Pros and Cons of Affiliate Marketing

byCraigBarnes

425 followers

7 years ago

This is a followup to my last post. As I promised, I will briefly go over some of the advantages and disadvantages of the affiliate marketing method/model.

PROS

1. Startup is relatively easy and inexpensive. There are usually no fees to become an affiliate. Most sites and programs offer a free trial period so you can experience and evaluate if it is a suitable opportunity for you.
2. You can work from virtually anywhere in the world. Now, that's what I call true freedom!
3. You can work the hours you want, take vacation when you want, and don't have any boss acting like a total jerk, literally hanging over your shoulder.
4. There are almost endless products and/or services you can promote. Best of all, the merchant - not you - handles the inventory, provides sales tools for you, and even takes care of shipping and handling, as well as customer service.
5. It is or can become a truly passive model of earning income for you.
6. The income potential is almost unlimited, dependent upon your commitment, and the amount of time and work you are willing to put in.
7. If you run your blog or site as a legitimate business (and not just a hobby), you can legally deduct certain expenses that are part of you doing business. This is especially true if you incorporate.
8. The entire world is literally your marketplace and more and more people around the world choose to do their shopping online.
9. Once you grow your business and income, life becomes much less stressful and you can enjoy the greatest freedom of all - the freedom to spend your time how, where, and when you want to.

CONS

1. You can fall into the trap of letting your passion/blog become just another J.O.B., consuming far too much of your life and time. Your family and friends can wind up being neglected. Not worth all the money in the world.
2. YOU are your own boss and need to learn how to handle this responsibility well. Nobody is going to set your work schedule, tell you when to take a break, eat, and so on.
3. There is a temptation to get involved with "black hat" tactics or scam artists that can lead to financial consequences that will shut you down. Don't violate Terms of Service with vendors or merchants. Be transparent and legitimate.
4. The affiliate marketing field is huge and the level of competition can be overwhelming. Just look at the number of members on WA alone. You will be competing with very high numbers of affiliates the world around.
5. Other affiliate marketers can and will hijack and steal your affiliate links and profits from you, unless you take protective measures. This is especially true if you become very successful and profitable.
6. Some affiliate network programs will take a percentage of the revenue you generate for the services they provide you like reporting and tracking tools.
7. It can be challenging to choose the right products or services that are right for you.
8. AFFILIATE MARKETING IS NOT A "GET RICH QUICK OR OVERNIGHT WAY" TO WEALTH. This can't be emphasized enough. You must be in it for the long haul and have enough persistence and patience to allow yourself to succeed.

I sincerely hope this information proves useful to as many of you as possible and good luck to your future success!

Craig