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Jack of All Trades vs Master of One: Why You Must Niche Down to Earn More (2026 Guide)

Being a jack of all trades feels safe — you can say yes to everything and never turn down work. But in practice, it caps your income, dilutes your authority, and makes you invisible in a competitive market. Being the master of one specific thing is what allows you to charge more, attract better clients, and build a reputation that generates inbound work without constant selling.

This guide covers the full history and meaning of the jack of all trades quote, the research-backed case for specialisation, how ADHD can drive the generalist pattern (and how to work with it rather than against it), the T-shaped professional model, and a practical 8-step process for transitioning from generalist to sought-after specialist.

📊 Specialisation — What the Data Shows

  • Specialists command higher rates, attract better-fit clients, and generate more referrals than generalists across nearly every professional service field
  • Research from CUHK Business School found that people with diverse skill sets are more likely to start successful businesses — but specialists earn more once the business is running
  • T-shaped professionals who combine deep expertise in one area with broad supporting knowledge are considered the highest-value profile in the modern workforce
  • ADHD is significantly more prevalent among the self-employed than the general population — and the ‘jack of all trades’ pattern is a well-documented ADHD trait driven by novelty-seeking
  • 47% of buyers view 3–5 pieces of content before contacting a service provider — specialist content converts far better than generalist content

1. The Full Jack of All Trades Quote — What It Actually Says

The phrase most people know — “Jack of all trades, master of none” — is actually the second half of a longer saying. The full original quote reads:

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

The second half — “but oftentimes better than a master of one” — has been dropped in modern usage, transforming a nuanced observation about the trade-offs between breadth and depth into a straightforward criticism of generalism. The full quote is not a condemnation of the generalist. It’s a reflection on the genuine complexity of the question.

The phrase is often attributed to Shakespearean-era English, and some versions connect it to Robert Greene’s 1592 reference to Shakespeare himself as “an upstart crow” who was a “Johannes Factotum” — a jack of all trades — implying he was dabbling in things beyond his station rather than mastering one craft.

💡 Why the Full Quote Matters for This Discussion

The full quote acknowledges that breadth of skill has genuine value — particularly in uncertain environments, at the start of a career, and for entrepreneurs who need to wear many hats in the early stages. The argument in this guide is not that breadth is worthless. It’s that for self-employed professionals building a sustainable income, depth is what drives premium rates, authority, and referrals — and most people stop at breadth before they ever develop the depth that changes everything.

2. Why Being a Jack of All Trades Caps Your Income

The generalist problem for self-employed professionals is not that it’s wrong to have multiple skills. It’s that generalism makes you invisible, underpriceable, and hard to refer. These three things together create a ceiling on income that almost no amount of additional work can break through.

👁️

Invisibility

When you do everything, you show up in no one’s search. Someone looking for a ‘YouTube growth consultant’ will find you. Someone looking for a ‘marketing person’ will find 10,000 others. Specificity is what makes you findable.

💷

The price ceiling

Generalists are priced as commodities. Specialists are priced as experts. The same person, narrowing their offer from ‘social media management’ to ‘LinkedIn content strategy for SaaS founders’, can typically double their rate with no change to their actual skills.

🤝

Referral friction

People refer specialists. When someone asks your client ‘who does your social media?’, your client can say ‘she specifically helps SaaS founders with LinkedIn — here’s her contact.’ That referral happens. The equivalent for a generalist is ‘she does marketing and other stuff’ — and the referral doesn’t happen because the introduction is too vague to be useful.

📉

Content that converts to nothing

Generalist content gets general audiences. A blog post about ‘how to improve your marketing’ attracts everyone and converts no one. A post about ‘how to use LinkedIn to generate B2B consulting leads’ attracts exactly the right person and converts them at a high rate. Specificity is what makes content earn money.

“Every time I tried to be everything to everyone, I ended up being nothing to anyone. The moment I stopped saying yes to every type of work and started saying ‘this is specifically what I do’, the quality of my clients went up, the work got easier, and the income got more consistent.”

— Alan Spicer — YouTube Certified Expert, 15+ years self-employed

The Economics of Specialisation

Positioning Typical Client Profile Typical Rate Range Competition Level Referral Clarity
“I do marketing” Whoever reaches out first £20–£40/hour Extremely high — millions of generalist marketers Near zero — too vague to refer
“I do social media management” Small businesses needing social presence £30–£60/hour Very high — large commodity market Low — still quite generic
“I manage LinkedIn content for professional services firms” Law firms, consultancies, accountants needing LinkedIn strategy £60–£120/hour Medium — fewer true specialists High — very easy to refer
“I help YouTube channels for finance coaches convert views into discovery calls” Finance coaches with growing YouTube channels £100–£200+/hour Low — highly specific niche Very high — frictionless referral

The rate difference between the first and last row is not 2× — it’s 5–10×. The workload difference is inverse: more specific positioning means fewer wasted conversations, higher conversion rates, and better-fit clients who stay longer. This is the economics of specialisation.

3. ADHD and the Jack of All Trades Pattern — Alan’s Story

For years, Alan Spicer found himself bouncing between specialisations. Web design. Social media management. Content strategy. Video production. YouTube consulting. Blog writing. Each one felt exciting at the start, then gradually less compelling as it became routine — at which point a new area would catch his attention and the cycle would begin again.

He eventually understood that this pattern was primarily driven by undiagnosed ADHD. Not a character flaw. Not a lack of commitment. A neurological pattern where the brain seeks novelty, is highly engaged by new challenges, and loses stimulation once something becomes familiar — even if it’s working well financially.

Research confirms this is common. ADHD is significantly more prevalent among the self-employed and entrepreneurial population than the general workforce. The same traits that drive entrepreneurship — novelty-seeking, risk tolerance, enthusiasm for new ideas — are also the traits that create the jack of all trades pattern when not consciously managed.

🧠 ADHD and Hyperfocus: The Double-Edged Sword

ADHD creates two competing forces relevant to specialisation: novelty-seeking pulls you toward new areas, but hyperfocus can make you exceptionally skilled in areas that genuinely engage you. The strategy is not to fight the novelty-seeking — it’s to channel hyperfocus into your chosen specialisation while treating adjacent interests as inputs to that specialisation rather than separate business directions.

Alan’s resolution was not to eliminate his broader curiosity — it was to build one primary professional identity (YouTube growth specialist and consultant) and allow everything else (content strategy, SEO, affiliate marketing, business coaching) to exist as supporting knowledge that serves that core identity, rather than as separate service offerings that compete for his positioning.

For a deeper exploration of the ADHD and focus relationship: How to Set Goals You Actually Achieve (Including With ADHD) →

4. Why Specialists Earn More and Win More Clients

The business case for specialisation is not theoretical. It plays out consistently across professional services, content creation, consulting, and freelancing. Here’s why specialists systematically outperform generalists in the same market:

Factor Generalist Specialist Impact on Income
Perceived expertise Capable of many things The person for this specific thing Specialists command 2–5× premium rates
Content performance Broad audience, low conversion Targeted audience, high conversion Specialist content generates higher-quality leads from smaller traffic
Referral effectiveness Hard to describe concisely Easy to describe in one sentence Specialists get referred 5–10× more often
Sales cycle length Needs to explain and convince Client arrives pre-sold via content Specialists spend less time selling, more time delivering
Client quality Wide range, inconsistent fit Consistent ideal client profile Specialists work with better clients who pay more and stay longer
Competitive moat Competes with everyone Competes with a handful of true specialists Specialists face less price competition
Content SEO value Ranks for nothing specific Ranks for exact queries ideal clients search Specialist content compounds in search over time

📌 The Vineyard Wedding Photographer Principle

A wedding photographer in the US once specialised exclusively in weddings at vineyards and wineries — nothing else. If you got married anywhere else, he wasn’t available. Within that absurdly specific niche, he became the undisputed authority: he knew every vineyard, every event planner, the best lighting windows, the perfect moments. His rates were triple what a generalist wedding photographer charged. His calendar was booked 18 months in advance. His niche was his moat.

5. The T-Shaped Professional: The Best of Both Worlds

The solution to the generalist vs. specialist debate is not to become a hyper-narrow specialist who knows only one thing. It’s to become what researchers and practitioners call a T-shaped professional: someone with deep expertise in one specific area (the vertical bar of the T) and broad, supporting knowledge across adjacent areas (the horizontal bar).

This model resolves the apparent contradiction in the full jack of all trades quote. The horizontal bar — breadth across multiple areas — is genuinely valuable: it helps you see connections, understand your clients’ broader context, and adapt when your primary niche evolves. The vertical bar — deep expertise in one specific thing — is what makes you hireable, referable, and premium-priced.

T-Shape Element What It Means Alan Spicer Example Why It Matters
The vertical (depth) Deep expertise in one specific area — your primary professional identity YouTube channel growth and consultancy This is what you charge premium rates for and what generates referrals
The horizontal (breadth) Supporting knowledge across adjacent areas that makes your core service better SEO, content strategy, video production, affiliate marketing, business coaching This is what makes you more effective at your core skill — not what you advertise
The intersection Where your depth meets a specific audience YouTube growth specifically for coaches, consultants, and service businesses This is your market positioning — where you become the obvious choice

T-Shape Examples Across Different Niches

Professional Vertical (Core Specialisation) Horizontal (Supporting Skills) Market Positioning
YouTube consultant YouTube channel growth and monetisation SEO, content strategy, analytics, video editing YouTube growth for [specific audience type]
Copywriter Email sequences for SaaS onboarding Psychology, UX writing, conversion rate optimisation Email copy that reduces SaaS churn
Web designer Conversion-focused websites for coaches Copywriting, UX, brand strategy, SEO basics Website design that turns visitors into coaching enquiries
Social media manager LinkedIn for B2B professional services Copywriting, content strategy, sales psychology LinkedIn content that generates consulting leads
Accountant Tax strategy for self-employed creatives General accounting, business planning, financial coaching Tax and money management for freelancers and content creators

In each example, the horizontal skills are real and valuable — but they’re listed nowhere in the professional’s marketing. They exist to make the vertical deeper, not to expand the service menu.

6. How to Niche Down Without Losing Income

The most common fear about niching down is the fear of losing income during the transition. This fear is legitimate — a badly managed transition can disrupt cash flow. Here’s how to do it without the income gap:

The 4-Phase Niche Transition

Phase Timeline What You’re Doing What You’re NOT Doing Yet
Phase 1: Identify Month 1 Audit your best work from the last 12 months. Identify which niche is most profitable, most referrable, and most satisfying. Do NOT turn away current clients or announce a change yet
Phase 2: Position Month 2–3 Update your LinkedIn headline, website positioning, and email signature to reflect your chosen specialisation. Begin publishing niche-specific content. Do NOT aggressively turn away work yet — just stop marketing generalist services
Phase 3: Transition Month 3–6 New clients are acquired under your specialist positioning. Existing generalist clients are retained but not replaced when they leave. Do NOT dump existing clients abruptly — let generalist work phase out naturally
Phase 4: Commit Month 6–12 Specialist reputation is establishing. Content is ranking. Referrals are arriving with your specific positioning. Raise your rates. Now you CAN politely decline work outside your niche — you have the specialist income to support it

⚠️ The Most Common Transition Mistake

Going cold turkey on generalist work before specialist income is established. This creates an income gap that forces panic decisions — taking bad clients, discounting rates, or abandoning the niche before it has time to work. The phased transition avoids this entirely by letting specialist income build while generalist work fades naturally.

7. The 5 Fears That Stop People From Specialising (And Why They’re Wrong)

The Fear Why People Have It Why It’s Wrong The Evidence
Running out of clients in a small niche Niching feels like shrinking your market Specialists have fewer total potential clients but a much higher conversion rate — and generate far more referrals within their niche Alan Spicer has never run out of YouTube consultancy work in 15 years of specialisation
Missing opportunities outside the niche Fear of saying no to work The missed opportunities are typically low-margin, poor-fit work that drains time from higher-value niche work High-earning specialists consistently report that turning away misaligned work was the turning point in their income
The niche disappearing Technology and markets change This is real but manageable — stay close enough to market trends to evolve your niche before it disappears, not so broad you evolve into nothing in particular YouTube specialists adapted from “getting views” to “building businesses on YouTube” as the platform matured
Existing clients needing more than one service Current generalist clients want multiple things The T-shaped model lets you serve broader client needs through your specialist positioning — horizontal skills support without being marketed separately A YouTube consultant who also understands SEO serves clients better, not worse — they just do not advertise SEO as a separate service
Appearing limited or less capable Embarrassment at offering less The opposite happens — specialist positioning makes you appear more expert, more confident, and more trustworthy Every premium professional service — law, medicine, finance — is structured around specialisation for exactly this reason

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Work With Alan Spicer

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YouTube Certified Expert · YouTube Consultant · 500+ channels audited · Built his own authority by niching down hard and never looking back

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8. The 8-Step Transition: From Generalist to Specialist

This is the process Alan Spicer has used with his own career and guided hundreds of clients through:

Step 1

Audit your last 12 months of work

List every client and project. Next to each, note: the fee earned, how much you enjoyed the work, how easy the client was, and whether it led to a referral. The highest-scoring item across all four columns is your niche starting point. How to Get Your First Client: Starting From Zero → →

Step 2

Write your specific offer sentence

Complete this: ‘I help [specific person] achieve [specific outcome] using [specific method or approach].’ If you can’t complete this sentence without using the word ‘various’ or ‘different’, you’re not specific enough yet. Keep narrowing until it’s a single, clear sentence. Your First Business Starts With This Problem → →

Step 3

Identify your T-shape horizontal

List every other skill you have that makes your core specialisation better. These are not separate services — they are the supporting width of your T-shape. Write them down and keep them private unless directly relevant in a client conversation.

Step 4

Audit your current positioning

Look at your LinkedIn headline, website, email signature, and social media bios. Count how many vague generalist words appear: ‘various’, ‘different types’, ‘all’, ‘any’, ‘multiple’. Each one is costing you clients and rates. Replace every one with your specific positioning language.

Step 5

Rebuild your content around the niche

Your next 10 pieces of content should answer the 10 most common questions your target client asks. Not general marketing questions — specific questions about your chosen niche problem. This content builds authority in the niche and attracts pre-qualified leads. How to Grow a YouTube Channel Fast → →

Step 6

Run the 4-phase niche transition

Follow the phased transition in Section 6 — identify, position, transition, commit. Do not rush this. A 6–12 month managed transition preserves income while specialist reputation builds. The goal is never to have an income gap.

Step 7

Raise your rates deliberately

Once your specialist positioning is in place and you’re attracting niche clients, raise your rates. A concrete starting point: price your next new client engagement at 20–30% higher than your current rate. You will be surprised how often this is accepted without negotiation. Specialists are expected to cost more. Recommended reading: pricing strategy books for specialists on Amazon UK.

Step 8

Build a referral network within your niche

Identify 5–10 complementary specialists whose clients might also need your specific service. Build genuine relationships. Refer to them when misaligned work comes your way. Ask them to refer to you when their clients need what you do. A strong referral network is the most efficient client acquisition system available to a specialist — and it’s almost entirely unavailable to generalists. Be Your Own Boss: The Full Guide → →

“Niching down felt like losing. For a year I worried I was making myself smaller. Then the right clients started finding me — clients who already understood what I did, were willing to pay for it, and referred others just like themselves. That’s when I realised I hadn’t made myself smaller. I’d made myself visible for the first time.”

— Alan Spicer — YouTube Certified Expert, 15+ years self-employed

9. Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is it better to be a jack of all trades or master of one? +
For self-employed professionals and freelancers, being a master of one specific niche is almost always more profitable and sustainable than being a generalist. Specialists command higher rates, attract better-fit clients, generate more referrals, and build authority that compounds over time. The fear of ‘limiting yourself’ by niching down is almost always unfounded — specialists rarely run out of work in their chosen area.
❓ What is the full ‘jack of all trades’ quote? +
The commonly quoted version — ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ — is actually the truncated version of a longer phrase. The original full quote, often attributed to Shakespearean-era English, reads: ‘A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.’ The second half has been almost universally dropped, changing a nuanced observation into a clear criticism of generalism.
❓ How do I stop being a jack of all trades? +
Start by auditing your last 12 months of work. Which projects were most profitable? Which generated the best referrals? Which did you find most satisfying? The intersection of those three questions is your niche. Then systematically remove services that don’t align with that intersection — redirect potential clients who want those services to appropriate specialists. This process typically takes 6–12 months to complete without damaging existing income.
❓ Can I have multiple skills and still niche down? +
Yes — this is the T-shaped professional model. You have deep expertise in one specific area (the vertical bar of the T) and broad supporting knowledge across adjacent areas (the horizontal bar). Alan Spicer is a YouTube growth specialist — that’s the vertical. His supporting knowledge of SEO, content strategy, affiliate marketing, and business development all serve that core specialisation. None of those broader skills are advertised as separate services.
❓ How do I find my niche as a freelancer? +
The most reliable method: list every service you’ve provided in the past 2 years. Next to each, note the average fee, how easy the client was to work with, and how much you enjoyed the work. The service that scores highest across all three is the starting point for your niche. Then add a specific audience: not ‘I do social media management’ but ‘I manage LinkedIn content for B2B software companies.’ That specificity is your niche.
❓ Does niching down mean I’ll have fewer clients? +
In the short term, possibly — but in the medium and long term, almost certainly not. Specialists are easier to refer (people know exactly who to send to you), easier to find through search (your content targets specific queries), easier to sell to (the right client immediately recognises themselves), and command higher rates (expertise has a premium). The net effect is typically higher revenue with fewer, better clients rather than lower revenue with more, worse ones.
❓ What does ADHD have to do with niching down? +
ADHD can make specialisation feel difficult because the ADHD brain craves novelty and is drawn to new interests — the same trait that creates the ‘jack of all trades’ pattern. Alan Spicer spent years bouncing between specialisations before understanding this was a pattern driven by his undiagnosed ADHD. The solution is not to fight your curiosity, but to channel it: pick one primary specialisation to build your reputation and income around, and allow broader exploration as a secondary activity rather than a primary business strategy.
❓ How long does it take to become a specialist in a niche? +
Meaningful expertise in a specific niche — enough to charge premium rates and win clients on reputation — typically takes 12–24 months of focused work. Deep, recognised authority that generates consistent inbound enquiries typically takes 2–4 years of consistent content publishing and client delivery in that niche. These timelines feel long but they compound: the authority built in year 2 generates income for the next 10 years.
❓ What is a T-shaped professional? +
A T-shaped professional has deep expertise in one specific area (the vertical bar of the T) plus broad, supporting knowledge across multiple adjacent areas (the horizontal bar). The concept argues that neither pure specialist (narrow depth, zero breadth) nor pure generalist (broad but shallow) is the ideal — it’s the combination. Examples: a YouTube specialist who also understands SEO, video production, and business strategy; a web developer who also understands UX, copywriting, and client management.
❓ Is being a generalist ever better than being a specialist? +
In some contexts, yes. Generalists tend to be more resilient during economic downturns (they can pivot to where demand exists), and research from CUHK Business School found that people with diverse skill sets are more likely to start successful businesses because they can see more opportunities and are more resourceful in uncertain situations. The optimal position for most self-employed people is the T-shaped model: specialist in your core service, generalist in your supporting skills.

Work With Alan Spicer

Ready to niche down and build real authority? Book a discovery call.

YouTube Certified Expert · YouTube Consultant · 500+ channels audited · Built his own authority by niching down hard and never looking back

Book a Free Discovery Call →

Sources: Casavecchia & collaborators — “Jack of all trades versus specialists: Fund family specialisation and mutual fund performance”, International Review of Financial Analysis (2019) · CUHK Business School — Kevin Au research on diverse skill sets and entrepreneurship · ADDitude Magazine — Entrepreneurship and ADHD research roundup · Fast Company — Why adults with ADHD often thrive as freelancers and entrepreneurs · Association of Health Care Journalists — Freelancing with ADHD research compilation · Focus Bear — ADHD Freelancers research 2024 · FirmOfTheFuture — The pitfalls of niching analysis (2025) · Hinge Marketing — High Growth Study on thought leadership and specialist positioning. All claims reflect publicly available research at time of publication.

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BUSINESS TIPS DEEP DIVE ARTICLE HOW TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online 2

Revenue from affiliate marketing programs appears to be growing at 10% with no signs of slowing down.

The industry is worth $12 billion and has opportunities for one and all, with over 81% of brands relying on some affiliate marketing program. That is why I have pulled together this affiliate marketing for beginners guide.

Affiliate marketing can help you make money or sell your project alongside traditional marketing. If you haven’t already jumped the bandwagon, consider knowing what affiliate marketing is and how to get started.

We’ll answer all your questions in this affiliate marketing for beginners guide and help you earn money online.

Let’s get started:

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Let’s refer to the affiliate marketing definition. 

It can be defined as getting paid a commission to help other companies sell their products or services. In simple words, you will make money (commission) whenever you succeed in selling an item, including digital goods.

Unlike traditional selling or marketing, affiliate marketing is digital. You advertise online, and all your buyers are on the internet. 

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online, affiliate income tubebuddy

How Much Do Affiliate Marketers Earn?

Affiliate marketing is a rewarding field, and almost everyone makes money here. You must, however, be patient if you want to make a decent amount of money working as an affiliate marketer.

If you search the web, you will find affiliate marketers who make about $100,000 per month by selling affiliate products online. However, not everyone’s lucky; some people only make about $100 monthly.

The truth is that it is a competitive industry. You must invest time if you want to enjoy the benefits. It can make you a millionaire, but this will take time to happen.

Many affiliate marketers lose money when they start. You will make errors initially and may have to spend money to get started. It can take a while to break even. We’ll talk more about it later in this article.

It takes most affiliate marketers 9 to 12 months to break even and make a profit.

Working with a professional and having access to the right help can make this process easier. You’ll know what not to do to make money.

The average affiliate marketer makes about $1,000 per month. It can, however, be challenging to correctly predict how much you will make as an affiliate as it depends on several factors, including your experience, niche, and marketing budget.

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online 1

How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?

Affiliate marketing involves buying and selling, but you do not have to purchase a product to participate in affiliate marketing. 

The structure is built on genuine relationships and transparency and not one-off transactions. Here are a few elements to know about if you want to know how affiliate marketing works:

The Product: This term is self-explanatory; the product is what you will sell. It can be a physical item or a digital good. 

Each product comes at a price that may be fixed or variable. 

The Merchant: The term refers to the vendor, brand, seller, or creator. Simply put, the merchant is the party that creates or manufactures the product you sell. The merchant can be a big brand like Adobe or a small firm that produces local soaps. 

The merchant can also be a single seller like Trajan King, who offers online courses. 

The Publisher: Also called the affiliate, the publisher can be an individual or person (you) who sells a product. Publishers use a variety of techniques to make a sale.

We’ll discuss the techniques publishers can use to sell a product later in this article. 

Affiliate Network: Since manufacturers do not always sell a product directly, you may need to turn to an affiliate network like ClickBank. They work as an intermediary between merchants and publishers.

These networks work with several brands, giving you access to several products and services under one roof. It is imperative to choose the right affiliate network.

The Consumer: The consumer is your target audience, who will purchase the product. Remember that you will only profit when there’s a successful sale. The job of every publisher is to find as many buyers as possible. The more sales you have, the more money you’ll make.

The Commission: This is the amount of money you will make during a successful sale. The commission depends on products and networks or merchants. It can be as low as 1.5% or as high as 40%. 

If a product sells for $40 and the commission is 10%, your profile will be $4. However, the network may charge a small fee for its services.

So, how does affiliate marketing work? You will have to find an affiliate network or brand looking for affiliates. Once approved, you will get a custom link that you will have to market.

Each time a consumer opens a website using your link and makes a purchase, you will earn a specific commission. This commission, however, can take a while to reflect in your account as orders can take weeks to get confirmed. Brands also have to take care of the ‘return’ window.

How To Work Home for Beginners 6

How do you get started with Affiliate Marketing?

Now that you know how affiliate marketing works, it is time to become an affiliate.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get started with affiliate marketing:

  • Choose a Niche

The first step is to choose a niche. If you already have a website or virtual presence,, it is best to stick to a niche relevant to your audience. For example, if you have a social media page about health and fitness with 500,000 followers, then it is best to choose health and fitness-related products to market.

If you want to create a new website,, you will have to choose a profitable and easy-to-manage niche. However, remember that it is not only about choosing a niche; you will also have to select suitable products.

Consider the ‘beauty and fashion’ niche; it is a popular option with several products, including beauty products for men, makeup products for women, etc.

We have covered the five best niches for affiliate marketing later in this article with some great tips on choosing an appropriate product. Keep reading for more.

  • Find an Appropriate Affiliate Program

Once you have selected a niche, it is time to decide how you wish to approach it. You can directly work with the manufacturer or choose an affiliate program. Each option has its perks and cons.

Working directly with the seller may offer you more money since you will not have to pay network fees and other charges.

Moreover, networks may also have stringent requirements, such as a specific number of followers, before you can sign up. But, there are various advantages of working with a network.

First of all, you will have access to many products under one roof. Top affiliate networks have thousands of products for partners to select. This makes management more accessible as you will not have multiple accounts to market various products.

Plus, affiliate networks are also known for ease. They offer insights and analytical tools that make marketing easier.

Lastly, affiliate networks offer more security. If you search the web, you will find several brands offering affiliate programs. While some are reliable, others are only out there to rob you.

Working with a reputable network reduces the risk of scams, as networks typically only include brands or companies that are safe and reliable.

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online, create an online presence, alan spicer youtube

  • Create a Site or Utilize Your Online Presence

Since affiliate marketing involves selling online, you will need a solid virtual presence to make money online. 

The first step should be to create a website, or in my case, a YouTube channel, that can help people find what you’re selling. It should be in the same niche as the product you’re trying to sell. You can opt for an e-commerce store but that may not be the most effective option as it can be hard to rank online stores.

We suggest you start a website dedicated to the product and post content like blogs and reviews. Since about 97% of people read reviews before buying a product, posting such content can effectively find buyers.

In addition to a website, consider creating social media pages as well. You have various options including Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Since it can be challenging to be active on all social media platforms, we suggest you stick to one that houses your audience.

LinkedIn, for example, can be a great pick if you offer producers for executives, such as hiring services. Similarly, Instagram can be a great option for selling fashion and beauty products since it’s popular among makeup artists.

  • Market What You’re Trying to Sell

Merely having a social media account or website is not enough; you will have to market what you’re trying to sell. You can have the best product in the world but no one will buy it if they’re not aware of it.

Affiliate marketers use a variety of techniques to market products. Some use paid options, while some stick to free ways to market affiliate products.

The company you’ve joined hands with may have a manual on marketing its products. Affiliate networks are also known to offer marketing materials, including banners that can be placed on your website.

In most cases, you will be given a code or unique link to include in your marketing content so that the website can track your users. Using generic links or product names will not give you any results, as the system cannot link a sale to your account.

Some affiliate networks and companies are very stringent about the marketing techniques used. Could you make sure to go through the terms and conditions so that you do not get into any trouble?

You must know about the product you are trying to market or sell. Buyers may have many questions regarding your product, including its benefits and use. 

Not being able to answer their questions can cause them to look elsewhere; hence, get educated and get your hands on what you’re trying to sell so that you’re fully aware of what it’s capable of.

affiliate marketing, build your audience, youtube subscriber growth

  • Build Your Audience

Now that your site is running, it is time to build your audience. Remember that marketing is a continuous process. If you stop trying to sell and gain more views, someone else will dethrone you.

Competition is tough. Never take things lightly, and continue to put your best foot forward so that you can sell more.

Your website must be user-friendly. Remember to make it easy for people to give you money. Connect with your audiences and work on building relationships. Relationship marketing can help find success as an affiliate marketer.

  • Earn and Withdraw Money

Now that you’ve started selling, you will earn money. It can take new affiliate marketers months before they have enough money to withdraw. Also, some networks will keep your money for security purposes before releasing it.

Since affiliate marketing involves real money, you might be required to submit identity documents such as your driver’s license before you can withdraw cash. Hence, use true and real information to sign up for an account. Using fake information can get your account blocked.

content is king

How Can I Become a Successful Affiliate Marketer?

Everyone wants to be an affiliate marketer and make money, but only some find success in this field. Here are a few things you must keep in mind to become a successful affiliate marketer:

  • Choose the Right Product

This is the most crucial step because you will never be able to find success if you do not choose the right product. 

The term ‘right’ is ambiguous as what works for someone else may not be suitable for you. Here are a few things to consider when selecting a product:

  • The Demand

Technically, there’s a demand for almost every product out there, but some have more buyers than others. It is best to stick to a product that’s heavily in market so that you do not have to work hard to find buyers.

You can look at tools such as Google Trends to know more about what’s in demand and what isn’t. Also, remember that some products are not in demand throughout the air. 

Air conditioners, for example, usually sell well during the hotter months. If you choose a product that only sells a few months of a year, you might be unable to make a decent amount of money throughout the year. 

  • The Price

Since you will only get a small percentage of the selling price, paying attention to this factor is very important.

Expensive products typically offer more money, but there may be better options since it can be hard to sell expensive products.

Think about shoes; a pair that costs $1,000 and pays a 2% commission will earn you $20 per sale. Since the price tag is very high, you might only be able to sell up to 12 units per month, which means you will earn a commission of only $240 per month.

On the other hand, if you choose to sell a pair that costs $100 and pays a 2% commission, you can sell 150 pairs in a month due to high demand.

Your commission will be $300. This example shows that commission for each unit is higher for expensive products but the overall profit is usually higher for more affordable products.

Always choose a product according to your buyers. If you think they can afford expensive shoes,, you can stick to $1,000. Otherwise, work with more reasonable brands. 

  • The Competition

Affiliate marketing networks carried out over 170 million transactions in 2017. This does not only show how big affiliate marketing is but it also highlights how stiff competition can be. Everyone’s fighting for a share of the pie. 

Cutthroat competition can make it difficult for new marketers to make a mark in the field. If you’re still finding a foothold,, try to find a niche or product that is not very competitive. 

  • The Commission 

As mentioned earlier, the commission is variable and can be between 2% to 40%. Big names like Amazon offer low commissions but a vast number of products. It’s also easier to sell Amazon products since the company provides international delivery and buyers also trust the brand.

Do not run after high commissions. A lot of companies that offer very high commissions are either scams or unreliable. It can be hard to convince buyers to purchase a product that has been manufactured by a company that nobody knows of. Hence, be responsible.

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online 3

  • Select the Right Platform

Do not blindly select a platform. The first decision is between the official site or affiliate networks. If you are going for the latter then select options that are reliable.

Not all affiliate networks accept users from all around the world. Also, some may charge a joining fee or commission on every sale. A very important factor to remember when selecting a platform is the cookie period.

Most buyers will not make a purchase right away. They’ll go to multiple sites and compare products for a few days before they finalize a purchase. Affiliate networks take this period into consideration and offer a ‘cookie period’ that is usually between 20 to 60 days.

If a user reaches a product via an affiliate link through your site and makes a purchase within the specified period, it will be considered a sale and get credited to your account. The higher this period the better it is.

  • Make Sure to Market Properly

Do not make the mistake of neglecting this factor. You can use a variety of techniques to market products. Here are some of the most popular choices:

  • SEO, since about 51% of traffic is organic. But, get ready to spend a lot of time on SEO as it can take websites a long time to rank well.
  • Email marketing, after all, it still offers an ROI of up to 4,300%. You will, however, need a solid email list to make use of this method.
  • Social media because it influences about 74% of shoppers. Plus, buyers tend to trust reviews found on third-party sites.
  • YouTube as it is now the second largest search engine and a lot of people love to watch videos about how to use a product before they purchase it.
  • Website because it can help users find you. Post a variety of content on your site including blogs, infographics, podcasts, etc. Make sure to include a search function on your site and have a mobile friendly website since about 5.16 billion users now have mobile phones and most of them use mobile devices to access the web.

You can use all these marketing methods and compare what works for you. Once you find the option that offers the highest return, stick to it.

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Do I Need Money to Become an Affiliate Marketer?

Technically speaking, you do not need money to become an affiliate marketer. However, it can be very difficult to be a successful affiliate marketer without spending a penny.

Here are a few expenses you may have to incur:

  • Get a Website –  starts as low as $150 per year

A website is not a must to become an affiliate marketing but it can increase your chances of finding success. Plus, some affiliate networks have it as a prerequisite.

You can get a free website but a .com or paid domain looks better. It will cost you about $10 per month. Avoid cheap or free hosting servers. They have limitations and they’re also insecure. Spend about $100 on hosting per month.

The next step is building a website. You can use WordPress and other such platforms to create a free site. If you want a kickass website then you’ll have to hire developers. This can cost you between $100 to $1,000.

Come up with a unique name and get a logo. You can create free logos online or hire a designer to get the job done for you. It can cost between $5 and $100.

  • Create Content for Your Site –  starts as low as $200 per month

You must post regular content on your site. It can be in the form of blogs, videos, or podcasts or a mix of all these.

You will not have much to worry about if you can create your own content. The articles must be informative, long, and SEO friendly. Consider including graphics as well since posts that contain images tend to get more likes, shares, and engagement.

Post at least twice a month to ensure your visitors have something to come back to. Plus, you can make money blogging if you play it right.

In addition to your website, you will also have to take care of your social media pages. You must post at least once a day so that engagement can be maintained. 

You can use your mobile phone to click photos or make videos. Some marketers also opt to invest in professional cameras to get high quality content for their pages.

You can handle this all on your own but it can take about 10 to 20 hours per week since managing a website and social media is a full-time job. If you’re too busy you can consider hiring a manager or content creator to take care of the job. They’ll charge anywhere between $8 to $20 per hour.

  • Hire an SEO firm –  starts as low as $500 per month

You will have to hire an SEO agency to rank well on search engines. This is important because about 71% of users do not go beyond the first page when they look for a product or service online.

SEO is technical and includes a lot of elements such as backlinks, inner links, keywords, etc. Companies charge between $500 and $5,000 per month for SEO services. 

Look for a provider with experience in the business so you can increase your rate of conversion and sell more.

  • Advertise Your Content – starts as low as $5 per month

Affiliate marketers have the option to advertise on Google, Facebook, and other such platforms. It’s a quick way to reach buyers but such campaigns need to be designed with care because you will not get good returns if you do not target the right audience.

You can hire professionals to manage your accounts. They usually charge a percentage of the total advertising budget. Find an option that offers the best returns.

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online 4

Which Is The Best Affiliate Marketing Niche?

Since there are a lot of niches out there, it can be very difficult to pick the right one. To help you become an affiliate marketer, we have highlighted five of the best niches:

  • Health and Fitness

You can sell supplements, gym equipment, gym memberships, and fitness eBooks. Commissions are in the range of 20 to 40 percent.

  • Wealth and Money

This is a very popular niche. You can work with trading companies, finance gurus, and investment firms. The commission can be up to 50% but competition is very stiff in this niche. 

  • Fashion and Beauty

The industry is worth $2 trillion and has a lot of potential but commission is low – between 3 and 10 percent.

  • Gaming and Software

With a CAGR of 12%, this is one of the fastest growing fields. It offers very high commissions – up to 30% – and gives a chance to sell a variety of software in multiple niches.

  • Hobbies and Survival

This one includes all kinds of hobbies such as fishing, golfing, flying, and painting. Commissions vary based on products but the option is very lucrative due to the huge number of options out there.

These are some of the best affiliate marketing niches. Make sure to pick one that fits you the best.

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: FAQ

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about affiliate marketing:

Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Guide to Make Money Online 5

#1 Can an affiliate work with several companies?

Yes, you can, there are no limits on the number of affiliate networks a person works with.

#2 How many followers do I need to become an affiliate?

This depends on the network or website you’re signing up for. Most require at least 5,000 followers but some can be more demanding. 

#3 Shall I tell people if I am an affiliate? 

Yes, the Federal Trade Commission requires affiliates to disclose if they get compensated for promoting a product or service. Not doing so can get you into trouble. 

#4 How much money will I make as an affiliate marketer?

You can make between $100 to $10,000 per month depending on your audience, product, and other such factors.

#5 Which is the best affiliate network?

Some of the best affiliate networks include ClickBank, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Amazon Associates, and Rakuten Marketing. Compare all these options and pick what fits you the best.

#6 Can I sell outside of the internet?

You can market the product outside of the internet but all purchases must be made online.

#7 When will I get paid?

You will get paid when you reach the minimum threshold that can be as low as $50 or as high as $500 depending on the platform you’re working with.

#9 Can affiliate marketing be a substitute for a full time job?

While there are people making a lot of money as an affiliate marketer, the truth is that it may not be a safe substitute for a full-time job because the amount of money you’ll make per month is never guaranteed.

Ready to work as an affiliate marketer? Check our blog section for tips and get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you.

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PODCAST

GROW ON YOUTUBE WITH A NICHE – #STARTCREATINGPODCAST EP 005

GROW ON YOUTUBE WITH A NICHE - #STARTCREATINGPODCAST EP 005

Grow with a niche – Growing on YouTube takes time, dedication and a hyper focused niche. You might love creating YouTube videos and been trying to grow your YouTube channel for years by throwing unlimited content at the channel but in a scattershot manner.

Imagine you have a YouTube channel you want to grow in 2019 and you upload sports videos, food videos, child care videos, wrestling videos and then some car repair videos – how is your audience going to describe your channel to a friend? How are they to know what you will upload for them to watch next week?

That is where the power of a niche comes in. I have made 300+ YouTube tutorials on my YouTube channel nearly 2 years. During this time I have niched down into helping people grow their channel and learn the features and functionality that YouTube has to offer. This means that when someone arrives on my channel they know exactly what I will teach them and what I will keep teaching them today, tomorrow, next week, next month and for years to come. This makes you known for your field and niche and grows your brand and recognition…. and trust. Trust will win you business, trust will win you subscribers, trust will grow an audience on YouTube.