What Is Youtube Affiliate Marketing, and How to Do It?

YouTube has been around for quite some time now. The company was founded in 2005 as a video-sharing platform and has become much more than originally intended. The Google-owned giant has become a place for beginners and professional creators to show off their skills to the world and make a reputation & income for themselves. The prospects for you to become a YouTube sensation are relatively high. If you have a talent or a flair for something, YouTube is the place to flaunt it. Why do we say so? Here are the statistics to support our claim.

According to Backlinko, YouTube currently has more than 2 billion active users, behind only the social media giant – Facebook, which has around 2.9 billion active users. People spend more than a billion hours surfing videos on YouTube every day. Globally, 42% of internet surfers visit YouTube every month. There is no lack of viewers and explorers.

So, the main question is – Can I make a living through YouTube? And the answer is yes. YouTube provides different ways for creators to earn money from their content – ad revenue, channel membership, merch, and many more. But a new method has been emerging lately to earn money through YouTube. It is called YouTube Affiliate Marketing. But what is it exactly? Continue reading to find out.

What is YouTube Affiliate Marketing?

Before we jump into the YouTube Affiliate world, we should know about the Affiliate world. Affiliate Marketing is an advertising model in which a person, typically a marketer, is paid a commission for promoting an online retailer’s products and services. There are several channels for Affiliate Marketing, like Blogging, social media, and Ads, and YouTube is one of them. You do affiliate marketing whenever you promote a product/service from any company on your channel. And yes, you can earn a decent income while doing it. However, if you are not a content creator, one of the best ways to become a part-time affiliate marketer is by using affiliate marketing platforms to start your journey. 

Read More:- 14 Best Successful Affiliate Marketing Websites

Why is YouTube Affiliate Marketing better than other platforms?

We say YouTube is the best place to start your Affiliate Marketing journey for several reasons. We have listed some of them down for you.

1. Easy Setup:

You do not need much to create YouTube content. Just a microphone and a camera can do the deed. If you have a smartphone, you are already there. You must create content through your camera’s lens, upload it on YouTube, and the platform will take care of the rest. 

2. Organic Growth:

Like Google, YouTube also works based on Search Engine Optimization. It would be best if you do not spend thousands out of your pocket to promote your videos online. If you are smart enough and taking all the right steps, your videos will automatically start gaining viewership.

3. Large Audience:

As mentioned above, YouTube has more than 2 billion active users. These are only the people that have a registered channel on the platform. Think about the viewership the platform has in terms of non-registered users. That is more than 2 billion opportunities for you to grow and become successful in your affiliate marketing journey.

4. Text to Video:

While creating blogs can take hours and hours of work, it is always easier to convert your blog into a YouTube video and get the best of both worlds. People like to listen to people talking about any topic. If you have a blog and have been creating articles for years, you can always start turning these write-ups into informative videos.

Pro Tip: Do not try to copy someone else’s content. If you do not have an original blog, it is always better to do your research from multiple sources to provide an insightful experience to the viewer.

What are the Affiliate Marketing Opportunities on YouTube?

You can engage in affiliate marketing while being a content creator in several ways. Try out and find the one which works best for you.

1. Brand Collaboration:

Many companies provide YouTube content creators with their latest products. These companies promote their product through famous channels by having a Youtuber test out their product. For example, fitness YouTubers get free merchandise from athletic wear companies to get their products in front of people’s eyes. So, if you have a niche topic on which you are creating YouTube videos, this might be the best way.

2. Create Affiliate Links:

When your YouTube journey gains momentum, it is always better for you to be upscale. You may want to update your camera, microphone, lighting, and other things you use in your YouTube videos. It is advisable to keep evolving and not get stuck in your old ways. In this way, you also have a way to become an affiliate for the products that you use. You can provide your viewers with special discount links and limited-time sales by becoming a part of a company’s affiliate program. And here is the best thing about this route. You know you recommend the best to your viewers since you have tried and tested these products.

3. Sponsorships:

Brands often get in touch with YouTubers to have them speak about their product in their videos. Companies considerably pay famous Youtubers for placing their products in their videos and discussing their benefits and requirements with their viewers. This method can be a two-way street. There might be times when a company may reach out to you, while other times, you might have to do the work. In the end, both get benefitted.

How to Start Affiliate Marketing on YouTube?

What type of YouTube videos generates the most Affiliate Marketing revenue?

YouTube is a great place to share what you love with the world. Cooking, dancing, singing, painting, editing, and whatnot, the possibilities are endless. But here is a fact. YouTube promotes certain kinds of content more than others. Let’s look at the type of content that gets pushed the most.

1. “How to” Content:

Like any other social media platform, YouTube pushes ‘How to’ content the most. What is ‘How to content? It is the type of content creation under which you inform your viewers about particular know-how to do a certain task. People today see all kinds of content on social media. Some of it can be captivating as well. People want to try out new things. The things they like, the things they have seen, and that is where you come in to teach them a new skill, a new method, or rather help them get better.

2. YouTube Shorts:

There is no denying the fact that YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels are the new trends. The short-form content makes videos viral in less than a couple of days. Why is it, however? Why is it that this 30 – 60 seconds format is blowing up? Well, the average attention span of a human has declined from 12 seconds to 8 seconds in the last decade. That is less than a third of this content’s length. Companies want to keep their users engaged, which is why this type of content has become the new normal. You can either convert your current videos into shorts or start afresh, your choice. But do not miss out on this wonderful new opportunity.

3. Podcasts:

Lately, it feels like every person has been creating Podcasts. Podcasts may involve two or more people chatting about different topics and opinions. It can also be an audio story, sketch, biography, or any other form of content narrated by an orator. Podcasts can be listened to on other platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, or any other music streaming platform. There is something special about watching people have a candid conversation or see the behind-the-scenes of your favorite story. The developers at YouTube know it, which is why Podcasts have been getting promoted extensively in the last couple of years.

4. DIY Videos:

Ever since COVID-19, people have started developing hobbies. Every person wants to take up something that makes them feel joyful and disconnected from the outside world. And who do they turn to learn this new hobby? Well, you guessed it. They can learn it on YouTube. YouTube is the go-to platform for everyone and anyone to learn a new skill through entertaining Do It Yourself (DIY) videos. There are millions of skills for people to choose and learn from.

5. Product Reviews:

Are you that person in your family asking everyone about new products? Are you interested in knowing the features most people do not notice? Then reviewing products might be the field for you. You can start with any field – technology, clothing, footwear, household items, etc. There is no limit. You can talk about the features, pros, cons, pricing, and competition, among many other things. YouTube particularly pushes this kind of content since many people use YouTube as the first resort to gain insight into new products appearing in the market.

What is our Best Advice for becoming a YouTube Affiliate Marketer?

1. Just Start:

Becoming a Youtuber has become easier than ever. If you think you have something to say, share, and contribute to the community, then do not wait for the perfect setup or opportunity. Your smartphone is your best friend in this matter. You can shoot, edit, upload, and optimize all through the tip of your fingers. So, stop waiting and start doing it!

2. Be Unique:

Being exceptional is the most important thing while doing YouTube Affiliate Marketing. To gain mass viewership, you must find your Unique Selling Proposition. There are fewer chances for you to gain a viewer and a subscriber if there are already thousands of videos on your chosen topic. So, be unique.

3. Beware:

Only use copyright-free music and videos in your YouTube videos. The last thing you want as an amateur Youtuber is to get a copyright strike by some other content creator. Unlike Instagram & TikTok, YouTube is very strict with its copyright policy, and your video (sometimes even your channel) will get flagged immediately.

4. Call to Action:

Gaining views on YouTube has become far easier than a decade ago. Anyone can gain thousands, if not millions, of views by understanding the algorithm. What’s important is to keep these viewers coming back, which is why it is important to include a CTA in your videos. Call to Action is telling your viewers to perform a small task. You must ask your viewers to subscribe, comment, share and save your videos at the beginning or the end of your video. This increases your engagement on the platform and creates a subtle bond between you and your viewers.

5. Use Shorts:

Unlike Instagram, YouTube Shorts is much less biased. You can easily gain a mass following if you create shorts on relevant & trending topics. As per recent reports, it has also been noticed that Shorts with lesser production value tend to perform better with the audience. So, focus more on keeping the viewer engaged rather than being a perfectionist. As Shorts is still developing, YouTube is focused on promoting it more to test out different characteristics and functionalities, which you can use to your advantage. Use features like Hashtags, Catchy Titles, and Additional tags to increase the chances of going viral.

6. Video Length:

While niche content like product reviews and podcasts may require longer running time, creating crisp and entertaining videos for your viewers is always a better choice. You do not want to have too many dull moments in your content. Make sure to keep your video length between 8-12 minutes for a long video and 4-5 minutes for a shorter one.

7. Social Media Sharing:

If you are a Youtuber, you must also have an audience on the other social media platforms. This allows you to share your videos on different websites and can help convert more users into viewers. You can also share your affiliate links and videos to complement your revenue.

8. Build Relationships:

YouTube is a big collaborative network. Someone is partnering with someone every minute. It would be best if you built partnerships with other Youtubers to help gain insight into the field and become a part of the community. If you like someone’s content, leave them a comment. If you want to collaborate with someone, try to get in touch with them. This allows you to become an integral part of the community and helps increase viewership from different YouTube channels.

9. Attractive Thumbnails:

Most people that click on a YouTube video do not even check the title. They look at the thumbnail. Your video’s thumbnail can be a great influence in increasing or decreasing your viewer count. Your video thumbnail should denote the emotion, style, and audience you aim for. Use platforms like Canva, Inshot, and Photopea to learn different styles and choose what is best for you. 

10. Focus on Quality:

While you may think that uploading a couple of videos every day will get you a great reach and more viewership. That is not the case. As a beginner, your quality will suffer if you try to chug out tons of content daily. Novice Youtubers should focus more on quality to build a loyal fanbase.

• Optimize your Content: Finally, you must optimize your videos in the best way possible. What do we include in optimizing?

• Watch Cards: Make sure to insert watch cards at the end of your videos that will redirect the viewer to more interesting content on your channel.

• Duration Tags: This is a new feature on YouTube in which you can add tags at different durations in your video mentioning the topic you are talking about. This makes your video look clean and professional.

• Hashtags: When you upload a video, you get two options – Tags and Description. It is advised to use the tags option to enter the most relevant keywords related to your video. Do not forget to include 8-10 hashtags in your description. But stay classy. You do not want to spam your description box and look desperate.

Conclusion

YouTube is a giant platform with a constantly growing audience. This allows affiliate marketers to tap into this platform’s huge potential and earn a decent income. Even though YouTube provides great potential, it is comparatively easier to get a decent reach on the platform. It is fair to say the platform is creator-friendly, ranging from equipment to YouTube algorithms. You can start your Youtuber journey without much expense or expertise.