Stories and Advice from 15 Years in the Affiliate Trenches with Matt McWilliams [The Opportunity Ep.145]

Considering Google was created only 25 years ago, finding
someone who has been working in the online marketing and
affiliate industry for almost 18 years is rare.


All the way back in 2005, Matt McWilliams created an
affiliate program in a last-ditch effort to earn money for his
business that was nearing bankruptcy. The affiliate program took
off, growing from zero to more than $1,000,000 a month in only 18
months. Matt hasn't looked back
since.In this
episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like
to run an affiliate program. 


We dive into Matt's war stories from years in the industry,
the foundations of a good affiliate program, and why Matt has
chosen to stay in the affiliate world for so many years. Matt
explains, 


"The thing I love about affiliate marketing is it's
relatively risk-free because you don't pay affiliates until you
make money. Whereas you have to pay Facebook before you make any
money from your Facebook ads."


Matt also sets the story straight on the difficulties of
creating an affiliate program, explaining that it takes time to
build up a steady flow of revenue and that attracting the right
breed of affiliate partners can be a trial-and-error
process. If
you're thinking of joining the affiliate industry, then don't
miss out on this peek behind the curtain from an affiliate
program veteran.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:


Matt's background and how he got involved in the
affiliate industry (02:52)


The importance of having a good relationship with your
affiliate partners (10:55)


The type of affiliates Matt has served
(23:03) 


The 3-5 core elements a beginner should focus on when
building their affiliate site  (28:08)


AI in affiliate marketing (30:29)


Should every business have an affiliate program?
(37:33)


How to set up an affiliate program for a small business
(38:05)


Matt's funniest moment in internet marketing
(53:15)

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MattMcwilliams.com/empire 


Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell



Sit back, grab a coffee, and get a behind-the-scenes
peek into the inner workings of the affiliate program
industry!