Do You Remember My Lucky Water Bottle?
When I started my journey here, I arrived lost because I was beaten to hell by other affiliate marketing programs and ready to throw in the towel. I am talking about all of the "Done for You", and "Make Money Now" schemes littering the internet today. However, something sparked my interest and I landed here through an affiliate link. Since my arrival, I have absorbed knowledge and understanding of the marketing process. Although it did not happen overnight, learning the ropes was rather quick due to the structure of the training here on this platform. If I had not landed here by accident, affiliate marketing would have been a distant memory at this point in my life.
Given my background occupation in the towing industry, affiliate marketing is not something you would ever imagine me doing. The two paths are like oil and water.
Oil and Water
If you have spoken to me on the platform, you know I am very strong-minded and opinionated at times. Enough so that it is starting to show up within my content. I have found my voice. This method of free thinking is what some of my readers value it seems. The flow of my content has changed as I am less dependent on AI for creation. This method of content creation may not align with everyone, but it is working seamlessly for me. With that out of the way, let's get to it. Please enjoy my mindless ramblings! Done For You
Want a surefire way to tick me off? It is the discussion about the value of a Done For You System. It is my personal belief, and I agree that everyone will not agree with my belief that these programs have a place in affiliate marketing. Their place you ask? The garbage bin. Free done-for-you programs can cost you an arm and a leg for little to no results.
Why do people fall for them? They are lazy and looking to make a quick buck. This was my beginning goal that nearly ended in failure. If it was not for WA, I would not be writing this today.
I take issue with deceptive affiliate marketing and feel transparency is best when promoting. I dislike seeing ads for offers that have headlines like:
- I am not sure How Long This offer Will remain before they take it down!
- I am only offering this to the next "X" amount of People
- If you are seeing this, the offer is still valid.
- Only "X" number of spots remain.
Although it may be a valid form of marketing, deception runs rampant with this method and it is not fair to the consumer to create urgency this way. People are searching for a legitimate method of making money online only to fall into these traps.
It is wrong and unjust and the creators of these programs need to be kicked in the shins if you ask me. Affiliate marketing is a valid business approach that helps businesses, affiliates, and customers. When done ethically and legally, it can be a profitable and lasting venture for everyone involved. I will hold the opinion that done-for-you is the wrong way to proceed. Wealthy Affiliate
WA was different. Sure every program has its issues and I have only a couple with this one I will reserve this as a personal opinion and let it rest with that. Overall, the Wealthy Affiliate program is a powerhouse when it comes to training and community. Look and you will not find a better community of people geared towards success anywhere. Trust me, I have searched.
The training is easy to follow and very thorough. It is improving every time I turn around with updates constantly to the information it provides. This helps both newcomers and experienced marketers. There is something for anyone looking to carve out a chunk in the marketing world here within the WA platform.
When I started here, I knew absolutely nothing about affiliate marketing. What I know about it today and the methods I employ daily was learned here taken from the videos and conversations I have had with the community. Whether it be Eric's Daily WP knowledge or Jay's in-depth video training, if you pay attention, you cannot help but learn. The training here is unlike any you will find online which makes WA stand out as a leader in this field.
Dumb Luck
If you recall, I created a post when I started here. Called "Figures It Would Happen When It is All Changing" <==Internal Linking, lol
To summarize it in a nutshell, it was a post to announce I finally got my initial 3 sales to become verified for Amazon Associates. If I recall correctly, I was ever so happy and charged enough to write about it. But how was this feat accomplished? Through an affiliate link of course!
This is not just any link. This link is kinda special to me and I will tell you why. It is a link that I threw into an article I wrote about heat exhaustion. Nothing even close to my chosen niche other than how it affects tow truck drivers in the Texas heat. I looked on Amazon for a water bottle, snagged the link to the cheapest bottle I could find, and threw it into the article. This decision has had lasting effects.
I have had success suggesting products within my chosen niche and have done very well since, but this water bottle happened by accident. So within an article that did not align with my niche is an affiliate link chosen at random with no further explanation that is getting traffic. If someone clicks that link and buys one, I make $0.39. Not much in the scheme of things but it does add up, and people are buying them. What makes this bottle so special to me is the cookie it creates when clicked and the sales it generates on Amazon on the most random items.
The Ultimate Water Bottle Cookie
How this little bottle can go from $0.39 to this impresses me. And this happens weekly. Sometimes it is just the water bottle. Other times, the water bottle is just the entry point. People are buying random things and when they do, I earn. It is shocking to me that just this single post and a silly water bottle create revenue. Enough so, that it has captured my attention enough to write about it. This water bottle shall remain my buddy as long as I continue affiliate marketing. I draw inspiration from it to drive me forward with my other articles because it proves to me that success is possible, even if it happens by accident.
Bring It To A Close
There are times such as now when I get on a tangent and begin to ramble. Sometimes successful blogs result from it. In this one, I have covered my utter disappointment with done-for-you systems. I have shared a bit more about my background and what I've learned since joining. I have also shared the dumb luck coupled with success from a silly water bottle. It is my hope you have made it this far and possibly have enjoyed this article. From here I am off to continue igniting imagination and sparking creativity through my content. I wish you all a good day!
Michael
100% Human Content
Which means I wrote it without the assistance of the EVIL AI
Recent Comments
37
Love this! THANKYOU for reaffirming everything I have been observing and sometimes shiny objects come along and I think ooo but no I’m here for the long haul and I’m at the start but I’m determined to learn this and at the same time take this learning journey.
Given my past experiences with other programs this one stands out most definitely. All that glitters is not gold when it you compare it to the “Systems” many of us fell for before eventually finding WA. I am glad you found value in my article and I am also you are here and have the opportunity to learn the correct methods.
Michael
There is that word again... LAZY. Chasing money with all of the "Side Hustlers" promising easy money.
I thank you for restating this. Creating an online business is easy to set up with WA, but being successful is work. Albeit enjoyable because you like what you are doing...
I love the story of your water bottle. It was easy to throw a link into your post. The work is getting people to read your posts.
Congratulations on having great traffic.
Enjoy the day and keep making it happen.
MrDon
People are always looking for easy and fast when the only way to make any venture work is hard work and persistence. It takes time.
Michael
Great post Michael, and it has been wonderful to get to know you thus far since your arrival at WA. So great to hear you are learning so much, and there is lots to learn in the future for all of us...that is the fun of being involved in such a fast paced business environment.
As you mention, we are not perfect and we know that. Nothing is. That gives us room to grow, evolve, innovate and get better and you have had a lot of constructive feedback up to this point that have helped us know where we can improve, and where we excel. That is what this community and platform is all about.
We appreciate you, and I love this post!
Well, it's great to meet you Michael. That was an awesome read about your beliefs with WA. I am somewhat new here, but I feel the exact same way. This is the best affiliate platform anywhere!
I want to give you a Strong HIGH 5 on your business successes because you give a lot of doubters the true realization that dreams can come true.
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Being yourself is the only way to go, I agree 100%.
And it is up to us to succeed, not following some supposed “golden path” that is offered by so may. I always think, if these get rich schemes are so good, why do they ( the people who sell the courses) not just keep quiet and do it themselves.
P.S. How did you get a picture of my wife. lol, ow she hit me…
Steve
lol, you are lucky! My wife would have probably hit me with something heavy and I would be unconscious still.
Thanks for your insight and for taking the time to read my content. I agree, if they had something worth selling, flooding the market with competition competing for sales would not be in their best interest.
Michael