How to Fail at Affiliate Marketing (and How WA Helps You Get It Right)

byapache1

13.7K followers

5 months ago

Ever see someone try affiliate marketing and crash out before they even get started?

Perhaps your wheels are spinning but there is no traction.

You’re not alone. In fact, most beginners hit the exact same traps, often because no one told them what not to do.

Maybe you’ve even felt that way yourself.

Today, let’s flip the script.

Here are the 15 fastest ways to fail at affiliate marketing, and how to turn each mistake into a stepping stone, with Wealthy Affiliate and its community right behind you.

This is my not-so-serious, actually-very-serious guide: a tongue-in-cheek look at the 15 fastest ways to fail, and, much more importantly, how you can flip each one around to start building real results here at Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate, along with your community are right behind you to help you move forward in the right way towards success.

Grab your drink of choice (coffee, tea, or, if you’re channeling Kyle, a beer!) and read on. You might just spot a habit you need to ditch, and a new one to pick up.

1. Choose a Niche with Zero Research

How to Fail:

Jump at the latest “hot” niche because you saw someone else making money with it.

Don’t spend a second checking if you know anything about it (or care).

WA Secret to Success:

• Use Wealthy Affiliate’s Niche Finder to uncover ideas you’ll enjoy working on.
• Do some brainstorming and look at options, and narrow in on a topic you love or at least are willing to learn about.
• Check your competition; you can use Google or Bing and consider using the 'People Also Ask' feature along with reading community success stories before you dive in.
• If you wouldn’t read 100 articles about it for fun, don’t base a website on it!

2. Build a Website That’s All Over the Place

How to Fail:

Talk about skincare, hiking gear, bitcoin, and air fryers…all on the same site. Confuse your visitors (and Google) from day one.

WA Fix: Do It Right:

• Follow the Core Training to help define your site direction.
• One niche, one website” is WA’s golden rule for beginners for a
• Use WA’s training to set up a clear “About” page and a helpful menu.
• Create a hub for your site brand and jot down 10–20 core topics that fit under your chosen umbrella. Hint: Use the Niche Finder tool to help break it down.

3. Obsess Over SEO—Or Ignore It Completely

How to Fail:

Either (A) stuff your posts with keywords and hope Google loves you, (B) chase plugin “green lights: and hope for the best or (C) never think about SEO, period.

WA Solution :Turn It Around:

• Use the Hub's content research (Jaaxy) to find naturally fitting search phrases.
• Follow the SEO lessons to understand proper search intent.
• Trust the platform’s advice: Basics beat gimmicks!
• Place your main keyword in the title, intro, and (sparingly) in a subheading.
• Write as if talking to a friend first, then double-check for basic optimization after.

4. Write for Robots, Not People

How to Fail:

Produce “content” that’s lifeless, unhelpful, or a mile wide and an inch deep.

AI can help you do that: Create hundreds of short or long posts and just copy and paste what it gives you and don't worry about the fact it doesn't answer what the reader is looking for, or that is not accurate or up-to-date and helps nobody.

Just keep on creating useless content to make your site look established.

WA Way on How to Fix:

• Each post should solve a real problem or answer a real question for your reader.
• Expand on topics that readers in the WA community ask or write about and use it on your site if related to your niche also in your own words.
• Use your experience, even your “rookie” perspective is valuable.

5. Publish in Random Spurts, Then Vanish

How to Fail:

Drop five posts in a week, then ghost your site for two months. Especially when starting I am sure Google will love you (not) then again, they will love not indexing your content let alone ranking it.

WA System: Win by Doing:

• Pick a posting rhythm you can maintain (weekly is a great start).
• Use WA’s SiteContent to pre-schedule posts or outline ideas when inspiration hits.
• Treat your niche like a business because that is what it is: A Business.
• Even one good article a week keeps you in Google’s (and readers’) good books. what's that word Oh yea it's called "Consistency"

6. Skip Building Credibility

How to Fail:

Copy-paste the merchant’s sales pitch, don’t reveal your experience, forget “About Me”. Get pushy, not helpful. Just be the cheesy saleperson.

WA Teaching:

• Sharing personal experiences, even if you’re still learning.
• Updating reviews with results, photos, or community feedback.
• Embracing Google’s E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust, start small and grow.
• Update your posts at least every six months and as your knowledge grows along with any new changes that come along.

7. Hide Your Affiliate Links (and Risk Your Accounts!)

How to Fail:

Never mention you’re using affiliate links, skip privacy pages, and ignore Amazon’s disclosure requirements. Even other affiliate disclosures.

WA Policy” To Do It Right:

• Use WA’s training modules for creating disclosures and privacy policies fast.
• Always put affiliate disclosure in a visible spot (top or bottom of posts).
• For Amazon Associates, use their exact wording. “As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases” and above the first Amazon link.
• Use other Affiliate disclosures WA has the templates to help you out.
• Don’t forget your privacy policy page as well. Again templates with Wealthy Affiliate are available.
• If anything relating to health a medical disclosure is also needed.

8. Promote Whatever Pays the Highest Commission

How to Fail:

Feature pet insurance on your skincare blog (because, why not?), or push “miracle” weight loss gadgets to a tech audience.

WA Recommendations:

• Only promote products your audience is likely to care about.
• Stick to one niche sound familiar?
• Read actual reviews, try the products yourself (if possible), and ask WA peers for honest feedback.
• Review what’s genuinely valuable to your readers, not just what pays the highest.

9. Dump Your Budget on Ads Before You Learn Organic Methods

How to Fail:

Pour hundreds into paid ads or PPC before you have any organic traffic or know what converts.

WA’s Advice: Be Smart About It:

• Focus on organic traffic first: SEO, social sharing, and community engagement.
• When ready for paid ads, use strict tests and small budgets. Check out WA’s within the PPC section https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/communities/ppc to help you get it right.

10. Ignore Comments, Don’t Build an Audience

How to Fail:

Avoid replying to comments, don’t participate and delete constructive criticism, never email your list, and treat readers as a one-click sale.

WA Community Culture and Trust:

• Respond to every comment, even tough questions. It's called connecting with your audience.
• Start a newsletter, invite feedback, and build actual relationships.
• Use the WA community or live chat for ongoing support, accountability even ideas.

11. Never Look at the Data

How to Fail:

Fly blind, never track which posts rank, convert, or get ignored.

The WA Way:

• Connect your site to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools (WA walks you through it).
• Check your stats monthly (not daily and don’t stress!
• Adjust based on REAL performance, not guesses.

12. Ignore Mobile Visitors

How to Fail:

Pick slow, clunky themes and or plugins that break on phones and tablets.

WA Makes it Easy:

• Use WA’s recommended themes like GeneratePress (free and mobile-ready). You don’t need to upgrade the theme if you don’t need to, plenty options available there with the free version.
• Always preview on your mobile before publishing.
• Learn from Batman sorry I mean (Eric’s Wordpress Wisdom) on ideas to boost your presence with tips and tools.

13. Stop Learning After Month One

How to Fail:

Assume what you learned last year still applies now, never update, never adapt and don't evolve to current times.

Stay Ahead of the game with WA:

• Dedicate at least 1 hour a week to WA’s latest lessons, webinars, or Google update discussions.
• Revisit “getting started” or other core training phases with tips. Sometimes your best ideas come after you see things a second or third time.

14. Believe in Easy Money

How to Fail:

Expect $1,000 in your first week, then quit when it doesn’t happen.

Reality Check:

• Treat affiliate marketing as a long-term business which is what it is, not a lottery.
• Celebrate every small win and share your milestones in the WA community (they get it!).

15. Give Up Three Feet from Gold

How to Fail:

Quit right before momentum kicks in, be convinced success is for “other people.”

How to Breakthrough:

• Reach out to the WA community or live chat when you’re stuck.
• Find accountability buddies or follow success stories.
• Remember: Every “super affiliate” here started as a regular member, just like you.

Your Wealthy Affiliate Success Checklist

• Clear, researched niche and reader focus
• Consistent, problem-solving content
• Transparent and up-to-date disclosures
• Regular check-ins with analytics
• Responsive, speedy, mobile-friendly site
• Active in the WA community and comments
• Commitment to lifelong learning, connection, and growth

Final Thoughts: Flip the Script, Build Your Success

Affiliate marketing isn’t a shortcut to fast cash, it’s a skill, a business, and a journey. The path has pitfalls, but every mistake is a step toward your breakthrough, especially with the training, accountability, and support you have here at Wealthy Affiliate.

The Journey starts (and keeps going) with you, but you don’t have to walk it alone.

Which of these mistakes have you caught yourself making, and how are you flipping them today? Comment below, and let’s cheer each other to bigger, better results!

As Always