If you’re new to the world on online marketing, I know it’s easy to wonder which opportunities are legitimate and which aren’t…so what about affiliate programs?
Is affiliate marketing a get rich quick scheme?
Definitely not. One of my biggest frustrations as an affiliate marketer is that there are a lot of misunderstandings about what affiliate marketing actually is. The result is that a lot of myths arise, the worst of which is the ‘get rich quick’ aspect.
In this post I’ll outline why affiliate marketing is NOT a get rich quick scheme.
It Takes Time to See Revenue
There’s nothing ‘quick’ about affiliate business. Sites take a minimum of 6-12 months to begin to see significant organic traffic, and before this point one can only generate traffic through social media or paid promotions.
If you already have a large social media following or email list, then it is possible to earn money quickly, but if you’re truly starting from scratch this is unlikely. Content marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, so don’t see surprised if you don’t see revenue for several months.
Successful Affiliate Marketing Businesses Think Long Term
One of the overriding characteristics of get rich quick schemes in my mind is that the businesses prey upon short-lived opportunities. Think black-hat SEO: you try to outsmart Google knowing you’ll get caught, but in the interim you’ve made money from gaming the system. Rinse and repeat.
That is the complete opposite from how most affiliates operate. Successful internet marketers build user trust in the long run. They invest their time and energy into producing content with integrity, so that users will want to spend time on their page.
Again, achieving this takes time, and most affiliates think long-term to do so, not exploit short-term loopholes.
Affiliate Marketing is NOT a Scheme
To me, the word ‘scheme’ implies that one person is tricking another into purchasing a product that they don’t really need.
There are definitely plenty of scams out there in the online marketing world, and the affiliate community is no exception, but the overwhelming majority of affiliate sites find success because they can help the user choose a product that’s right for them.
Knowing a targeted reader is likely to purchase something and helping him make a decision on what to purchase is completely different than tricking someone into a product they don’t need.
So is affiliate marketing a get rich quick scheme? My answer is a resounding NO. To me, it fails on all counts. If you are thinking about starting an affiliate business, you can read more on how to decide if it’s right for you, or continue on to how to get started.