The purpose of an affiliate site is to direct visitors to a merchant’s site. For this reason, the industry marketing principles of conversions do not always apply to affiliate sites since the sale conversions take place on a third party website.
As an affiliate marketer, your goal is to either capture an email address to promote the product via your list or immediately compel your visitor to click through to the merchant’s site. In contrast with a normal business website, you are not necessarily trying to obtain loyal customers for life…
Your goal is to capture their interest long enough to compel them to take the next step (sign up for your list, click to the merchant’s site, etc.). This “next step” must be the main focus of your website. In fact, you could also call your website a “landing page” since it is focused mainly on one call to action. For some examples of high-converting landing pages, check out this informative article: 5 Highly Optimized Landing Pages that Convert
Here are 3 of the most important design elements for affiliate marketing web pages:
1. Too many Distractions
Your sole purpose with your affiliate marketing website is to get visitors to convert and take the next step. Usually, this step involves some sort of contact, whether an email list, phone call or event invitation. Though affiliate marketers can find success linking directly to the merchant’s site, most experience higher conversions with an intermediary form of contact to ease the prospect into buying before the sale commences.
Anxious and enthusiastic affiliate marketers make the mistake of cluttering their web pages with excessive images, links, copy and calls to action. If you want to snag an email, keep the page distractions to a minimum and focus the eye towards the optin. Keep it clean, organized and make your optin box pop off the page so it is noticeable.
If you are leading visitors to click somewhere, make the call to action stand out. Text links are not the highest converting elements. Use noticeable call to action buttons above the fold (users can see it without having to scroll) and clickable images.
2. Consistency
Preparation is crucial. If you are an affiliate for the ebook “How to Have a Wedding on a Budget” and the product’s landing page is lilac and white, your website should look similar. Prepare the reader’s eyes and mind for what is to come. Your website should pre-sell the product.
Use some of the images, the logo and even re-write the headline to make the merchant’s landing page look like a conscious continuation of your web page. Even if you are directing your visitors to sign up for your email list first, your campaign should resemble the landing page to which you are sending your prospects.
3. Claims and Testimonials
Testimonials and reviews are a great affiliate marketing strategy, but only if they are 100% authentic. If you make claims about using the product, make sure you substantiate them. A quick statement about how you think the product is awesome may deter potential buyers rather than attract them. Show pictures of yourself using the product. If you are selling a weight loss product that worked for you, display your before and after. Be careful with testimonials since the FTC has been cracking down on false reviews. Do your homework before posting reviews and read the FTC guidelines.
How are the conversions for your affiliate marketing websites? If you have any affiliate marketing questions, feel free to ask us in the comments below!
Jenna Scaglione is a content writer, internet marketer, and a lover of family, friends and life. Jenna enjoys learning, growing and discovering the newest and latest trends on the internet. Known as "Lady Content", she lives in sunny Socal where she helps her clients around the world increase brand awareness on the internet through content writing and social media.
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