Some of his most popular blog posts were about losing money, like losing $22,000 in a week. 📉
At Affiliate World Asia in Bangkok, I talked with blogger and affiliate marketer Ian Fernando about his roughly ten years in affiliate marketing, from working three jobs to running his own offers. 🎙️
📊 In this episode, we unpacked:
- 💼 From three jobs to $1,000 days
- 🔍 A Google guy
- 🌅 His daily routine
- 📝 Building a brand on failures
- 🤝 How to approach big affiliates
🎥 Watch the full episode:
💼 From Three Jobs to $1,000 Days
Ian got into affiliate marketing because he was “kind of forced into it”. He was working three jobs and wanted to drop two. Selling on eBay still meant customers and refunds, so he turned to affiliate marketing. 💼
He started with Google Ads and Neverblue. Specifically, Zoo Ads helped him reach $1,000 a day, then five figures on weekends. He had no money for $500 courses, so he taught himself and networked. At his first Affiliate Summit West, he was overloaded with tactics, so he tested one at a time. For our later chat, read Ian and me on COVID-19 and affiliate marketing. 🔗
🔍 A Google Guy
By this interview, Ian had been an advertiser for three years with his own nutra offers (diet, skin, male and brain) and his own hosting platform. He runs traffic to his own products. 🔍
He’s a media buyer and “a Google guy”: he started with Google search and buys through Google AdWords and DSP. He’s dabbled in Facebook, PPV and mobile, but uses Facebook mainly for social branding. From past experience, the network he recommends is Clickbooth. For a Google Ads-focused super affiliate, read John Crestani’s interview. 🔗
🌅 His Daily Routine
He works five to ten hours a day, though some days only 9 to 1. 🌅
He doesn’t open his laptop until the afternoon unless there’s an emergency. He has breakfast, goes to the gym, runs and meditates first, to stay mentally and physically fit. Early on, he followed John Chow, Jeremy Schoemaker (ShoeMoney) and Zac Johnson, and he also follows Lorenzo and Charles Ngo. 🏃
📝 Building a Brand on Failures
He started ianfernando.com as a journal of his experience. Readers loved his failed campaigns, like losing $22,000 in a week or $100 a day, because they could compare them with their own strategies. 📝
His affiliate network is also a big part of how he got where he is. For another affiliate who blogs openly, read how I earn six figures in affiliate marketing. 🔗
🤝 How to Approach Big Affiliates
People often ask Ian to mentor them. Think about how much time that person actually has. Be consistent and network slowly, day by day, or offer something of value, even just your time. 🤝
He’s happy to answer quick questions in exchange for a little value, but doesn’t want $5,000 for eight hours he doesn’t have. He’s been to many STM meetups, from Amsterdam to Thailand to London, and loved seeing Affiliate World grow into a conference that’s all affiliates, not agencies. 🌏
📝 Key Takeaways From the Ian Fernando Interview
- 🧪 Test one tactic at a time
- 📝 Sharing failures can build an audience
- 🔍 Master one traffic source
- 🌅 Protect a healthy morning routine
- 🤝 Offer value before asking for mentorship
❓ FAQs About Ian Fernando
Who is Ian Fernando?
A blogger, affiliate marketer and media buyer who now runs his own offers, mostly with Google traffic.
How did Ian Fernando start affiliate marketing?
While working three jobs, he moved from eBay selling to affiliate marketing with Google Ads, reaching $1,000 a day with help from Zoo Ads.
How should you approach a top affiliate?
Be consistent, network slowly and offer some value, even your time, instead of just asking for mentorship.
🎙️ More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love
- Interview with Christina Szekeres FB Queen: How Facebook Changed her Life
- Affiliate Ball CEO Darren Blatt On Delivering Legendary Parties
- Shawn Collins How He Made Million Dollars With Affiliate Marketing
- Alex CMO of Adplexity Explains How Adplexity Can Help You in Spying
Have you ever learned more from a failed campaign than a winning one? Tell me in the comments. 💬
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Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.