How Affiliates Work
I’m sure you’ve all heard about affiliate marketing, but have no idea what it is or how it’s used. But for all of us content creators in the Card Making industry, it means a lot! For creators like me, it’s how we make money. This is how we can continue to produce content that everyone can enjoy…for free!
If you have any questions or concerns about this, feel free to contact me using the contact form.
Who Are Affiliates?
Almost all content creators and influencers are affiliates. I would be considered an “affiliate” of companies like Simon Says Stamp, Altenew, Spellbinders, etc. Whenever I share a product that I enjoy from one of these companies, and you purchase it, I receive a small percentage of that sale as commission. If you’ve seen an Instagram influencer share a product that they like, they are acting as an affiliate for that company.
Unfortunately if affiliate marketing didn’t exist, I would need to find another way of making income from my content. I know that nobody wants to pay for content that should be free. So this allows me to gain income so I can continue doing what I love for you!
Do I get paid for producing videos at the companies request? No. I don’t accept any money as payment for producing the video. But I do receive commission if you purchase the product by clicking my link.
How Does It Work?
The way I get credit for a sale from one of these companies is by making use of “affiliate links.” Whenever you see a link to a product in any of my e-mails, sales newsletters, YouTube videos or blog posts, that would be an affiliate link.
The links may look like these. That may look strange, but they are 100% safe! They act like short links that will direct you to the store or product and tell them that “Jennifer McGuire sent me”. Here are some examples:
- https://shrsl.com/4llmk – takes you to Spellbinders
- https://ldli.co/e/d7r3d95 – takes you to Simon Says Stamp
When you click the link, it will set a cookie in your browser that only the store can see. The cookie just tells the company which affiliate helped you find their store. Then I will get credit for ANY product that you buy. The best thing is that you don’t even need to buy the product that the link pointed to! If you decide not to buy that, but end up buying other things, I will still get credit for all of those purchases.
Another important thing is that many sites ask you if you accept or reject cookies. If you reject, then I will not get credit for the sale. So be sure to click accept!
Can You Be Tracked?
No. When you click an affiliate link from my site or video, the only information that we give to the vendor is that you were referred to them by me. So companies like Simon Says Stamp, for example, will only be told that “Jennifer McGuire sent you.” That way they can credit me for the transaction. In addition to that, I don’t record or have access to that information. I am able to see that “some random individual” bought “3 ink pads”, for example. But there’s no way for me to know who you are or where they live. And honestly, I don’t want to know. I wouldn’t want people knowing what I bought! This is completely safe.
Does It Cost You?
Not a penny. When you place an order from a store that credits me with the affiliate purchase, the price is the exact same as if you didn’t click an affiliate link. This is the way it works for ALL affiliates. What happens is that the company gives me a small percentage of the overall sale. It’s a small percent, but it’s a way for me to make money and provide free content!
Why Would Companies Do This?
You may be wondering why companies would want to give up a percentage of their sales. Companies consider this as part of their advertising budget. If I share their products, it helps them to advertise and grow as a company! Nearly every company in the Card Making and Scrapbook industry has an affiliate program in place to support the creators. Very few have chosen not to participate. And that’s ok! I still share MANY products from companies that don’t provide affiliate payment just because I want to share great products.
What Can I Do?
If you ever see any products in my YouTube videos, blog posts or e-mails that you are interested in, just click the link. By clicking the link, you make sure I get credit for referring you to the products. That way I get some extra commission and can continue making free content.
I also have a Support Me page available. This is a list of many crafty companies. So if you ever plan on making a purchase for any of these stores, just click the link on that page to direct you to the store! But an important thing is that you should not feel like you HAVE to buy something or something more. Just buy what you normally would have.
I appreciate all the support you provide me!