Can you do affiliate marketing without a website?

With affiliate marketing, you don’t really 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 it can be done if you use a free blogging site.

Many affiliates have seen their hard work disappear with little or no reason for the removal. If the blogging service has any doubt that you’re spamming or using inappropriate marketing tactics (even if you’re not), they’ll likely remove your blog without warning. With your own domain, you control what gets deleted.

Presell your customers

Also, it’s important that you do a little forewarning your potential customers before you send them the page where they can buy an affiliate item you’re 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 have a solution for them, they’re more likely to accept it and make the purchase. Submitting directly to the sales page does not allow you to make that connection.

Build your email list

If you run a website related to the niche you’re an affiliate marketer in, you might have a signup 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 attached to the signup form makes the whole process so 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. Plus, you’re leaving money on the table if you’re not connecting with your traffic and offering them the perfect solution to their problem.