’ll also improve your ranking significantly by including the frequent search queries directly within your content for affiliate marketing.

Make use of long tail keywords

Long tail keywords are more specific as well as descriptive. Among your choice of keywords, using these will get you a much better reach.

One example of using a long-tailed keyword would be using the sentence “Which is the best deep cleansing shampoo for women?” in your blog as against a phrase.

Interlink the Other Blogs on Your Site

While you may add several affiliate links, take the time to interlink the numerous blogs on your site to the one you are currently working on. This keeps your readers on your website for longer and gets them to read up the other blogs you have posted that are similar and relevant to the topic in question. And you also increase the traffic on your older blogs while driving traffic to your new post.

These backlinks should be both internal and external. Adding links that point to reputable and authoritative websites can increase the credibility of your own content as well.

Focus on the Right Keywords

focus on the right affiliate marketing keywords

The right keywords can take your blog views sky-high. However, what seems right can also prove to be a mismatch unless you are specific.

To give you an easy example, imagine that you’re affiliated with a hair care brand that offers deep cleansing shampoos catering towards women.

While “shampoo for women” may seem like the right phrase to use, it’s not specific enough for users who specifically need a “deep cleansing shampoo.” The difference between these two keywords is significant. Being more specific can make your posts rank a lot better and give you a better list of keywords for producing content.

Here are a few ways to find the right keywords to focus on.

Understand your niche

You have undoubtedly chosen a niche to begin affiliate content marketing. For those of you who haven’t yet decided on one, you can check our numerous blogs that help you choose the right niche based on your abilities and interests.

Once you have a niche you want to pursue, you need to understand it well in order to optimize the content you create. By studying your niche thoroughly, you will have a better idea of keywords that are relevant to the industry and the niche that you can incorporate within your articles.

Find out the jargon and the terms often used by those within the industry by interacting with other bloggers, or online communities dedicated to the niche you have chosen.

Use keywords relevant to your brand

With a general idea of both the industry and the niche you intend to become an affiliate in, you can jot down keywords that are relevant, keeping in mind the target audience as well as the product’s unique selling points.

Coming back to the earlier example of the deep cleansing shampoo, you can make use of a number of keywords to incorporate the product within your blog.

Apart from using “deep cleansing shampoos” as a keyword, you can also be more specific by using “deep cleaning shampoos for women” or “women’s deep cleansing shampoos” instead.

Find a good keyword research tool

Keywords can often be used without keyword research tools in the picture, just by searching in Google or using your best guess as to what people want to know about your topic. However, a quality keyword tool is still valuable.

Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs give you a wider range of keywords and phrases to work with, improving your scope of reaching out to a larger audience. Your search terms are more refined, your SEO strategy is better, and you have more terms to incorporate within your blogs that are widely searched for.

Make Anchor Phrases Compelling

The anchor phrases you use to link other blogs to one readers are currently on is yet another factor you need to keep in mind. Boring anchor texts will do nothing to compel the readers to click on it. Keep it relevant while still making it seem fun, raising their level of curiosity about the article.

Use the Relevant Data

use relevant data to support your affiliate marketing content

Any claim you make within your content needs the right data to back it up. You must always try to add statistics that compel your readers to think why it makes sense to buy the product you are promoting within your blog. In fact, highlight the data can quickly catch their attention and make them read the entire article if the statement is appealing enough.

Write Quality Content

This is by far the most important rule. Writing quality content should be your prerogative above all. No amount of data, keyword usage, or SEO tactics can help you if the quality of your article is poor, both in terms of the information you share and how well it’s written.

Be as informative as you can be to give your readers the exact information they are looking for. Be honest as a writer and keep the content simple, conversational, and light-hearted.

How to Write Content for Affiliate Marketing Wrap-Up

As all successful affiliate marketers can tell you, writing quality affiliate marketing content comes down to creating content that is reader-friendly, informative, and engaging.

By using proven SEO best practices and branching out into different content formats, you can better engage your audience with content that is relevant and helpful.

Ready to Take Your Earnings to the Next Level?

Need help wrapping your head around affiliate marketing content? Don’t have the time to create all of this content alone? If you’re serious about building your business, then get in touch with us! We are pleased to offer you a FREE 30-minute coaching call.

Book the call today to discover how BrandBuilders can help you grow your business!