Affiliate Marketing VS. Freelancing: Freelance Affiliate

You’re probably wondering which income method is best for you.

Affiliate marketing vs Freelancing, which is better based on your situation? 

Today, we’ll go over the key differences between the two, so that you can  make a more informed decision.

Affiliate Marketing What’s The Difference?

In short, Affiliate Marketing is a method where you’ll be earning commissions. Although, its another self employment opportunity, you’re not paid on an hourly rate.

This is a method that’s good for those who,  don’t have any plans on creating their own product and or service.

Instead you prefer to be your own boss, while promoting products, that belong to other business owners.

To clarify what I mean, you’ve decided to lock arms with a company – of your choice, and that company uses a marketing strategy that’s called an affiliate program.

Next, you agree to share that company’s products with your audience. 

Once your audience makes a purchase through your special affiliate link, you earn money as an affiliate marketer. 

Affiliate Marketing Examples

Amazon Affiliate Marketing

You’ve Probably crossed this term before, Amazon associates. It’s one of the most popular ways beginners get started with affiliate marketing business because Amazon is a well-known marketplace to the entire world. And selling products from that platform to a large audience can be pretty lucrative.

Pinterest Affiliate Marketing

Pinterest affiliate marketing is where you as an affiliate can drive traffic, using the Pinterest search engine. When you promote a product that is in high demand, you will surely get product sales.

eBay Affiliate Marketing

Here is where it’s important to understand what business model you want to use.

With eBay, you can do two things. You can either sale your own products on this marketplace or you can join the eBay affiliate program, and promote other people’s products.

While both allow you to earn money online, there’s still a difference. Infact, I sell on eBay right now, and in my opinion, selling your own products on eBay is very time consuming.

I’d rather become an affiliate and earn passive income.

By the way, you can also receive credits on your eBay fees if you share your products outside of eBay.

It’s as simple as joining their free eBay affiliate marketing program.

In fact, I’ve learned affiliate marketing from a community that not only teaches you how affiliate marketing works, but, allows you to earn extra money in addition to their affiliate training course.

Pretty, cool right?

What is Freelancing?

Freelancing is almost how it sounds. 

In short, it means you’re not committed to just one company or client. As a freelancer you are not working for an employer, you’ll be spending time, with different clients.

Therefore, you’re free to complete tasks for whoever you please.

For instance, instead of working for one organization. You can work with multiple organizations. 

As a freelance worker, you’re considered either a contractor or an independent worker, working for yourself.

As long as you can handle multiple work loads, you can spread your talent around to many different companies if you choose too, which most freelancers do.

Freelance Work Example

iTalki – 

iTalki is an one-on-one language learning platform, where teachers teach students to speak different languages.

The cool part is, you don’t need to have a teachers degree. If you don’t have a degree you could be considered as a community teacher. 

On the other hand, if you have a degree or certification, you can apply to become a professional iTalki teacher. Either way, both positions can be considered freelance work.

Fiverr

Fiverr is a well-known freelance marketplace where you can bring the right skills, and get paid from different clients.

You can offer your services globally by creating a free Fiver account. Deliver the work that you offer to a Fiverr customer and then you’ll get paid. 

Most customers on this platform are business owners but, don’t let that stop you. As long as you have a skill, you can choose any of the Fiverr categories. 

Pinterest Assistant/Manager –

Most bloggers use the term Pinterest Assistant but, if you want to call yourself a Pinterest Manager, go fot it. 

Remember, Freelancing is a business as well, if you treat it like one.

So be confident in your title and stick with it.

The bottom line is, there’s several options that you can do as a Pinterest Manager.

Some service ideas are listed below:

• Create images that Pinterest visitors will love
• Write keyword rich descriptions
• Set up other business owners Pinterest accounts
• You can help other business owners automate their Pinterest schedulers. 

Once you’ve helped your clients get some positive reviews, while delivering more valuable content. This can help you bring more potential customers in.

Freelance Affiliate Marketing

By the way, you’ll come across some websites, that also refer to affiliate marketing as freelance affiliate marketing.

So, what is freelance affiliate marketing?

I added this section to this blog post, because Semrush a keyword tool suggested it. Apparently, you are searching for the difference.

Therefore, I find it very important for you to understand that there is a difference between freelancing and affiliate marketing.

Freelancing

Freelancing is one of the ways to become self-employed, and affiliate marketing is another. As a freelancer you’ll need to find your own clients.

Furthermore, it’s where you’re directly offering your skills to another company but, it’s an awesome way to start making money online.

Usually, a freelancer doesn’t need motivation to write because, you’re given specific instructions, the topics are chosen for you, and you must meet a deadline.

Additionally, as a freelance worker, you can work for multiple clients, but, you’ll need to learn how to successfully, pitch yourself and skills to your future clients.

For example, if you want to become a freelance writer, you would create an awesome bio, and sell to the prospects that you’re wanting to provide services too.

In fact, as a freelance writer you can write on all kinds of topics, and for as many niches that you’d like.

The good news is, as a freelance writer you can make money a lot quicker than an affiliate blogger.

Freelance Affiliate

On the other hand, as an affiliate marketer who blogs. By the way, some bloggers, also call this a freelance affiliate, you’ll need to stay on topic for SEO purposes, also you are not given deadlines, instructions, or a topic.

Therefore, you’ll need to find the motivation to create content on your own.

Also, you’re not providing your services and skills directly to a prospect. Instead the company that you promote as an affiliate will do all of that for you.

The bad news is as an affiliate marketer you may not paid right away. At first, you may have to work long hours, because, there is a learning curve.

Furthermore, it could take time and effort before you even earn your first dollar online.

However, an affiliate earns money online passively. In addition to that, you get to choose what company or brand you want to partner with and which ones you don’t. 

At the end of the day, you’re still just an affiliate marketer promoting other people’s products.

Can A Freelancer Have A Blog?

Good news here! You can do both. You can be a freelance writer or worker and a blogger.

While both are different business models it’s still some similarities between the two.

Either way, if you were to become an affiliate marketer while keeping your freelance business model, all you’re doing is adding more potential income to your bottom line.

However, there are pros and cons that come with it.

What Are The Pro’s of Affiliate Marketing?

Pro #1 – Access To Thousands Of Products

With affiliate marketing there are thousands of products that you can promote in the affiliate marketing space.

Not only that, affiliate marketing allows you to get paid in several different methods.

For example, Google AdSense is one method. 

Pro #2 – No Obligations!

As an affiliate you don’t have an obligation to one company. 

If you choose to stop promoting a company, that’s your prerogative.

The best part is, you don’t have to give a notice. You just cut ties and move on to the right affiliate program.

Pro #3 – Multiple Marketing Channels

In addition to the above, affiliate marketing doesn’t need a website.

Although, marketing with a website is the most preferred method its not your only option.

For the most part, affiliate marketers use digital marketing.

You can promote your affiliate products with:

• Email marketing
• Social Media
• YouTube
• And many other creative ways.

What Are The Pro’s of Freelancing?

Pro #1- You Can Freelance & Have A Job

Did you know that millions of women lost their jobs in 2020? In fact, many moms are turning to either remote work, freelancing, or affiliate marketing.

Today, become an online entrepreneur is a lot easier than most might think.

With that in mind, if you don’t want to freelance alone, you can still have a 9 to 5 job if you choose. You can use freelancing as your backup.

It’s also a great opportunity to spread your wrings, especially, if you need to pay off debt.

Or if just simply need to earn extra income while working.

Pro #2 – Freelance Work Is A Business

All business owners are self-employed but, for the Internal Revenue Services to consider you as a business you must treat your activities or services as a business.

Either way, Freelancing can be considered a business because you are exchanging your skills or service to a client to help another business owner. 

Pro #3 – You Have The Control

With freelancing you have control over the type of work you accept.

You have the choice to accept or decline any projects because you’re the boss of your services.

Although, there are many benefits to freelancing, these are just to name a few. With that in mind, charging your clients an hourly rate is not something that you must do.

Instead, you can charge service fees and have itemized billing. 

It’s important to understand that you play every role within your business.

Such as customer service, human resources, invoicing, and so on. 

Below is a video, where Hasan shows you how you can become a pro freelancer starting with zero.

What Are The Main Differences between Affiliate Marketing and Freelancing?

As we know neither business model is like a traditional job, and in most cases there is no particular location but, the income potential could be one difference.

Difference 1 – The Scalability

Both opportunities are scalable.

However, with affiliate marketing the scalability is a little higher because there are more methods, and products to promote.

Plus, there are many different ways to earn multiple streams of passive income with affiliate marketing.

On the other hand, with freelance work, to increase your pay, you must set your rates higher or complete more tasks. 

Below is an example of what some Fiverr freelancers charge for their services. Either way, I always see other freelancers become affiliate marketers and vice versa.

Difference 2 – Contract Terms

While both affiliate marketing and freelance marketing have a contract.

They both work differently, and I’ll explain.

The majority of the time freelance work requires a contract.

It’s between you and a client. And in some cases, you must send some sort of communication providing advanced notice to your client, so, walking away isn’t the easiest.

Within this contract, your pay rate, scope of work, revision limits, delivery dates, and other pertinent details may be required. 

As with affiliate marketing, a company may not even have you sign an affiliate program agreement.

Such as the Host Armada affiliate program, I didn’t sign an agreement to join. I joined without a contract attached.  

The point is, with affiliate marketing, for the most part you can walk away without any notice.

Difference 3 – Affiliate Marketing Is More Passive

In my opinion, affiliate marketing, especially with a blog can be more passive than freelance working.

With affiliate marketing you complete all the work up front and reap the rewards later.

For instance, an article that you write today, could create profits for you over and over again for years to come. Of course, this does take time and effort but, the beauty of it all is amazing.

As you can see in the image below, I wrote an article back in 2019. That article barely gets traffic and I still earn income from it. 

On the other hand, with freelance work you complete the work today but, you can’t get paid over and over from the work that you complete today.

You have to continue to providing services every single day to keep your income going. At the and of the day the best choice for you is whatever resonates with you the most.

Final Thoughts Of Affiliate Marketing VS. Freelancing

Thank you, for staying to the end of this affiliate marketing vs. freelancing guide.

Which method would be best for you? I’ve never tried freelance work myself. So, the only business model I can say is I prefer affiliate marketing. And the reason, I prefer this method is because, it allows me time and location freedom, along with passive income.

What are your thoughts? How do you like freelancing? Or affiliate marketing? Share your thoughts I’d like to learn more from you.

Well, that’s all folks!

If you have any questions let me know. I wish you the best and continued success.