1. Choose the right keywords for your affiliate content
First of all, to give your affiliate marketing content a fighting chance of ranking for the right searches on the likes of Google, choosing the right keywords is vital.
Conducting keyword research will not only help you shape ideas for your affiliate marketing campaigns —it will also significantly expand the reach of your content.
To maximize your chances of ranking for the right search terms, it’s important that you curate a mix of:
Short tail keywords: singular words relevant to your topic or subject matter (e.g. “affiliates”).
Long tail keywords: Multiple words relevant to your topic or subject matter (e.g. “affiliate marketing SEO”).
Key phrases: entire sentences or questions someone might search for related to your topic or subject matter (e.g. “how do I combine my affiliate marketing and SEO strategy?”).
By creating groups of relevant key terms for your content using dedicated online research tools, you will give your affiliate marketing strategy a definitive direction while maximizing the success of your content.
Read: Our '5 Steps of Keyword Research' infographic telemarketing list to start optimizing your affiliate marketing content for better search engine rankings.
2. Create value-driven content on your niche
To get your affiliate marketing SEO efforts right, your content must offer direct value to your audience.
We live in an age where consumers are immune to the allure of the plastic sales messaging. To drive growth from your affiliate marketing efforts, creating content that matches the searcher’s intent while offering direct answers to specific pain points is vital.
If your affiliate marketing content fails to deliver on its promises, search engines will penalize you and you will not rank well. When this happens, it’s unlikely that anyone will discover your content and if they do, it’s likely that they will bounce before clicking on any affiliate links.
There are several types of content you can utilize for affiliate marketing SEO content. These include:
Email marketing campaigns or content with well-placed affiliate products and links
How-tos and tutorial-style content
Detailed product reviews and comparisons
Listicles based on hacks, tips, ideas, best products or useful resources relevant to your content’s subject matter
Videos
Dedicated affiliate landing pages with useful information and links to relevant resources or products.
Whatever content angle (or angles) you choose, it’s vital that you aim to offer value first and close sales second. If you don’t produce content that reads naturally, compels the reader to engage, and has an actual purpose, your affiliate strategy will sap your budget rather than make you money.
Read: our definitive guide to content ideation and learn how to craft content ideas that will not only help your affiliate content rank well, but lead to more engagement, conversions, and sales.
3. Optimize your affiliate content
Another key area where affiliate marketing and SEO strategy intersect is content optimization. Take the time to optimize your content and your search engine rankings will improve as will the performance of your affiliate marketing content.
How to Combine your SEO and Affiliate Marketing Strategy
This example from Decor Outdoor is an excellent example of SEO optimized content. This informative product guide includes:
A well-researched mix of short tail, long tail keywords and questions that reflect the target readers’ search intent
Well formatted subheadings arranged into a <H1>, <H2>, and <H3> hierarchy
Eye-grabbing imagery (with keyword-rich alt text) and formatting that is easy to navigate on-page
Product links that weave naturally into the content using solid anchor text
Information and insights that are far from sales-y and offer an objective view
A tone of voice and language that is fluent and easy to understand (no jargon, no overcomplicated wording)
Read: Guide to SEO writing to learn how to shape, format, and produce content for better search engine rankings.
4. Work on your link-building profile
By building high-quality backlinks to your affiliate marketing content, you will boost your search authority and drive more traffic to your website.
Link-building remains one of the most vital SEO ranking factors, so earning those all-important backlinks should be one of your main affiliate marketing priorities. Here are some savvy ways you can boost your link-building profile:
Write guest posts for relevant and respected industry blogs and publications
Work on affiliate content collaborations with relevant brands or publications to cross-promote each other’s content and exchange links
Ask any of your trusted affiliate partners to add backlinks to your content or website from theirs
Read: 5 ways to maximize SEO and social media for additional affiliate content-boosting tips.