Boost Your Affiliate Earnings With a Strategic Sidebar
When starting a blogging, many bloggers ponder the potential of a sidebar and what to put in it. Sidebars can be incredibly effective for driving affiliate sales.
Sidebar Basics
Before delving into a sidebar’s benefits, let’s clarify what it is. Essentially, it’s a dedicated space on your webpage, typically located on the side. You have complete control over its content – it’s your space to customize.
While optional, sidebars offer remarkable efficiency, particularly for affiliate marketing.
Why Use a Sidebar for Affiliate Sales?
Sidebars offer various advantages. Besides showcasing affiliate products, they can enhance navigation and give your website a more polished and professional look.
Moreover, a well-structured sidebar can encourage visitors to spend more time on your site, ultimately boosting your SEO rankings.
Content Ideas for Affiliate-Focused Sidebars
As previously mentioned, the possibilities for utilizing a sidebar are vast. Here are a few examples to inspire you:
- Highlight your best-performing posts (top/recent/trending)
- Promote your services
- Sell advertising space
- Showcase banners from your affiliate programs
These are just a few options among many. Remember, the volume of traffic to your website directly correlates with the number of people who will see and potentially interact with your sidebar content, leading to increased earning potential as your website grows.
Now that we understand the purpose and potential of sidebars, let’s explore how to maximize their effectiveness for affiliate marketing.
Strategies for Increasing Affiliate Sales Through Sidebars
A common strategy is to place a banner for a product relevant to your niche that is likely to pique the interest of most visitors. For instance:
- A fitness blog featuring a banner for a “fat loss course”
- A fashion blog displaying a banner with a popular shoe or shirt on discount
- A pet blog showcasing a banner for “healthy dog/cat food”
- An electronics blog promoting a banner for “X% off Airpods”
- A baby care blog featuring a banner for “toys for 1-year-olds”
This approach can be adapted to any niche for significant profit. The key is to identify the most common needs and desires within your niche and looking for and use that to your advantage.
But there’s more to sidebar optimization! Let’s explore an even more effective method for maximizing affiliate earnings.
Customize Sidebars for Different Content Categories
You might be wondering how this could lead to increased affiliate sales. Let’s illustrate with an example from a fitness blog:
- Visitors reading a “fat loss” post are more likely to be interested in seeing fat loss products in the sidebar.
- Those seeking to gain muscle mass might not be interested in fat loss products but would be drawn to “WHEY powder for mass gain” promotions.
- Readers looking for home workout tips might find a banner for the “best fitness home workout set” appealing.
The possibilities are endless, especially within a niche like fitness where there are countless product categories. By tailoring your sidebar content to specific topics, you cater to visitors’ interests and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Implementing Category-Specific Sidebars
The simplest way to achieve this is by using a WordPress plugin.
A great plugin for this purpose is “Easy Custom Sidebars”. It’s incredibly user-friendly and allows you to create a different sidebar for each affiliate product category you promote.
Let’s go through the steps of using this plugin:
Step 1
Navigate to your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins » Add New.
Step 2
Search for “easy custom sidebars” and install the plugin. We’ll be using the one by “Titanium Themes” for this example due to its simplicity.
Step 3
After activating the plugin, you’ll see a settings page.
Start by creating a new sidebar (top right). You can then assign this sidebar to specific post categories, ensuring the custom sidebar aligns with the content. You can also customize the new sidebar’s properties.
Step 4
Once the sidebar is created, you can add blocks to it, allowing you to include multiple affiliate banners and have complete control over the displayed content on your posts.
Keep in mind that each blogging/website platform might have a different method for implementing multiple sidebars. It’s best to consult your platform’s support or forums for specific instructions.
Conclusion
Sidebars are undoubtedly a valuable tool for maximizing affiliate program earnings. Utilizing different sidebars tailored to specific product posts or pages can significantly boost your results. Remember, providing value to your visitors increases the likelihood of them returning, not just for content but also to make purchases through your affiliate links.
Author’s Info:
Matan Hayun:
Matan Hayun is the mastermind behind websitedownright.com, a blog dedicated to providing free WordPress tutorials, SEO tips, and valuable resources for both novice and experienced users.