I Tried Affiliate Marketing on TikTok for 7 Days

George Vlasyev
George Vlasyev
··7 min read

Introduction

Affiliate marketing has been a popular topic for those seeking to generate income online, and the rise of social media platforms has provided new opportunities for individuals to explore this avenue. In a recent video, a content creator detailed their plan to engage in affiliate marketing through the use of TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The strategy involved creating and sharing simple TikTok videos with the aim of driving viewers to click on an affiliate link in the creator's bio, potentially resulting in a commission.

The plan outlined the intention to post three TikToks daily over the course of seven days, with the expectation that some of the content would go viral, subsequently leading to a source of revenue generation. The video highlighted the approach to creating the TikTok content, which involved incorporating visuals of luxurious lifestyles and wealth, accompanied by text prompting viewers to stop being lazy and start making money through affiliate marketing.

Additionally, the content creator elaborated on the process of finding and selecting an affiliate offer, and the utilization of Bitly to create separate links for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The purpose of these separate links was to track the source of the traffic and evaluate which platform was the most effective in generating clicks. The creator expressed excitement and curiosity about the potential outcomes of the seven-day challenge, eager to see if any of the videos would garner attention within the algorithms of the social media platforms.

Planning the Affiliate Marketing Challenge

In the video, the content creator outlines their plan to embark on a seven-day affiliate marketing challenge focused on TikTok. The goal is to post three TikTok videos each day over the course of a week, with the aim of creating content that goes viral and generates income through affiliate commissions. The strategy involves leveraging existing videos showcasing a luxurious lifestyle, adding text overlay promoting affiliate marketing, and including a call-to-action to drive traffic to the affiliate offers linked in the bio.

The creator also shares their process for selecting and downloading relevant content from TikTok, adding text overlays, and creating custom Bitly links for the different platforms (YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok) to track click-through rates. Additionally, they discuss signing up for an offer on Warrior Plus, an affiliate marketing platform, and using Bitly to create separate links for each platform to monitor the traffic source's performance.

Throughout the challenge, the creator plans to evaluate the effectiveness of their content by measuring views, engagement rates, and click-throughs on the different platforms. The content creator's strategy reflects an attempt to capitalize on the viral nature of TikTok content to promote affiliate offers, aiming to measure the success of each platform and optimize the approach for the best results.

Day 1: Creating and Posting the First Videos

After watching an inspiring video, I decided to embark on a seven-day challenge to explore affiliate marketing on TikTok. The plan was to create and post three simple TikToks every day, with the hope of some going viral and generating affiliate commission through the link in the bio. The initial video creation process involved sourcing lifestyle footage from TikTok, downloading it, and then editing it on Canva to add a motivational message prompting viewers to learn about affiliate marketing.

Following the video creation process, I established separate Bitly links for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to monitor the source of the most clicks. The affiliate offer chosen was based on the Pulse score, indicating its performance. The initial stage was intended to gauge viewer engagement across different platforms through the posted videos.

Despite minimal engagement on TikTok and YouTube, Instagram presented slightly better results with notable views and clicks. The strategy was to continue posting three videos daily over the next five days to assess the overall performance and impact of the challenge.

Day 1 Results

On day one of the affiliate marketing TikTok challenge, the initial results were lackluster. The first video received 171 views with a 3% engagement rate, while the second video got 162 views with a 1% engagement rate. The third video had 14 engagements but only seven views, indicating a decline in reach and interest. On YouTube, the outcomes were similarly disappointing, with one, two, and three views respectively for the three posts. However, the Instagram platform showed slightly better results, garnering 129, 143, and 237 views for the three videos.

For bitly clicks, YouTube received two clicks, Instagram seven, and TikTok none. These results indicate that the Instagram platform was leading in both views and clicks, showing potential for future engagement and conversion. Despite the slow start, the plan to continue posting three videos every day over the next six days was still in place, in hopes of improving the outcome and achieving the challenge's goals.

Day 2: Posting Additional Videos

On day two of the affiliate marketing challenge, the creator continued to post three videos a day on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. However, the results did not show significant traction. The TikTok videos only received minimal views, while YouTube experienced a copyright claim on one of the videos, with limited engagement across all platforms. Bitly tracking revealed a modest number of clicks on YouTube and Instagram, with no clicks recorded from TikTok.

Despite the lackluster performance, the creator maintained their commitment to the challenge, aiming to observe the outcomes at the end of the week. With the YouTube suspension and low engagement, it became evident that the approach might not be yielding the desired results. Nevertheless, the creator proceeded with the plan to post three videos each day for the next five days, hopeful of potential improvements in the days ahead.

Day 2 Results

On Day 2 of the affiliate marketing challenge, the results were not as promising as expected. The videos posted on TikTok did not gain much traction, with each video receiving around 150-170 views. Similarly, the YouTube videos did not perform well, with one video receiving a copyright claim. Although there were views, the engagement was minimal. On the other hand, the Instagram platform provided slightly more favorable outcomes. One video garnered 1,500 views, indicating better engagement compared to TikTok and YouTube. Additionally, it received some clicks on the provided Bitly link.

Although Day 2's performance showed some engagement on Instagram, the overall results were slow. With the copyright claim on YouTube and minimal engagement on TikTok, the affiliate marketing strategy was struggling to generate significant interest. Despite the challenges faced, the commitment to posting three videos daily on each platform continued, as the focus shifted to improving the strategies for better outcomes in the remaining five days of the challenge.

Day 3: Unforeseen Challenges and Conclusions

Day 3: Unforeseen Challenges and Conclusions

The challenge took an unexpected turn on Day 3, as the YouTube channel that was being used for the affiliate marketing endeavor was suspended, rendering the efforts on that platform futile. This unexpected development presented a significant setback, as it was one of the primary channels for promoting affiliate offers.

Despite experiencing some success with views on Instagram and TikTok, the fundamental flaw of the strategy became apparent. It was evident that repurposing existing content by adding text to it did not provide significant value to the audience. Furthermore, it led to copyright issues, further hampering the progress of the challenge.

The outcome of Day 3 brought to light the limitations and risks of employing shortcut methods in affiliate marketing. The lack of original, compelling content and the reliance on existing videos ultimately led to a lack of traction and engagement, undermining the potential for success in the affiliate marketing venture.

In conclusion, the Day 3 outcome served as a valuable lesson in the importance of creating original, valuable content in affiliate marketing initiatives. While the intent was to experiment with affiliate marketing on social media, the unanticipated challenges and lackluster results underscored the significance of providing genuine value to the audience. The decision to halt the challenge after Day 3 was a clear acknowledgment of the need to reassess the approach and prioritize quality, original content in future endeavors.

Highlight

Affiliate marketing can be an effective way to generate income by promoting products or services and earning a commission for each sale made through your referral. A recent video detailed an experiment in affiliate marketing using TikTok and other social media platforms. The creator's goal was to post three TikTok videos daily for seven days and measure the results in terms of views, engagements, and link clicks. The videos followed a simple format consisting of background footage depicting a luxurious lifestyle and text prompting viewers to learn affiliate marketing and click the link in the bio. The content aimed to attract attention and drive viewers to engage with the affiliate offer.

However, the experiment encountered challenges. Despite experiencing some engagement on Instagram, the TikTok and YouTube results were underwhelming. Additionally, the YouTube channel was suspended, and copyright claims were encountered. These setbacks highlighted the importance of creating original and high-quality content when pursuing affiliate marketing. In conclusion, the experiment underscored the significance of providing value to the audience through original and engaging content.

FAQ

Q: What was the goal of the affiliate marketing challenge on Tick Tock?

A: The goal of the challenge was to post three TikTok videos every day for seven days, with the aim of creating viral content that would drive viewers to click on affiliate links in the bio section and potentially make a purchase.

Q: What content format did the creator use for the TikTok videos?

A: The creator used a simple format with video clips showing a luxurious lifestyle in the background and text in the foreground prompting viewers to stop being lazy and start making money through affiliate marketing by clicking the link in the bio.

Q: How did the creator choose the video content for the TikTok posts?

A: The creator searched for "Rich lifestyle" on TikTok, selected a suitable video, downloaded it, added text overlay promoting affiliate marketing, and then reposted it with the hope of driving traffic to the affiliate offer.

Q: What affiliate offers did the creator choose to promote?

A: The creator selected an affiliate offer from Warrior Plus by sorting by pulse score and choosing the first one without extensive research. They used Bitly to create separate tracking links for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to analyze the traffic sources.

Q: What were the results of the affiliate marketing challenge?

A: The TikTok videos garnered limited viewership, and the YouTube channel was suspended due to copyright issues. The Instagram posts achieved slightly better results with views, but the engagement was still low. The tracking links showed minimal clicks, indicating low audience engagement.

Q: What insights did the creator gain from the experiment?

A: The creator realized that the strategy of repurposing existing videos with added text did not resonate with the audience and might lead to copyright issues. The lack of substantial traction and the suspension of the YouTube channel led to the conclusion that creating original and valuable content is crucial in affiliate marketing.

Q: What was the final decision regarding the affiliate marketing challenge?

A: The creator decided to discontinue the challenge after day three due to the lack of value added to the end-user, the suspension of the YouTube channel, and the overall lack of traction and engagement across platforms.

Q: What can be learned from this affiliate marketing challenge?

A: The experiment highlighted the importance of creating original, valuable, and engaging content in affiliate marketing. It also demonstrated the potential risks of repurposing existing content and the necessity of playing the long game when seeking to establish a successful affiliate marketing strategy on platforms like TikTok.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the experiment to use TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts for affiliate marketing did not yield the desired results. The approach of using existing videos with added text did not resonate well with the audience and the account was suspended, suggesting that the strategy lacks long-term sustainability. It is clear that creating original and valuable content is crucial for successful affiliate marketing. This experience serves as a reminder of the importance of providing genuine value to the audience.

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