So… you are looking for a good affiliate program, aren’t you?! If you haven’t thought about the Rakuten Referral Program, you are missing out – BIG TIME! This program is one of the easiest to make affiliate income from because not only does it pay you, but it pays the people that click on your link as well! Let’s jump into the how and what you need to do to promote it…
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Take Your Affiliate Earnings to the Next Level with the Rakuten Referral Program
Here is how the Rakuten referral program works:
- Sign up. Registering for the Rakuten program is simple – you just click and fill out some information to begin. Just for signing up, you will receive a $10 bonus once you make your first purchase of more than $25 through Rakuten and earn cash back. Same goes for your followers as well. Right now, Rakuten gives you $15 and them $10 when they complete that purchase (this is subject to change).
- Navigate over to the “Refer & Earn” tab. Once on the page, if you scroll down, you have the opportunity to directly invite individuals by sending an email to them, copy your referral link or shout it out on Facebook and Twitter.
It’s as simple as that! Now it’s time to promote! Here are 5 simple steps to promote the Rakuten Referral Program on your blog and social media:
Before you start any promotion, peruse the stores in the Rakuten Referral Program and determine what the best stores are for your target audience. Do your readers purchase books? Perhaps stores like Barnes and Noble or BooksAMillion are right for your readers. If you are a fashion blogger, you may choose to highlight stores like BCBGMAXAZRIA or Alice + Olivia. Amazon also participates in Rakuten in a limited number of categories!
- Curate your previous blog posts. Yes. I said that! Go back through your old blog posts and find opportunities where promoting the program makes sense. Do you have an old article about making money at home? Update it! Remember that post you wrote about your new favorite jacket? It may still be available in store, and your readers may be able to get cash back through Rakuten once they sign up for the program.
- Write a new blog post. The best way to reach your readers is to create content worth reading, right?! Well… who wouldn’t want to know about a program that will put a little money back in their pockets for the things they already purchase? Write conversationally. Don’t be pushy. Be objective. Remember your audience. Find a way to construct your post (or multiple posts) in the voice you typically write in. Don’t stray from the norm, but stress the importance of the program to your readers. Be upfront. Tell them you get a commission from, but tell them so do they!
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- Write engaging social media posts. This one may be a bit harder than it sounds. Although, it doesn’t have to be! Whatever you write about, whatever you promote, find a way to weave the program into it. Start with the retailers that have double cash back for the week – that’s a great incentive for people to join the program and may boost your engagement too! Another option would be to create an entire post with items you want to buy and mention the cashback from that particular retailer using Rakuten.
- Reach out to your email list. You have been collecting emails for sometime now, haven’t you?! It’s about time to use them. Whenever you see fit, write a special message to your email list. Tell them about your experience. Tell them what’s in it for them. Solve their problem – don’t just sell your solution.
- Make it personal. People love stories. They love reviews. Real life resonates. If you have a story to tell, people are more likely to listen. Publish your cashback earnings from items you buy everyday. Tell them what you spent your rewards check on. Find a way to engage with your readers that is in their wheelhouse, while making it personal and letting them in to your world.
Finally, if you don’t have a blog, don’t worry!
You can still make money without a blog! In fact, you can make some major coin with the Rakuten Referral Program simply by inviting friends and family, using your social media networks to the fullest – including Pinterest – and even promoting in neighborhood groups and forums.
Have friends and family share your link. If you are saving for something special, and they feel like they can be a part of it, they will likely glady share the opportunity with their followers.
Of course, using the strategies above won’t hurt either. Pay special attention to numbers 3 through 5 and remember – have fun with it, but own it!
//updated 1.29.2020
I did not know about Ebates. Thanks for sharing.
I have so many ebate apps and never use any of them. I don’t know why even with your post breaking it down if seems time consuming. Anything you do so it doesn’t seem like a chore?
Very informative, I have never tried Ebates, but it sounds like a great opportunity.
Ebates is the best thing since sliced bread! I used it before I started blogging but my earnings have increased dramatically since adding it to the blog. Everyone should be using AND promoting it!
This sounds great, but I am in Japan! I don’t suppose you know of something like this that works on a global scale? Thank you
I see commercials for Ebates all the time. It seemed a little weird,but now that I’ve read your post, it makes more sense!
I’ve done affiliate programs before but I’ve never tried ebates. This makes me want to though! And I love the idea of going back and updating new posts!
Thanks for the info! I never realized they had an affiliate program as well.
Honestly, I hadn’t even thought of earning referrals that way. I only ever referred my mother before but there are certainly more possibilities!