So . . . you’ve signed up to an Affiliate Marketing network or you’ve put some well placed links on your site and you’ve received your first commission payment. You’re now officially part of a revenue-sharing network. Once you’ve taken you first tentative steps into the world of affiliate marketing and you’ve realised that it really isn’t as difficult or intimidating as you first thought, it can be tempting to get a bit over ambitious and want to become a ‘super affiliate’ as soon as possible.

Of course it would be great to soar to the dizzy heights of ‘super affiliate marketing’, there is nothing wrong with being inspired by other people’s success and wanting a slice of that particular pie but it’s more important to remain focused on doing well for yourself rather than trying to run and keep up with the big boys for the sake of it.

There are a number of schools of thought as to what makes an affiliate marketer ‘super’. The official definition is that they are an “affiliate capable of generating a significant percentage of an affiliate program’s activity”. In reality this means that they have the ability, or the networks in place that are going to make them a lot of money; literally into hundreds and thousands of pounds and in some cases millions. When it’s put like that it’s no wonder many newbies want to get to that stage, and get there immediately. The merchant demand for access to super affiliates certainly gives them a lot more leverage than the rest of us and they can be selective as to merchant programmes. They also tend to receive special treatment from the affiliate networks who recognise the importance of attracting and retaining high throughput affiliates.

But there’s a reason why there are only a handful of truly ‘super’ affiliate marketers out there. To become one you need to find a niche market or angle that isn’t so niche it won’t sell but is niche enough to attract a large chunk of the online consumer market. With new affiliate programmes being set up by the minute this is tricky. Similarly, you need to have the time and resources to put the work in. Although affiliate marketing is a career choice open to everyone, only a select few will ultimately become super.

‘Super affiliates’ aren’t just simply good at putting the right links in the right places, to become super you need to take on some or all of a number of roles. You need to be a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) whizz to drive traffic from natural search; you need to know what you’re doing with PPC marketing and how best to use to get the most for your money. You need to become advertisers in your own right and you need to be able to drive traffic through social media, viral marketing, opt-in mailing and other forms of incentivisation. This is no mean feat and a job that only the select few can take on.

Some super affiliates start out with a pile of cash having perhaps sold another business and enter the market pre-armed with knowledge of at least some of the above areas. Others start the hard way whilst keeping the ‘day job’ going and working through the night. For those entering with deep pockets, it is of course possible to follow the increasingly popular maxim of ‘automate everything you can and outsource the rest’ which whilst it makes perfect business sense implies a fair degree of financial risk, particularly in the early days when revenues are lower. Even if you are a developer and can handle the automation side of things, outsourcing to quality firms (no point in doing things badly) comes at a price — and requires a solid enough understanding of each discipline to ensure that you are outsourcing to the right people in the first place!

Becoming a good, never mind super, affiliate marketer takes time, commitment and a bit of savvy. Other people don’t like the term ‘super’ affiliate marketers and prefer the term successful. And success can be judged very differently. Some affiliates believe that making £500 a month on top of their salary is successful, others think that being able to work from anywhere in the world or the comfort of their own home is a measure of success whereas others are just grateful to making ANY money through a website that is based around a hobby they love or a product they truly believe in.

And there is nothing wrong with that, nothing wrong at all.

Unless you find that winning idea or angle that will make you a ‘super affiliate’ then all you’d be doing is copying them, and being second-rate copies at that. Business is all about competition and diversity and if everyone did the same thing that particular niche would be bled dry, then what? There are a lot of benefits to being just a run-of-the-mill affiliate marketer, by all means continue to strive to make more money and get those clicks but with the number of affiliate marketers failing to gain any real traction, any success should be classed as just that, success.

Ultimately, as with any business, success in affiliate marketing will be determined by wider business skills and a deep understanding of your target market place and upcoming trends, together with your own passion and commitment to the cause. There are no artificial limits in the world of affiliate marketing. No boss. No exams. Your ultimate success is determined by only one factor – you!

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