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How to Create Your Own Affiliate Videos

Video is a great tool to pre-sell, keep your visitors engaged and increase conversions. 52% of customers say that video makes them more confident in buying, so without video, you’re probably missing out on a reasonable number of extra sales.

So what’s holding you back? I’m guessing it’s simply lacking the knowledge to create your own affiliate videos and feeling apprehensive about outsourcing to an expensive professional? If I’m right, then hopefully this article will enable you to start harnessing the power of video yourself, and start converting more of your visitors into paying customers.

Creating an effective affiliate video doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. In fact, there are many free tools out there which can be used to create something powerful. But before we look at those, let’s see what type of video is best suited for your affiliate website.

 

Which Video Type?

Review Videos

If you’ve got a product sample, or you’ve tried the product yourself, then this is the perfect type of video to add to a review blog. Showing the physical product in the video helps a customer to better visualise it, plus it adds validity to your review. A review video could be as simple as filming yourself holding the product and talking about the benefits, or your personal experience using it. That’s one of the great things about this type of video, they don’t have to appear professional looking, since it’s intended to be an amateur style review.


Promotional Videos

You could opt for more of an advert type video, selling the benefits of the product in a creative way. You will need to use powerful, emotive words to connect with potential buyers and convince them this is the product they have always wanted. An inexpensive way to create this type of video is to use animation to deliver the message. Wideo or Vyond are good examples of free tools you can use to create animated videos yourself. There are tutorials and guides to help you learn how to use them. Once you’ve got the hang of it, making videos will seem much easier…. and remember, it’s worth the time for all those extra sales!


General Topic Videos

You could create videos surrounding an interesting topic within your niche. For example, if a new weight loss ingredient has just hit the scene, you could create a short news-based clip about it. If you’re stuck for ideas, why not re-create one of your articles in the form of a video? Put on your best news presenter voice and start connecting with your visitors.


Micro Videos

Micro videos are only seconds long. The most well-known are 6 second long ‘Vines’ and 15 second long Instagram videos. These can be popular because they are easier to share on social media and they hold the full attention of the viewer for the full duration. As you can imagine, 6-15 seconds isn’t very long for a video, so you’ll have to get even more creative and try to create some impact in a very short space of time. One example might be to use alphabet fridge magnets to create a clip of a healthy recipe ingredients list.


What Tools Are Available?

Animoto

Animoto does all the creative work for you, so it’s quick and easy to use, but it gives you professional-looking videos at the end. Simply upload images or small video clips and Animoto will fuse these together in a unique way. There is no editing on your part so hardly any work at all to get a nice looking video.

Here’s a useful 60 second guide on how to use Animoto:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-apaZXsQrQ

 

iMovie (mac & iOS only)

 If you’ve got a mac or an iOS device such as an iPad or iPhone, then you have access to iMovie, usually for free or for a small cost from the app store. iMovie is a good tool to use because it’s easy to follow and offers a nice selection of features that you won’t find on other free platforms. Not only that, but because it’s so popular, there are a wide selection of tutorials available on YouTube if you get stuck.


WeVideo

 Another free tool which is a good option for creating your first video is WeVideo. WeVideo provides video tutorial guides so you can quickly learn how to use their platform with ease. WeVideo will even ask your experience level before you begin so you are can rest assured you will be guided all the way through. Like most video editors, WeVideo works using a timeline view, where media is organised and edited throughout.


Wideo

 I’ve already mentioned Wideo as a platform for creating easy and professional looking animated videos. Wideo even offer video templates which you edit with your own text and images, these already have animations and movements within them, saving you some work if you just want something quick and easy.

Here’s how to use it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCOiqe0dQd4

If you want to invest in a top of the range video editor, for creating videos on a regular basis, then I recommend the following programs:

  • Final Cut ProX for mac
  • Sony Movie Studio Platinum for windows

Videos with voice-overs tend to work much better than those without. This is because it’s easier for a visitor to connect with a real voice; it feels more ‘human’. You can simply record your own voice-over by speaking clearly and slowly or you could ask a friend to help you out. If you would like a professional voice-over, there are many people offering their services on fiver.com for a very small fee. However if you choose to do it yourself, you don’t even need any fancy equipment. If you’ve got a smartphone such as an iPhone there is a reasonably good voice recorder built in.

 

Where to Host Your Videos?

YouTube

YouTube is the obvious choice for hosting online videos. YouTube has the largest audience, so this might mean you can reach more people by uploading to YouTube. However it also means your video is competing against all the rest, and there are over 100 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute!

You also have the option, later down the line, to run your videos as adverts and sponsor them within YouTube to reach even more viewers. Plus, YouTube gives you access to analytics so you can learn more about your visitors and your videos.

However, there are some products and content types that YouTube do not allow and uploading videos of this nature can result in your account being banned. Steer clear of YouTube for the following:

  • Videos which main purpose are to drive users away from YouTube
  • Videos that mention anything to do with anabolic steroids
  • Videos that mention anything to do with phentermine

 

Vimeo

Vimeo is becoming more and more popular because there is less competition for visibility compared to YouTube. The basic Vimeo package lets you add one HD video a week, which should be enough if you are just starting out. Vimeo are a bit more relaxed with their rules and regulations, so you should be able to upload videos that aren’t allowed on YouTube, such as videos related to phentermine products.

 

Instagram Video

A good place to host your micro-videos, Instagram video lets you upload 15 seconds worth of video and you can even add a filter effect. Unlike a Vine, you can pre-record videos and then clip parts together to form an Instagram video.

 

I can’t recommend video marketing enough. With all the tools out there today, it can be very quick and simple to create something powerful for your website. Give it a try and see how much your conversions increase. If you’ve had success with video marketing, or you’d like to give it a go, share your results and experiences with us below.

4 replies on “How to Create Your Own Affiliate Videos”

Thanks a lot Chelsea for the detailed guide on how to create affiliate videos. I have always stayed away from video marketing because I don’t really know how to create one and I don’t have the funds to pay someone to do it for me.

I will surely start learning how to do it using one of the free tools you mentioned here.

HI YOUNDYD,

Really glad you’ve found it helpful, it’s definitely a lot easier to get a video out there than people think. All the tools available to us now make it simple and inexpensive.

Let me know if you have any questions about any of the tools once you get started, I’d be happy to help or make any suggestions. 🙂

Hi Jay, it’s usually certain product promotions that YouTube don’t like, I recommend Vimeo for specific product related videos that are in the health/sports nutrition niche.
If you’re using YouTube to support your brand and build your channel rather than drive traffic away from YouTube all the time, you should be okay.

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