One method for bloggers to earn money with their writing is through affiliate programs. Each time your readers buy a product through your article or content, you get a cut of the sale.
If you are here to learn how affiliate programs work and understand UTM link, this article is for you. I will also explain click tracking and its important metrics like click-through-rates.
Affiliate Marketing and UTM Links
The core of any affiliate program is the UTM link generated. Think of this as your referral card dispenser that carries an ID of affiliate members. When your reader clicks your link, they are carrying your card to the storefront or landing page of a business. Upon making a purchase, the ID attaches the sale to you.
What Happens if the Reader Does not Make a Purchase Right Away?
Every affiliate program has a “cookie window,” a time period which your ID is still active when a reader makes a purchase. Merchants or businesses tend to allow 30 to 45 days for the cookies connected to your affiliate membership to be active.
How Long Until I Receive My Commission?
There is a shorthold period for every affiliate program, allowing customers a return period to be completely satisfied with their purchase. If the shorthold period has passed, you will see the payments being “processed” in your account, which will be completed within two to five business days. Should the customer want a refund, that sale will be counted as a “reversal.”
A part of your click tracking efforts is to consider the reversal rate of your UTM links. It should tell you if the product or service is a rsk to your affiliate marketing campaign.
Generating UTM Links Tutorial
UTM tags are how you can generate revenue for your blogs. While various affiliate programs have their own methods to creating one, I will go through three of the popular ones. You should have a grasp on how to make one when joining any Affiliate campaigns.
Amazon Associates
Amazon is nearly synonymous to affiliate programs. The platform has a large product options available, allowing bloggers to find ones that match their niche.
- Log into your Amazon Associates profile.
- Visit an Amazon product listing and look for the SiteStripe menu at the top.
- Click on the text to create a URL of an Amazon listing with your affiliate ID.
- (optional) Copy the link and visit the Amazon Associates Central page. Shorten the link here.
- Copy and paste the shortened UTM link to ensure it is working.
ClickBank
Considered one of the most accessible affiliate programs, ClickBanks is lenient when it comes to membership requirements. Hoplinks are the affiliate links in this platform, and this is how you can make them:
- Go to the ClickBank Marketplace and browse the services and products on offer.
- Click on the Promote button for the vendor you wish to promote.
- Enter your ClickBank profile nickname.
- Copy the Hoplink and test it on a new tab to see if it lands on the right page.
Shopify Collabs
For affiliate marketers, Shopify is a great source for numerous established merchants. The platform allows business or online store owners to create their own affiliate program. Here are the steps for joining their program through the Shopify Collabs platform:
- Find merchants through the platform to find programs appropriate for your niche.
- Answer the merchant’s questions and submit your social accounts if needed.
- Should the merchant accept your application, Shopify Collabs will provide an affiliate link to the vendor’s program.
Click Tracking and Performance Analysis
After creating a link and attaching it to your published content, we go over the importance of click tracking. It’s the method of going through your content, letting you find high-performing links. You can even find articles that are not doing well.
Key Metrics of UTM Links
Let me go through the common metrics associated with your UTM links:
- Click-Through-Rate: Your CTR measures the number of clicks made by your readers’ devices by its impression. Impressions track how many times a reader sees the anchor text with the link, but did not click it.
- Earnings-Per-Click: EPC tracks how much money you earn with a link. This is the metric to know which products or services your readers are interested in buying.
- Reversals: As mentioned earlier, this tracks purchases that were cancelled or refunded. While not a metric we want to see, it can tell you which links are underperforming.
- Commission Rates: A blogger’s revenue is determined by the cut or the commission rate of their links. You can find this on the help page of a platform. A good example is this table of rates for Amazon Affiliates.
Understanding these four metrics can tell you much about your links. High CTR numbers show your links are properly placed or have generated enough interest for the readers to click on. EPC and reversals tell you which links or ones related to it you should focus on your future content strategy. Finally, commission rates should be considered when choosing UTM links that are still worth pursuing.
Strategic Placement of Your UTM Links
While writing compelling content can drive EPC or conversion rates, you can further improve your link’s performance by its placement. Having your link attached to specific parts of your article or blog can encourage your readers to click it. Check out my strategic placement of your affiliate links below:
Product Name as Anchor Text
When doing a listicle of products or services, it makes sense to place your links to the brand name. Readers are drawn to the name when they decide to learn more about it. As for where to place the product name with the link, the introduction sentence is the best place, not anywhere in the middle.
Should your article be a how-to-guide or other blog topics, you can still place your link to the product name. I tend to mention a product or service as an example like “When it comes to door security, the eufy Security Lock is a good option for home owners.” As long as the topic is related to the product, you can naturally insert the link.
Small Infographic
Infographics grab attention. If you are doing a product review, you can create an infographic of that product and attach a link to it. You do not need any degree or experience in design. Just look up the templates on Canva to create an infographic like this:
If you are familiar with this keyboard, I discussed it in my article on Amazon Deals for Bloggers. An infographic can drive CTR simply by being a curiosity for any readers. Especially a mechanical keyboard with a retro design since its beneficial for bloggers or content writers.
Call-To-Action Button
A clear visual of UTM links with a call-to-action is a simple yet effective means of boosting CTR. Keep in mind that your CTA must be relevant and clear for the readers as well as answer their problems. If you are writing an article about protecting a home from criminals, for example, your affiliate link to security products should say “Secure Your Home Now” as an example.
Another tip when using a CTA button is to incorporate your brand’s color scheme, ensuring you are the one promoting a vendor. In addition, add white space around the button. Negative space will draw attention to your UTM link.
Wrap Up: UTM Links Basics
Understanding UTM links is the second step to monetizing your content. A clear understanding of how these links work and the click-tracking metrics allows you to create a powerful content marketing campaign. My tips on the strategic placement of the links can further boost your CTR and your EPC.
