Formatting your content in a compelling way is a simple, yet efficient way to create a profitable affiliate marketing blog. This is why most successful affiliate blogs stick to tried and true formats when it comes to their content. Top-ten types of articles, for example, tend to perform well since they build anticipation and keep visitors reading.
Today, I’ll introduce you to three proven post formats for profitable affiliate blogging. Pair these ideas with your writing talents, and you should start seeing higher conversion rates. Let’s get started!
1. Listicles (a.k.a. Top-X Lists)
A listicle is a blog post format which offers content in a list, usually numbered. Contents are typically chronological, ranked by a certain quality, or ordered at random. Listicles are incredibly popular for online writing, as they offer clear benefits for publishers and readers alike.
Most profitable affiliate blogs post top-X types of content, including us! It’s not because we lack in imagination. Listicles are popular for a reason. They are a clear-cut format, enabling writers to create clear sections. For readers, it’s easier to navigate through articles with a clear progression.
Additionally, listicles often makes it easier to come up with engaging titles. Here are clear benefits translated into listicle titles:
- Offer improvement: 3 Ways to Raise Your Freelance Writing Rates With New Clients
- Connect personally: 3 Signs of Impostor Syndrome for Freelance Writers (And How to Fight Them)
- Provide insider tricks: 3 Guidelines for Researching Blog Posts as a Freelance Writer
You can put an adjective before the number to make your titles even more compelling. Of course, your titles should never cross over into clickbait territory:
- Tell readers exactly what to expect from your content, without making grandiose promises.
- Don’t pad your articles with unnecessary entries.
- Explain what each entry in your article means and why readers should care.
- Use images for each section whenever possible to provide context.
Writing attention-grabbing headlines is one of the most challenging aspects my writing. It requires a delicate balance to make them click-worthy without over-promising.
You’ll need to look out for this as well, because readers don’t like to be yanked around with clickbait. If that’s something you struggle with, try coming up with titles after your first draft is done. By then, you should have a much clearer idea of how to introduce your posts.
2. Product Comparisons
Product comparisons are when a reviewer takes two similar services or products and pits them against each other. The goal of product comparisons is to help inform the reader of the pros and cons of each. A well written product comparison enables the reader to make a knowledgeable decision about which will work best for their unique situation.
Writing product comparisons is quite straightforward, and a great asset for profitable affiliate blogging. Simply take two related items and compare them against each other! If you’re running an affiliate blog that deals in cookware, for example, you could compare two sets of knives, and so on.
Product comparisons are a perfect fit for affiliate blogging. It takes visitors who aren’t sure which product they should buy and equips them with the information they need to make purchases without second doubting themselves.
This being said, great product comparisons require lot of research to answer all the potential questions readers might have. Here are a few pointers:
- Limit your comparisons to products with similar functionalities. For example, you wouldn’t compare a set of knives with a saucepan.
- Use product images whenever possible to showcase differences between each product or service.
- Include a summary table near the end of your article for readers to see a concise and clear overview.
- Don’t just tell people which product is better – break your explanation down into as many categories as needed and build a case.
- Provide readers with quick summaries about who should use which type of product.
Long-form content tends to perform really well. These posts prove you know your stuff, which makes readers feel they can trust your advice. However, you also have to account for the fact many users skip over a lot of content. That’s why you also want to include quick summaries and tables. This way, you target both the people who want to know every little detail and the skimmers.
3. In-Depth Reviews
In-depth reviews should feel relatively easy after product comparisons. To write an in-depth review, focus on a single product and really show your readers how it can improve their lives.
When you run your own blog, no one can tell you how long or short your reviews should be. If you think a product deserves particular attention, you can write thousands of words about it. When you provide valuable information, there’s no reason to leave a stone unturned.
Keep in mind, though – the longer your pieces are, the more attention you need to pay to how you format them. Here are a few tips you should remember for pieces of 1,000 words or more:
- Use subheadings whenever you switch topics.
- Each subheading should tell readers exactly what to expect from that section.
- Use images and lists whenever it makes sense to do so to break down walls of text and complex concepts.
- Consider adding a table of contents to the top of your review to help readers skip to the sections they care about.
Not every product requires in-depth reviews. You’ll have to use your judgment to determine when to go long and when to keep things short. When in doubt, go all-in! Persistence and comprehensiveness are two hallmarks of profitable affiliate blogging.
Conclusion
Presentation matters regardless of what business you’re in. Dynamic post formats can significantly increase your conversion rates by building trust and commanding attention.
Successful affiliate blogging takes time, but these three types of content can help give you an edge over your competitors:
- Listicles: Introduce multiple related items or topics.
- Product Comparisons: Help your readers make smart decisions about what products to buy.
- In-depth Reviews: Build your authority and lead naturally to sales.
If you’re interested in launching your first affiliate blog, you can get started by following our free Beginner Blogging course. It’ll help you set the foundations for profitable affiliate blogging. Once your blog is set up, all that’s left to do is choose the right niche and start writing.
What do you think is the best format for affiliate blog posts? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
Image credit: Pixabay.