The last few years were marked with a rise in eCommerce profits all over the world. In 2022, global eCommerce sales almost reached $5,5 trillion. They are very likely to exceed $6 trillion in 2023. This statistical data indicates that eCommerce affiliate marketing is on fire and it’s too big an opportunity just to pass up.
Today we will explore the most promising affiliate marketing trends in the eCommerce niche taking off right now, best online shopping categories to focus on for any geo and sales channels with proven efficiency. Buckle up and let’s go!
Trends To Get Ahead Of For 2023
As eCommerce continues to grow at a rapid pace, affiliate marketing has become an essential part of many business strategies. Let’s find out the latest trends in this field and learn how you can leverage them to grow your business. Whether you’re a seasoned affiliate marketer or just starting out, these trends can be useful for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve and succeed in the competitive world of eCommerce.
Influencer Marketing
2023 is set to be the year of the influencer in the affiliate marketing world, with micro-influencers taking center stage. Brands and businesses with a tight budget will be hunting micro-bloggers to join their marketing campaigns and get more bang for their buck.
The whole point is that because nano and micro-influencers aren’t yet bombarded with advertising offers, hiring them could be a more cost-effective option than going for the big fish. Besides, when it comes to promotions, buyers will automatically trust an influencer who has authority within a specific niche.
Affiliate programs for committed micro-influencers are a rapidly growing trend that can significantly improve conversion rates and raise brand awareness compared to traditional advertisements. So whether you are an aspiring blogger or a business owner with a small budget, it seems like it’s your time to shine and grow!
Video Content
Affiliate marketers have been riding the wave of video content as one of the leading trends for quite some time now. Yet it’s still burning up the charts.
In the day of rapidly changing technology, mobile users and social media, people prefer to watch and listen rather than read. This is a golden opportunity for brands and influencers to grab their attention, drive traffic and gain profit all at once.
It’s important to note that video content can take many forms. Most users still prefer educational content that provides useful insights beyond the traditional promotional and sometimes even pushy approach of previous years. Keeping that in mind can help to increase brand recognition and gain customer loyalty. To get more inspo, check out our interview with Janet Thaeler who makes $14k a month!
Virtual Shopping
Apart from informative video content, users also seek engaging and socially-driven experiences. The appeal of live shopping for customers lies in the authenticity: the real-time experiences with no prepared script feel more sincere than edited reels or vlogs.
Live shopping events allow potential customers to get answers to their questions on the spot, and affiliate partners can respond to these inquiries in real time, provide discount codes and sell products. The live stream shopping format is likely to gain more traction in 2023 on TikTok and YouTube. This is certainly a growing trend to watch out for this year, for both affiliate marketers and affiliates.
Voice Search
According to Google, 27% of the online population is using voice search on mobile worldwide. No wonder as it is convenient and easy to access. Although as a technology it is still in the works (improving its accuracy and versatility), 2023 is expected to be a turning point in this trend. According to statistics, half of affiliate traffic comes from mobile devices. Voice-operated searches are forecasted to become the dominant way of advertising for affiliate marketers. This means they will have to fine-tune content for voice search on search engines. As an option, one can set up a relevant landing page with frequently asked questions and answers to draw potential customers to a website.
In a nutshell, to make the most of this trend, long-tail SEO is crucial. Marketers need to know what to offer and how to make their products or services stand out, as well as conduct comprehensive keyword research to optimize chances of increasing traffic. This is not a piece of cake, but it pays off in the long run.
Metaverse
In line with the immersive trend that’s capturing online users’ attention, one of the newest ‘worlds’ around is the metaverse. It is a limitless landscape of virtual lifestyles and assets that can make brands more appealing for future generations.
Affiliate programs that will make the first moves in the metaverse can set up product promotion for users with virtual worlds and digital avatars. These can spark the conversation about the brands and boost user engagement.
Link Building and Co-Marketing
Another popular trend for this year will be co-marketing and link building which implies collaboration with other affiliates and advertisers to promote products or services and generate more traffic and conversions. Co-marketing can help reach a diverse audience and increase revenue while link building can help rank higher on Google search results.
Guest posting is one more thing to opt for. It implies writing articles for other blogs in the same niche and linking back to your own website or landing page. Guest posting can help improve your domain rating, establish authority in your niche and drive high traffic to your page.
Bonus trick! People often overlook local SEO, which means focusing on ranking locally and finding local partners who can attract the right niche audience from a target location. It can help boost organic search results, generate engagement from relevant demographics, and create valuable leads.
Expansion of Affiliate Marketing Tools
New and existing promotion tools and services are expected to take off and break new ground in 2023. With so many benefits like sourcing valuable leads, monitoring progress and managing campaigns and all that in auto-mode, these tools will make the biggest impact on the eCommerce niche.
By learning to use them to your advantage, not only can you optimize performance and increase conversions for promoted products but also access more opportunities and scale up your business with various platforms and merchants.
What Do People Buy Online Across The Globe?
ECommerce is a booming industry that keeps expanding globally. In 2023, fashion and electronics are the top online shopping categories, with expected revenues of $990 billion and $910 billion respectively. They make up nearly a third of the global ecommerce sales which are projected at $5.9 trillion. Other popular categories include toys, hobby, and DIY ($780 billion), beauty, health, personal, and household care ($400 billion) and food ($350 billion).
Now let’s see what makes up this worldwide rating by looking at different regions and evaluating how these shopping categories rank within them.
North America
The leading category in the USA is toys, hobby, and DIY which makes up more than a quarter of the total eCommerce revenue in the country. This category also exhibits a remarkable growth rate and is expected to continue rising in the following years. The second most popular category is fashion, followed by electronics, both generating substantial profits. The other top categories are beauty, health, personal, and household care and furniture, which have similar revenues that are slightly lower than $100 billion each.
As for Canada, the most popular shopping categories m r were computers and other electronics, women’s clothing, books, and men’s clothing. These categories may still be popular in 2023 as they reflect the needs and interests of many consumers.
Latin America
Mexican buyers are eager for advanced and innovative technology which drives the growth of the consumer electronics market. They have high demand for smart accessories, home devices and other technologies. Toys and games are also popular, especially video consoles, sports and board games, dolls, and stuffed animals.
In Brazil, the cosmetics industry is on the rise, especially skincare products, makeup, perfumes and hair care products. The apparel and accessories market is also large and growing, with online sales accounting for nearly half of the total sales.
Due to the pandemic, online sales of home appliances in Argentina soared by 126% in 2020 and this trend continues to grow but not at the same pace as before, though. Beauty and skincare products are also in high demand, especially perfumes and fragrances which saw a 100% increase in online searches last year.
Europe
Home electronics tops the list of product categories online in the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Other well-liked categories are books, cosmetics and home furnishings. Clothing and footwear are also common online purchases in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy, along with home electronics and books. In the Nordics, cosmetics and skin care have a large fan base too. The top online categories in Central Europe are: fashion (clothing, shoes, accessories), electronics (smartphones, laptops, tablets), home appliances (washing machines, refrigerators), beauty and personal care (cosmetics, perfumes), and toys and baby products.
Australia and New Zealand
This region is no exception with fashion and electronics being on top of the charts.
The second most popular category is toys, leisure activities, and DIY because of the growing interest in hobbies and crafts that started during the lockdowns, as well as the need for home improvement and gardening supplies among homeowners.
Another favorite category for Australian and New Zealand customers is furniture. That is based on the rise of online furniture retailers which offer a wide range of products at affordable prices and fast delivery. Love for beauty and health products as the fourth most popular online shopping category is explained by the convenience and variety of online shopping for cosmetics, vitamins, supplements, cleaning products and pet supplies.
Asia
Online shopping categories vary across different countries in Asia.
The most popular online shopping categories in China are cosmetics and personal care products, food and health products and mother and baby products. These goods are mainly purchased from import B2C platforms that offer foreign brands and quality assurance.
Consumers in Japan prefer shopping for travel and transportation, fashion and accessories, and books and music. It’s all about convenience, style, and culture.
Among the various products that South Koreans purchase online, some of the most prominent ones are travel reservations, clothing and fashion items, household goods, cosmetics and health products and food.
Southeast Asians are avid online shoppers who buy a variety of stuff, such as health and beauty supplies, gadgets and widgets, fashion-forward products and home decor. Some of the factors that drive the demand for these products are the pandemic, the growing middle class, the young population and the digitization of services.
India
When it comes to online shopping, Indian consumers love to splurge on fashion and footwear. These are the most popular categories that they have shopped for in the past year, followed by gadgets, accessories, and beauty products.
They also buy a lot of things that they need for their daily lives: food, drinks, appliances, and health products.
Some other categories that they enjoy shopping for online are entertainment media, for example, books, movies, music, games, stationery and hobby supplies.
Middle East and Africa
In the MENA region of over 20 countries, shoppers have similar preferences and behavior. The top three eCommerce markets are KSA, UAE, and Egypt. Fashion is the fastest-growing and most popular category online, followed by electronics with high cart value from smartphones. Toys & kids and online food delivery are also key drivers of eCommerce growth, influenced by the economy, birth rates and spending. Grocery & personal care has seen a huge surge during the pandemic, especially online grocery.
As for South Africa, it has also become a large and growing eCommerce market. The most popular segments are fashion, toys, hobbies, DIY, electronics, and media. Some of the key trends that will shape the eCommerce landscape in South Africa are online marketplaces, mobile penetration, secure payment options, tech innovations and cross-border online shopping.
One of the global trends that can be observed from the online shopping categories in different regions is the high demand for fashion and electronics. These two categories are among the most popular and profitable in almost every country as they reflect consumer desire for style, convenience, and innovation.
Another trend that can be seen is the growth of online food delivery and grocery, especially during the pandemic. These categories offer convenience, safety and variety to consumers who want to avoid crowded places and enjoy different cuisines.
Based on these trends, it is likely that fashion and electronics will continue to dominate the eCommerce market in the near future, as they offer endless possibilities for new products, designs, and features. Online food delivery and grocery will also remain popular as they cater to the changing lifestyles and preferences of consumers. Some other categories that may see an increase in online sales are health and beauty products, travel and transportation and toys and hobbies as they appeal to the consumers’ needs for wellness, leisure and entertainment.
Top sales channels for eCommerce affiliates to promote their links
Affiliate marketing offers a lot of flexibility for both marketers and partners. Besides, there are so many ways and channels for everyone to promote their links!
Let’s find out which sales channels suit your needs and goals and learn the best ways of using them to enhance your affiliate marketing performance and earnings.
Your own website or blog
Your blog can be a perfect place to showcase the products or services you promote. You can write helpful articles such as reviews, comparisons, tutorials or how-to posts that highlight the features and benefits of the products. These articles can attract and inform online customers who are looking for solutions to their problems.
You can also create a resource page on your website where you list your favorite products that you personally use and recommend. This can increase your credibility and trust with your audience. Be sure to place a link to your resource page on your main menu for easy access.
Digital projects
You can add affiliate links in different parts of your digital projects, depending on its type and format. For example:
If you have an online course, mention products or services that can help your students achieve their learning goals and apply what they have covered. The links can be placed in the video descriptions, transcripts or slides.
Link placement for an e-book can fit well into introduction, conclusion, content or resource page, with products being related to the theme or purpose of your book, supporting the information you provide or helping your readers take action and learn more.
For a webinar, add your affiliate links in the registration page, presentation, follow-up email or, again, a separate resource page. You can promote services that are relevant and valuable to the topic of your webinar and can help your attendees solve their problems.
If you developed your own software or online tool, you can add affiliate links to products or services that complement or improve its functionality and can be helpful to the users.
These are just some examples of how to use affiliate links in various types of digital projects. You can adapt them to suit your specific product and audience.
Email newsletter
Combination of email and affiliate marketing can boost your sales and growth. You can send affiliate links and discount codes in some of your newsletters to encourage repeat and new customers to buy from you. But don’t overdo it, because your audience might get bored or annoyed. Balance your promotional emails with value-focused content that answers their questions.
You can also use affiliate links in different types of emails such as welcome emails, how-to series or drip campaigns. For example, if you write about travel, you can recommend different services for each step of the journey. Just make sure you provide enough free value and don’t spam your readers with too many links.
To start your email marketing campaign, you need to create an attractive subscription form on your blog or landing page. Then, you can send visitors to your blog posts with affiliate links or share them directly in your emails, but not more than one or two per email.
Social media
Another great way to earn money is by sharing your personal experience and recommendations on social media. You can use different strategies to attract clicks on your affiliate links such as collaborating with influencers, creating video content, offering discounts or prizes and engaging with your followers. However, you should always balance your promotional posts with non-promotional ones to build trust and avoid looking too salesy. You should also follow the platform’s policies regarding advertising and only promote products and services that are relevant and beneficial to you and your audience.
Here are the most popular platforms where you can post your links:
Instagram is more than just a fun way to share photos and videos with millions of people worldwide. It’s also a powerful tool for marketers to enhance their brand image, reach new audiences and drive sales. With over 1 billion active users, Instagram lets affiliates use their links in various ways such as posts (without hyperlink though), stories, profile bio, ads and more.
Facebook is another powerful social media channel that boasts over 2 billion monthly users worldwide. Its audience enjoys a variety of features that Facebook provides: connecting with friends and family, meeting new people, posting stories and photos, planning events and marketing your business. On this platform, publishers can showcase various types of content and enhance them with affiliate links to drive traffic to their campaigns.
Twitter is also a good place to generate affiliate traffic in a snap by including links in your tweets. However, it’s mainly used for sharing the latest news or trends, so keep in mind that tweets can lose relevance very quickly.
Pinterest is a social platform that’s growing by leaps and bounds. It’s ideal for making your offer stand out from the crowd with its eye-catching visuals. Plus, it lets you sell your products directly or drive traffic to your blog post where you can hook your readers with an affiliate link.
These were just some examples of how you can turn your social media fans into cash by using affiliate links. The more platforms you have, the more money you can make, so go for it!
TikTok
TikTok has a huge marketing potential. You can add your affiliate link to your bio or captions, use QR codes or custom URLs. All you need is to create engaging videos that highlight the value and features of the products you promote and urge your viewers to click on your link and buy.
Another great opportunity is using the new TikTok live shopping feature to sell products directly from your account. You can host live streams where you can display and demonstrate your products and invite other creators and influencers to join you. To use this feature, you need at least 1,000 followers, be part of the TikTok Creator Marketplace and apply for the live shopping program. Once approved, you can link your product catalog to your live stream and earn commissions from every sale.
If you are looking for a new way to boost your commissions, you might also want to check out Savanna Sanchez. She’s a TikTok advertising whiz who knows how to make ads that stand out and convert on this fast-growing platform.
She works with top eCommerce brands and helps them create ads that look like organic TikTok videos, using real content from influencers and customers. Savanna also tests different ad types and strategies to find the best ones for each product and goal and knows how to use TikTok’s unique features and trends to make ads more fun and viral.
YouTube
If you want to boost the income on your YouTube channel, you need to create engaging video content that features your affiliate products or services.
As we discussed before, video format is more powerful than written content because it stimulates the senses, captures the attention of the viewers and shows them how you can solve their problems. You can also reuse your old blog posts and turn them into videos. To get more clicks on your affiliate links, you can include them in the video descriptions, comments or even the video itself. This way, you can drive more traffic to your offers and earn more commissions.
Podcasts
Podcasts are not only a source of entertainment but also a way to earn some cash. You can place your affiliate links in the show notes or comments section. Another good idea is to dedicate a podcast episode to promoting affiliate products, invite an expert to talk about them or localize your links for different markets.
However, you can also turn your audio content into texts and post them on your blog. This way, you can make your podcast more visible in search engines and potential listeners who are looking for topics related to your niche. With speech-to-text software, you can easily convert your podcast into text in no time. Don’t forget to include affiliate links you mentioned during the show in the transcripts so Google can catch them too.
Pointers on choosing an affiliate program
To find the best affiliate marketing programs for your business, you need to look at some key factors such as:
Commission rate. How much money will you earn from each sale made through your referral links? These rates can be a percentage or a fixed amount of the sale price.
Cookie lifespan. This is how long the affiliate trackers stay in a user’s browser after they click on your link. If they buy something before the cookie expires, you get the commission.
Easy application process. You don’t want to waste time and money on applying to networks that have strict requirements, high signup fees or long approval times.
Earnings-per-click. This is the average amount of money you make from each click on your affiliate links. It also helps you measure the effectiveness of your paid marketing campaigns.
Payment methods. How and how often will you get paid by the network? You also need to consider the transaction fee and the minimum payout threshold that apply to your chosen payment method.
Support. As a new affiliate marketer, you may need some guidance and assistance from the network’s affiliate managers. They can help you optimize your performance and resolve any issues you may face.
If you already cooperate with affiliate programs in the eCommerce niche and feel satisfied with the results, don’t be shy and share your experience in the comments below! ;)
Conclusion
Affiliate marketing is not a walk in the park, especially in the eCommerce field. It takes effort and smart strategy to drive relevant traffic to your affiliate offers and earn commissions. The secret is to know your ideal customer and use various traffic sources to reach them. The more traffic you get, the more chances you have to convert and sell. This will also boost your affiliate profile and make you more appealing to other brands in the eCommerce sector. Whenever you use affiliate links in a post, don’t forget to add an affiliate disclosure. This tells your reader that you may get a commission if they buy the product through your link. It’s not only the law, but also a way to be honest and trustworthy with your audience. Transparency is the name of the game in affiliate marketing.
Hope you find our tips helpful and good luck on your affiliate journey!
