8 Steps to Create High Revenue Affiliate Blog Posts

1. Choose the Right Affiliate Keywords

The first step is identifying profitable keywords and topics to target. The best affiliate keywords have these attributes:

1. Transactional Intent – People want to buy something, not just research. Words like “best”, “deals”, “coupons”.
2. High Search Volume – Enough searches per month to drive significant traffic. Use Google Keyword Planner or tools like SEMrush.
3. Relevant to Your Niche – Write what you know about. Don’t try to target random products outside your wheelhouse.
4. Has Affiliate Potential – Make sure there are affiliate programs available for the topic with decent commission rates. You can search platforms like CJ, ShareASale, Amazon Associates etc.

Focus on mid- to long-tail keywords, not just ultra-competitive short keywords. This gives you more room to compete.

Once you’ve compiled a list of potential keywords, assess revenue potential based on factors like average selling price of the affiliate product multiplied by your max commission rate multiplied by estimated conversion rate.

Choose keywords with the highest earning potential.

2. Optimize On-Page SEO for Affiliate Keywords

When writing posts targeting affiliate keywords, ensure you optimize on-page SEO elements:

• Title Tag – Include your target keyword toward the beginning of the title. Odd-numbered listicles like “7 Best [keyword]” tend to perform well.
• URL – If possible, get your keyword in the actual blog post URL.
• H1 Heading – Maximize prominence with your keyword in the H1.
• Image File Names – Name images based on your keywords and products for relevance.
• Content – Use keywords in a natural way throughout your post content. Check Google’s People Also Ask section to identify related questions to answer.
• Outbound Links – Link good resources but don’t over-optimize anchor text. Vary it up.
• Meta Description – Include keyword for click-through-rate.  

Follow good SEO practices but don’t overdo keyword density. Focus on useful, comprehensive content.

3. Structure Effective Affiliate Blog Posts

Beyond basic on-page SEO, you need to format your content in a way that converts readers into buyers.

Here is an effective structure:

• Intro – Explain your credentials and why you’re qualified to recommend products in your niche. Build trust.
• Show Top Recommendations – Right after the intro, list your top 1-5 product recommendations so readers see them immediately.
• Individual Reviews – For each product/service, make sure to include a summary explaining what it is, who it's best for, its key features, pricing, pros and cons, and a conclusion. Feel free to include your own rating in the conclusion.
• Comparisons – Contrast your top picks to help readers decide between them.
• FAQs – Answer common questions people may have.
• Next Steps – End with clear calls-to-action to your affiliate links.

This structure ensures you cover all the buyer’s key questions and needs within one post.

4. Create Unique Affiliate Content Blocks

Content blocks help break up walls of text while highlighting key pieces of information.

Some effective affiliate content block examples include:

• Pro/con lists
• Star ratings
• Bullet point features
• Pricing/spec tables
• Infographics
• Quotes/testimonials
• Comparison charts
• Toggles/accordions to reveal more info
• Videos

These make your posts more scannable and interactive.

5. Promote Affiliate Products Tactfully

Avoid being overly promotional in your affiliate content. Don’t sound like a sleazy salesman.

Here are some tips for tactfully integrating affiliate links and product recommendations:

• Only endorse products you genuinely would recommend without incentives.
• Focus on providing honest value vs. acting salesy. Reviews should inform, not just sell.
• Disclose when content contains affiliate links. Transparency builds reader trust.
• Make product recommendations fit naturally within content. Don’t force it.
• Limit links. Adding too many looks spammy.  
• Vary link anchor text instead of over-optimizing.
• Make affiliate links contextual, not disruptive.

Deliver true value, and smart affiliate promotions will follow.

6. Additional Elements to Enhance Affiliate Blog Posts

Beyond the core structure and content, some additional elements can enhance affiliate content:

• Table of Contents– Make it easy to jump around long posts.
• Infographics – Visualize complex data simply. Can be shared.
• GIFs – Bring excitement and engagement.
• Quotes – Pull powerful statements from others that reinforce your message.
• Star Review Snippets – Show aggregate reviews from other sites.
• Videos – Include video reviews and demos of products.
• Coupon Boxes – Display special discount codes prominently.
• Product Comparison Tables – Contrast specs in an at-a-glance format.
• FAQ Schema Markup – Improves display of FAQ content in search engines.

Always test new elements and keep what provides the biggest lift.

7. Promoting Your Affiliate Content for More Exposure

Just writing great affiliate posts isn’t enough. You need promotion to drive more eyeballs.

Some effective affiliate content promotion tactics include:

• Email lists – Send valuable offers to your own subscribers.
• Paid ads – Run ads to your content.
• Social media – Share posts where your audience is active.
• Link building – Get links from relevant websites to your content.
• Retargeting – Remarket to site visitors through ads. Facebook/Meta is especially good for this.
• Influencers – Reach out to partners who can share your posts.

The more quality traffic your content gets, the more potential affiliate sales you can generate.

8. Avoid Common Affiliate Marketing Mistakes

When creating affiliate content, sidestep these common mistakes:

• Not disclosing affiliate links – Transparency is key for reader trust.
• Over-optimization – Don’t keyword stuff. Focus on useful content.
• Promoting any random product – Only endorse relevant products you would actually recommend.
• Overusing affiliate links – Avoid making every other sentence a sales pitch.
• Chasing trends – Stay consistent vs. constantly pivoting all over.
• Ignoring competitors – Research what top content in your space looks like.
• Skipping promotion – You can’t just “set and forget” posts. Get eyeballs consistently.

Conclusion

That sums up the complete process for creating high-converting affiliate blog content, from keyword research to promotion.

With this blueprint, you can start driving significant affiliate sales through your content. Remember to always put reader value first while ethically integrating affiliate product recommendations.

Master these best practices for affiliate blogging success. The opportunities are endless.