How to Get People to Click Your Shopping Guides

A few weeks ago I talked about affiliate links. This week I’m going to tell you the real reason bloggers make shopping guides, which I’m sure you can already guess… Not only that but I’ll also tell you how to strategically use shopping guides like a pro blogger.

If you guessed the real reason bloggers make shopping guides is to profit off you then you were right. #sorryiaintsorry

We have to make money just like anyone else so why not? The only time affiliate linking and shopping guides are abused is when it’s just a bunch of random products thrown together for no reason, in which case it’s a desperate attempt at making money. I don’t know about you but I’ll only post shopping guides with items I either have or that I’m looking into getting. This tactic is aligned with my morals and it gains the trust of my readers too.

If you watched my recent Snap (un: notanothrblonde) you’ll know that more trust = more money because buy from people they trust. Now onto the fun part…

how to monetize your shopping guides

Obviously, the more followers you have the more money you’ll make from affiliate links because there are more chances for clicks. But there are still ways around that where you can still profit even with a small following.

For me personally, I’m only interested in what you actually have, like the exact item you’re wearing or the exact product you use, not some lame replicate. And you should always put yourself in the customer’s shoes, so I will only post shopping guides filled with things I actually have or things that are so ridiculously close to what I have you’d never tell the difference (see HERE and HERE for examples).

With that said, you will make a killing when you link your exact items and sometimes you may have to link things that aren’t affiliate links just for the sake of gaining credibility as a reliable fashion source.

For example, Zara does not do affiliate links (read my thoughts on Zara HERE). But some bloggers link their Zara purchases anyway to provide value to their readers which is something I strongly recommend. These bloggers are taking one for the team and see the benefit in putting their readers/followers first. Nothing is more annoying when I click a “like2knowit” and it emails me something totally different from what the blogger was actually wearing.

Another way to make a killing from shopping guides is by pumping them out weeks before an upcoming event, holiday, etc. So for the summer we saw a lot of bloggers doing “vacation essentials” (yes, I was one of those bloggers, see it HERE).

Mother’s/Father’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. are all amazing times to make shopping guides because people are on the web shopping around looking for the best deals from the best retailers and if you want to make money from blogging, you must must MUST take advantage of these things! And don’t forget about social events like Coachella, Firefly Fest, etc.

a strategy that works

Most of you guys are fashion bloggers but for the more lifestyle/food/wellness-based bloggers there is money to be made for you too, maybe even more so! But no matter what kind of a blogger you are, you need to link every piece of clothing, accessory, book, bag, appliances, and home decor as often as possible.

So for example, you can add your latest finds in your newsletter, at the bottom of blog posts, in your YouTube videos, everywhere! You want to link up the lipstick you’re wearing, the hair products you use, the outfit you’re wearing, the book that’s in the background, the ingredients for a recipe you’re making, the list goes on and on.

You want to be constantly updating, switching products up, and adding value to your readers (adding value is the real success strategy). People aren’t going to click/buy from someone they don’t know, like, and trust. And you acquire these things through being yourself and adding value, so do it!

Do you love or loathe blogger shopping guides? Tell me in the comments.

xx

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