Going Dutch: A Guide to Succeeding in the Dutch Affiliate Industry with Niels Zee [The Opportunity Ep.143]

In an era where thinking outside the box is paramount,
foreign SEO has emerged as a tantalizing strategy for affiliate
marketers in search of new frontiers.


While foreign affiliate industries are not as established
as their English-language counterparts, competition is less
fierce and Google algorithm updates are less frequent and
hard-hitting. 


Among the numerous gems in this treasure trove of
opportunities, the Dutch affiliate market stands out for its
unexplored potential. This is where Niels Zee, a seasoned SEO and
affiliate marketer comes into play.


Niels has not only navigated the complexities of affiliate
marketing but has also mastered the Dutch affiliate market's
distinctive characteristics. 


In this episode, Niels shares his journey from inception to
expertise.


We dive into the differences between the US and Dutch
affiliate markets, and Niels highlights how language and cultural
nuances play a pivotal role in shaping strategies for
success. 


From monetization options for Dutch sites to the importance
of backlinks in Dutch affiliate marketing, we explored the
critical elements that set this market apart. Niels
explains, 


"The most important metric for the Dutch market is the
amount of incoming links versus outgoing links. Some websites
just link out to 10,000 websites and they only get 100 links in.
That's not quality. And Google knows that. So really try to shy
away from those sites if you're looking to buy a Dutch affiliate
site."


Moreover, Niels took us through his playbook for nurturing
and expanding affiliate sites, sharing his secrets for
sustainable growth. He also shares the secret sauce behind
structuring acquisition deals that work like a charm as well as
the pros and cons of building from scratch versus acquiring
established affiliate sites. According to Niels,


"I always prefer to buy a site over building one from
scratch. There's always a sandbox period where you create a
domain and then for the next three to six months, nothing
happens. That's very frustrating. It's less risky to start with a
domain that's already ranking and bringing in some
traffic."


Listen to this episode to unlock the door to a new realm of
possibilities in the world of affiliate marketing.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:


How Niels ended up in the affiliate and SEO world
(03:16)


Overcoming language barriers and the key differences in
US vs Dutch affiliate markets (10:58)


Monetization options for Dutch sites (14:24)


Why backlinks are so important in the Dutch affiliate
marketing (17:02)


Niels's advice to aspiring affiliates who want to get
into the Dutch affiliate market (22:11)


Niels's experience in building vs buying affiliate sites
(24:58)


How Niels structured his acquisition deals and what he
looks for in a site (29:10)


Niels playbook for growing his sites (35:21)


How Niels uses AI in his workflow and his views on how it
will affect the industry (39:45)


The growth trends Niels has seen in the Dutch affiliate
market (46:10)

Mentions:


Empire Flippers Podcasts


Empire Flippers Marketplace


Create an Empire Flippers account


Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 


Sign up for our referral
program 


Neils's LinkedIn profile


Bol.com affiliate program


Sitedeals.nl


Matt Diggity's affiliate course 


Authority Hacker courses



Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to navigate the
exciting world of Dutch affiliate marketing!