The different types of affiliate content
Content creation in affiliate marketing is a daily activity. Once you've identified the most promising themes for your medium, you'll usually devote between a third and a half of your time to them. Sometimes, ideas can be hard to come by.
In such situations, knowing about the different types of affiliate content can help you diversify your productions and overcome dips in inspiration.
There is a considerable variety of article formats to choose from. Knowing how to use them wisely is a significant advantage when planning your production.
The importance of recurrence, so that Google recognizes expertise
Before even tackling the question of affiliate content, it's essential to discuss Google's view and recognition, and indirectly that of web users.
To be able to demonstrate your expertise, you need to publish regularly. It's generally inefficient to suddenly publish the "Ultimate Article" with the aim of exhaustively covering a given topic. Google prefers to publish regularly and spread out over time. Over time, Google will progressively grant the "expert" label to a given theme, bringing together the articles published within the cluster associated with that theme, increasing the traffic sent to your website or blog (which will, mechanically, increase sales of the affiliate programs you promote and therefore your remuneration as an affiliate).
Opt for a monthly publication frequency, ideally several times a month, for each of your flagship topics.
Better still: aim to publish original, captivating and highly accurate content, so that Google can distinguish you from the multitude of contributors and affiliates already addressing this theme. Identify a micro-thematic niche within your industry and explore it in all your articles.
For example, you could systematically examine the sustainability of your products, as well as the geographical origin of your facilities, whether in Europe or elsewhere.
In short, whether you're offering tests, comparisons, news, product unboxings or any other form of affiliate content: maintain regularity in your publications and update your articles frequently afterwards (by adjusting the update date within the articles).
Hot content
Affiliate articles can be categorized into two main types: hot content and cold content. Let's start with hot content. They share a common characteristic: simple copywriting, often based on a template.
Unpacking
Unboxing is the term used to describe a product that has just been taken out of its packaging. They focus on the product's appearance and initial features, without going as far as a product review, since the product has not yet been tested.
Usually posted online in video form, with affiliate links in the description, this type of content involves physically presenting the product by filming the unboxing and speaking on camera. The staging is simple, and production and post-production costs are low. Here are 2 examples of unboxing on the web (blog or social networks):
- [Unboxing] The Nintendo Switch collector's edition of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Unboxing Birkenstock shoes on Tik Tok
Good plans
Already mentioned in our article"How to maximize the profitability of your affiliate campaign", coupons are essential in affiliate marketing. They enable you to quickly and easily create content that will significantly increase your commissions as an affiliate, and improve the frequency of publication on your media.
A bon plan is simply an article that points out a price reduction or promotion on a product that interests your audience, and includes an affiliate link to the product, as in the following examples:
- Free's best deals for the 2023 summer sales: three cheap mobile packages from €4.99!
- Bon plan - Bissell Crosswave cordless floor cleaner 2582N "4 stars" at €214.99 (-38%)
Lilies
The term "listicle" is a combination of the words "list" and "article". This article format consists of a list of products, without giving an opinion on them, often accompanied by an image, and always with an affiliate link. This type of content has the advantage of being easy to write.
Cold content
Cold content differs from hot content in its richness. They require analysis, measurement and even comparison of products. Although these articles require a greater investment in terms of preparation, writing and even filming, they are also synonymous with a long-lasting, qualified audience . They are therefore indispensable to any affiliate marketing strategy.
Product tests
The aim of this type of article is to reveal in detail all the facets of a product. In the case of a smartphone, for example, aspects such as ergonomics, power and handling are scrutinized. In the case of travel, test articles will highlight the quality of accommodation, cleanliness, meals and hospitality. The article then includes an affiliate link, or even a price table, to show potential buyers which company is selling it at the lowest price.
The aim is to provide readers with complete, unbiased information. To achieve this, a test protocol must be established beforehand, enabling products in the same category to be compared using consistent criteria. Here are a few examples of product tests:
- Samsung Galaxy A54 5G test: a real step upmarket
- Dyson Corrale straightener test and review
- Abyss board game test
Buying guides / Tops
Buying guides present several products within a single article, which respond to a given problem. For each product, they will list its main features as well as its advantages and disadvantages, but without going into as much detail as a product test. They link to each product via affiliate links. Here are some examples of buying guides:
- The 9 best DSLRs for beginners in 2023
- 10 exotic destinations for summer vacations
- The best face creams for dry skin
- Top 5 best hair straighteners in 2023
- Scissors - Buying guide, Classification and Tests in 2023
Comparisons
Comparing products can help undecided Internet users make a choice before buying. This content format generally highlights the advantages and disadvantages of a product compared to its competitors. Some sites with structured data can even automatically generate comparisons of technical features. Here are some examples of comparisons:
- On-the-fly processor comparison on cpubenchmark.net
- What are the best straighteners? 2023 comparison
- Dyson Corrale vs GHD Platinum +: the battle of the big boys
Tutorials
Unlike the three previous types of article, tutorials are not intended to help you make purchasing decisions. They address specific, one-off needs, such as resolving a breakdown or improving a situation. These practical guides do, however, make it possible to integrate affiliate links to the products mentioned in the article. Here are a few examples:
- How to replace the belt on your tumble dryer
- How do I get curls with a straightener? Here are the steps to follow
The chestnut trees
In marketing, the term "marronnier" refers to themes that recur invariably each year, such as the start of the school year, the vacations, the arrival of winter... Although these topics may seem trivial, they can easily be exploited to create content. Here are some examples of content to create before the vacations arrive:
- What camera will you need to travel in 2023?
- Top 10 Summer Destinations 2023
- The 50 best travel board games (2023)
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Would you like to know more about content and affiliate marketing in general? Take a look at the following articles to help you optimize your earnings as an affiliate:
Key points to remember
- There are many different types of affiliate content, from in-depth articles to fast-paced creations.
- Each sector has the opportunity to approach its theme from different perspectives.
- Buying guides and comparisons create internal links within your site.
- Publish regularly, at least every month, on your key themes, and update your reference articles as often as possible.
When it comes to affiliate marketing, content formats are extremely varied. Most need to be written, but others lend themselves perfectly to video format. To be efficient in content production, creating templates for each article format will enable you to write your articles quickly without spreading yourself too thin, and to keep a consistent style for your audience.
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