How to Start Affiliate Marketing in the UK

WHAT IS affiliate marketing?

Imagine yourself sitting on a picturesque beach, writing about products and services you feel passionate about, all while earning a substantial income! Sounds pretty amazing.

In 2007, before I launched my accounting firm, I created a website where I promoted the offerings of other businesses on my blog. I received a small commission for every sale made through a unique referral link on my site. Fast forward 16 years, and that blog still generates a passive income stream based on its original content. While I still update the site, this side hustle takes up only a fraction of my time (less than 30 minutes a week) compared to my main accounting business, yet consistently brings in a steady income.

That's the appeal of this side hustle known as affiliate marketing! Affiliate marketing is a proven strategy that allows individuals to earn commissions by promoting and driving sales to products or services offered by other companies.

However, for newcomers, navigating the affiliate marketing world can feel overwhelming. Drawing from my 16 years of experience and insights from my accounting clients, this guide will provide a clear pathway to starting affiliate marketing in the UK.

So, picture yourself on that beach, writing about your passions and earning a substantial income through affiliate marketing. It's not just a dream—it can become your reality!

table of contents

• How Affiliate Marketing Works
• Who Can Benefit from Affiliate Marketing?
• How to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing in the UK
• Leading UK Affiliate Networks
• Types of Affiliate Marketing
• Legal & Advertising Regulations for Affiliate Marketing in the UK
• FAQs in Relation to Affiliate Marketing Uk
• Final Thoughts

Affiliate marketing might be your perfect side hustle if you're seeking a flexible income stream you can start in your spare time from anywhere in the World.

Affiliate marketing is based on promoting products or services of other businesses and earning a commission for every sale made through your referral link.

Affiliate marketing includes three key players:

1. the merchant (product creator)
2. the affiliate marketer (you as the promoter)
3. the consumer

The Merchant’s Role in Affiliate Marketing

The merchant creates the product or service that their affiliates will promote. This could range from small enterprises to multinational corporations - anyone with something to sell can become an affiliate merchant.

The Affiliates Role in Affiliate Marketing

Affiliates promote the merchants' offerings on their website, blogs and other media platforms using unique links provided by the merchant. When consumers purchase via these links, affiliates earn commissions as rewards for their promotional efforts.

Potential Benefits of Becoming an Affiliate Marketer

• No need to create your own products/services - choose what aligns with your audience's interests and needs.
• Flexibility - work at any time, anywhere. Perfect if you're juggling multiple responsibilities like studies, a full-time job or parenting duties.
• Earning potential - Your earnings are proportional to how effectively you market the products and services you promote.

Intrigued? The following section delves into who can benefit from affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is not exclusive to any particular group. It's versatile enough to cater to individuals with different needs and circumstances.

Entrepreneurs

Affiliate marketing can provide entrepreneurs with an additional revenue stream without requiring extensive resources or investment.

Job Seekers & Students

The flexibility of affiliate marketing allows job seekers and students to earn extra money around their schedules. They don't need their own products; they promote others' products and earn a commission.

Stay-at-Home Parents & Retirees

Anyone can start promoting products online with minimal technical skills to create a website or blog.

Working Professionals Looking for a Side Income:

Affiliate Marketing allows those with a full-time job to work in their spare time at their convenience. I would work on my blog before going to work first thing in the morning. I have many clients who have full-time jobs and work on their sites after work in the evening. Flexibility is the most significant benefit of this side gig.

work from anywhere

In short, if there's internet access – you can get started and work from anywhere in the world!

Step 1: Set up a website or blog

If you don’t already have one, the first step is to set up a website or blog. Check out Wordpress.com or Wix for an easy-to-use platform to start a blog. Choose a niche you’re interested in; it's much easier to write about something you are passionate about. Your viewers will also appreciate your love and knowledge and are more likely to return to your site.

Step 2: Choose an Affiliate Network

Your next move should be choosing an appropriate affiliate network such as Amazon Associates, Awin, or CJ Affiliates - all of which are popular choices among UK-based affiliate marketers due to their wide range of available programs across various industries.

Step 3: Set Up Your Account

To get started on these platforms, you'll need to create an account - this usually involves providing some basic information about yourself and agreeing to terms & conditions set by the platform itself.

Note:

• The networks may also have specific requirements depending on whether you're operating as a business entity (e.g. a limited company) or an individual marketer, so ensure everything aligns before setting up campaigns.

Create Campaigns:

1. an essential part of starting with affiliate marketing is creating effective campaigns to drive potential customers towards the merchant's sites where the consumer (your website visitor) can purchase items/services promoted via the campaign.

This process often includes tasks like selecting suitable products and services to promote (based on your audience's interests), crafting compelling promotional content designed to attract clicks, and generating high-quality backlinks from other high-ranking websites to help boost your search engine rankings and overall visibility online.

In order words, a successful campaign requires careful planning and execution to ensure the maximum return for you – so take your time to understand all the steps thoroughly.

Next, we'll delve deeper into the leading UK affiliate networks and how they operate.

Selecting a suitable network is crucial for side hustlers in the UK looking to venture into affiliate marketing.

Fortunately, there is a wide selection of UK affiliate networks. The major players are listed below:

AMAZON ASSOCIATES:

Summary: Amazon Associates is the affiliate marketing program of the e-commerce giant Amazon Inc. Affiliates promote and link to products available on Amazon.co.uk and earn a commission on sales generated through their referral links.

Best For: Those New to affiliate marketing due to its straightforward setup and wide range of products to promote. Especially effective for bloggers and website owners reviewing or recommending physical products.

AWIN (PREVIOUSLY AFFILIATE WINDOW):

Summary: Awin is a global affiliate network with many advertisers, from large consumer brands to smaller online businesses. Affiliates can promote these businesses and earn commissions based on leads or sales.

Best For: Affiliates who want diversity in the programs they promote, from travel to fashion to technology. Suitable for bloggers, influencers, and those with niche websites.

CJ AFFILIATES (FORMERLY COMMISSION JUNCTION):

Summary: CJ Affiliates is one of the world's largest and most established affiliate marketing networks. It connects affiliates with top brands and provides them with tools and resources to maximise earnings.

Best For: Experienced affiliates seeking high-quality partnerships with top-tier companies. Especially effective for those with an established website or platform looking to monetise their traffic with reputable brands.

ebay partner network (epn):

The eBay Partner Network (EPN) allows you access to eBay's global inventory, including everything from electronics to fashion items to cars.

The benefits include:

• Diverse product selection: With millions of listings across multiple categories available at any given time on eBay.
• Potential high earnings: Affiliates can earn between 50% and 70% in commissions with regular bonuses based on performance metrics.
• User-friendly dashboard: It has easy-to-use campaign creation tools and detailed analytics reports.

If you're new to affiliate marketing, it can be overwhelming with all the different terminology used.

The primary affiliate marketing models/strategies are as follows:

Pay Per Click (PPC)

Pay per click, or PPC, is where affiliates earn a commission whenever someone clicks on their referral link.

Cost Per Action (CPA)

In cost per action, also known as the CPA model, earnings occur when referred users perform specific steps, such as making a purchase or signing up for an offer.

Cost Per Lead (CPL)

Affiliates using the cost-per-lead (CPL) method get paid when they generate leads for the merchant's business.

Now that we've covered these main models let's look at how laws and regulations impact UK-based affiliate marketers.

If you're venturing into affiliate marketing, it's crucial to understand the legal and advertising regulations that govern this industry.

Data Protection Laws

In line with UK data protection laws, all businesses must handle personal data responsibly.

This includes obtaining consent before collecting or using a person's information, especially when sending promotional materials via email or SMS.

It's crucial to note that the UK has clear advertising standards set by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

When you're promoting products as an affiliate:

Be Transparent: Disclose that you’re using affiliate links.

Avoid Misleading Claims: Ensure that any claims about the product/service are accurate and can be substantiated.

Respect Privacy: When collecting marketing emails, always get informed consent and provide a clear opt-out option.

Consumer Rights Legislation

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2014 require full transparency about products/services sold online.

• You must provide precise details on total costs, including taxes, delivery charges, etc., and cancellation rights where applicable.

CAP Code Compliance

The CAP Code, part of the ASA, has set out guidelines known as the CAP code.

• Affiliate marketers should be transparent about brand relationships; failure can lead to penalties.

These rules are not exhaustive but give an idea of what compliance entails. It's always a good idea to seek professional advice if you need more clarification.

Remember: while these regulations might seem daunting at first glance - they exist primarily for consumer protection - ensuring trust between consumers and businesses, ultimately benefiting everyone involved in e-commerce activities.

This blog post gives general advice and is not a replacement for getting legal advice about your particular circumstances from a qualified lawyer. You can find the contact details of a local solicitor here: https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk.

For those in the UK keen on affiliate marketing, familiarising yourself with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidelines on data protection and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regulations is essential to ensure your marketing practices remain compliant.

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): Visit the ICO's official website at https://ico.org.uk.  Once on the site, you can explore their guidelines related to data protection, especially if you're collecting user data on your website.

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA): Similarly, visit the ASA's official website at https://www.asa.org.uk. They have detailed guidelines and resources on compliant advertising practices.

Embarking on the journey of Affiliate Marketing UK is no small feat.

You've unravelled what it entails and how it works.

From understanding who can benefit to setting up your first campaign - you're now equipped with the knowledge you need to get started.

We've dived into various affiliate networks available in the UK market, each with unique offerings.

The types of affiliate marketing? You know them all: PPC, CPA, CPL. They're not just acronyms anymore!

Legalities and advertising regulations are more manageable than they seemed before too. Data protection laws? Consumer rights legislation? Advertising standards codes? All ticked off!

Your venture into Affiliate Marketing UK has begun but remember this is only a starting point. There's more to learn and discover every day!