Affiliate marketing is becoming popular with every passing day. And, with that, ClickBank has seen an uprise within the marketing sector and among the affiliate marketers as well. But if you are new to this, worry not. In this article we are going to debunk all the truths and myths about the platform. Alongside, we are going to learn some easy methods to make money with ClickBank.
Let’s start with the basics first.
What is ClickBank?
For those of you who are unaccustomed to the concept of ClickBank; it is an affiliate marketplace. It is a global internet retailer (as endorsed by the company itself).
But, it is more than an affiliate marketplace. It creates a platform for both the product sellers and affiliate marketers to work side by side. The procedure is easy and does not include complex paperwork, which in terms make it more inclusive.
How does it Work?
This a graphical representation of hoe the ClickBank platform works
God work in mysterious ways; ClickBank doesn’t. Based on whether you are on team sellers or team marketers, the platform is simple to work with. In layman’s terms, it creates the proper marketplace for the sellers and marketers to interact. It becomes easy for the sellers to sell their products, and for the marketers to connect them with their potential customers.
Based on which team you are on, it offers a customized experience.
A platform for the Affiliate Marketers:
If you are an affiliate marketer or an influencer, this is the ideal platform for you. All you have to do is register in their official page. Once done, you can right away start creating unique affiliate links for any product you desire.
Image representing how sellers can make money with ClickBank
You do not need to worry about matching any requirements, since they do not ask for anything in particular. It is an open-for-all platform, and anyone can try it out.
This is an easy process to drive traffic, and start making money without any investment.
A Platform for the Product Sellers:
It is as beneficial for the product sellers, as it is for the marketers. To become a seller on the platform, all you need to do is register on the platform with a one-time $49.95 fee.
You don’t have to worry about anything else. Just update your product details on the database, and you are good to go. It will take care of all the e-commerce part, and create affiliate links for the marketers.
One thing that you should be aware of is that it will keep its commission which is 7.5% of sales plus $1.
Now, it’s time to discuss the ways using which you can sail through the platform.
How to Make Money with ClickBank?
The Seller’s Guide:
Just as any other platform, you are here to make money by selling products. It is a four steps procedure that starts with uploading product information on the ClickBank database.
But before doing so, make sure to perform a thorough market research. It will help you understand the market better and provide product ideas that are relevant to your target customers’ need.
Next you have to create a funnel to convert the traffic. As the traffic starts to grow, then you can start optimizing the funnel. Once you start making some real profit, you are all set to scale the entire thing.
The Affiliate Marketer’s Guide:
One way to make money on the platform is through selling products. But another way is by becoming the bridge between the sellers and the buyers. And that is exactly where affiliate marketers like you come in.
This is the ideal way to make money on the platform. All you have to do is find optimized pages, and start building sales funnel.
The only catch is to find the right product to promote, and to understand the ClickBank metrics. Let’s take a look at the different metrics that the platform has to offer.
Initial $/sale:
This is the average amount that you can expect to earn per sale.
Avg %/sale:
The average percentage of a sale that you receive as an affiliate marketer.
Grav:
Grav or gravity represents the number of affiliate marketers who have sold a particular product in the last 12 weeks.
Avg Rebill Totals:
Average $ charged by the affiliate marketers as a result of re-bills.
Avg%/Rebill:
Re-bill% paid to the affiliate marketers.
Now, as we have gone through the basics, let’s make money with ClickBank.
Different Ways to Make Money with ClickBank:
Using Reddit:
The best part of this method is that you don’t need to invest a single penny. But you get to enjoy all the perks that come with it. All you need is a Reddit account.
Once all your accounts are on place, go to the ClickBank marketplace, and search for “Give it Away”. And what is most exciting about the products listed under this category is that they are free for the buyers. The buyers are only supposed to pay a minimal shipping charge.
And, if you haven’t guessed it already, products likes these sell like hot cakes.
Next you have to choose a product of your liking. Once you have found the product that you would like to market, go to your Reddit account. Search for Subreddits under the product niche that you have chosen.
If the product niche is vast, then you can also post it in the freebies Subreddit section. This is a happening place to market any free product.
Using Twitter:
This method is quite similar to the previous one. All you need is a Twitter account, which will cost you nothing. You can customize your Twitter account to make it more prominent. For instance, you can give it a name that represents the motive behind creating this account.
Once you have it in place, then again go to the ClickBank marketplace and to the “Give it Away” section. Search for products that you would like to promote.
Get your affiliate URL for the product and use a URL Shortener to shorten the URL before posting it on Twitter. However, sadly not all URL Shortener works with ClickBank, so you can try using Ow.ly, Fur.ly, YOURLS, else you can always create it yourself.
Next head out to your Twitter account and post your affiliate link with a nice picture and caption. Voila! You have successfully created a money-making machine for yourself.
Cross-channel Marketing:
You can also use both accounts simultaneously. Once you have posted it on Twitter, you can always just copy the Twitter link and post it on the Subreddits. It will successfully minimize the workload, which is already bare minimum.
Using Pinterest:
If you are accustomed to creating pins and boards, then this is the ideal way for you to drive traffic towards your ClickBank offers. Even if you are not, worry not. Because we have just the perfect guide to help you surf your way through.
First, create a Pinterest account, if you don’t have one. Once you have that in place, you are good to go to the next step. Open your profile, create a board. Then tap on the plus sign and start creating new pins. To create the pin images you can use the Canva app.
After creating the images just drag and drop it to the pin section. Then add it to the Board on which you want it go. Now write a catchy title and provide a proper description. Try to use exact keywords to optimize the search results. Most importantly, do not forget to add your affiliate link on the “Add a destination link” section.
The benefit of using Pinterest is that you can create several pins for one product. You can also play around with different keywords to optimize the search results for your pins.
Using Amazon:
The world’s largest e-commerce platform has an affiliate program of its own, named Amazon Associates. If you want to become an exclusive Amazon affiliate, then you should absolutely check that out.
However, if you want to promote your ClickBank offerings on Amazon, there isn’t any direct method to do so. But where there is a will, there is a way.
For this method again you have to go to the ClickBank marketplace, and then to the “Give it Away” section. Search for e-books here, and upload free samples to Amazon.
At the end of these sample books you can add a message stating “to know more about “title/niche” visit: your ClickBank affiliate URL.
Using YouTube (by creating video):
If you have a YouTube channel up and running, then this is the ideal way for you to make money with ClickBank. But even if you don’t you can simply start a channel and get going. All you need is a basic knowledge of SEO.
Start with running a product search. While doing so, opt for a product that is not too competitive, and has a decent payout. Upon finding the product you want to promote, use the Google KW tool to see if the product has at least 100 local searches.
Now run a quick YouTube search with the product name. See if there is a video on the first page with less than 20,000 views. Once you succeed in your venture, contact the seller of the particular product. You can ask them for a review copy, if they decline, you can always use the sales page. You can find the product listed here under the “for your review” section.
If you are a professional YouTuber then you know exactly what to do, and how to make a sale. However, if you are new on the platform, then you can use tools like Camtasia or Camstudio to create videos.
Use the product name for the title of your video, as it helps with SEO ranking. While uploading the video remember to include the title name in description, title and tags. And include your affiliate link in the description with the title – Buy “product name”.
Using YouTube (without creating videos):
First things first, find a product to market and copy the affiliate URL. Next, go to YouTube and search for videos related to your product. Always opt for a video that has a high number of views and has been uploaded on the platform recently. You can use the YouTube filters to find the most relevant video.
Now go to the video that seems the most interesting to you, and copy the video URL. Now the catch is that most of the platform won’t let you post your affiliate link directly on the platform. So here is how you can do it – go to Sniply.io, and create a snip for your product. Add an image that best represents your product and add a name.
Next go to Sniply type and include the YouTube video URL in the URL section. Next you have to create a message for your audience and include your affiliate URL in the button text section.
Be careful while crafting the message, for this is what will interest your audience, and act as “call to action”.
Once done, just click on continue, and your affiliate link will show up on the video.
So, these were some of the most useful and easy methods to make money with ClickBank.
Now, let’s bunk some myths regarding ClickBank.
Myths About ClickBank:
The most common misconception that (mostly) new users have is with the compliance policy of the platform. And they even find the product monitoring procedure a bit hectic. So, let’s bust the myths surrounding the platform today.
The Approval Process is Slow and Lengthy:
This is a long-held myth within the community and is not at all true. The compliance team usually takes 3 to 5 days to respond. You will be required to bet a bottom dollar, after uploading your product details on the database.
Betting the bottom dollar ensures that someone from the team will respond within the first 3 to 5 days. You will receive an email from the team consisting of suggestions, compliance requirements that you need to meet etc.
After making all the changes or doing the needful, you can simply reply to the product specialist. Let them know that you have done the needful. The product specialist will then ensure that you are in the compliance safe zone, and send you a confirmatory email.
The Compliance Team is Filled with Bots:
This is another most infamous myth going around town about the platform. People think that the ClickBank compliance team is actually bots programmed to decline products.
However, this is a complete myth. ClickBank compliance team is there to approve your product as soon as possible, and get it up and running. But while doing so, they want to make sure that both you and the platform are legally inclined and there are no loopholes. This in term ensure the utmost security, so that you make money with ClickBank in the safest possible way.
The Platform does not Approve Physical Products:
Followed by the first myth, this is another myth that people think to be true but is absolutely not. It is a platform where you can sell and market both virtual and physical products.
For over 5 years now the platform accepts such products. It accepts gardening products, yoga mats, kitchen appliances, edible products, home appliances, and so on.
All that being said, let’s take a look at the benefits of using this very platform.
Why ClickBank?
Well, you can be curious about working with such a platform, when there is an Amazon associate. Well, here is why –
75% Commission:
This platform offers one of the highest commissions, which is around 75%. It works with product sellers, along with product creators. It creates a competitive marketplace, resulting in high commissions for affiliate marketers.
Liberty to Choose Products:
It lets you choose the product that you want to promote. You have complete liberty in choosing digital or physical products from their extensive marketplace and promote the most relevant product to your audience.
Hassel-free Payment:
You never have to worry about nagging your clients for payment again. The platform strives and builds its reputation by paying their affiliates on time, every time. The different payment options make it easier to make money with ClickBank. For instance, the hop link will make sure that you get paid, even if the customer purchases the product after months.