Getting started as an affiliate marketer means you have to join affiliate networks. One of the most popular affiliate networks out there is none other than ClickBank (CB). It deals in digital products and offers affiliate products in more than 276 categories. As a newbie affiliate marketer, you must know how to use ClickBank so that you can make the most out of it.
This article covers in detail how to best use ClickBank to grow your affiliate marketing business.
How to Use ClickBank
Before you dig deep and get to know the CB platform, you need to create an account as an affiliate with it. Read this article on how to get started with ClickBank and have your account created. Once it is ready, you are ready to use CB like a pro.
Here is how to do it:
Understand Marketplace
ClickBank Marketplace is one of the most important features that you must know how to use. The marketplace is where you find affiliate products from vendors. The products are distributed into different categories available on the right sidebar:
There are more than 24,000 affiliate products currently listed in the CB marketplace. You can’t navigate to all these products one-by-one. You must know how to search for the right product from the marketplace using the advanced search option:
This is how advanced search looks like:
Most affiliates use the simple search to find affiliate products they’re interested in. If you master advanced search, it will put you ahead of a lot of other affiliates right away.
Why?
Because it lets you refine the search and find the most appropriate products based on your filters. It lets you find products based on any criterion you prefer. For example, you can find products that have gravity higher than 5, include upsells, and are available in English and Spanish using advanced search option:
In the absence of advanced search, you’ll have to manually scroll through hundreds of products to find what you are looking for. Advanced search isn’t just a time-saver but it helps you find the best products.
If you want to become a top ClickBank affiliate marketer, it is strongly recommended to master the advanced search feature.
Get HopLinks
The affiliate referral tracking URL is known as a HopLink in ClickBank. Once you find a suitable affiliate product worth promoting, you need to grab its HopLink. The duration of a HopLink is 60 days which means you’ll get credit for the sale if a user buys within 60 days of clicking your HopLink.
Generating a HopLink is easy. You can click Promote from the product page to create a link:
It is recommended to add a tracking ID to track conversions from different HopLinks. Most affiliates don’t use tracking IDs and that’s not the way how to use ClickBank. Adding a tracking ID has several benefits such as you’ll be able to track the performance of each HopLink individually.
For example, if you have to put an affiliate link at three different locations on a blog post, you can create three different tracking IDs to monitor the performance of each HopLink individually. Here is an example:
You’ll then be able to see what CTA button gets the most clicks and what converts better. Create your link, and start using it.
You can also create a HopLink using HopLink Shield which is a free tool by ClickBank that helps you generate HopLinks using affiliate and vendor nicknames. Enter the nickname of the affiliate and the vendor to create a HopLink:
If you want to create readable and user-friendly HopLinks, use one of the following formats. Simply replace AFFILIATE and VENDOR with their nicknames:
- https://hop.clickbank.net/?affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR
- http://hop.clickbank.net/?affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR
- http://AFFILIATE.VENDOR.hop.clickbank.net
You can find a vendor’s nickname by clicking Vendor Spotlight from the product page:
The nickname will be written at the top of the profile:
Copy and add it to one of the reader-friendly HopLink formats above to generate your link.
Reporting
Mastering the Reporting section is one of the most important things that you must know if you want to use ClickBank like a pro affiliate. It helps you analyze the performance of your affiliate account and how your HopLinks are performing:
You can filter your report based on vendor, tracking ID, or customer country:
The reporting sections shows you detailed statistics of each HopLink you are promoting such as CTR, earnings per click, initial sale amount, and others:
You can generate this report for individual tracking IDs to see what tracking IDs are getting clicks and generating sales. The ClickBank reporting section is amazing as it provides you with a detailed breakdown of each click that your HopLink generated.
It is much more than a mere earnings report. You need to master the art of understanding this report for decision-making.
Withdrawal Methods
Setting your payment method is a critical step so that you can receive the commission on time. ClickBank offers multiple payment methods including:
- PayPal
- Check
- Direct deposit
- Payoneer
- Wire transfer.
You can access your payment method settings from Account Settings > Payment Information. Select the payment method of your choice and you are good to go.
You’ll also have to add your tax information. Affiliates who earn more than $600 are required to provide their tax details. You’ll need to provide either your social security number or employer identification number to get your payment smoothly.
Conclusion
This is how to use ClickBank and start making money from it. ClickBank marketplace holds an important place in your career. You need to explore it, use the advanced search, and find new ways of finding relevant products.
Remember, it is used by both affiliates and vendors. You need to explore and use the sections that are for affiliates.
There is no right or wrong way to use ClickBank. Even if you don’t explore it fully, you can still make money from affiliate marketing. But ideally, you must know the ClickBank dashboard and its basics so that you can get the information you need quickly.
Featured Image: PR Newswire
