One of the challenges of any sort of marketing is keeping your image trustworthy and authentic in a world of banner ads and self-testimonials. Consumers are savvier than ever with brand-produced marketing, and affiliate marketing is no different. After all, it’s likely clear that the affiliate will be getting a commission, so why should the reader trust them? Turns out there a few ways you can make the consumer feel a little more comfortable clicking that link, let’s check out a few strategies:

Social Proof

Nothing gets people feeling good about your product than seeing what others think, and there’s a lot of ways to do that. Testimonials and links to reviews are ideal ways to give readers a good sense of who has had experience with this brand and what their experience has been like. Even if it’s a different product than they’re considering buying, if you can highlight the brand, it’s a good thing. Having engagement with reviewers is also a plus; responses to comments, either positive or negative, demonstrates quality control and customer experience is at the top of your list. Even a small counter showing how many people have bought this product can be beneficial, and, can be easy to install.

Long Form Content

There’s a ton of ways long form content can help your affiliate program. SEO is a great example; nothing pushes you up the algorithm better than extensive blog posts full of rich keywords. Do your research, and there’s a lot of free tools out there to use to make your content SEO friendly. Next, big blog posts show dedication and utility…you can pack a lot of information in there, including past successes and examples of different consumers that have happily used the products in the past. If the affiliate isn’t able or willing to write their own post, send them a link to an existing post, or write one yourself for them to feature. You don’t want one highlighted link sitting lonely on a crowded page…give it some context and content, and watch it go!

Actually Use It

Unfortunately, in the realm of monetization, there are lots of times where the person advocating for the product never actually tries it. Now, certainly there are instances when this can pass unnoticed, but the chances aren’t good. As a brand, you need to make certain that the affiliate has full access to assets; not just the website copy and generic descriptions, but actual hands-on usage. This will not only prevent inaccurate descriptions, mistakes and embarrassing claims that are just plain wrong, but it can further legitimize the affiliate as a true believer in your brand. Images of the affiliate with product in hand go a long way, too. Also, do your due diligence and quality check all of your links and landing pages. Nothing turns off an excited customer like a faulty link. What do you look for when you’re looking for a trustworthy affiliate relationship? Let us know in the comments below.