Are you a freelancer at the top of your game, occupied with project after project? Do you know how long and how frequently these projects will continue to come your way? Are you even certain of a well-paid project next month?
The kind of risks associated with freelance work are known to all, but what if you had a secondary and more stable source of income? Something like affiliate marketing that adds definite and recurring amount to your bank account. I think that every freelancer should know how to increase income with affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is the idea of promoting someone else’s product or service in exchange for a commission. The commission becomes due when a deal is reached between the company and your referred customer. The process doesn’t require you to own the product in order to sell it; you just have to sign up for the affiliate program and start earning money on the side as the sale proceeds.
Here are several reasons why freelancers should opt for affiliate marketing as a reliable source of income on the side:
Recurring Earning
Most affiliate marketing programs work on autopilot. As long as you continue to refer customers, you would continue earning commissions. Recurring income refers to the additional fixed amount that the affiliate program pays yours for achieving specific objectives such as customers retained.
No Development Hassles
As an affiliate, you do not have to participate or even worry about product development. All the development related issues such as product release cycle and bug fixes are handled by the company offering the affiliate program. In many cases, you also do not have to be concerned with customer support challenges. All you have to do is to market the product and attract customers you could then refer to a commission.
Becoming An Affiliate Is Free
Considering how much affiliate marketing rewards, it makes sense to assume that becoming an affiliate must require a whole lot of investment. The good news is that becoming an affiliate or joining an affiliate program doesn’t cost a penny and the process is as simple as filling out a small form.
Get Paid For Promoting What You Believe In
This is yet another reason for freelancers to roll up their sleeves and sign up for an affiliate marketing program. There is no denying that we all recommend good products to our friends (for free in almost all cases!).
How about you do this in exchange for some bucks? As an affiliate, you can promote products that you have used and believe in. Additionally, promoting a product that you have personally found useful adds credibility of your recommendation and visitors are more likely to follow your advice.
Work From Wherever you Please
This is probably the most attractive perk for freelancers since they are used to the comfort of their workspaces – that great feeling of not having to get out of pj’s, particularly on a Monday morning. Since affiliate marketing is essentially carried out online, affiliates have the freedom to work from anywhere, anytime. All they need is a laptop and an internet connection.
Cloudways Affiliate Program
Cloudways web affiliate program contains three different commission structures. They are: Slab, Hybrid and Custom.
Each of them is different and gives affiliate marketers choice in expanding their income (or passive income).
Let’s discuss the three structures separately:
Slab
Slab is performance-based model. It helps affiliate marketers earn commissions based on the number of referrals that converted to Cloudways. This means that the more you sell, the more you earn with us.
The amazing thing about Slab is that your commission per sale keeps on improving with the number of referral conversions. For instance, you earn $75 for each sale if 15 you made 15 referrals,; however, you can earn $125 per sale if you convert, say 50 customers.
Slab model is ideal for performance marketers, entrepreneurs and media publishers.
Here’s a breakdown of Slab:
Hybrid
Cloudways’ hybrid model is a recurring commissions model. This means that your earnings continue increasing month after month as long as your referred customer stays with Cloudways.
In this model, you are given an upfront payout of $30 and a recurring monthly commission of 7% of your referral’s total monthly invoice.
Hybrid model is great for bloggers, freelancers, digital agencies and developers.
Here’s how the model works:
Custom
The custom model is designed specifically for super affiliates. Combining the best of hybrid and slab models, it offers incredible value.
If you can convert more than 80 customers every month consistently, this model is for you. After you have made 80 conversions, you can earn $200 for each of your next sales.
Steps for Signing up for Cloudways Affiliate Program
Joining the Cloudways affiliate program is as easy as it gets. Let’s take a look at the simple, 3-step process:
Step #1: Create an Account with Cloudways
First up, you need to sign up with Cloudways. Click ‘Start for Free’ and add your details. After that, log into your account.
Beside the Project tab, click the drop-down menu and select Affiliate Program.
Step #2: Complete Your Affiliate Profile
Enter your details in the affiliate profile. Once you are done with that, click Create Your Profile.
After your profile is created, you can access your affiliate panel. Make relevant changes and click ‘Save Changes’.
Step #3: Refer and Earn
Finally, you will have your unique Affiliate Link. You will be using this link to direct your audiences to Cloudways website.
The Best Deal for Freelance Affiliates
When a deal closes between customers and a merchant with the help of an affiliate, it’s a win-win situation for everyone. The Product gets sold, the website visitor is happy, and the affiliate marketer receives a commission. Being a freelancer and an affiliate enables you to cultivate a secondary source of long-term income; there’s hardly any investment with tons of gain in return, depending on the efforts you put in.
Now that you know how to increase income with affiliate marketing. Are you ready for serious money in your bank account? Sign up for Cloudways Web Hosting Affiliate Program and earn unlimited affiliate commissions from all across the globe.
Tahha Ashraf
Tahha Ashraf is a Digital Content Producer at Cloudways, a Managed Cloud Hosting Platform. He loves talking about brands and writes content related to online marketing. He is fond of creativity and writes poetry in his free time.