Here’s A Quick Way On How To Add Affiliate Links In WordPress

Affiliate links are a great way to monetize your blog, but knowing where and how to add them so you get clicks is KEY. Why? Because the more clicks you get, the MORE money you make. That’s why I’ve put together this quick guide on how to add affiliate links in WordPress the right way. Let’s dive in!

First, What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is online marketing where companies pay commissions to affiliates (YOU) for referring customers to them. This is usually done by tracking clicks from affiliate links and then awarding commissions accordingly.

This is a popular way for companies to reach new customers because it helps them tap into your traffic network.

It’s also an effective way for companies to promote their products and services, as it provides a more personal level of marketing. Ultimately, affiliate marketing is a powerful tool companies can use to reach new audiences and boost sales!

On the flip side, this type of marketing can also be a bit of a minefield.

There may be some rules and regulations the affiliate (YOU) needs to follow in order to stay in good graces and avoid being banned from the program. So it’s essential to do your research before partnering with a reputable affiliate network.

Speaking of networks, this is how you generate affiliate links to get sales. You need first to join an affiliate program which leads us to our next topic.

Join An Affiliate Program To Generate Affiliate Links

To add affiliate links to your blog post you need to be a part of an Affiliate Network.

You can skip this part if you’re already part of one affiliate program or multiple that you’re happy with. If you’re not, then keep reading.

To join an affiliate program, especially one that is free, I recommend any of the following:

• Amazon
• Digistore24
• Clickbank
• Commission Junction
• ShareASale

Rather than explaining what each program is about and how to signup, I wrote a separate post about that here “5 Best Affiliate Programs For Beginners That Are Free”.

Now, let’s get into the “meat and potatoes” of this post.

You Need A WordPress Website.

If you already have one, great!

If you need one, here are the top 3 WordPress web hosts recommended by WordPress. OR, if you’re looking to get your feet wet and want to set up a free WordPress blog, here’s my beginner’s guide on how to do that.

Now that you have WordPress, let’s get started on how to add affiliate links in WordPress step-by-step.

How To Add Affiliate Links In WordPress Step-By-Step

Before we explore how to add affiliate links to increase your chances of clicks, let’s first show you where to add an affiliate link in WordPress.

Step 1. Access your user Dashboard.

Step 2. Go to “Posts.”

Step 3. To add your affiliate link, you have two options: (1)”Add New” to write a new blog post or (2) go to a previously written blog post.

Step 4. Open up your post to add your affiliate link.

For example, I opened the post “4 Sensorimotor Play Activities to Develop Sensory Skills,” which we recently wrote on my other blog at Intensive Therapy for Kids.

Step 5. Next, highlight the text you want to add your affiliate link to.

Be sure the affiliate product or service you are linking to is relevant, adds value, or solves a problem for your readers!

For instance, I highlighted the text “musical toy”, to link it to one of our recommended Amazon affiliate products.

Something To Make A Note Of…

There are one of two WordPress text editors you’ll see once you go to open a post: (1) WordPress Gutenberg Editor or (2) WordPress Classic Editor. So let’s break down how to add your affiliate links using each. Feel free to skip to the WordPress editor you are using!

Step 6. Click the “Link” button in the WordPress editor toolbar to add your affiliate link.

Again, there are one of two ways to link to relevant content, depending on the text editor you are using.

How do you know which WordPress editor you are using?

WordPress Gutenberg Editor

If you started your blog recently, you are most likely using the new interface design, WordPress Gutenberg Editor, which looks like this…

WordPress Classic Editor

If you started your blog a while ago or installed the Classic Editor plugin, you are most likely using the old interface design, which looks like this…

No matter which one you use, here is how to find and click the “Link” button to add your affiliate link.

For WordPress Classic Text Editor, this is where you click the “Link” button to add your affiliate link.

For WordPress Gutenberg Block Editor, this is where you click the “Link” button to add your affiliate link.

Step 7. Enter the affiliate link in the “URL” field.

For WordPress Classic Text Editor, here is where you add your affiliate link URL.

After entering the URL, click the “wheel” icon to open the window below and click “Update.” Your affiliate link is now added!

I always click “Open link in new tab” so my readers can access both posts simultaneously; the blog post they are currently reading and the new URL they opened. This is entirely optional.

WordPress Gutenberg Block Editor

For WordPress Gutenberg Block Editor, here is where you enter the URL.

Again, after I enter a URL, I click “Open in new tab” for my readers to have the best of both worlds; reading the current post and the new URL opened.

Once you enter the URL, click the arrow icon to the right. Voila, your URL is now added!

If you’re curious about the other two tabs, “mark as nofollow” vs. “mark as sponsored,” here is the low down…

• If you decide to click “Search engines should ignore this link (mark as nofollow),” it means the link you are inserting is allowed to be crawled by the search engines, but you aren’t passing off your own juices.
• If you decide to click “This is a sponsored link or advert (mark as sponsored),” it means it’s a paid link; you receive money if someone clicks on this link.

How To Add Affiliate Links To Increase Clicks

If you want to know how to add affiliate links to increase clicks to generate more sales, here are a couple of tricks.

More Clicks = More Sales = More $$$ for YOU!

Use the tool “Alt-Codes.”

I use this free tool to copy/paste their awesome little symbols when I want to make one of my affiliate links pop OR if I want my readers to click on something important. For instance, I want you to know where to access this free tool, so I made the link below, “Click here to access the free “Alt-Codes” website,” stand out by using the “►” and “◄” symbols. See what I did there? 🙂

►► Click here to access the free “Alt-Codes” website ◄◄

Insert a button.

One thing I dig about the new WordPress Gutenberg Editor design is how you can customize your blog post. The possibilities seem endless!

I use the “button” option A LOT. To find this, go to the “Block Inserter” menu at the top of your post and click on the “+” symbol.

I took a screenshot of this post I’m writing to show you where the “+” icon is.

Then, type “button” in the search menu to find the block inserter.

Once you add it, your button will look like the blue box below. Add whatever text you want here to prompt your reader to click it; buy now, learn more, view current pricing, etc., and then link it to your affiliate link.

To Wrap It Up

Affiliate links are a great way to monetize your blog, and with this quick guide, you’ll be on your way to adding them like a pro! With just a few steps, you can have affiliate links up and running on your WordPress site quickly.

Until the next post, I wish you much blogging success!

With Gratitude,

Linds

Do you have anything to add or share on how to add affiliate links in WordPress? Let me know in the comments below. We could all use a little help along the way!

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About The Author

Linds is the proud mom of two little miracles, Mono Mono twin girls, and one AMAZING older brother! She is the founder and content creator of Mono Mono Twins, Intensive Therapy for Kids, and Co-Founder of The LENN Foundation, a 510c3 that helps children with cerebral palsy receive grants for intensive therapies to thrive. ♥

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. I only recommend deals or items I love because you might like them too! With my affiliate relationships, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks so much for supporting Mono Mono Twins!