With affiliate marketing, you don’t actually need a website and can simply direct your traffic directly to the product’s sales page.
But this is not the best idea. There are much better methods of earning affiliate commissions than simply directing potential buyers directly to the order page.
So why is it so important for an affiliate marketer to have a website?
There are quite a few reasons that can answer this question.
Having a website running on your own domain name and web hosting is yours. It cannot be closed or deleted at any time, as you can if you use a free blog site.
Many affiliates have seen their hard work disappear with little or no reason for removal. If the blogging service has any doubts that you are spamming or using inappropriate marketing tactics (even if you are not), they will likely remove your blog without warning. With your own domain, you control what gets deleted.
Prevent your customers
In addition, it is important that you give your potential customers a little warning before sending them the page where they can buy an affiliate item that you are promoting. Connecting with your readers allows you to develop a relationship with them. If they visit your website and find that you’ve struggled with the same problem and you have a solution for them, they’re more likely to accept it and make a purchase. Sending directly to the sales page doesn’t allow you to make that connection.
Create your email list
If you run a website related to the niche you are an affiliate marketer in, you can have a subscription form on your home page that will capture emails. This allows you to contact these people in the future to remind them of the perfect solution or offer complementary products that you can promote as an affiliate.
This helps further promote the trusting relationship you want to establish with your blog readers. Having an autoresponder connected to the signup form makes the whole process much easier.
As you can see, there are many reasons why having a website is vital if you are an affiliate marketer. You are risking your business if you decide to use a free blogging service as they can shut you down in a second. Also, you are leaving money on the table if you are not connecting with traffic and offering them the perfect solution to their problem.